On Thursday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed his budget proposal for the 2008-09 fiscal year. Facing an estimated $14.5 billion dollar shortfall in revenues, the Governor asked nearly every department in the state government to reduce spending by 10%. For California’s immigrants, as well as many low-income residents who rely on the state’s various health and human services programs, the ten percent cut comes after years of reduced funding levels, rate freezes and suspended cost of living increases.
Many of the reductions contained in the Governor’s plan have been proposed in the past. The budget he released this week will serve as the starting point for negotiations with legislators who will, in the coming months, make their own proposals and hold public hearings on the state’s final budget plan.
The following is a summary of proposed cuts to some of the programs that directly serve immigrants. A more comprehensive analysis of the Governor’s budget proposal and its overall impact on immigrant communities will be available from CIPC in the coming days.
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
CalWORKs is a vital program that provides cash assistance to some of our state’s neediest families. When families time out after 60 months on assistance, the State continues to provide a child only safety net benefit. Last year the governor proposed the following policy changes:
• Full family sanctions for the CalWORKs program
• Full family sanctions for child only cases who have used up their 60 month time clock
• A 60 month time limit on child only cases of ineligible parents (mostly immigrants)
These proposals were rejected by the Legislature. This budget re-introduces the same full family sanctions proposals. The full family sanction would be imposed gradually on families if the parents fail to respond to attempts to bring them into compliance with CalWORKs work requirements. In total, the proposed budget reduces CalWORKs by $389 million.
California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
CFAP provides benefits to low-income non-citizens who have resided in the U.S. for less than five years. The program serves 23,400 people and 23 percent of the caseload is comprised of families.
The budget proposes to cut CFAP by 10 percent. Given that the program is solely state-funded, the budget proposal moves beyond an administrative reduction to an actual reduction in the assistance immigrants and families receive. The governor proposes to reduce the monthly benefit level from $91 to $82, effective June 1 of this year. Since the date of implementation is set a month prior to the start of the budget year, the program will be reduced by $200,000 General Fund dollars in the current 2007-08 fiscal year. In the coming 2008-09 budget year, the program will be reduced by $2.5 million General Fund dollars. This proposal cannot be enacted without regulatory or statutory change, which means that the Legislature must approve the reduction.
Food Stamps Program (FSP)
California operates the country’s largest nutrition program for low-income households. FSP issues electronic debit cards to low-income Californians which they can use to buy food.
The governor proposes to cut FSP by 4 percent. The administration estimates this will result in $14.4 million in savings to the State. Alongside a $20.5 million reduction passed on by the federal government, the program will experience a 10 percent reduction in sum.
The budget proposal does not reduce benefits to recipients; instead, the budget limits the reductions to administrative costs. The administration proposes extending the federal waiver to substitute face-to-face interviews with phone interviews. The administration also proposes increasing the wait time for applicant households eligible for Expedited Service from 3 to 7 days; however, this proposal must be enacted by the State Legislature. Overall, recipients will likely experience a decline in the quality of customer service and a delay in receiving assistance. Furthermore, since counties are being asked to perform the same duties with fewer resources, outreach and enrollment efforts will likely be negatively impacted.
Naturalization Services Program (NSP)
The Naturalization Services Program is a vital tool for encouraging our state’s foreign-born population to naturalize. NSP provides grants to 32 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that provide naturalization services, including citizenship application assistance and citizenship testing and interview preparations, to 11,330 residents. When it was fully funded, NSP had a budget of $7 million annually. In recent years, the administration has maintained the program at $3 million per budget year. This has translated into long waiting lists at CBOs where immigrants seeking to naturalize are unable to receive the assistance they need, as the backlog of immigrants waiting for their citizenship continues to grow.
For the budget year, the governor proposes to reduce NSP by $300,000, bringing total NSP expenditures to a mere $2.7 million. This cut includes both a $15,000 reduction in administrative costs, as well as a $285,000 reduction in grants provided to CBOs. The administration expects the effect of this to translate a 1,130 people who will not receive naturalization services and will likely remain on the wait list and further lengthen the backlog.
The Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act
The State Legislature approved and enacted the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act in 1973. It is widely seen as the benchmark for language access here in California and serves as a standard nationwide. Under the Act, all state and local agencies employ an appropriate number of bilingual employees to provide an equitable level of service to their clients with Limited English Proficiency as well as provide interpreters or written translations to assist clients in understanding English forms, notices and documents. The Bilingual Services Program conducts a biennial survey assessing the needs of various agencies and then provides technical assistance and training to state agencies providing guidance in how to stay in compliance with the Act.
The governor proposes to cut one analyst position and $80,000 from monies used to contact state agencies. In sum, this budget reduces expenditures in the Bilingual Services Program by $166,000. This will result in delays in conducting the biennial survey and reduce the program’s ability to provide guidance to agencies.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Across the Board: are 10 percent cuts fair and balanced?
Yesterday Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed his budget proposal for the 2008-09 fiscal year. For months advocates have braced themselves for what the administration has repeatedly warned would be a “difficult” budget in the face of a $14.5 billion shortfall. The governor’s budget proposes to spread the pain as it were by asking nearly every agency to take a 10% reduction in revenue. This means that groups that are usually considered more or less "off limits" when it comes to reaching for the axe (ie the Department of Education or the Department of Corrections) are suddenly taking hits. But for the Health and Human Services Agency, the 10 percent comes on top of years of reduced spending, rate freezes and suspended COLAs. When taking years of budget cuts into account, in real terms we are being asked to give a lot more than 10 percent.
Misery loves company, or so they say, butthere is a big down side to seeing our friends in education and other important areas sitting on the chopping block alongside us; this means an even larger group of advocates will be walking the halls of the Capitol, turning to legislators to stave off cuts. One can't help but wonder whether we will all wind up drowning one another out.
On the positive side, many of the proposals the governor is making focus on reducing overhead or quality of services rather than kicking people out of programs or changing enrollment standards. While the typical knee-jerk reaction during hard budget times is to start kicking people out or closing the doors by capping enrollment, the administration is in many instances reducing the quality of the program for everyone rather than reducing the number of people who benefit. Of course, in other instances there are some questions about consistency and how programs are being impacted. For instance, the Food Stamps Program gets a 10 percent cut which will be taken from administrative and operational costs without reducing the benefit to recipients. The California Food Assistance Program on the other hand, which serves the state's immigrants, gets a 10 percent cut that is taken straight from the dollar amount that families receive. If a 10 percent is just a 10 percent cut, why do some families experience delays in quality (longer wait times and poor customer service) while other groups (our state's newly arrived legal immigrants) experience an actual reduction in aid?
Misery loves company, or so they say, butthere is a big down side to seeing our friends in education and other important areas sitting on the chopping block alongside us; this means an even larger group of advocates will be walking the halls of the Capitol, turning to legislators to stave off cuts. One can't help but wonder whether we will all wind up drowning one another out.
On the positive side, many of the proposals the governor is making focus on reducing overhead or quality of services rather than kicking people out of programs or changing enrollment standards. While the typical knee-jerk reaction during hard budget times is to start kicking people out or closing the doors by capping enrollment, the administration is in many instances reducing the quality of the program for everyone rather than reducing the number of people who benefit. Of course, in other instances there are some questions about consistency and how programs are being impacted. For instance, the Food Stamps Program gets a 10 percent cut which will be taken from administrative and operational costs without reducing the benefit to recipients. The California Food Assistance Program on the other hand, which serves the state's immigrants, gets a 10 percent cut that is taken straight from the dollar amount that families receive. If a 10 percent is just a 10 percent cut, why do some families experience delays in quality (longer wait times and poor customer service) while other groups (our state's newly arrived legal immigrants) experience an actual reduction in aid?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Hearing on Health?
