Jackie Elward
DemocraticQ1 California is rich in natural resources (i.e. oil, with California being the 7th largest oil producing state in the nation) and, as of June 2025, conserves 26.1% of its lands and 21.9% of its coastal waters. Given California’s resources, what policies would you pursue or continue, if any, in regard to land management and use?
“California’s natural resources are one of our greatest assets, safeguarded by generations that came before us, and we have a responsibility to manage them in ways that protect biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, and preserve them for future generations. I strongly support California’s 30x30 goal and investment in protecting and restoring open space, wetlands, forests, coastal areas, wildlife habitat, and working lands.
In Assembly District 12, protecting open space and preventing sprawl are important. Before serving on the Rohnert Park City Council, I worked on the campaign to establish a permanent urban growth boundary. I would bring that same commitment to the Legislature by supporting habitat and watershed restoration, wildfire resilience, sustainable agriculture, Tribal stewardship, and equitable public access to nature.
We also need responsible land use planning as California transitions to clean energy. Renewable energy, transmission, and storage projects should be accelerated, but should prioritize already developed, disturbed, or degraded lands rather than sacrificing sensitive habitat or protected public lands.
California should also continue moving away from fossil fuel extraction. I support ending new oil drilling permits and transitioning existing production responsibly, while ensuring workers and communities dependent on those industries have pathways to good union jobs in clean energy, environmental restoration, and climate resilience.”
KEYWORDS: 30x30 Conservation, Climate Resilience, Just Transition
Q2 California is one of the leading states with the most data centers which are important facilities for processing and storing data. However they also have several environmental and health impacts, such as significant water usage and noise pollution, which can lead to decrease in net economic gains. What policies, if any, do you support in managing existing data centers or establishing additional data centers?
“The proliferation of data centers has greatly outpaced our state’s capacity for meaningful oversight. Their rapid expansion, particularly with the growth of artificial intelligence, raises serious questions about energy demand, water consumption, noise, and impacts on surrounding communities. I support a moratorium on new large-scale AI data centers until California establishes clear standards to address those impacts and ensures that their growth does not undermine our climate and clean-energy goals.
Existing facilities should be subject to greater transparency regarding their energy and water use and held to strong environmental and public health standards. California should also ensure that data centers are not increasing electricity costs for working families or placing additional strain on communities already facing water or energy challenges.
This is not about rejecting technology or innovation. It is about making sure California understands the consequences of this rapidly growing industry and implements policies that work for our state before allowing unchecked expansion. Any future data center development should show it can operate responsibly and efficiently, protecting our natural resources, our electrical grid, and the communities where these facilities are located. Stakeholders from all sides of this conversation need to be at the table to ensure we get this right.”
KEYWORDS: AI Oversight, Resource Sustainability, Community Protection
Q3 In 2025, approximately 33% of students in K-12 schools across California met or exceeded science standards, and teacher shortages have resulted in districts hiring teachers with substandard credentials in math and science. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you follow to increase science proficiency and access to quality education across the state and why?
“As a longtime classroom educator, I believe improving science proficiency starts with ensuring every student has access to qualified educators, a strong curriculum, and the resources needed for hands-on learning. California should continue investing in evidence-based teacher recruitment and retention strategies, including paid teacher residencies, scholarships and credentialing support, and pathways for classified employees and paraprofessionals to become credentialed teachers, particularly in high-need fields like math and science.
We also need to retain the educators we already have through competitive compensation, manageable class sizes, mentoring, professional development, and strong working conditions. Simply lowering preparation standards to address shortages is not a sustainable solution.
For students, I support greater investment in hands-on, inquiry-based science instruction; modern laboratories and classroom materials; tutoring and extended learning opportunities; and stronger connections between science education and career technical education. Those opportunities must be available in every community, not determined by a student’s ZIP code.
Finally, we should provide additional support for multilingual learners and students who have historically had less access to advanced STEM coursework. Raising science proficiency requires both high expectations and equitable access to the resources that allow students to meet them.”
KEYWORDS: Teacher Recruitment, STEM Access, Hands-On Learning
Q4 Healthcare is an important resource to Californians, with publicly supported programs such as Medi-Cal providing coverage covering roughly half of all Californians including 14.5 million low-income residents. According to the Center on Healthcare from West Health-Gallup, California has an overall healthcare grade of “C” over the categories of cost, quality, and access, with gaps in rural health coverage, environmental health threats, workforce shortages, and affordability challenges. What policies, if any, do you support to address the healthcare of Californians and why?
“I believe healthcare is a human right, and I support moving California toward universal, single-payer healthcare through CalCare so access to care is based on need, not income or employment. Until we achieve that goal, we must protect and strengthen Medi-Cal, expand coverage, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and ensure Californians can access mental health, reproductive, preventive, and primary care.
We also need to address our healthcare workforce shortage. I support strong staffing standards, investments in healthcare education and training, and efforts to recruit and retain providers in rural and underserved communities. Healthcare workers should have the staffing, protections, and working conditions necessary to provide quality care.
Public health also extends beyond the healthcare system. Clean air, safe drinking water, healthy housing, and protection from toxic pollution directly affect health outcomes. California should continue holding polluters accountable and investing in communities that have experienced disproportionate environmental and public health burdens.
Our goal should be a healthcare system that puts patients and public health ahead of profit and ensures quality care is accessible to every Californian.”
