Dear Friends,

The Central Valley is no stranger to hard work. We know how to plant, water, wait and fight for the harvest. Right now, we are in a season of both reflection and readiness.

As the State Senate enters its summer recess, I am back home checking-in on communities throughout the district. I know many of you are concerned right now, especially because of the rise in immigration raids and threats to our working families. I see the fear and hear the uncertainty. I want you to know: you are not alone.

Our communities deserve to live with dignity, not in fear. Know that I carry your voices with me and continue to fight for policies that protect our rights, expand opportunity and restore trust where it has been broken.

We have already planted seeds of progress together this year, from historic budget wins to legislation that uplifts workers, families and young people. When session resumes, we will keep nurturing that growth with even more urgency and heart.

Still, if there is one thing this moment demands, it is that we lead with love. Now more than ever, our kindness needs to be loud. We need to love our neighbors fiercely, look out for one another and be the reason someone finds the strength to keep going.

Thank you for your trust, your courage and your commitment to this Valley we all call home.

With deep gratitude,
Senator Anna Caballero
California State Senate – District 14

 

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2025 Budget Updates

2025-2026 Budget Update:

Over $148 Million Secured for Senate District 14

We secured over $148 million in the 2025–2026 state budget for Senate District 14. These investments reflect our core values - health, safety, opportunity, and deep respect for rural and working-class communities.

Health and Education

• $10.5 million for UC Merced Medical School
• $3 million for the Merced Community and Labor Center
• $1.4 million+ for Merced College’s Music & Arts Complex
• $1.29 million for planning the Agriculture Complex at Reedley College

Public Safety and Infrastructure

• $3.7 million for a new California Highway Patrol Office in Los Banos
• $1.15 million for potable water improvements in Chowchilla
• $34.3 million for major infrastructure upgrades at Coalinga State Hospital

Fresno County Investments:

• $18.1 million for a new Fresno County Courthouse
• $63.6 million for critical upgrades at the Veterans Home of California in Fresno

Total Fresno County: $81.7 million

 

Past Budget Win Updates

Soledad Fire Department: $2 Million for a new fire ladder truck delivered to the City of Soledad, enhancing emergency response capabilities and strengthening public safety.

“With this new apparatus, the Soledad Fire Department has increased its capacity to serve both the city and surrounding areas,” said Soledad Fire officials. “Thank you to Senator Anna Caballero and the City of Soledad for making this possible.”

Veterans Museum of Fresno: $100,000 secured to modernize exhibits, including the development of interactive displays to preserve and share stories of local veterans—from the Civil War to the present day.

“Preserving history isn’t just about the past—it’s about honoring the present and shaping the future,” said Senator Caballero.

Dolores Huerta Peace and Justice Cultural Center: $22 million invested to bring a visionary community hub to life in the Central Valley.

• $15 million secured in 2021
• $7 million added in 2023

This Center will serve as a training facility for youth leadership, a sanctuary for civic action, and a home for community healing and organizing.

“This center isn’t just about preserving history. It’s about building a future where young people become leaders, where families become organizers, and where justice is something we live out loud,” said Senator Caballero at the groundbreaking with Dolores Huerta.

Reedley Sports Complex: $350,000 secured to install nighttime field lighting—expanding safe, accessible recreation for youth and families in Reedley.

“This investment transforms a park into a gathering place where children can thrive, parents can cheer, and community pride shines well after sunset,” said Senator Caballero at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

These budget wins invest in our future and bring real, lasting improvements to communities across the 14th Senate District. From hospitals to classrooms, courthouses to cultural centers - we are investing in the people and places that make the Valley strong.

 

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Legislative Highlights

2025 Legislative Highlights

From the State Capitol to small towns across the Valley, we are working to turn community needs into lasting policy. These bills reflect the values we share—dignity, fairness, opportunity—and the determination to make government work better for everyone.

SB 72 – California Water Plan
Modernizes our water plan to prepare for droughts, floods, and climate change—setting ambitious goals for sustainable water supply by 2040.

SB 80 – Fusion Energy Research Initiative
Launches public–private partnerships to accelerate the development of clean, limitless fusion energy—making California a national leader in energy innovation.

SB 88 – Biomass Utilization for Carbon Reduction Act
Reduces air pollution from agricultural and forest waste by utilizing new technology.

SB 509 – Transnational Repression Response
Protects diaspora communities by providing law enforcement with specialized training to identify and respond to foreign intimidation or harassment by foreign governments.

SB 520 – Nurse-Midwifery Education & Workforce Act
Expands midwifery education and workforce pathways to address maternal health gaps and ensure high-quality care for every mother and baby.

SB 624 – Foster Outreach and Support for Tax Education Readiness (FOSTER Act)
Establishes an outreach program to ensure foster youth can access the Foster Youth Earned Income Tax Credit and break cycles of poverty.

SB 769 – Golden State Infrastructure Corporation Act
Creates a new state financing authority within the Treasurer’s Office to streamline funding for critical infrastructure projects.

