scott wiener rep

-=-=

-=-=

SAME? gay flag icon

Grow USA: Empowering American Renewal

Grow USA: Empowering American Renewal

MANY STREAM ADS ~ PROP 40?

XITTER

GrowSF

@GrowSF

Today we launched GrowUSA, a federal committee supporting Scott Wiener for Congress.

Scott has passed major housing laws and secured critical funding for Bay Area transit. San Francisco needs his record of delivering results in Washington.

Scott Wiener | GrowSF Campaigns

From campaigns.growsf.org

12:20 PM · Aug 17, 2026

·

32.6K

@DanWheeler4SF

Dan Wheeler

@DanWheeler4SF

Aug 17

You're wasting your money, GrowSF billionaires. You can't buy this city.
@DanWheeler4SF

Dan Wheeler

@DanWheeler4SF

Mar 13

Article cover image

Article

The Real Scott Wiener

The average low-information voter in San Francisco harbors an instinctive distrust of Scott Wiener, the state senator now running for Congress in California’s 11th District. Yet a chorus of...

@Cantbyclass

Bear Martin

@Cantbyclass

Aug 17

Scott is owned by developers. So, of course you endorse him.

@jonfreakingc

jonfreakingc 🏴‍☠️

@jonfreakingc

Aug 19

No, thank you.

-=-=

-=-=

oppo? 1o 26

Who Bought Scott Wiener?

Scott Wiener

WHO BOUGHT SCOTT?

Scott Wiener says he’ll battle for San Franciscans in Congress.

Every candidate has a team. His is stacked with tech billionaires, corporate landlords, MAGA donors, and AIPAC money.

Let’s see who he’ll actually fight for.

Scott Wiener

DonorDex

Can Scott Wiener

Catch All The Donors?

SCOTT'S DONORDEX

Garry Tan

Y Combinator

Garry Tan Y Combinator

Big Tech/AI

$32,000

GrowUSA / GrowSF

Super PAC / local PAC

GrowUSA / GrowSF

PAC

$49,052

Abundant Future

Super PAC

ABUNDANT FUTURE

PAC

$1,100,216

Chris Larsen

Ripple

Chris Larsen Ripple

Big Tech/AI

MAGA

$107,000

AIPAC & UDP donors

PAC / Super PAC donors

AIPAC & UDP donors

AIPAC

$38,300

Parker Harris

Salesforce

Parker Harris Salesforce

Big Tech/AI

$7,000

James Sangiacomo

Trinity Properties

James Sangiacomo Trinity Properties

Real Estate

$7,000

Yat-Pang Au

Veritas Investments

Yat-Pang Au Veritas Investments

Real Estate

$3,300

Public First Action

501(c)(4) / Super PAC

Public First Action

Dark Money

$500,000

Anthropic

Big AI

Anthropic

Big Tech/AI

$703,799

Andrew Chatham

Waymo

Andrew Chatham Waymo

Big Tech/AI

$57,000

Nick Josefowitz

Permit Power

Nick Josefowitz

Real Estate

$200,000

Families for an Affordable San Francisco

Super PAC

Families for an Affordable San Francisco

Dark Money

$677,000

J Street Action Fund

Super PAC

J

Street PAC

PAC

$60,000

OpenAI & Sam Altman

Big AI

Sam Altman OpenAI

Big Tech/AI

MAGA

$108,550

Jim Walton / Charter Schools Action PAC

Walmart Heir / Super PAC

Jim Walton / Charter Schools Action PAC

PAC

$20,000

Michael Moritz

Sequoia Capital

Michael Moritz Sequoia

Big Tech/AI

$100,000

Frank Nolan

Vanguard Properties

Frank Nolan Vanguard Properties

Real Estate

$2,000

Joseph Carouba

Strip Club Owner / BSC Management

Joseph Carouba BSC Management

Real Estate

$31,800

Jeremy Stoppelman

Yelp CEO

Jeremy Stoppelman Yelp

Big Tech/AI

MAGA

$45,300

Diane “Dede” Wilsey

A Wilsey Properties / GOP Megadonor

Diane “Dede” Wilsey Fine Arts Museums

Real Estate

MAGA

$14,000

Michael Lai

Anthropic / Tinycare

Michael Lai Anthropic

Big Tech/AI

$3,870

Jeremy Liew

Lightspeed VC / Snap

Jeremy Liew Lightspeed

Big Tech/AI

$27,000

John Pritzker

Hyatt Heir / Geolo

John Pritzker Geolo

Real Estate

$32,000

Jack Gardner and Noah Schwartz

The John Stewart Company

Jack Gardner and Noah Schwartz John Stewart Company

Real Estate

$3,500

Jan Sramek

California Forever

Jan Sramek California Forever

Real Estate

$3,500

Rob Rosania

Maximus

Rob Rosania Maximus

Real Estate

$3,300

S. Osborn Erickson

Emerald Fund

S. Osborn Erickson Emerald Fund

Real Estate

$3,300

Zachary Rosen

Abundance Network

Zachary Rosen Abundance Network

Big Tech/AI

Real Estate

$7,000

California Leadership United for Victory PAC

Leadership PAC

CA-LUV PAC is a Leadership PAC affiliated with Pete Aguilar (D-Calif)

https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/fmr-corp/C00573709/summary/2024

Individual donors gave 164 large ($200+) contributions to this PAC in the 2023-2024 election cycle

Showing 1-25 of 164 Records

Individual donors gave 164 large ($200+) contributions to this PAC in the 2023-2024 election cycle

California Leadership United for Victory PAC

PAC

$4,500

This is by no means a comprehensive donordex. That would crash your computer!

See what Wiener promised his donors for all this money

This is who funds Scott Wiener. If he gets to Congress, he answers to that money before he answers to the people. And San Francisco will pay the price.

Send Scott and his backers a message:

ELECT CONNIE CHAN

-=-=

10 26

Scott Wiener - Wikipedia

bit talk

cott Wiener (born May 11, 1970) is an American politician who has served as a member of the California State Senate from the 11th district since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, his district encompasses San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County. From 2011 to 2016 he served as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from the 8th district.

Raised in New Jersey, Wiener earned degrees from Duke University and Harvard Law School. He was an attorney and LGBTQ+ rights advocate in San Francisco before his election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As a supervisor, Wiener chaired the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and represented San Francisco on the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District Board.

During his political career, Wiener has been known as a prominent advocate for various measures to facilitate more housing construction in California to alleviate the California housing shortage.[1][2][3] During his time in the California State Senate, he has authored several pieces of landmark legislation to increase housing supply in California.[4][5]

Wiener is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 election to replace retiring Representative Nancy Pelosi in California's 11th congressional district.[6]

Early life and career

Wiener was born in Philadelphia to a Jewish family on May 11, 1970.[7][8] The son of a small business owner and a public school teacher, he was raised in southern New Jersey and graduated from Washington Township High School. Wiener received a bachelor's degree from Duke University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. He also spent one year studying history in Santiago, Chile, on a Fulbright Scholarship.

After law school, Wiener clerked for New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Alan B. Handler.[9] He moved to San Francisco in 1997 to work as a litigation attorney at Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe. In 2002, he went to work as a deputy city attorney under San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera.[10]

Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors, Wiener chaired the San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee.[11] He also co-chaired the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club and the San Francisco LGBT Community Center and served on the national board of directors of the Human Rights Campaign.[12]

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Wiener's official portrait while in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Wiener was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on November 2, 2010, carrying 42.4% of the vote in the first round of ranked choice voting.[13] After the two lowest-finishing candidates were dropped, Wiener won election with 18,239 votes, or 55.4%, over the second-place finisher, attorney Rafael Mandelman.[13] He was reelected in 2014 in the first round of ranked-choice voting with a majority of the vote.[14]

Wiener represented the 8th district, which included the Castro District, Glen Park, Noe Valley, Diamond Heights, Twin Peaks, Duboce Triangle, Corona Heights, Buena Vista, and parts of the Mission District.[12]

Housing

In 2011, after a string of fires caused by arson in San Francisco's Castro district, Wiener authored legislation allowing residents temporarily displaced by fires or natural disasters to rent other apartments at below-market rates.[15] Previously, landlords willing to rent out apartments to a tenant on a temporary basis could not offer lower rents without locking these rates in at that rate under rent control.[15]

In 2012, Wiener passed legislation promoting the production of student housing while restricting the conversion of existing rental stock to student housing.[16] That same year, the Board passed legislation to allow the construction of residential units as small as 220 square feet, known as micro-apartments.[17]

In 2014, Wiener introduced two measures to allow the construction of new in-law units in San Francisco: one allows units to be built within the Castro neighborhood,[18] and one allows owners of buildings undergoing seismic retrofit to add in-law units.[19] In 2016, Wiener authored legislation to fast-track the approval of affordable housing projects.[20]

In 2016, Wiener introduced legislation to extend rent control protections to people living with HIV/AIDS.[21]

Transportation

Wiener focused much of his policy work on San Francisco's public transportation. He criticized the lack of investment in transit in San Francisco, and advocated for additional funding measures.[22] His proposals included changing the transit-impact development fee[22] and a ballot measure to tie Muni funding to population growth.[23] The latter measure, Measure B, required 75% of increased funding to improve Muni reliability and 25% of the funding to improve street safety.[24] Measure B was passed on November 4, 2014.[14]

Wiener also encouraged increases in the number of taxis in San Francisco[25] and supported expanding access to car-share programs.[26]

In 2013, the full Board of Supervisors passed Wiener's legislative package to streamline pedestrian safety projects.[27] The legislation included creating a centralized Street Design Review Committee, making it easier for developers to implement pedestrian safety projects as gifts to the city, and amending the Fire Code to provide more leeway for sidewalk extensions.[27]

Over his tenure as a Supervisor, Wiener advocated for increased pedestrian safety by advocating against widening streets.[28] In 2014, this led to a public disagreement with the San Francisco Fire Department around street design at new developments at Hunters Point and Candlestick Point.[28] The Fire Department sought to widen streets in these developments to be 26 feet wide, 6 feet wider than the legal requirement.[29]

Public spaces

In 2012, Wiener sponsored controversial legislation banning nudity at un-permitted events, which was eventually passed by the Board.[30] Wiener stated that "[t]his is what local government is for—to respond to the issues affecting citizens where they live."[31]

In 2013, the Board of Supervisors passed another bill authored by Wiener establishing park hours for San Francisco's parks. The supervisor claimed the ban was needed to combat vandalism and illegal dumping. Critics said it was unfairly aimed at the homeless.[32]

Wiener was active in promoting and regulating food trucks. In 2013, Wiener's legislation establishing guidelines for San Francisco's food truck industry was passed by the Board of Supervisors.[33]

