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About Lois Wolk
Elected to the California State Assembly in 2002, Assemblywoman Lois Wolk
(D-Davis) represents the Eighth Assembly District, which spans Solano and Yolo
Counties including the cities of Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista,
Suisun City, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland.
Wolk has earned a reputation as a problem solver. She has tackled difficult
issue areas including transportation, education, health, housing, human
services, political reform, public safety, environmental protection, and flood
management. She was a founding member of the Bipartisan Group, a group of
legislators from both parties that worked on bipartisan solutions to the state
budget and political reform issues from 2002 to 2006.
Wolk currently serves as Chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife
Committee and is leading efforts to provide greater flood protection to the
Central Valley and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region. Her proposals provide a
balance of major funding for levee repairs and stronger land use policies to
reduce risk to homeowners. In addition to flood protection, Wolk has used her
chairmanship to bring heightened attention to other critical issues including,
water management, invasive species, and avian flu.
Wolk also serves on the Assembly Committees on Budget, Banking and Finance,
Natural Resources, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Budget Subcommittee on
Transportation and Information Technology. In addition, Wolk serves on numerous
Select Committees including Biotechnology; Domestic Violence; Future of Farming
in California; Procurement; Ports; and Wine.
As a member of the California Wildlife Conservation Board, Wolk helps allocate
funding for important environmental projects throughout the state. She also
serves as the State Assembly’s representative on the California Public Library
Construction and Renovation Board which allocates state funding support for
local library construction.
In her first four years in the Assembly, Wolk was successful in getting 40 bills
passed by the legislature and signed into law, including, in 2006, legislation
to establish a statewide immunization registry; strengthen the Delta Protection
Commission; improve the state’s response to avian flu; and improve funding for
planning local transportation projects. In 2005, Wolk’s chaptered bills included
legislation to designate 31 miles of Cache Creek in Yolo and Lake Counties as a
State Wild, Scenic and Recreational River; and landmark legislation to require
bank employees to report elder financial abuse to law enforcement.
In her first term, Wolk served as Chair of the Assembly Human Services
Committee, focusing attention on improving disabled access and improving efforts
to prevent child abuse and elder abuse. Her efforts earned her the Outstanding
Advocate Award from the Easter Seals Society of California.
Wolk has been honored by many other organizations for her public service,
including The California Journal, which awarded the Assemblywoman the "Golden
Pedigree" for her integrity, trustworthiness, and personal ethics—and recognized
her as one of the "Freshman Elite" for her high standing among first-term
legislators in August 2004.
A resident of Davis since 1978, Wolk has a long record of community and public
service.
In 1990, she won a seat on the Davis City Council, and served two terms as Mayor
from 1992-94 and 1996-98. While on the City Council, she led the effort to build
the Sutter Davis Hospital and the University Retirement Community. She
spearheaded the formation of the Economics and Finance Commission and the Open
Space Commission. She also led the efforts to preserve and restore Putah Creek
and create wetlands adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and in the Yolo
Basin.
Wolk served as Yolo County Supervisor from 1998 to 2002, chairing the Board in
2000. As a supervisor, she led the effort to create a Multi-Disciplinary
Interview Center for abused children, a Crisis Nursery, the Yolo County
Children’s Alliance, and the first Tree Plan for Yolo County. During her tenure,
the Board successfully funded a new Juvenile Hall and a new Health Department,
and revised the County's Agricultural Zoning Ordinance to preserve Yolo's prime
agricultural land.
Wolk earned her B.A. from Antioch College in 1968, and an M.A. from Johns
Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1971. She has taught
History, Social Studies and French in grades 7 through 12 in both public and
private schools. She has been married to Bruce Wolk, Professor of Law at UC
Davis Law School since 1968. They have two grown sons: Adam and Dan.
Chaptered Legislation, 2005-2006:
AB 56 – Bike Signals: makes permanent the provisions in existing law allowing
bicycle traffic signals in specified locations, including the City of Davis.
AB 573 – Construction contracts, indemnity: protects design professionals from
unfair contract provisions holding them liable for other parties’ negligent acts
and omissions.
AB 574 – Recycled Concrete: allows for the use of recycled concrete in building
materials if the end user is aware that it is recycled.
AB 575 – E-Waste Recycling: provides for the collection of e-waste disposal fees
for leased electronic devices subject to the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of
2003.
