Sonoma County needs strong, principled, and progressive leadership – and Noreen Evans has the track record and experience to provide it. For over 20 years, Noreen has represented our community as a Planning Commissioner, City Council Member, Assembly Member and, most recently, State Senator.  Her priorities are and have always been our priorities.

Our Environment: Protecting It and Providing Access to It

Throughout her years of public service, Noreen has fought actively to maintain our natural environment and increase access to parks and open spaces across the 5th Supervisorial District.  She also has been a leader in working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change.  As Supervisor, she will maintain this commitment and continue to make sure that community policies foster an environment where our environment is high priority for lawmakers and stakeholders.

Some of her major accomplishments include:

• Co-authored AB 32, California’s groundbreaking climate change legislation
• Prevented approval of off-shore oil drilling
• Successfully fought against Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close 223 state parks
• Prevented aerial spraying of pesticides to eradicate Light Brown Apple Moth
• Co-authored SB 670 banning harmful suction dredging on the Russian River
• Authored legislation (AB 98) reinstating a state tax credit for landowners donating land for a local park
• While serving as a member of the Coastal Conservancy, funded preservation of the Jenner Headlands, Coastal Trail building and signage, Laguna de Santa Rosa restoration, and the purchase of Preservation Ranch.
• Obtained funding for restoration and repair projects at Fort Ross State Park
• For years, fought the state’s proposal to charge fees for local state beaches (Iron Rangers)
• Authored and co-authored legislation to protect Spud Point Marina
• Authored legislation authorizing the Sonoma County Agriculture and Open Space District to leverage its financing through bond funding
• Spearheaded restoration of Santa Rosa Creek in downtown Santa Rosa and adoption of a city-wide Creek Restoration Plan
• Supported ending the practice of dumping Santa Rosa’s wastewater into the Russian River

Quality of Life: Housing, Vital Services and Infrastructure

For the past 25 years, all of the economic gains in Sonoma County have gone to the wealthiest residents. Noreen wants to make our local economy work for all of us.  She understands Sonoma County faces a unique set of challenges. One of our biggest challenges is addressing the cost of housing so working people can afford to live here. Other challenges include fixing and maintaining local roads; providing shelter and services for the homeless; and protecting our rural character.  These are the issues she has spent her entire career addressing.  As Supervisor, Noreen will continue to ensure diverse voices are heard, and the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

Among Noreen’s many accomplishments are:

• Co-authored SB 900, the Homeowners Bill of Rights, the first piece of legislation of its kind in the US to give rights to homeowners in the foreclosure process
• Authored AB1542 to protect mobile-home owners from eviction
• Was part of the campaign to adopt Urban Growth Boundaries in 1996, and the subsequent campaign to adopt Community Separators throughout the County
• Is currently working to renew and expand Community Separators
• Obtained millions of dollars in funding for SMART to help complete the rail line to Larkspur and build a passenger station at the Sonoma County airport
• Co-authored legislation to create universal healthcare in California
• Introduced legislation to reform the state budget process to stop partisan budget impasses 
• Wrote legislation to fast track public infrastructure projects to create jobs and address transportation needs
• Supported increasing the minimum wage and requiring a living wage for all public projects
• Fought to defend workers, passed legislation to protect farmworkers and earned a 100% voting record on labor issues
• As Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, she:
  • Prevented defunding of Healthy Families, food stamps, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), MediCal, HIV/AIDS prevention services, California Conservation Corps, poison control centers, breast cancer screening, and other health and human services.
  • Prevented Governor Schwarzenegger from suspending Proposition 98 and cutting funding for K-12 education
  • Kept the state operational during the Great Recession and laid the foundation for its economic recovery

Families and Children

Noreen began her working life as a young teenager, working in her grandparents’ small grocery store in rural Laytonville and babysitting for neighborhood families. Because her family lacked the resources to send her to college, she worked her way through college and law school. As a working mother of three children and as a single-mom, Noreen understands how hard it is for many families in Sonoma County today and has always supported legislation and reforms that support them.  Noreen believes that the needs of children and families – from affordable housing to quality public education to paid leave – need to be a priority for our county supervisors.

Some of her major accomplishments include:

• Authored and co-authored numerous pieces of legislation to improve the foster care system and protect foster children
• As Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, she:
  • Prevented defunding of Healthy Families, food stamps, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), MediCal, HIV/AIDS prevention services, California Conservation Corps, poison control centers, breast cancer screening, and other health and human services.
  • Prevented Governor Schwarzenegger from suspending Proposition 98 and cutting funding for K-12 education
  • Kept the state operational during the Great Recession and laid the foundation for its economic recovery
• Restored funding for rural school-bus service
• Authored and co-authored numerous pieces of legislation protecting the affordability of mobile homes and protecting mobile homeowners
• Led efforts to improve California’s public education system – from elementary school to college – and fought tuition hikes
• Supported legislation to help seniors including increased training and oversight of residential care facilities, expanded MediCal coverage for vital treatments, and healthcare reform
• Authored SB 199 to require toy guns be easily identifiable as toys
• Voted for AB 60, California’s Safe and Responsible Driver Act, to provide drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants
• Created Santa Rosa’s Safe Routes to Schools program by meeting with every elementary school principal in Roseland and pushing for construction of safe sidewalks and pathways.
• Served on the California Commission on the Status of Women
• Supported annexing Roseland and fought to protect its unique character
• Wrote legislation that would have required labeling of foods with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
• Supports a ban on genetically modified crops and seeds in Sonoma County