Rebecca Otwell: 2012 Woman of the Year

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly was honored to present Mrs. Rebecca Otwell with the 2012 Woman of the Year Award for the 59th Assembly District.

"Rebecca Otwell is the kind of proactive citizen that every district needs. "Becky's" love for the High Desert area is evident in her tireless service to the local community. She is always ready to lend a helping hand and I am proud to honor her today," Donnelly stated.

Mrs. Otwell currently serves in a number of community organizations including the Hesperia Police Activities League, the San Bernardino County Fair Board and the Victor Valley Republican Club.

She has been honored as Realtor of the Year in 2008, received the Hesperia Mayor's Award for Community Service and was recently named one of the Daily Press' Most Interesting Women of 2012.

Honorees were recognized in the State's Assembly Chambers and were presented with a framed certificate for their dedication to the prosperity of the communities in which they serve.

Protect Our Children From Predators In The Classroom

After Mark Berndt, former third grade teacher at Miramonte Elementary School, was charged with 23 counts of lewd conduct with children, it became evident that we must act immediately to close the loop holes within the system and give power back to local school districts so they can quickly and effectively remove child predators from our kids' classrooms. The current teacher removal system is so cumbersome that Berndt was paid just to leave so that the school would not have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to formally remove him. This is unacceptable. A system that allows a child molester of this magnitude to continue stealing the innocence of so many children is a tragedy. I have joined fellow Republicans in responding to Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa's recent letter to the Legislature, and to the Los Angeles Unified School District's resolution seeking to streamline the teacher removal process. We have introduced a package of reforms that give school districts the necessary authority to remove those who should not be in our schools. I look forward to working together with all parties to achieve these critical reforms and to ensure these horrifying acts are never perpetrated against a child in our school system again. The California Teachers Association has yet to voice their stance on these reforms. I urge the Association to join us in this bi-partisan effort to protect our children.

Please be on the lookout for an upcoming Legislative Update.

Godspeed,

In the District

Feed My Sheep Gives Back

Feed My Sheep, a non-profit emergency food pantry with locations in Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville is one of the largest food pantries in the High Desert. Feed My Sheep feeds thousands of High Desert residents each month while offering clothes and other resources to those in need. "It was a humbling experience" said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly after touring the pantry as part of an effort to raise awareness of Feed My Sheep's mission and services. Feed My Sheep has recently partnered with the Arrowhead Mobile Medical Unit. Once a month the unit parks at the Victorville location and offers free medical treatment to their clients who do not have health insurance.

For more information about Feed My Sheep or to make a donation, please call (760) 243-4343.

Legislative Update

Rural Fire Tax Repeal Measure Passes First Committee

In a landmark vote Monday, AB 1506, which Assemblyman Donnelly has co-authored, passed its first hurdle and moved closer to extinguishing the illegal California Fire Tax. The fire tax, which was signed by the Governor last year, requires residents in State Responsibility Areas, primarily rural, to pay an additional $150.00 state tax for every inhabitable structure on their property. Continue reading here

Q & A

Sometimes I receive questions that would be helpful for everyone to hear the answer to. If you have a question about your representative, a bill or the legislative process that everyone would benefit from knowing, please reply; your question may be featured in the next dispatch!

Welcome Message

Fellow Patriots, as we are less than a week away from Easter, I want to wish you and your family a very Happy Resurrection Sunday. Thank you for taking the time to read the Donnelly Dispatch and for getting back to me with your questions and comments. God bless you and Godspeed,
Tim Donnelly

Honoring you