Another of Wiener's policy focuses was increasing government spending on parks, including supporting the expansion of park patrol in budget negotiations.[34] Wiener also authored legislation to have the city government purchase a parking lot on 24th Street and turn it into a public park.[35]

On the Budget Committee, Wiener advocated for adding government funding for maintenance and safety in San Francisco's parks and other public spaces.[36] He was also involved in efforts to increase municipal spending on street resurfacing[37] and maintenance of street trees and park trees.[38]

Environment

In 2015, Wiener authored legislation to make San Francisco the first city in the country to require water recycling in new developments.[39] He also proposed legislation to require each unit in multi-unit buildings have their own water submeters.[40]

Nightlife and culture

Early in his first term, Wiener requested a study of the economic impacts of entertainment and nightlife, an issue in his first campaign.[41] The study, completed by the San Francisco City Economist, found San Francisco nightlife generated $4.2 billion in economic productivity in 2010.[42]

In 2013, Wiener authored legislation to make it easier for businesses to get permits for DJs, and to offer a new permit to allow for live music in plazas.[43]

HIV and LGBT issues

In September 2014, in an online essay on The Huffington Post, Wiener revealed that he was taking Truvada, a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) that reduces the risk of HIV infection.[44] Wiener said he disclosed his usage of PrEP in an effort to reduce the stigma around it. He also cited the need for more awareness and expanding access as other keys for making PrEP successful.[45] He worked with David Campos to support ensuring low-cost access to Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV after Wiener revealed his own PrEP use.[46]

As a member of the Board's budget committee, Wiener advocated for HIV/AIDS services and restoring lost federal funds.[47] In 2016, he helped secure funding for San Francisco's Getting to Zero effort, which aims to end all new HIV infections in San Francisco.[48]

In 2016, he introduced a bill, passed by the Board, barring the city from doing business with companies based in states that have laws that bar policies banning discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, such as North Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi.[49] The Board repealed the law in 2023 because it had been determined to be ineffective as well as increased costs for the city by up to 20%.[50]

Parental leave

In 2016, Wiener authored first-in-the-country legislation to require fully paid parental leave for new parents after childbirth or adoption, applying to both parents. As a result of this legislation, employers in San Francisco must give employees up to six weeks of paid time off.[51]

Soda tax

In 2014, Wiener introduced a ballot measure that would have imposed a two cents per ounce tax on the distribution of sodas and other sweetened beverages, and used the money to fund "healthy choices" in San Francisco.[52] The measure, which was also sponsored by Supervisors Malia Cohen, Eric Mar, John Avalos, David Chiu, and David Campos, aimed to reduce soda consumption and increase programs to combat the rise of diabetes and other related diseases in San Francisco.[53] The proposal was endorsed by much of San Francisco's local political establishment, including all its state legislators, and many health organizations,[54] but voters in the 2014 election did not give the measure the 2⁄3 supermajority required to impose a new tax.[14] The American Beverage Association spent more than $9 million to defeat Measure E,[55] which was also opposed by the Libertarian Party of San Francisco. Ultimately, the measure garnered 55.6% of the vote,[14] below the 66.7% needed to pass.

California State Senate

In 2016, Wiener ran for the 11th Senate District, to succeed termed out Senator Mark Leno.[56] As it is required to include a Chinese name on the ballot (17% of San Francisco speaks Chinese), Wiener chose the name (Chinese: 威善高; pinyin: Wēi Shàngāo; Jyutping: Wai1 Sin6 Gou1), meaning "bold, majestic, charitable and tall"[57][58] (he is 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 metres)[59]).

Wiener received several endorsements, including one from Leno.[56] He defeated fellow Supervisor Jane Kim in the November general election, to win election to the State Senate.[60]

Wiener was reelected to the state senate in 2020 and 2024.[61][62]

Wiener is the Chair of three California Senate committees: Budget and Fiscal Review, Legislative Ethics, and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.[63] He is also the Assistant Majority Whip and serves as the Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.

Wiener was named the most effective state legislator in the 2023–2024 session and in the top five most effective in his first four sessions by the Center for Effective Lawmaking at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.[64]

Psychedelic decriminalization

In 2021, Wiener authored, sponsored, and introduced SB-519, a bill that provides for the decriminalization of psilocybin, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), ibogaine, ketamine, mescaline, and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) in the state of California. The bill would eliminate criminal penalties for the consumption, possession, and social sharing of these substances and the plants or fungi that contain them. The bill also has a provision that legalizes the furnishing of these substances by licensed physicians/NPs/PAs and licensed mental health practitioners for therapeutic purposes in the treatment of patients.[65] SB-519 passed in the California State Senate by a vote of 21–16 on June 1, 2021.[66] It headed to the California Assembly for a vote to determine final approval, however, after a third reading it was ordered to the inactive file on August 25, 2022, by Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes. It officially died on November 30, 2022, in the Assembly with no further action to be taken.[67] SB-519 reemerged as SB-58 for the 2023-24 session, and on September 7 passed the Senate with 21 ayes and 14 noes. The bill was presented to Governor Gavin Newsom on September 13, 2023, and he vetoed it on October 7.[68]

HIV and LGBT issues

Wiener at the San Francisco Pride on June 30, 2019

In 2017, Wiener originated three bills centered around HIV and LGBTQ issues. He co-authored Senate Bill 239, which lowered the penalty of exposing someone to HIV without their knowledge and consent from a felony to a misdemeanor.[69] Wiener said that the laws had unfairly singled out HIV-positive people.[70] The bill passed and was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on October 6, 2017.[71]