Today the Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the governor's proposed Health Care Security and Cost Reduction Act. It's been one year since the administration first began to hold stakeholder meetings to put together a proposal for health care reform and we are just now seeing proposed legislative language for the plan. The reason for the delay is partly due to the fact that no legislator thus far has been willing to author the proposal, meaning that the governor's plan has never been introduced as a bill. Thus, the hearing today was not the typical policy hearing where a bill is presented and voted out or killed by the committee. Instead, a broad range of stakeholders came forward to discuss their principles on health care reform, using the governor's plan only as a point of reference. The result was over 5 hours of discussion, with many repeated verbal commitments to continue working towards reform, and no final verdict on the governor's plan. What does this mean for those of us who have worked tirelessly towards reform? Well, it means a few things.
First, the desire for reform is still there. At this point, the naysayers can kindly step aside and let those with the stomach for it get the job done. Second, the areas of consensus were broad. Over and over, differing groups repeated the same principles, proving that we are much closer to reform than many people would like us to think. Finally, and this is the stickler, those few key issues that challenged advocates early this summer are - surprise surprise - still there waiting to be resolved. Affordability and the individual mandate were on nearly everyone's lips. Even some of the governor's most ardent supporters acknowledged the need to limit out of pocket costs for consumers and expand access to the purchasing pool. And countless organizations provided compelling testimony on the negative impact of a broad individual mandate that does not take into account the financial situtation of the consumer. It seems that consumers have done their fair share in terms of working towards compromise. For a variety of coalitions, committed to universal single-payer, to have spent the past year coming to a compromise that increases access to care without compromising our core principles says a lot. It says that its time for this administration to meet us half way and make the changes necessary to make health care reform work.
First, the desire for reform is still there. At this point, the naysayers can kindly step aside and let those with the stomach for it get the job done. Second, the areas of consensus were broad. Over and over, differing groups repeated the same principles, proving that we are much closer to reform than many people would like us to think. Finally, and this is the stickler, those few key issues that challenged advocates early this summer are - surprise surprise - still there waiting to be resolved. Affordability and the individual mandate were on nearly everyone's lips. Even some of the governor's most ardent supporters acknowledged the need to limit out of pocket costs for consumers and expand access to the purchasing pool. And countless organizations provided compelling testimony on the negative impact of a broad individual mandate that does not take into account the financial situtation of the consumer. It seems that consumers have done their fair share in terms of working towards compromise. For a variety of coalitions, committed to universal single-payer, to have spent the past year coming to a compromise that increases access to care without compromising our core principles says a lot. It says that its time for this administration to meet us half way and make the changes necessary to make health care reform work.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Fall Bill Update
California Immigrant Policy Center
CIPC BILL UPDATE for 2007
October 17, 2007
Governor Signs Landmark Immigrant Rights Legislation,
Vetoes Other Key Immigrant Bills
Special Session on Health Continues
In September, the Legislature delivered a number of bills to the governor’s desk
that were favorable to immigrant communities. Of these, the governor signed a
significant bill, AB 976, which prohibits cities from enacting ordinances that would
require landlords to ask their tenants or prospective tenants about their
immigration and citizenship status. This bill, the first of its kind in the nation,
protects immigrants and others and is a significant victory for the entire
community.
In a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment, many local governments, such as Escondido,
have adopted or considered ordinances banning housing rentals to undocumented
immigrants. Landlords complain that they should not be required to act like
immigration agents; residents say the ordinances result in discrimination based on
looks or a person’s accent. These types of laws have been challenged repeatedly by
residents and property owners and the courts have consistently ruled against these
ordinances. For more information about AB 976, see the following AP article:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFf6 T0AKfwa634lV H qYRtIwKYvMgD8S7SKJG7
[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFf6%20T0AKfwa634lV%20H%20qYRtIwKYvMgD8S7SKJG7]
Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed many more bills that would have benefited immigrants,
including a health reform proposal developed by legislators this year. The governor
has suggested an alternative measure and called a special legislative session to
continue deliberation on health care reform. Consumer advocates and labor have
expressed dissatisfaction with the governor’s proposal, saying it lacks consumer
protections and affordability measures contained in the Legislature’s bill. The
California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and our allies are actively working to
secure a positive reform proposal that will increase access affordable, quality
health care for all Californians. Stay tuned for more updates.
