Three McGeorge School of Law students helped draft a bill that was later signed into law

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law alumni Jaime Bowker '23, Erika Cabrera '23, and Emma Syftestad '23 had an unique experience through their work in the Legislative and Public Policy Clinic. The three recent graduates had the rare opportunity to see the bill they helped draft during law school, California Assembly Bill No. 805, become law when it was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September.

Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) was the bill author for AB 805. Under the bill, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) will identify failing sewer systems, appoint qualified administrators, provide technical and financial support, and coordinate with drinking water administrators to improve service and efficiency.

“I am grateful to have worked on legislation during law school aimed at providing solutions to California's failing water infrastructure and ensuring disadvantaged communities have access to safe, affordable drinking water. Working on SB 805 was a great experience because I was reminded how statewide legislation can have a positive impact on a local government and provide local governments with the much needed support to resolving the issue of access to safe, affordable drinking water,” Bowker said.

Bowker, Cabrera, and Syftestad helped draft the bill under the supervision of Legislative and Public Policy Clinic Directors Aaron Brieno, ‘14, and Cathy Christian. Brieno is the Chief of Staff for California State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, while Christian is a retired partner at Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross, and Leoni LLP.

“Access to clean drinking water and sanitation services are often taken for granted in most parts of the state and nation, unfortunately, in many underserved regions of California’s Central Valley these basic services are not available to some of the state’s most vulnerable communities,” Brieno said. “I am tremendously proud of our student’s work to develop the policy proposal incorporated in AB 805 (Arambula) which facilitates a coordinated approach where both sewer and drinking water administrators are appointed, maximizing resources and efficiency.”

Bowker, Cabrera, and Syftestad researched and drafted the legislative proposal but also played a critical role in securing the bill's sponsorship by the Community Water Center and its authorship by Assemblymember Arambula.

“Emma, Jamie, and Erika did a tremendous job researching and drafting the legislative proposal outlined in AB 805 (Arambula) during the 2022 fall semester of the Legislative & Public Policy Clinic. I am incredibly proud of their diligent work and advocacy on behalf of the disadvantaged communities exposed to poorly managed sewer systems,” Brieno said.

Since the Clinic began in 2013, students have worked on 14 bills that later became law. Bills worked on by students from prior legislative sessions that became law include legislation changing evidence rules to treat discredited forensic testimony as false evidence, banning the use of carbon dioxide gas for euthanizing animals, and increasing access to justice for survivors of domestic violence.

Mostly recently, students worked on a 2021 first-in-the-nation bill requiring hospitals to allow the use of cannabis for pain relief for terminally ill patients and a 2022 bill that made English as a Second Language courses more financially accessible to recent immigrants.

“The Legislative and Public Policy Clinic was one of the main reasons I chose to attend McGeorge School of Law, and I looked forward to being able to create legislation that would bring a positive impact to disadvantaged communities. I was not the most knowledgeable in the science behind clean drinking water, but, when I heard about East Orosi and their struggles, I knew I wanted to help. As someone that comes from a disadvantaged community this issue hit home for me. I appreciate my group, Emma Syftestad and Jaime Bowker, because we were able to unite our strengths and work with the Community Water Center and Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula on a bill that would create positive change,” Cabrera said.

In addition to the Legislative and Public Policy Clinic, McGeorge operates six other legal clinics in Sacramento, including the Bankruptcy Clinic, Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic, Elder and Health Law Clinic, Federal Defender Clinic, Immigration Law Clinic, and Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic.