Recently, our community was shaken by the devastating loss of Dr. Marvin Boomer — a beloved educator, mentor, and community leader in Oakland. This is an unimaginable tragedy for the students and staff of Castlemont High School, the Oakland Unified School District, and our entire city. Marvin was more than a teacher; he was a champion for our youth, a guiding light, and a source of strength and inspiration for countless students and families.
My office remains in contact with the California Highway Patrol, the Oakland Police Department, and the Mayor’s Office as we continue to seek clarity and offer support to those affected. We are also working to ensure that community members receive the healing resources they need during this time. My deepest condolences go out to Marvin’s loved ones, all those impacted by this tragic incident, and our grieving community.
His legacy will live on in the hearts of the young people he empowered every single day.
Yours in Service,
Mia Bonta
Assemblymember, 18th District
Congratulations to our Class of 2025 graduates across Assembly District 18! I had the honor of delivering the keynote address to Merritt College graduates at the Paramount Theatre in the heart of our district. Team Bonta also attended Oakland Promise’s graduation ceremony, where 1,400 students received scholarships for the 2025 Promise Champions to attend college. Thank you to all our educators, non-profit partners and school-based workers for supporting our youth and uplifting the value of education!
Last month, the Honorable Barbara Lee was sworn in as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Oakland. Team Bonta was grateful to witness this historic moment as the first black woman ever to lead Oakland steps up to the helm.
This week, we welcomed Mayor Lee to the State Capitol to honor her lifetime of service on the Assembly floor. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with our Mayor to deliver for Oaklanders as she leads our town into a new era.
This week, the Assembly voted on over 400 pieces of legislation, and I was proud to bring the values of Oakland, Alameda, and Emeryville with each vote I took. I’m pleased to have 17 of my bills now awaiting votes in the Senate as I continue advancing our community’s legislative priorities. Our legislature is advancing critical legislation to lower the cost of living, make housing more accessible, and protect our natural environment, among a variety of issues. Thank you for continuing to contact my office to uplift your priorities so I can keep bringing the priorities of our East Bay community to the halls of power.
Last week, as Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, I co-chaired an informational hearing on the potential risks and benefits of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Although AI applications or AI in healthcare are not new, interest in and research in AI and generative AI applications in healthcare have dramatically accelerated. A wide range of applications is being developed, tested, and deployed in medical research, administrative, and even clinical tasks. There is excitement about these developments, but it should be tempered by caution.
As state lawmakers, I believe we have a responsibility to pay attention to all of these developments, ask these questions, and help guide the technology in ways that maximize the benefit to Californians and minimize harm, that is ethical, safe, effective, free from bias, and helpful versus harmful to the work of our clinicians.
This is why I introduced AB 489, which would prohibit AI systems from misrepresenting themselves as licensed health professionals. You should know if you are speaking to your trusted provider or receiving regurgitated messages from a chatbot. I'm proud this common-sense bill passed the Assembly floor this week and look forward to continuing to advance this bill in the Senate.
Learn more: Oakland Public Library Summer Programs, East Bay Regional Park District Survey, Legal Access Alameda Family Preparedness Plan
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