AB 576 – California State Immunization Registry: creates a statewide
immunization registry to ensure that more children are immunized, reducing the
risk of disease, hospitalization and lost time from school and work.
AB 796 – Library Name Change: allows certain public library districts, including
the Governing Board of Dixon Unified School District Library District of Solano
County, to determine their own names.
AB 797 – Delta Protection Act: strengthens the Delta Protection Commission,
enabling the board to better protect the water, agricultural land, and other
Delta resources.
AB 798 – Delta Levee Subventions: enables the state to continue paying the
majority of ongoing costs for Delta levee projects, making it easier for local
governments to afford maintenance and improvements to satisfy urgent needs.
AB 874 – Avian Flu Wildlife Surveillance Act: increases the state’s preparedness
for an outbreak of the Avian Flu.
AB 1188 – Impeding a Mandated Report Elder/Child Abuse: establishes uniform
fines and penalties for failing to report or impeding a mandated report of child
and elder abuse.
AB 1245 – West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency: expands the authority of
the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency to accomplish new flood protection
projects.
AB 1328 – Cache Creek Wild & Scenic River Designation: designates 31 miles of
Cache Creek in Yolo and Lake Counties as a State Wild, Scenic and Recreational
River.
AB 1329 – Design Build: authorizes the use of the cost-effective, design-build
construction process in Yolo and Solano County cities.
AB 1610 – Charter Schools: strengthens accountability measures and ensures
equity for charter schools.
AB 2155 – Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste: modifies state’s hazardous waste
permitting law to accommodate processes used by small batch pharmaceutical
manufacturers.
AB 2538 – State Transportation Improvement Program: increases funding for local
or regional transportation agencies for project planning and monitoring, helping
avoid delays in construction projects.
AB 2918 – Partnership Health: Expands County Organized Health Systems statutory
authority to create and administer certain health service programs other than
those already specified in law (MediCal, Healthy Families, Medicare).
AB 2939 – Port of Sacramento Governance Structure: gives full management of Port
of Sacramento to host jurisdiction, the City of West Sacramento and Yolo County,
expanding the port’s business prospects.
SB 1018 – Elder Abuse: authored with Senator Joe Simitian, this bill mandates
bank employees to report elder financial abuse to law enforcement.
ACR 13 – Spay Day Resolution: declared February 22, 2005, to be Spay Day USA
2005.
ACR 16 – CHP Sgt. Gary R. Wagers Memorial Interchange: designated the
interchange of State Highway Route 5 (SR) and SR 113 the "CHP Sergeant Gary R.
Wagers Memorial Interchange."
ACR 21 – Watershed Awareness Month: proclaimed the month of May 2005 Watershed
Awareness Month.
HR 8 – National Library Week: acknowledged the celebration of National Library
Week from April 10 through April 16, 2005.
Chaptered Legislation, 2003-2004
AB 163 – Fairfield-Suisun School Fix: authored with Assemblyman Joe Nation, this
bill allows Fairfield Suisun School District to use year-round single-track
calendar year without suffering significant penalties. ($14 million)
AB 164 – Principal Training Program: provides intensive professional development
in management and standards-based instructional leadership to high school
principals.
AB 1400 – Universal Design for New Home Construction: requires all builders of
new, single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and condominiums, to
provide buyers with information on universal design features for disabled access
and the opportunity to add these features to their homes.
AB 1402 – CalWORKS Quarterly Reporting: fixes a conflict with federal law to
allow the state to implement a simpler and less wasteful system of reporting
information by families who need Food Stamps or CalWORKs. Benefits will be based
on current rather than past circumstances and will be submitted quarterly rather
than monthly.
AB 1405 – Statewide Watershed Policy: recognizes local partnerships in watershed
restoration efforts, and sets forth policies that will allow the state to fully
collaborate with local watershed partnerships.
AB 1407 – Solar Rights Act I: requires cities that receive state grant-funding
for solar energy systems to comply with the Solar Rights Act that ensures there
are no unreasonable restrictions placed on homeowners who wish to install solar
energy systems.
AB 1408 – Pipeline Oil Spill: requires the immediate reporting of a threat or an
actual discharge of oil in marine waters to the Office of Emergency Services.
Also requires the State Fire Marshal, in its report to the Legislature every
five years, to assess the condition of all pipelines in the state.
