Join Californians for the Arts & California Arts Advocates CEO Julie Baker and other special guests and learn what happened in 2023 during the Legislative session that impacts arts and culture and a preview of what to expect in 2024. Free, 90 minutes, q/a

Speakers

Jason Schmelzer

A legislative advocate with the firm since 2009, and a partner since 2016, Jason Schmelzer is a leading advocate in the areas of workers’ compensation insurance, environmental regulation, solid waste management, and arts funding, among his many areas of interest and expertise.

Prior to joining the firm, Jason served as a lobbyist for four years, most recently for the California Chamber of Commerce. His primary responsibilities at the California Chamber of Commerce included directing legislative advocacy for their more than 15,000 member companies on issues such as transportation, air quality, chemicals policy, workers’ compensation, and other lines of insurance.

Previously, Jason was the Legislative Director for the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. He served as the association’s voice in the legislature, governor’s office, and administrative agencies on issues including labor law, workers’ compensation insurance, and health care.

Jason spent five years working in the insurance industry prior to beginning his career as an advocate. In this role, he attained valuable hands-on experience working with private and public sector entities attempting to navigate California’s workers’ compensation system.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento. He resides in Sacramento with his wife and two sons.

Senator Anthony Portantino

Senator Anthony Portantino represents California’s 25th State Senate District, which stretches along the 210 Freeway from Sunland/Tujunga to Upland.  He proudly represents the Rose Bowl, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Griffith Park, Warner Brothers, Disney, Caltech and the Claremont Colleges.

Supporting public education, mental health, and sensible gun control have been priorities for Senator Portantino during his time in office. His accomplishments include increasing funding for special education and the K-12 Local Control Funding Formula. He has authored legislation that created California’s umbilical cord blood collection program, pushed back school start time for middle and high schools, banned the open carry of handguns on Main Street California, raised the purchase age of firearms to 21, and placed the suicide hotline number on student identification cards.  In addition, his efforts have created a science fellowship in the State Capitol and established a unique partnership between the University of California and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

He personally negotiated the end of the 710-freeway tunnel with the Brown administration and authored SB 7, which formally ended the threat of the freeway, protected the non-profits in the corridor, and paved the way for Pasadena to develop the dormant freeway stub.

Senator Portantino currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a Select Committee to foster trade between California, Armenia and Artsakh.

Prior to his years as a representative, he spent many years working in film and television production, served on the California Film Commission, and spent nearly eight years on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, with two terms as Mayor.  In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Award at a ceremony in the historic island’s great hall.

Senator Portantino grew up in New Jersey, where he attended public schools and graduated from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, Ellen, a longtime business executive at Warner Brothers and Disney.  They have two daughters.