Releases and Articles

Senator Nielsen Supports Legislation to help Camp Fire Victims

February 17, 2022
Senator Nielsen joined a bipartisan group of legislators in a letter urging support for Assembly Bill 1249 . AB 1249 would clarify California’s tax code to exclude certain wildfire victims from paying state taxes on compensation for damages received out of PG&E’s “Fire Victim Trust.”

Republican Senators Nielsen and Borgeas Introduce Bill to Fund Critical Water Infrastructure Projects

February 1, 2022
Senators Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff) and Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) today announced they have introduced Senate Bill 890 to ensure millions of acre-feet of water is stored during wet years instead of being flushed out to sea.  “In 2014, California voters approved funding to build large, aboveground...

Legislative Republicans Call for Special Session to Combat the Homeless Crisis Immediately

January 27, 2022
On January 7, 2022, Legislative Republicans in both the Senate and Assembly called on Governor Newsom to convene an Extraordinary Special Session of the Legislature to immediately address homelessness, rather than waiting for action through the traditional Legislative calendar for 2022. Led by...

Republican Budget Reaction Media Availability with Senator Nielsen, Senate Budget Vice Chair

January 10, 2022
In response to Governor Newsom’s announcement of his proposed 2022-23 State Budget, Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff), Vice Chair of the Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee, will be available to speak to the media to offer Senate Republicans’ reaction. With a budget surplus of $31 billion,...

Senator Nielsen Urges Caution on Projected $21 Billion State Surplus

January 10, 2022
Senator Jim Nielsen , R-Red Bluff, issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s proposed 2022-23 State Budget: “Governor Newsom needs to wake up on water storage. There is an urgent need to fully-fund and immediately build large above-ground water storage projects like Sites...

Governor Needs to Fund Water Storage and Conveyance

January 7, 2022
SACRAMENTO – Top Republican budget leaders pushed Governor Gavin Newsom to commit $3.285 billion for drought relief in his upcoming budget proposal to rebuild California’s water infrastructure and expand needed water storage. Below is a copy of their letter . January 7, 2022 The Honorable Gavin...

Senate Republicans Want Budget Surplus to Invest in a Better California

January 5, 2022
Senate Republican sent the following letter to Governor Newsom outlining several critical priorities they are urging be included in the 2022-2023 State Budget. Click here to download the letter. January 5, 2022 Dear Governor Newsom, Pro Tem Atkins, and Speaker Rendon: As 2022 opens, some areas of...

Tehama County Library Art Contest

January 4, 2022
Show your creativity! Tehama County Library is holding an art contest to help design a new limited-edition library card. One winner will see their card design created as a limited-edition library card. • Open to all Tehama County Library cardholders • Stop by any branch for a paper template or...

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Sen. Nielsen Calls for Joint Oversight Hearing on Wildfire Prevention Efforts

June 25, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, is requesting a joint Senate Budget Committee oversight hearing with the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and the Environmental Quality Committee to review the progress of wildfire fuel reduction activities in California. “This oversight hearing request...

Sen. Nielsen: ‘Stop the July 1 Gas Tax Hike’

June 24, 2021
Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, joined the members of the Senate Republican Caucus in calling for a “Gas Tax Holiday” for California motorists. The letter sent to Democrat budget leaders urges a full suspension on state gas tax collection for the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year, backfilled by the State’s...

Sen. Nielsen: Legislative Democrats have Corrupted the Budget Process

June 24, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, issued the following statement after Senate Democrats today waived the “72-hours in print” rule that California voters passed in 2016 with Prop. 54: “State Legislative Democrats have corrupted the budget process. Once again they have waived transparency rules, this...

Sen. Nielsen: Legislative Democrats have Corrupted the Budget Process

June 24, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, issued the following statement after Senate Democrats today waived the “72-hours in print” rule that California voters passed in 2016 with Prop. 54: “State Legislative Democrats have corrupted the budget process. Once again they have waived transparency rules, this...

Sen. Nielsen Responds to Report Newsom ‘Misled the Public about Wildfire Prevention’

June 23, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, issued the following statement today in response to a news media investigation that found Newsom “overstated his accomplishments and even divested in wildfire prevention” and “overstated, by an astounding 690%, the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and...

Sen. Nielsen Names ‘Point of Contact’ as 2021 Nonprofit of the Year

June 22, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, has selected Point of Contact as the 2021 California Nonprofit of the Year for the Fourth Senate District. “Heart-felt thanks to Senator Nielsen for this tremendous honor,” said Point of Contact Founder Laurie Maloney. “We are passionate about helping the homeless...

Sen. Nielsen Reacts to Passage of the Budget Act

June 14, 2021
Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, today issued the following statement on the passage of the Democrats’ Budget Act of 2021: This is a fake budget and the Democrat-controlled budget process, with no public input or transparency, is a sham. Over the years, there have been a number of challenging...

