State Sen. Jackie Speier: What are Your Thoughts?

For more than 20 years, I have dedicated myself to working for the people of California; first as a San Mateo county supervisor, then as a member of the state Assembly and, since 1998, as a member of the state Senate. I have written laws to assure the confidentiality of medical records and restrict access to the main sources of identity theft, birth certificates and mothers' maiden names. I chaired the Senate hearings that uncovered former Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush's flagrant abuses of office.

Medicare patients can now receive the same reduced rate for prescription drugs at the Medi-Cal price and all prescription drug benefit packages offered by health insurers must include FDA-approved contraceptives as a result of legislation I authored.

I know that the budget crisis in California is on everyone's minds right now. I sit as chair of the Senate's Select Committee on Government Oversight. During the last six months, we held hearings and took hundreds of suggestions regarding ways to reduce state government operating costs and to improve the delivery of public services. In all, the committee made recommendations in the budget, saving the state approximately $200 million. Most recently, I won a four-year battle to enforce the protection of your financial privacy. I am proud to say that with the signing of Senate Bill 1, history has been made. As of July 1, 2004, Californians will have the strongest privacy protections in the country. Consumers now have the final say in the sharing of their personal and financial information and the selling and trading of their financial DNA.

I am proud of these accomplishments. But I can go even farther with your help. I want to hear from you directly about the things that concern you the most, so I have chosen to open a new line of communication through your neighborhood paper. Occasionally, I will address your concerns to the best of my ability. Please write, e-mail or call my office today with your questions. (455 Golden Gate Ave., #14200, San Francisco, CA 94102; gina.simi@sen.ca.gov; 557-7857.)

State Senator Jackie Speier represents District 8.