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GAY SAN DIEGO Jan. 28-Feb. 10, 2011
FROM PAGE 18 ATKINS
I think most people assume that sexual orientation covers all of that, but unless it’s really spelled out in the law I think there’s a gray area, and we need to make sure that we protect those individuals in definition. There continues to be issues of discrimi- nation in healthcare—all of those kinds of things we’re going to continue to work on. One of the roles of the Caucus is to check in and see what the issues are and which of us can sponsor pieces of legislation and we work together on that.
GSD: What are three major
issues you hope to work on as an assembly member during your first term, and how do you plan to solve or address these issues?
Atkins: My legislative pack- age will be coming out in about a week. There are lots of people with similar ideas and we’re try- ing not to clog the docket with things that people are already working on. I’ve got some issues I’m working on around small business and protection for small business owners. I’m working on a couple of issues around healthcare and women’s health access. I’m on the Housing Com- mittee, so I’ll be bringing forward some issues related to affordable housing. I was asked to be on the Veterans Committee; I’m on that.
POP CULTURE
So we’re going to try to bring together some of the issues of housing, healthcare and home- lessness. When we have all of our bills submitted I’ll be able to be more specific about the direction we’re going with each piece of legislation. The dilemma is we re- ally have to be mindful of putting forward legislation that’s not cost- ing a lot of money, that are kind of fixes within the law or tweaks that help whatever the issue is without being a new program or costing a great deal of money to implement.
GSD: Can you describe your small business legisla- tion in any more detail?
Atkins: I will be looking at
ways to try to streamline some of the state processes. You hear a lot of discussion about California being pretty anti-business. I’m not sure that I agree that that’s true 100 percent, but I do see ways in which small business could have a little bit more support at the state level within the bureaucratic process.
GSD: This all sounds rather overwhelming.
Atkins: I’m on five commit-
tees, which I asked for so be careful what you ask for. (laughs) I believe in policy. I figure I’m there to work on policy issues as well as the budget, so I want to dive right in. I’m on the health committee and the judiciary committee, which meet every week; on the housing committee, the veterans committee and on government organizations—they meet every other week. And with the job of majority whip I think at
some point it’s going to become very, very busy. So I’ll be running around. Hopefully by then I’ll learn where the bathrooms are and the shortcuts to get to the committee rooms.
GSD: How has Congress-
woman Giffords’ shooting affected the way you will in- teract with constitu- ents?
Atkins:
I worked for six years in a clinic that provided reproduc- tive health services to women, including abortion. I’ve always been securi- ty-conscious from my days in the clinics. And then being from the LGBT community and sometimes having people come down to (City) Council and talk not just opposing you but some- times a few people who were a little frightening in terms of their tone and their demeanor. It’s not going to stop me from interacting with constituents. You incorporate (security) into your life in a way that’s appropriate and reasonable, and you move on.
GSD: You grew up in Vir- ginia and moved to San Diego
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in 1985. How do you think you are informed by your ru- ral Southern upbringing?
Atkins: I think it’s going to be Former Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins
interesting, particularly as I relate to other legislators throughout California. They see me and they know I’m from San Diego, so I’m an “ur- ban person.” But when I talk with someone from a more agricultural area, I tend to get that stuff. I’m probably one of the few people (in the Assem- bly) that’s chopped tobacco in my life. (laughs) I do understand those issues a little more than people
would think. It means I get to probably expand the nature of my conversations with people because California is such a big state and has so many interests. So some of the terms and language I’m probably going to understand a little better than most of my L.A. colleagues, I would think. I’ve already been invited to a dairy farm and I’m going to do it at some point. I find it pretty exciting and interesting to show that I’m not just someone who understands urban communities.•
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