AB 1409 – Bicycle Racks on Buses: amends the Vehicle Code to permit commuter
buses to be equipped with folding, front-mounting bicycle racks.
AB 1410 – Transit Oriented Development: gives the right of first refusal to
local agencies to purchase state surplus land in order to develop a transit
village or infill opportunity zone.
AB 1411 – Anti-Hazing Enforcement in Schools: gives school administrators the
authority to suspend or expel students for hazing. The bill also expands the
definition of hazing in the Education Code.
AB 1413 – Adoption Birth Certificate Processing: accelerates the processing of
birth certificates for adoption of foster children.
AB 1716 – County Welfare Caseload Realignment: allows restoration of $27 million
from increased sales tax revenues to replace earlier declines in realignment
funding for county social services. Resulted in $287,000 increase in Solano
County and $153,000 in Yolo County.
AB 1956 – Diversion For Autistic Defendants: includes autism and other cognitive
developmental disabilities among mental illnesses eligible for criminal
diversion programs in misdemeanor cases.
AB 1982– Mosquito Reduction on State Managed Wetlands: requires all state
managed lands to implement healthy and habitat friendly mosquito abatement in
order to stop the spread of West Nile Virus. SB 1545, co-authored by Wolk,
appropriates $750,000 to implement AB 1982.
AB 1984 – CCRMP/ Surface Mining: reinstates Public Resources Code (PRC) section
2715.5 which allows Yolo County to use Cache Creek Resources Management Plan (CRMP)
in place of a reclamation plan.
AB 1985 – Auto Insurance Claim Records: expressly permits insurers to retain
electronic copies of claim forms in auto theft-related claims.
AB 1986 – CDSS Evaluation/ Background Checks: extended authority for counties to
grant exemptions from disqualification of prospective foster parents for certain
crimes when county finds substantial and convincing evidence of good character.
AB 2054 – BIFS: extends the sunset date for new University of California
Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) projects from December 31, 2005
to December 31, 2010.
AB 2292 – Visitation/Legal Guardians: allows a guardian to be granted visitation
rights if the court believes it is in the best interest of the child to continue
that contact after adoption or reunification.
AB 2473 – Solar Rights Act II: A follow-up to AB 1407, the bill prohibits local
governments from restricting the installation of a solar energy system based on
aesthetics.
AB 2795 – CWS PIP: implements state's Program Improvement Plan (PIP) for
services to abused and neglected children by allowing counties an additional 30
days to develop case plans and allowing 6-month extensions of Family Maintenance
Services if needed.
ACR 251 – Assisted Living Week: proclaims the week of September 12-18 2004 as
Assisted Living Week in California.
AJR 71 – Veterans’ Health Care: urges the President and Congress of the United
States to provide a guaranteed level of funding for veterans’ health care and
restore the medical benefits package for veterans in Priority Group 8
Awards & Recognition:
Latino Community Council of Woodland honors Wolk with its Aguila Unity Award for
enhancing and promoting diversity and inclusion. May 2007.
California Association of Recreation & Park Districts honors Wolk with its
Legislator of the Year Award for 2006 for her leadership and advocacy for parks,
recreation, and open space issues. May 2007.
Mosquito and Vector Control Association honors Wolk with its Legislator of the
Year Award for 2006 for her work to protect Californians from West Nile and
other vector-borne diseases. April 2007.
Environment California honors Wolk with its Environmental Champion 2006 Award
for her work to protect California’s air, water, and open space. April 2007.
Environment California awards Wolk 100 percent on its 2006 legislative scorecard
for her votes on 17 key environmental bills, including The Global Warming
Solutions Act of 2006, which creates the first ever statewide cap on global
warming pollution, and Senate Bill 1 (Murray), which put California on a track
toward building a million solar roofs in the next ten years. Wolk coauthored
both bills. April 2007.
Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California honors Wolk with its
Legislator of the Year 2006 Award for championing legislation to restore equity
to public construction liability. January 2007.
California Park & Recreation Society awards Wolk 100 percent on its 2006
legislative scorecard for her votes on legislation affecting local and state
parks and recreation services, the environment, and open space. January 2007.
Floodplain Management Association honors Wolk with its Hogg-Owen Award for
Meritorious Achievement in Floodplain Management Award for her work on
developing legislation to reduce the State's exposure to flood risks. November
2006.