SB 785 – Children with Complex Medical Conditions: Medical Equipment Tax Credit
Families of medically fragile children face high out-of-pocket costs for essential medical equipment. This bill offers a tax credit to cover costs, up to $5,000 annually, to ease the financial burden and support their care.

 

SJR 9: Defending Our Immigrant Communities

I proudly co-authored a powerful joint resolution condemning the use of militarized immigration enforcement across California. In the wake of escalating ICE raids and fear-driven tactics in rural and agricultural communities, SJR 9 demands federal accountability and calls for policies rooted in safety and human dignity.

Watch my remarks on the Senate Floor here. 

"Our immigrant families are essential to California's economy, our culture, and our future. They deserve protection—not persecution," said Senator Caballero.

 

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Summer Highlights

This summer I was honored to tour key military installations in San Diego where I gained a deeper understanding of the vital role California plays in national defense—and the needs of the service members and families.  These insights will shape stronger, smarter policy in the months ahead.

Supporting Veterans & Military Families

This summer, I joined Senator Bob Archuleta, Chair of the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and other legislative colleagues on a fact-finding tour of military installations in San Diego, in partnership with the San Diego Military Advisory Council.

We visited Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Base Coronado, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. At each site, we met with service members, and base leadership to understand the challenges they face—from housing and infrastructure to energy resilience and access to childcare.

These conversations deepen our work in the California and remind us that our responsibility to those who serve does not end at the base gate. California has a proud tradition of military service, and I remain committed to fighting for policies and investments that honor that legacy and strengthen support for the people who defend our nation.

One of the most moving moments of the trip was witnessing the presentation of colors and the graduation ceremony at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot—watching families reunited with their Marines after months apart was a powerful reminder of the sacrifice behind service and the true price of freedom.

 

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Around the District

Our district is full of vibrant, resilient communities and the best way to serve them is to stay connected. #TeamCaballero has been on the move celebrating the work we’re building together.

Celebrating Our 2025 Latino Leadership Scholarship Winner

Meet Lizbeth Teodoro Ayodoro, Our 2025 California Latino Legislative Caucus Scholarship Winner

We are proud to honor a remarkable student from Madera Community College as a recipient of the 2025 California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship Award. With a perfect 4.0 GPA and a commitment to service, this $5,000 scholarship recipient is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science at Fresno State University to become a registered nurse.

Born in Acapulco, Guerrero, and brought to the U.S. at the age of six, she brings lived experience, cultural pride, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether she volunteers at her campus food pantry, canvasses neighborhoods through the VELA Program, or provides patient and attentive childcare—including for a special needs child—her empathy, discipline, and leadership shine.

She has also contributed over 600 hours of community service while balancing coursework, employment, and caregiving responsibilities. From harvesting and inspecting fruit in the Central Valley fields to advocating for voters door-to-door, her journey reflects the very best of California’s future.

Her dream is to create safe, inclusive healthcare opportunities where every patient feels seen and valued. We are honored to support her on this journey and cannot wait to see all she will achieve.

 

Around Senate District 14

Team Caballero joined the San Joaquin/Fresno Chapter of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) for their 14th Annual Salute to Sisterhood in Fresno. BWOPA continues to build the power of Black women to advocate for their communities. 

We have called her our unofficial Poet Laureate for years and now Merced has made it official. Congratulations to Joyce Dale, named the city’s first-ever Poet Laureate! Her name says it all—she is a joy to know and call friend! Joyce is more than a poet. She is a healer, a truth-teller, a woman of deep faith whose words lift hearts and build community. Her poetry is an offering, born of lived experience, powered by compassion and guided by her love for others. She has long been a light in Merced. Now, the whole city gets to shine with her. #TeamCaballero is so proud!

 

Madera Community Hospital Grand Reopening!

Madera: Your voices mattered and your fight changed policy at the state-level. Your advocacy led to the creation of the Distressed Hospital Loan Program that Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and I proudly authored and championed and in doing so, saved 16 hospitals across the state from closure. Congratulations!

Watch this video from the grand re-opening. You can visit my website about information about the Madera Community Hospital.

 

Need help with a state agency? Have a story to share? We’re here for you, every step of the way.

Stuck in the System? We Can Help.

Whether it’s unemployment, disability, or DMV delays—Team Caballero is here to cut through the red tape and get you answers.

Here are just a few recent wins for our constituents:

Arturo Martinez helped a Merced County resident navigate a complicated disability claim and recover $8,795.43 in long-overdue benefits.

Joe Ballas, our Merced Field Rep, helped a woman who had been waiting months on an unresolved unemployment claim. Thanks to Joe’s persistence, she received the $8,100 she was owed.

Luis Martinez assisted a Fresno County resident through a challenging disability claim and successfully recovered $8,818.85 in funds.

These are more than dollar amounts—they are stories of people finally getting the support they deserve.

If you are stuck in the system, do not go it alone. Call us. We are here to help—with EDD, DMV, licensing, Medi-Cal, and more.