Wiener co-authored Senate Bill 179 in 2017, to create a third, non-binary gender option on government documents, which passed in 2018.[72][73]

Wiener authored Senate Bill 219 in 2017, which strengthened protections against "discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status" for LGBTQ seniors living in long-term care facilities.[74] The bill was opposed by groups who argued that the bill criminalized bathroom gender designations and would force care providers to address those under their care with gender-appropriate language.[75] Wiener called these arguments "transphobic" and "absurd".[76] The naming provision of the law was overturned on July 16, 2021, after the Third District Court of Appeals ruled that the law violated employees' free speech rights.[77]

In October 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Wiener's legislation expanding access to HIV-prevention medications PrEP and PEP. Under the new law, pharmacists can distribute HIV pre- and post-prophylaxes without a physician's prescription.[78]

In 2019 and 2020, Wiener attempted to pass Senate Bill 201,[79] a bill that would have restricted physicians' and parents' ability to decide to perform reconstructive genital surgery on intersex infants, and would instead require the impacted child be old enough to decide to undergo surgery.[80] The bill was opposed by the California Medical Association and other medical groups who said they would not be able to apply medical expertise, which would threaten patient safety. The bill died in committee.[81][82] Wiener re-introduced the bill a second time in January 2021, this time as Senate Bill 225.[83]

Wiener introduced Senate Bill 145 on January 18, 2019.[84] The bill proposed to remove the requirement to place someone convicted of non-forcible oral or anal sex with a minor over the age of 14 (provided the convicted is less than 10 years older) on the sex offender registry, instead leaving this to the judge's discretion, as was the case for vaginal sex.[85] He argued that existing law was discriminatory toward LGBTQ couples where the partners were just above and below the age of legal consent. Wiener received online harassment and death threats from those who claimed the bill protected pedophiles.[86] The bill was signed into law by Gavin Newsom in September 2020.[87]

In 2021, Wiener authored SB 107, a "trans refuge bill" to protect transgender children seeking gender affirming care in California and their families from civil and criminal punishment under other states' laws.[88] The law would restrict the enforcement of out-of-state laws and policies that penalize gender affirming care in subpoenas and arrest warrants, and in parental custody cases.[89][90] SB 107 became law in 2022.[88]

Solar energy and storage

In 2017, Wiener sponsored two bills that expanded solar and renewable energy use in California.[91] Senate Bill 71 required solar to be installed on many new buildings;[92] the bill's rooftop mandate was loosened by regulators in 2020 to allow offsite solar to be purchased instead.[93] Senate Bill 700 created a 10-year program to give rebates to customers who install energy storage systems, including batteries.[94][95]

Net neutrality

In 2018, Wiener authored Senate Bill 822, which enacted net neutrality protections.[96] Later signed by the governor, this bill reinstated Obama-era regulations in California and banned zero-rating. This legislation was the subject of litigation from the US Justice Department and several trade groups.[97] In 2021, the Justice Department dropped out of the lawsuit, and a federal judge dismissed the trade groups' challenge.[98]

Presidential tax return disclosure

Main article: Senate Bill 27

In 2019, Wiener co-authored Senate Bill 27, which would have required presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns to be eligible to appear on a California primary ballot.[99] The bill was signed into law by Gavin Newsom and subsequently challenged in court by lawyers of Donald Trump.[100] In September 2019, a federal judge blocked the law, stating it violated four separate sections of the Constitution of the United States in addition to a separate federal law.[101][102] The Attorney General of California appealed the judge's decision, with a decision expected by a federal appeals court sometime after the March 2020 primary election.

In a November 2019 unanimous ruling, the California Supreme Court said the law violated the California Constitution and that Donald Trump may appear on the state's March 2020 primary ballot without being required to release his tax returns.[103]

Transportation

In 2019, Wiener authored Senate Bill 127, a "complete streets" bill that would increase the amount of revenue from the state's new gas tax that could be directed to bike lanes or pedestrian improvements from $100 million to $1 billion. Newsom vetoed the bill due to opposition from Caltrans over its cost and the potential loss of federal highway funds.[104][105]

In 2024, Wiener authored SB 960, another "complete streets" bill that mandates that Caltrans prioritize road improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders on state-owned city surface streets, as well as document and publish reasons for failure, and include complete streets facilities, including transit priority facilities, in the asset management plan. Newsom signed the bill into law on September 27, 2024.[106][107]

State estate tax

In 2019, Wiener co-authored Senate Bill 378, which would have imposed a 40 percent estate tax in California for estates over $3.5 million, or $7 million for a married couple, until the federal estate tax threshold is reached.[108] The bill failed to move out of committee.[109]

State oversight of federal law enforcement

In 2025, Wiener authored the No Secret Police Act (SB 627), which criminalized the wearing of masks by federal and local law enforcement agents (but not state law enforcement) statewide during operations outside of certain uses. The bill was signed into law on September 20, 2025, over opposition from the Trump administration.[110][111][112][113]

In 2026, Wiener authored the No Kings Act (SB 747), which would allow citizens to sue federal, state, and local officers and government officials for monetary damages in state court for violations of First, Fourth and Fifth (Equal Protections) Amendment protections. The bill would expand upon the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act. The bill was introduced in response to the weakening of Bivens actions in successive U.S. Supreme Court decisions.[110][114]

