It was a productive first year in the state senate for Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, who began to turn her campaign platform into an established legislative agenda. A nationally recognized proponent of organized labor, she worked to increase worker rights with two important bills this session. First, she authored SB497 to ensure that workers are protected against retaliation from their employer for making reports of labor violations or unequal pay. Second, she authored SB627 to create a safety net for chain store employees that requires their employer to provide 60 days notice of a store closure and the opportunity for transfer if a suitable position is open at another store location within 25 miles. These bills, coupled with her membership on the Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement Committee, and the Education Committee, are building the foundation of a legislative approach rooted in the importance of supporting working families, racial justice, and the education and workforce development programs that sustain industries.