A Legislative Year in Review

As the first female veteran elected to the legislature and former Senate Republican

Leader, I am extremely proud of the work I've accomplished while in office. However,

this year marked one of the most significant milestones of my legislative career. After

more than a decade of fighting to restore Kern County’s ability to responsibly produce

the oil that powers California, we finally secured a path forward for more production.

The state approved a long-stalled framework that will allow Kern County to resume

issuing well permits under the most restrictive and environmentally rigorous energy plan

in the nation. This achievement is more than a policy win; it is a victory for working

families, for domestic energy security, and for every Californian who is tired of paying

sky-high fuel prices while our state relies heavily on foreign oil.

Another major accomplishment was strengthening protections for children who are

victims of sex trafficking. In recent years, I authored landmark laws making it a felony to

buy or sell a child for sex – the first new felonies passed by the legislature in 20 years.

But due to forced amendments, older minors were left without full protections. This year,

we closed that loophole once and for all. California now makes it a felony to purchase a

child of any age for sex, and we established a dedicated survivor-support framework to

ensure that fines paid by offenders flow directly to community based organizations that

provide essential services for survivors.

We also expanded oversight for vulnerable California students placed in out-of-state

schools, ensuring they receive necessary protections and support. And we

strengthened rural healthcare by securing new federal funding pathways that allow local

hospitals to sustain the residency programs needed to train the next generation of

physicians.

As I enter my final year in the Legislature, I remain energized and focused on the

priorities that matter most to my district and to our state: water, agriculture, domestic oil

and energy production, protecting taxpayers, public safety, and expanding school

choice. California’s future depends on getting these fundamentals right, and I intend to

finish strong.

Shannon Grove

State Senator, District 12