KEYWORDS: Universal Healthcare, Healthcare Workforce, Health Equity
Q5 Infectious disease outbreaks in California, like measles and foodborne illnesses, are on the rise and have had significant impacts on the state’s health, agriculture, and produce economy. In some counties in California, vaccination rates are low, making communities potentially vulnerable to measles outbreaks. Furthermore, California is responsible for over a third of the US’s fresh produce, which is a common source of foodborne illness. What policies, if any, do you support for implementing preventative measures and mitigating strategies against outbreaks?
“Prevention is one of the most effective investments we can make in public health. I support maintaining California’s evidence-based vaccination requirements for schools and childcare, while making vaccines and reliable health information accessible in every community. We should also strengthen local public health departments, so they have the staffing, laboratory capacity, and resources to identify outbreaks quickly, conduct contact tracing, and respond before isolated cases become larger emergencies.
California also has a responsibility to protect our food supply, especially at a time when the federal government is negligent in its oversight responsibilities. As one of the country’s largest agricultural producers, we should invest in disease surveillance, testing, inspection, and rapid response systems throughout the food supply chain. We should continue working with growers, farmworkers, researchers, and public health agencies to identify contamination sources and improve prevention, including protecting agricultural water quality and strengthening worker training and safety.
State and local public health agencies, healthcare providers, schools, agricultural agencies, and producers should also be able to share information quickly during outbreaks. Strong prevention protects public health, keeps children in school, protects workers and consumers, and helps avoid the greater economic costs of widespread outbreaks.”
KEYWORDS: Prevention, Vaccination, Food Safety
Q6 Distrust in science has been on the rise among the general public and policymakers, which has been associated with changes in federal funding for scientific research. In order to bridge this gap, how do you think scientists and policymakers can work together to strengthen their communication?
“As an educator, I have learned that giving people information is not the same as building understanding or trust. Scientists and policymakers need to communicate with people, not just at them. That means explaining research clearly, making information accessible in multiple languages and formats, and giving communities opportunities to ask questions and participate.
Scientists should be involved earlier in policymaking, not only after policies have already been developed. Policymakers also have a responsibility to listen to experts, understand the evidence, and be honest about what the science tells us, what remains uncertain, and where other considerations come into play.
Trust also depends on transparency. Scientists should be able to communicate findings without political interference, and policymakers should not cherry-pick evidence to support a preferred outcome. Stronger partnerships between universities, public agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations can also help trusted local voices communicate scientific information. As an educator, I would also like to see a stronger emphasis in our schools on recognizing and understanding the importance of primary sources and peer reviewed research, which I think is vital in this age of widespread dissemination of misinformation and disinformation.
Whether we are talking about wildfire, public health, water quality, climate change, or AI, good policy starts with credible evidence and meaningful community engagement.”
KEYWORDS: Transparency, Evidence Literacy, Community Engagement
Q7 Access to public transportation is associated with less air and noise pollution, fewer harmful chemicals, and overall healthier communities. However, many transit agencies, such as BART in the Bay Area, are facing financial deficits due to a decline in ridership. What policies, if any, do you support that would address California’s public transit infrastructure?
“Public transportation is essential infrastructure, and we should fund it like the public service it is. California cannot meet its climate, affordability, and mobility goals if transit agencies are trapped in a cycle of service cuts and declining ridership. I support stable, long-term state funding so agencies can provide frequent, reliable, and affordable service.
We also need to invest in the people who make our transit systems work through strong labor standards, competitive wages and benefits, workforce development, and greater protections for operators and other transit workers.
Increasing ridership requires service people can depend on. I support better frequency and connections between systems, affordable fares, expanded service in working-class, rural, and underserved communities, and improved access for seniors and people with disabilities.
California should continue transitioning public fleets to zero-emission technology while ensuring workers receive the training needed as technology changes. Public dollars should strengthen public transit and good union jobs, not encourage privatization or worker displacement.
In Marin and Sonoma, strengthening bus, ferry, and regional connections is especially important to give residents realistic alternatives to driving while reducing congestion and pollution.”
KEYWORDS: Transit Funding, Union Workforce, Zero-Emission Transit
Q8 Funding for research in California has dropped by millions in the past year with an ongoing possibility for more reductions. Yet, University research is a major economic driver. For example, according to the University of California, they generate about $14 of economic value for every dollar invested. What policies, if any, do you support to invest in research? What role do you envision science research playing in the state economy?
“California’s investment in scientific research is an investment in our economy, workforce, and ability to solve major challenges. As federal research funding grows increasingly uncertain, California should protect the research capacity of our public universities and prevent the loss of scientists, students, and innovation.
I support sustained state funding for the University of California and California State University systems, along with targeted investments in areas where California has significant needs and an opportunity to lead, including climate science, wildfire resilience, clean energy, water, agriculture, public health, biotechnology, and emerging technologies. We should also invest in graduate students, early-career researchers, laboratories, and research infrastructure.
Research is also economic policy. University research creates jobs, helps launch new technologies and industries, improves agriculture and public health, and gives policymakers better tools to address challenges from wildfire to infectious disease. Public investment should produce public benefit through strong partnerships among universities, government, workers, communities, and responsible industry.
California has built much of its economic strength around education, research, and innovation. Protecting that foundation should remain a state priority.”
KEYWORDS: Research Investment, Public Universities, Innovation Economy