Housing

In 2017, Wiener authored SB 35 (which was approved as part of a 15-bill housing package that also included funding and other bills to reform housing production in California),[115][116] which will require the cities that have fallen behind on their state housing production goals to streamline approval of new housing.[117][118]

"Local control is about how a community achieves its housing goals, not whether it achieves those goals," Wiener said in a statement. "SB 35 sets clear and reasonable standards to ensure that all communities are part of the solution by creating housing for our growing population."[117]

A study by the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation found that SB 35 resulted in approvals for 18,215 housing units in the immediate three years after its implementation, two-thirds of which was affordable housing.[119]

In 2018, in an effort to address the state's housing affordability crisis and CO2 emissions, Wiener introduced Senate Bill 827, which would require cities and counties to allow apartment buildings of four to eight stories in "transit rich areas"—defined as land within a half-mile of a major transit stop or a quarter-mile of a stop on a high-frequency bus route.[120] Wiener introduced the bill as part of a housing package, along with bills to make it easier to build farmworker housing and to improve local accountability to build new housing.[121] SB 827 failed to make it out of committee.[122] In 2019, Wiener introduced SB 50, a follow-up to Senate Bill 827. This version did not advance through committee in the senate in 2019 and was reconsidered in the 2020 legislative session, where it was killed in a senate floor vote, marking the third failed attempt by Wiener to pass a transit-density housing bill.[123][124][125]

In 2020, in a fourth failed attempt at passing a statewide upzoning bill, Senator Wiener introduced legislation (Senate Bill 902) that would allow 2 to 4 unit apartment buildings on single-family lots throughout California, depending on a city's size.[126][127]

Wiener was the co-author of a fifth failed upzoning bill in 2020, Senate Bill 1120, which would have required the approval of duplexes proposed on any single family lot in California.[128]

In 2021, Wiener authored and co-authored several housing bills. He authored Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 478, and co-authored Senate Bill 9, the California HOME Act.[129][130][131] SB 9 upzones most of California to allow for up to 4 housing units per lot, and SB 10 makes it easier for local governments to rezone for higher densities near transit rich areas.[132] SB 478 prevents local governments from imposing a FAR or a minimum lot size that would make dense housing impossible.[133] Both bills were signed into law by Newsom in September 2021.

In 2022, Wiener co-authored SB 886, which would exempt the UC, CSU and community college systems from the lengthy California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process. The CEQA process has been used to obstruct, delay, and block campus and housing developments in California. Earlier in 2022, UC Berkeley was forced to cut its enrollment figures because some Berkeley residents used CEQA to block and delay Berkeley from enrolling students.[134] Newsom signed the bill into law on September 28, 2022.

Wiener also co-sponsored AB 2097, which abolished parking minimums for homes and commercial buildings within a half-mile (0.80 km) of public transit, or for neighborhoods with low rates of car use.[135]

In 2024, after the California HOME Act was struck down in a superior court on constitutionality grounds, Weiner voted in favor of SB 450, which clarified the language of the HOME Act to comply with the ruling and increase its enforceability against local governments.[136] Weiner also co-authored SB 312, which clarified implementation language regarding SB 886, and SB 937, which allows housing developers to defer payment of their impact fees until completion of the project. Newsom signed all three bills into law in September 2024.

In 2025, Wiener introduced SB 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, which revived his earlier transit-density housing bills SB 827 and SB 50. The bill passed the Senate on June 3 and the Assembly on September 11, with the Senate voting in concurrence with significant Assembly amendments on September 12.[137][138] Despite opposition, the bill was signed into law on October 10, 2025.[139]

Alcohol sales until 4 am

Nationwide, 2 am is the most common last call time, though bars in New York City can serve until 4 am and some until 5 am in Chicago.[140] Citing the cultural and economic benefits of nightlife, Wiener proposed legislation to allow cities to extend alcohol sales in bars and restaurants to 4 am.[141] Senator Mark Leno, Wiener's predecessor, had attempted to pass a similar bill. The bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support,[142] but failed in the Assembly.[143] Wiener reintroduced the bill the following year, this time limited to six cities whose mayors had supported the idea: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood, and Long Beach.[144] The bill (SB 905) was expanded to include Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Coachella, and passed the Assembly 51–22 and the Senate 28–8.[145] Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the legislation September 28, 2018, citing California Highway Patrol concerns over drunk drivers.[146]

Wiener's most recent bill, SB 930, would allow seven cities to serve alcohol until 4 am under a five-year pilot program, if their city councils allow it.[140] Proponents say that it would help venues still recovering from the pandemic stay in business, while opponents say that it would add to alcohol-related problems, including DUIs in cities adjacent to those allowing later last calls.[140][147]

Environment

In January 2021, Wiener introduced SB 252, the Bear Protection Act. Sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, SB 252 would ban the sport hunting of black bears, except in situations where the bears must be killed for safety reasons, protecting property, livestock, endangered species, or scientific research.[148] This legislation drew immediate support from animal rights activists. Critics of SB 252 claim that Bear Tags (the license needed to go bear hunting) generate $1.39 million in revenue that goes towards California's wildlife agency.[149]

In February 2024, Wiener proposed SB 1227, one of the broadest rollbacks of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to allow most projects in downtown San Francisco to bypass the law for the next decade. Some critics said it would be a giveaway to developers. David Lewis, executive director of Save the Bay, said the plan sounded "pretty extreme".[150]

