Sara Hernandez

Economy

Support workforce development and career pathways through LAUSD, LACCD, and community-based programs (like Hollywood CPR at LACCD) so the next generation of Angelenos can access creative careers. Learn more

As your state senator, I’ll also champion expanded access to union apprenticeships, construction trades, and workforce training programs that not only lead to good-paying jobs but also help us build the affordable housing we so desperately need. Because when we invest in education, we invest in solving our most urgent challenges—from housing to economic mobility. Learn more

Mandating the modernization of local permitting processes so productions can move quickly without being bogged down in red tape.. Learn more

Education

That is why I’m committed to working to increase the ability of institutions of higher education in offering more bachelor’s degrees in areas where we have workforce shortages and need, like in nursing, cyber security, biomedical manufacturing and cloud computing and can provide a pathway to the middle class. We must make these professions more accessible to students from lower income backgrounds and help address statewide shortages in the workforce. Learn more

As a state senator, I will fight to make universal childcare a reality in California. Let’s be clear: universal childcare does not currently exist—not here, and not anywhere else in the country. But it should. Every family, regardless of income or ZIP code, should have access to free, high-quality care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. And childcare workers—25% of whom currently live in poverty—deserve to earn wages on par with public school teachers, along with the benefits and respect their essential work demands. Learn more

Environment / Energy

Expanding parks and green space across the 26th District to increase the percentage of Angelenos who live within a 10-minute walk of a park or plaza from 65% to 80%. Learn more

Fighting for clean air by expanding zero-emission infrastructure for freight and goods movement—especially along transport corridors that run through high-density residential communities; and. Learn more

Guns

As a mother, I’m committed to fighting for safer communities. That means getting guns—especially untraceable ghost guns—off our streets. These are weapons built by unlicensed individuals using parts sold without background checks, serial numbers, or any of the safeguards required by law. Learn more

Gun violence is a well-documented social determinant of health. Repeated exposure doesn’t just increase the risk of fatal injury—it’s tied to higher rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. It also undermines a community’s ability to thrive, limiting social mobility and disrupting childhood development. Needless to say, the daily threat of gun violence has had a devastating impact on children, families and communities throughout Los Angeles. Learn more

Healthcare

But reproductive justice goes beyond the right to choose. It’s about economic security, paid leave, maternal health, and care work that’s treated with dignity. It’s about ending the wage gap, protecting trans and nonbinary Californians, and building systems that center care, not control. Learn more

Housing

Too often, public debate frames housing production and tenant protections as opposing forces. I reject that false choice. California must do both: build more housing and protect the people already here. I support thoughtful just-cause eviction protections, anti-rent-gouging laws, and expanding affordability covenants to 99 years. I’m in favor of rolling rent control legislation like the 2019 Tenant Protection Act, and I believe new development must come with safeguards for vulnerable low and fixed-income tenants: right-of-return guarantees or displacement compensation. Learn more

We are facing a dual crisis: a housing market that’s become unaffordable for working people, and an fentanyl and opioid epidemic that’s pulling people deeper into suffering. If we’re serious about change, we need to build immediate, transitional housing across all communities, not just in the neighborhoods that have always carried the burden. That housing must be designed to meet real needs—mental health, substance use, safety, and connection. The State must step up to support local governments with the resources to open shelter beds and expand supportive services, that's what I support Care Courts as a way to connect individuals with mental illness to treatment while upholding civil liberties . We must also invest in the community-based organizations and nonprofits who know their neighborhoods best and are already doing the work. Learn more

Finally, we need to rethink how we use public dollars to increase affordable housing. Rather than always defaulting to costly new construction, we should prioritize acquiring existing housing and converting it into permanently affordable homes for low-, middle-, and working-class families and exploring innovative social housing models, community land trusts and using public land to build affordable housing. Learn more

That’s why I’m running to lead on housing policy at the state level. In the 26th District and across California, we need more multifamily housing in urban areas — especially near transit and jobs. I’ll fight for policies that increase density in high-opportunity neighborhoods, build more workforce housing, streamline approvals and inspections, mandate staffing increases for permitting departments, increase home ownership in urban areas, make the construction of duplexes and fourplexes more viable and ensure cities follow state housing law. More homes in walkable, transit-connected areas not only reduce costs, they cut emissions and vehicle miles traveled — allowing people to live closer to where they work and raise their families. Learn more

Immigration

As a state senator I’ll be at the forefront of this fight, championing legislation that protects our communities from racial profiling and from the terrifying, unconstitutional tactics of masked, unidentified individuals claiming federal authority. I will fight to require ICE officers to clearly identify themselves during enforcement actions, and I’ll push California to lead the nation in standing up for the dignity and rights of every person who calls this country home. Learn more

We must fight back — but we must also fundamentally change how this country treats immigrants. That means creating a real pathway to citizenship for the people who have helped build this nation and deserve to belong here. Learn more

Infrastructure / Transportation

From Downtown to Pico Union, from Eagle Rock to Hollywood, we know what makes a community thrive: streets where people feel safe to walk, bike, sit, gather, and linger. Where the sidewalks are full and the air is clean. Where mobility isn’t a barrier but a benefit. As a state senator, I want to work to make our public transit systems one of the safest, cleanest, and most reliable in the world. I’ll champion CEQA exemptions for bike lanes and light rail. I’ll fight for funding to increase the frequency of our buses and trains — and to make transit stops feel vibrant, not neglected. World class public transit means a universal TAP card across all transit systems, fast underground Wi-Fi and cell service, and business vendors in Metro stations. Learn more

I’ll push to expand our Metro bus and rail lines and add more than 500 miles of protected bike lanes across our communities. Because when people aren’t stuck in traffic, they live healthier, happier lives. And when we demand more of our cities, they can deliver. Learn more