Meeting with Senator Portantino

On August 19, Meow Meow Foundation principals Doug Forbes and Elena Matyas met with California State Senator Anthony Portantino and his staffers to discuss potential legislation that would license California day camps.

This was the first of many meetings Forbes and Matyas scheduled with government, corporate and nonprofit gatekeepers in an effort to eliminate preventable drowning and other water safety issues.

Portantino said he was deeply dismayed by previously failed attempts to license day camps. One of those attempts, known as AB-1964, stalled in Appropriations only 10 months ago while he was committee chair.

County health organizations aggressively lobbied against past legislation, largely because they “seek to limit their oversight” of day camps. They believe such a mandate would unfairly expand their job scope.

However, county health departments are already responsible for health and safety standards of resident (overnight) camps. It is unclear why Including day camps would not be within their scope. Officials from the County Health Executives Association of California and California State Association of Counties have not returned Forbes’ calls requesting comment.

Forbes and Matyas said to the senator that they are drafting “Roxie Rules,” camp-specific safety initiatives to guide the language of a future legislative attempt. They said they will subsequently explore a more fulsome water safety initiative that addresses public and private sectors.

Once the current legislative session concludes in September, the senator said his staff will convene with members of both chambers to further discuss a revised bill. He invited Forbes and Matyas to testify in Sacramento early next year in support of that proposed bill.

Prior to his years as a representative, Portantino spent many years working in film and television production, as a producer, line producer, art director, assistant director and location manager. He also served on the California Film Commission, where he helped implement the California Film Tax Credit Program.

Senator Portantino has a long and distinguished record of service which includes nearly eight years on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, with two terms as Mayor and vice chair of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee. He also served as president of the League of California Cities Mayors and Councilmembers Department, and was the legislative chair of the California Contract Cities Association.