Vehicular speed governors

In January 2024, Wiener proposed SB 961 that would require every passenger vehicle, truck and bus manufactured or sold in California to have speed governors starting in 2027. These would automatically limit the vehicle's speed to 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) above the legal limit.[151]

Artificial intelligence safety

In February 2024, Wiener introduced the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act (SB 1047) to reduce the potential risks of highly advanced frontier AI models. The bill also aimed to establish CalCompute, a public cloud computing cluster. It was eventually vetoed by Gavin Newsom.[152]

Business regulation

In June 2024, Wiener co-authored SB 1524 with Bill Dodd to amend California's "junk fees" legislation (SB 478). The amendment created an exemption allowing restaurants and food service providers to continue adding service charges and mandatory gratuities to bills, provided these fees are "clearly and conspicuously" displayed on menus and advertisements.[153] The original SB 478, sponsored by Attorney General Rob Bonta and co-authored by Senators Dodd and Nancy Skinner, had banned hidden fees across various industries starting July 1, 2024.[154]

The restaurant exemption bill passed unanimously in both the California State Senate and Assembly. Wiener stated the amendment "strikes the right balance between supporting restaurants and delivering transparency for consumers." Co-author Matt Haney acknowledged that restaurants were unintentionally affected by the original legislation, stating "This should have never happened in the first place."[155]

Fundraising

Of the $1,110,296.82 that Wiener raised for his campaign fund in 2020, 30.6% came from the real estate lobby, then tech (15.4%), followed by labor unions (11.3%). One-third of the money from labor came from unions representing the building trades.[156] 51% of his funding during came from within his Senate district, while 49% came from the rest of California.[156] The 34% of his contributors who donated $1,000 or more made up 83% of his total raised. While 23% of Wiener's contributions were $100 or less, these small contributions came from only 2.2% of his supporters, many of whom donated repeatedly.[156]

California Legislative Jewish Caucus

Wiener co-chaired the California Legislative Jewish Caucus (CLJC).[157] With the CLJC, he contributed to securing $80 million in 2021, 2024, and 2025 ($240 million total), from the state budget for various Jewish community priorities.[158][159]

As co-chair of the CLJC, Wiener contributed to legislation aimed at countering antisemitism and promoting Holocaust education in public schools and universities.[157][160] He and CLJC worked to ensure that ethnic studies legislation to "provide clear direction to local school districts and the California Department of Education that anti-Jewish and anti-Israel content cannot be included in the teaching of ethnic studies".[161][162] Wiener and the CLJC successfully advocated for the incorporation of part of the IHRA definition of antisemitism (but not its mentions of Israel) in California's Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC).[163] On February 14, 2025, Wiener introduced AB 715, a bill described by proponents as preventing K-12 antisemitism through a series of new prohibitions and requirements, including the appointment of an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator.[164][165][166] AB 715 was signed into law in October 2025.[167]

Wiener has received criticism for his support of zionism. In March 2025, Wiener criticized anti-Israel protesters for targeting what he called a Jewish community event. In response Jewish Voice for Peace accused him of "twist[ing] criticism [of Israel] into antisemitism".[168] In June 2026, Wiener was forced to leave the San Francisco Trans March by protestors over his positions on foreign policy relating to Israel. Wiener believes the protestors were antisemitic for singling him out of the march.[169]

In February 2024, he said Israel should "be more surgical" in Gaza and called Benjamin Netanyahu “despicable” and said “he had to go”, but opposed with CLJC a Gaza ceasefire resolution in Sacramento.[170][162] Wiener and other CLJC officials commended California State University Chancellor Mildred García for placing Sonoma State University President Mike Lee on leave after Lee announced support for an academic boycott of Israel in agreement with protesters and Students for Justice in Palestine,[171][172][173] which was seen as aligning with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and which Wiener described as "horrific and wrong".[174][175][176]

Resignation as co-chair

Wiener announced his resignation as co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, effective February 15, 2026.[177] The resignation followed controversy over his statements on Israel's conduct in the Gaza war. Asked on January 7 whether Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, Wiener declined to answer. After an uproar, he said on January 11, 2026, that he viewed the Netanyahu government's actions in Gaza as genocide.[177]

In a statement, Wiener said: "Since I stated my view that the Netanyahu government committed a genocide in Gaza, I have had many in-depth conversations with members of the Jewish community with a range of perspectives. While many in the community strongly disagree with my view, I am grateful for their willingness to engage with me and hear my perspective, showing once again the deep respect for difference in our community."[177]

Wiener will continue as a member of the Jewish Caucus after stepping down from the co-chair role.[177]

2026 congressional campaign

In 2023, Wiener formed an exploratory committee to run for the U.S. House in California's 11th district, but later said he would not contest the seat until incumbent Nancy Pelosi retires.[178] In October 2025, The San Francisco Standard reported that Wiener would run in 2026 regardless of whether Pelosi retired, prompted by a similar run by progressive candidate Saikat Chakrabarti.[179][180] Wiener announced his campaign on October 22, 2025.[181][182][183] Pelosi announced her retirement on November 6.[184]

Wiener and San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan advanced to the general election in the June 2 primary.[185] Wiener launched a satirical AI chatbot depicting Chan.[186] He took down the chatbot after it made comments such as "I'm afraid my San Francisco accent is so thick I can barely understand myself."[187]

Incidents

Robbery

In 2015, Wiener was robbed of his cell phone on the corner of 16th and Valencia in San Francisco. He negotiated with the would-be thieves and got them to agree to accept $200 for the return of his phone. Wiener and the would-be thieves then walked to a nearby ATM, where the transaction was caught on tape by the cameras at the ATM. A Wells Fargo security guard also observed the robbery in progress, and called the police.[188] A woman and a man were later arrested and charged with second-degree robbery.[189] In June 2018, the same woman was arrested again for a similar incident at the same BART station.[190] She was arrested twice in 2020 for gunpoint robberies[191] and in 2024 for conspiracy and assault.[192]

Bomb threat

In June 2022, Wiener was the victim of a false bomb threat, reportedly due to his work on behalf of the LGBT community.[193]

Halloween kids event

In October 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted a children's pumpkin carving event hosted by Wiener. He reiterated his support for the two-state solution and said the protesters were targeting him "in ways that they're not targeting non-Jewish leaders."[194]

San Francisco Trans March

In 2026, while running for Congress, Wiener was heckled by protesters at the San Francisco Trans March who hounded him over his position on the genocide in Gaza. Wiener claims he was forced to leave prematurely out of fear of further escalation, his first time not attending since 2004. Wiener believes he was forced to leave over his Jewish identity and background, describing the incident as antisemitic.[195]

Personal life

Wiener is gay and Jewish.[196][197][198] He has lived in the Castro District since 1997.[10]

-=-=

Climate change: Democratic Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, Lena Gonzales of Long Beachand Henry Stern from Calabasas introduced, or rather reintroduced, a package of bills.

Wiener put forwardSB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act— a bill that failed last year to require corporations with more than $1 billion in revenue that operate in California to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. He said the bill would make corporations “a heck of a lot more interested in buying clean energy.” 

• Wiener: “It gives large corporations two options:

disclose your emissions publicly or stop doing business in California —

and they won’t choose the latter.”

Gonzalez introduced SB 252, a proposal that was also blocked last year and that seeks to force the state’s public pension funds to divest from fossil fuels. Stern introduced SB 261, another measure that also failed last year. It requires companies that earn more than $500 million in revenue to prepare climate-related financial risk reports.

The climate efforts come in the midst of negotiations to cover a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit. Newsom has proposed cutting $6 billion from the $54 billion, five-year climate package he pushed through last year.

Press Democrat: New state senate bill would force CalPERS, CalSTRS to divest from major fossil fuel holdings

February 17, 2022

By MARY CALLAHAN

California’s two powerful public employee pension funds would be

required to withdraw their investments from fossil fuel companies to

help fight climate change under a state Senate bill introduced Thursday.

Authored by Sen. Lena A. Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, and co-sponsored

by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, the legislation would give the

California Public Employees' Retirement System and the California State

Teachers' Retirement System until July 2027 to divest a combined $9.9

billion from the Carbon Underground 200 — a list of companies considered

to have the greatest potential for future emissions from their coal,

oil and gas reserves.

The bill also would prohibit any new investments in those companies....

sac bee

OPINION AND COMMENTARY 

Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters.

 VIEWPOINTS How California’s pension funds can invest in the future by divesting from fossil fuels BY LENA GONZALEZ SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE APRIL 20, 2022

 The CalPERS building in downtown Sacramento. JAY MATHER Sacramento Bee file

 As the state and economy make the transition to cleaner energy sources to help reach a global goal of zero net emissions by mid-century to stop global warming, a growing number of institutions worldwide are choosing to divest trillions of dollars from fossil fuel companies. This is the ethically and financially responsible choice, and more union members in California are demanding divestment and standing up for climate justice.The California Faculty Association passed a resolution calling for the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) to divest from fossil fuels. Their members count on them to make healthy financial decisions about their funds for retirement. The faculty group was joined in calling for divestment by state associations representing higher education faculty, the academic senates at California State University and the University of California, and local chapters of unions representing teachers in cities from Los Angeles to Oakland. 

These educators and public employees have made it clear that they do not want their hard-earned pensions to be invested in the destruction of our planet. TOP VIDEOS × OPINION

Fossil fuel stocks have underperformed for the last five years and are exposed to significant market risks. Looking into the future, the financial risk will be even greater as California and governments around the world continue to commit to more ambitious goals for lowering emissions.

Markets are moving away from fossil fuels and toward carbon-free technologies. It’s increasingly evident that fossil fuels are simply a bad investment. In fact, studies have shown that if CalPERS had divested from fossil fuels in 2010, it would have generated an estimated additional $11.9 billion in returns by 2019. But the risks go beyond the financial costs of fossil fuel mining and drilling. Fossil fuels also have a disastrous impact on our environment and our health. From oil spills to land contamination and air pollution, it’s low-income Black and brown communities that suffer the most. In my district, Southeast Los Angeles and Long Beach suffer from high air pollution, public health burdens and social and economic disadvantages. 