Violent Criminals Get Less Consequences Under New Legislative Proposal

May 27, 2021
The Democrat majority of the Senate passed a measure requiring the courts to dismiss sentence enhancements, thereby, resulting in shorter jail or prison time for convicted criminals. Senate Bill 81 (Skinner) further removes the discretion of judges and provides them no guidance when evaluating...

Governor’s May Revised Budget Gives Money to Grab Headlines But Doesn’t Set State Up for Future Economic Prosperity

May 14, 2021
The state has an eye-popping cash windfall of $76 billion. Governor Gavin Newsom today submitted his May Revision Budget to the Legislature. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff), Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement: “To fend off his critics and make headlines, the...

Newsom Administration Increases Efforts to Release More Violent Criminals

April 30, 2021
On a late Friday afternoon news dump, the Newsom Administration announced they are automatically giving “good time credit” to violent offenders and second and third strikers in an effort to release them early. These polices will go into effect within hours of the announcement – Saturday, May 1...

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Newsom Proposes to Abandon Paradise Recovery Effort

May 15, 2020
While unveiling his revised budget Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom turned his back on fire victims and the struggling Town of Paradise. The Governor’s May Revise budget claws back $7.3 million in funding that was approved in last year’s budget to help keep the Paradise Irrigation District (PID)...

Republican Senator Jim Nielsen Reacts to Governor's May Budget Revision

May 14, 2020
Due to the government-mandated shelter in place to slow down the spread of COVID-19, the state budget went from a $6 billion surplus to an estimated $18 - $54 billion deficit. Governor Gavin Newsom today submitted his 2020-21 May Revision budget proposal to the Legislature. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-...

ICYMI: Suicides, alcohol, drugs: Pandemic could result in 75,000 'deaths of despair,' study says

May 13, 2020
Isolation, unemployment and fear brought on by the coronavirus could result in 75,000 “deaths of despair” years after the worst of the pandemic is over, a new study suggests.

Butte County Receives State Approval to Reopen

May 12, 2020
Leaders of Northern California congratulated Butte County for being the first county in the state to receive approval of its plan to reopen. These rural elected officials also rallied in support of Yuba and Sutter Counties for their foresight in demonstrating that rural counties can safely reopen...

Expert Independent Review Is Needed to Comb through PPE Contracts, Says Senate Budget Vice Chair

May 11, 2020
Today, the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review and the Assembly Governmental Organization Committees will host panel discussions on the state’s failed contract with one company – Blue Flame. News reports have since exposed more troubling failures in administration contracting efforts...

Republican Lawmakers Request Immediate Audit of $1 Billion Contract with BYD for PPE

May 7, 2020
Sacramento – Several Republican lawmakers submitted a request to pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to immediately convene the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) for the purpose of hearing our audit request of the state’s handling of all 2020 spending on...

Lawmakers React to New State Guidelines for Reopening

May 7, 2020
Sacramento – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled new indicators and conditions to safely re-open certain segments of the state’s economy in Phase Two. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) and Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who have fiercely advocated for small businesses and their employees...

In Case You Missed It: Rural areas have a message for Newsom: One size doesn't fit all in reopening California

May 4, 2020
SACRAMENTO — Rebellion is infectious. Rural people are in revolt against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide virus-fighting rules, which make little sense in burgs such as Bieber. Bieber has hardly anything in common with the likes of Burbank or Balboa. “There’s a bar, a restaurant, a hardware store,...

North State Senator Jim Nielsen Issues Statement on Governor's Re-Opening of Phase Two

May 4, 2020
Sacramento - Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his plan to re-open certain segments of the state’s economy. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who represents northern rural counties, issued the following statement: "Governor Newsom is responding to the messages from so many of California's counties that...

Lawmakers Applaud Yuba-Sutter for Safe Re-Opening of Business

May 1, 2020
YUBA CITY – Using regional science-based data, the Yuba-Sutter Health Officer today modified the local health order to allow many businesses in the two counties to re-open on Monday, May 4. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) and Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who have fiercely advocated for...

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Now '23,222 Prohibited Persons' Have Guns. This is Progress?

March 1, 2019
Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued the annual report on the Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS), a program designed to remove guns from convicted felons and dangerous individuals. A proponent of the APPS program and former Chairman of the Board of Prison Terms, Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama...

Northstate Senator Issues Statement Regarding Governor's State of the State Speech

February 12, 2019
Governor Gavin Newsom presented his first State of the State to the Legislature. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who represents Wheatland, CA and the region devastated by the Camp Fire, issued the following statement: "I applaud the Governor for agreeing with Republicans that the high-speed rail...