Solano Transportation Authority names Wolk its State Elected Official of the
Year for her advocacy for Solano County transportation improvements,
specifically for her legislation to improve funding for planning local
transportation projects and her support for added funding for projects on
Interstate 80 and State Route 12. November 2006.
Friends of the River honors Wolk with its Peter H. Behr Award for her 2005
legislation designating a dramatic stretch of Cache Creek as a State Wild,
Scenic and Recreational River. November 2006.
The Environmental Council of Sacramento honors Wolk with its Environmentalist of
the Year Award for her notable achievements in protecting the environment in the
Sacramento region, particularly for her leadership in efforts to protect
Californians from flood risk. October 2006.
California Wilderness Coalition honors Wolk with its Philip Burton Wilderness
Award, for her Assembly Bill 1328 designating 31 miles of Cache Creek as a State
Wild, Scenic and Recreational River. The award honors elected officials and
other leaders “who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to
wilderness conservation in California, making them true champions for
California’s wild lands.” May 2006.
California Association of Recreation and Parks Districts honors Wolk with its
2006 Award of Excellence for efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of
recreation and park districts. May 2006.
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter, awards Wolk 100
percent on its 2005 legislative scorecard for votes on bills impacting issues
ranging from minimum wage to elder financial abuse. March 2006.
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault awards Wolk 100 percent on its 2005
legislative scorecard for voting record on bills to strengthen laws regarding
sexual assault. February 2006.
Applied Research Center awards Wolk with an “A” grade on 2005 California
Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity for votes on 18 pieces of legislation
dealing with educational equity, economic justice, health equity, civil rights,
and criminal justice. December 2005.
California Alliance for Retired Americans awards Wolk with an “A” grade on its
2005 legislative scorecard. November 2005.
California Association of Library Trustees and Commissioners honors Wolk with
its Elected State Official Award for support of legislation to benefit
libraries. November 2005.
California Invasive Plant Council honors Wolk with its Invasive Plants Policy
Award for work to protect California’s threatened native habitat. October 2005.
California State Sheriffs' Association honors Wolk with its Outstanding Assembly
Member Award for her continued support of law enforcement and advocacy for
public safety issues in California. August 2005.
California Park & Recreation Society places Wolk on its 2003-2004 Legislative
Honor Roll for her voting record on legislation of interest to park and
recreation providers. January 2005.
The California Journal honors Wolk with its Freshman Elite Award for her high
standing among first-term legislators. August 2004.
The California Journal honors Wolk with its Golden Pedigree Award for her
integrity, trustworthiness, and personal ethics. August 2004.
Vote the Coast honors Wolk with its Coastal Steward Award. May 2004.
Easter Seals California honors Wolk with its Outstanding Advocate Award 2004.
April 2004.
10th annual Northern California Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Conference honors
Wolk for her efforts to protect young people. April 2004.
CalCoast, Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, and the California
Watershed Networks honors Wolk as Champion of Watersheds, Wetlands, and our
Coast. April 2004.
California League of Conservation Voters awards Wolk 100 percent on its 2003
legislative scorecard for votes. March 2004.
Housing California awards Wolk 100 percent on 2003 legislative scorecard for
votes on 15 key affordable housing and homeless bills. February 2004.
Soroptomists International of Dixon honors Wolk with its Woman of Distinction
Award. 2004.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholarship Fund, honors Wolk with its Outstanding
Elected Official Award. January 2004.
Solano County Sikh Community honors Wolk with its Community Appreciation Award.
September 2003.
Coalition of Tobacco Free Campaigns honors Wolk with its CA Smoke Free Award for
her commitment to the health of all California. February 2003.
California State Association of Counties honors Wolk with for her support to CA
counties and continued service to the state of California. February 2003.
Yolo County Concilio Board honors Wolk with its Board of Directors Award.
October 2002.
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center honors Wolk with its Peace Begins at
Home Award. April 2002.
Davis Professional Firefighters Local 3494 recognizes Wolk for her commitment to
the needs of working men and women within the city of Davis and for her vision
of a better future for the citizens of the city. June 1998.
Putah Creek Council honors Wolk with its Putah Creek Keeper award. 1998.
Soroptomists International honors Wolk with its Woman of Distinction Award.
1995.
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