These places have been referred to as “Asthma Alley” and called a “Hot Spot for Polluted Air” by the media. It’s time to take more expeditious action to protect our vulnerable communities from the harmful effects of fossil fuel pollution. Economic prosperity and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive goals, and that’s where Senate Bill 1173 comes into play. SB 1173 continues the bold and progressive actions California must take to address climate change. It will prohibit CalPERS and CalSTRS from investing in fossil fuel companies and require that they divest from current investments by 2027. T

. Among the nation’s largest pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS are powerful entities that can help make a difference through their investment power. They have an estimated $469 billion and $327 billion in assets, respectively, and they invest the retirement futures of California’s state and school employees. California cannot be a climate justice leader if we continue to invest in the companies that are polluting our environment. The data is clear: Fossil fuels are a risky financial investment, and they are furthering the climate crisis. From South African Apartheid to Big Tobacco, divestment has been proven effective in bringing about change. Let’s do what’s right for our communities and our future: Divest from fossil fuels, starting with state pension funds. Sen. Lena Gonzalez is a Democrat from Los Angeles County.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article259465499.html#storylink=cpy

wacko epoch times?!

sOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles Calls for State Pension Funds to Divest From Fossil Fuels

By City News Service April 5, 2022 Updated: April 5, 2022

LOS ANGELES—A Senate bill to have the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State Teachers’ Retirement System divest from fossil fuels was supported by the Los Angeles City Council on April 5.

The council passed a resolution, introduced by Councilman Paul Koretz, to support Senate Bill 1173, which was introduced by Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) and Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco).

The resolution passed 12–0 and notes that the pension funds have more than $9 billion invested in fossil fuel production.

“Given the damages of climate breakdown, it is in the best long-term interest of the city of Los Angeles to support the dismantling of the fossil fuel system, both physically and financially,” the resolution states.

The bill, if passed, would prohibit the boards of the state’s pension systems from making new investments or renewing existing investments in a fossil fuel company. It would also require the boards to liquidate investments in fossil fuel companies on or before July 1, 2027.

The board would not be required to take any action that is determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary responsibilities established in the California Constitution.

Joyce Kuo contributed to this report.

City News Service 

==

Teachers’ Retirement Board opposes legislative proposal on fossil fuel divestment

Senate Bill 1173 (Gonzalez) would prohibit CalSTRS from making additional or new investments in fossil fuel companies but risk teacher pension security

Statement | Karen Doron

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (March 7, 2022) – At its March 2022 meeting the Teachers’ Retirement Board (board) voted to oppose Senate Bill 1173 (Gonzalez), which would prohibit CalSTRS from making additional or new investments in fossil fuel companies and require divestment from such investments by July 1, 2027. The board has a policy to oppose legislation that restricts or infringes on the plenary authority of the board to administer its retirement plans and infringes on the investment authority of the board.A majority of the board (nine) voted to oppose the measure with one abstention and two votes not in favor of opposing the bill.

“Our policy is unequivocal that we oppose bills that force divestment,” said Teachers’ Retirement Board Chair Harry Keiley. “We all want to get to the same place, to take powerful action to address climate change. We can do that and ensure a secure retirement for California’s hard-working teachers through our plan to leverage our relationships, coalitions and investments.”

SB 1173 analysis

In its analysis of SB 1173, CalSTRS determined its exposure to fossil fuels by including companies that have fossil fuel reserves for energy application and sales being more than 1% of revenue. CalSTRS invests in 174 companies with a combined market value of approximately $4.1 billion that meet this definition. Fossil fuel divestment, combined with existing CalSTRS divestments, would create roughly a 1% tracking error, or deviation from the benchmark. Potential costs resulting from a tracking error would put at risk the CalSTRS Funding Plan to reach full funding for California’s public educators. Any resulting costs would increase the unfunded liability and may also result in an increase in the state’s contribution to the Defined Benefit Program.

CalSTRS’ approach to climate change

CalSTRS believes climate change is one of the greatest threats to the future, with undeniable links to business and financial investments. The vast impacts of climate change threaten health and safety, our environment and the global economy, which put the CalSTRS Investment Portfolio at risk.

CalSTRS is focused on ensuring a secure retirement for California’s nearly 1 million working and retired public school educators. Climate change is about more than fossil fuel companies; our entire investment portfolio is affected by climate risk.Divesting from fossil fuels ignores the larger climate change risks to the CalSTRS portfolio. CalSTRS’ approach is more holistic and involves our entire investment portfolio, including measuring emissions, engaging directly with companies, working to expand government policies, and investing in solutions.

CalSTRS has been addressing climate risk in its portfolio for nearly 20 years. CalSTRS is aligned with the State of California in combatting climate change and worked closely with the state’s Department of Finance in the development of the California Climate Investment Framework. Our efforts to address climate risk are rooted in our promise of a secure retirement for California’s public school educators and their beneficiaries.In September 2021, the board gave further direction to address climate change by adopting a pledge to achieve a net zero portfolio.

Media contact

Karen Doron

Phone: 916-414-1440

M-F, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PDT

Newsroom@CalSTRS.com

About CalSTRS

CalSTRS provides a secure retirement to more than 980,000 members and beneficiaries whose CalSTRS-covered service is not eligible for Social Security participation. On average, members who retired in 2020–21 had 25 years of service and a monthly benefit of $4,813. Established in 1913, CalSTRS is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world with $319.8 billion in assets under management as of January 31, 2022. CalSTRS demonstrates its strong commitment to long-term corporate sustainability principles in its annual Sustainability Report. For more information, visit CalSTRS.com.

==

right to serve can be revoked by state?

TURN https://kpfa.org/episode/upfront-november-4-2019/

"going concern"

licardo, SF maDE bid for part of network

weiner bill on shutdown; prev bill on microgrid local got eviscerated by lobbyists [

some unions mailers on ~ shutdown bill?

grid bill w/ WR nielsen, bill pulled

TURN

==

==

http://sd11.senate.ca.gov/

BILL START

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

==