State Funding to Offset Property Tax Revenue for Butte County Passes Legislature; Moves to Governor's Desk

February 11, 2019
Funding to offset property tax revenue loss from recent wildfires passed the Senate today with a vote of 37 to 0. The measure provides $31.3 million annually to Butte and Lake Counties. The Assembly approved the same measure. It now goes to the Governor’s desk for his consideration. If signed by...

Fire Victims & Ratepayers Above Investors' Interests

January 29, 2019
Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) , who represents the Town of Paradise and the surrounding communities devastated by Camp Fire, issued the following statement regarding PG&E's bankruptcy: "Camp Fire victims continue to suffer. This fire killed 86 people, burned thousands of homes, and displaced...

Senator Nielsen Congratulates Senator Grove for Being Elected Senate Republican Caucus Leader

January 16, 2019
The Senate Republican Caucus elected Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) as their leader. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) issued the following statement: “Congratulations to Senator Grove for being elected to lead our Senate Republican Caucus. “I am confident she will do a tremendous job in this...

Camp Fire Victims Must be a Priority in PG&E Bankruptcy

January 14, 2019
Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who represents the Town of Paradise and the surrounding communities devastated by Camp Fire, issued the following statement: “The horrific Camp Fire has had a devastating impact on thousands of lives, and survivors are earnestly putting their lives back together...

North State Lawmakers Ask President to Send FEMA Money for Camp Fire Survivors

January 9, 2019
President Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he “ordered FEMA to send no more money” to the State of California. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) and Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who represent the Town of Paradise, issued the following statement: “The Camp Fire devastated the Town of...

North State Senator Jim Nielsen Welcomes Governor and First Partner Newsom

January 7, 2019
Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who represents the Town of Paradise and the surrounding communities devastated by Camp Fire, congratulated Governor Gavin Newsom in the following statement: “Congratulations to Governor Gavin Newsom for becoming the 40th Governor of the great State of California. “...

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Democrats' Budget Strips Power from the People and is Rigged with Unvetted, Insider Deals

June 13, 2017
Conspicuously absent from the budget deal negotiated by the Governor and Democrats are projects to improve and upgrade our deteriorated and compromised water infrastructure including Oroville Dam, and river and bypass levees. They also made changes to laws that have nothing to do with the state’s...

Sacramento Democrats Deny Funding for Critical Levee Repairs Needed after Oroville Dam Spillway Failure

June 9, 2017
Despite the support of a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, businesses and local agencies, legislative Democrats in Sacramento rejected funding to repair the state’s water infrastructure that was severely damaged as a result of the failure of the Oroville Dam spillway. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama...

'Single-Payer' Government-Run Healthcare is Bad Medicine for California

June 1, 2017
With an eye-popping price tag of at least $400 billion each year, the Democrat-led Senate passed out Senate Bill 562 (Lara), a bill to create a universal government-run health care system for all residents, with a vote of 23 to 14. Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), Vice Chair of the Senate Budget...

Brown Administration Changes Budget Calculation Following Republican Lawmakers' Call for Transparency and ahead of Tuesday's Budget Conference Committee

May 30, 2017
Republican lawmakers are closely monitoring the Brown Administration’s budget calculations following the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office’s testimony that Administration officials may be spending nearly $2 billion over the voter-approved spending limit.

Free Speech on CA College Campuses Proposal --- Fate to be Determined in Today's Appropriations Committee

May 25, 2017
Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee will meet at 10am in Room 4203 of the state Capitol to determine the fate of nearly 300 legislative proposals. Senate Bill 472 (Nielsen), a measure to require California public colleges and universities to protect free speech on campus for all students, is...

Republican Lawmakers Call for Transparency in Budget Calculation

May 24, 2017
Following the testimony of the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office that the Brown Administration may be spending nearly $2 billion over the state’s voter-approved spending limit (Gann Limit), Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) and Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia) called for transparency in how Brown’s finance officials calculated their spending plan.

$872 Million of Car & Gas Taxes NOT Going to Roads, Highways or Bridges

May 23, 2017
Below are a few examples of how SB 1’s taxes – which Californians were promised would be spent on fixing our crumbling roads and highways – will actually be used:

Bipartisan Group of Senators Seek $100 Million for Levee Repairs Following the Failure of Oroville Dam Spillway

May 10, 2017
On behalf of their constituents whose lives and properties are continuously impacted by potential flooding, Senators Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton), Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) requested $100 million for critical and serious levee repairs in the...

Convicted Violent Sex Offender among Us; Citizens Must Be Vigilant

May 1, 2017
A Monterey County Superior Court Judge placed convicted felon, Eldridge Chaney, Jr., a Sexually Violent Predator, in Yuba County, not his county of last legal residence as the law provides. Jim Nielsen, former Chair of the Board of Prison Terms and Yuba County’s state senator was outraged. “This is...

$52 Billion Tax Increase; Not All Taxes Will Go to Road Repair

April 28, 2017
Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after the Governor imposed a $52 billion tax increase on the people of California:

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