HEALTHCARE
AB 8 (NÚÑEZ) - Health Care Coverage - This bill proposes a broad plan to expand
public and private health coverage for California residents, including an expansion
of eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families program by allowing all
California children regardless of status with family incomes at or below 300% of the
federal poverty level to qualify. The bill also expands eligibility for these
programs to low-income parents and, in the future, childless adults. This bill
requires employers to provide health insurance to their employees or pay 7.5% of
payroll into a purchasing pool from which employees can buy health insurance. The
bill does not require individuals to obtain health insurance, known as the
individual mandate, but does require workers to enroll in either their employer’s
plan if offered or the plans offered through the purchasing pool. The bill also
includes various insurance market reforms. The governor vetoed this measure.
HUMAN SERVICES
AB 1382 (LENO) – Food Stamps: Statewide Fingerprint Imaging System – This bill
eliminates the requirement that applicants for and recipients of Food Stamp benefits
submit to fingerprint imaging as a condition of eligibility unless they also apply
for or receive general income assistance. The bill moves the responsibility for
implementing and maintaining the statewide fingerprint imaging system from the
Health and Welfare Data Center to Office of Systems Integration. The governor
vetoed this measure.
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
AB 295 (LIEU) – State Agencies: Collection of Demographic Data – This bill ensures
that state data reflects the diversity of the Asian and Pacific Islander American
community by having state agencies that affect health, human services, education,
employment and civil rights begin to collect data for additional APIA ethnic groups,
including Hmong, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Taiwanese. The governor
vetoed this measure.
AB 394 (LEVINE) – Safe Schools: Discrimination and Harassment – This bill requires
the State Department of Education to monitor adherence to the anti-discrimination
and anti-harassment requirements of local educational agencies, including whether
agencies have adopted a policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment and
created a process for receiving and investigating complaints. The department would
be required to display information on curricula and other resources that
specifically address bias-related discrimination and harassment on specified
Internet Web sites. The governor signed this measure.
AB 614 (ENG) – Voting Rights: Language Assistance – This bill highlights effective
practices in voter outreach to California’s limited English proficient citizens and
enables organizations to advise and collaborate with local registrars of voters in
order to increase and target needed voter assistance services. The governor vetoed
this measure.
AB 976 (CALDERON) – Tenancy: Prevent Discrimination Based on Status - This bill
prevents a city or county from passing an ordinance that would require landlords to
inquire about or disclose the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant or
prospective tenant. The bill also prohibits landlords from making these inquiries,
with limited exceptions for information necessary to establish financial
qualifications or to verify identity. The governor signed this measure.
SB 1 (CEDILLO) – California Dream Act - This bill establishes procedures and forms
that enable persons who are exempt from paying non-resident tuition under AB 540 to
apply for, and participate in student aid programs administered by these
institutions to the full extent permitted by federal law. The governor vetoed this
measure.
SB 382 (OROPEZA) – Extended Voter Registration for New Citizens - Support –
Currently, only new citizens can register to vote up until seven days before the
first election following the date they became citizens; however, immigrants who
naturalize during this seven day period are denied the opportunity to participate in
the democratic process. This bill allows a new citizen to register and vote until
the close of polls on the election day following the date on which that person
becomes a citizen. The governor vetoed this measure.
For more information on the bills listed above, please visit
www.leginfo.ca.gov/billinfo.html or call Layla Razavi at 916.448.6762, ext. 202.
The California Immigrant Policy Center is a partnership of the Asian Pacific
American Legal Center, the National Immigration Law Center, Services Immigrant
Rights and Education Network (SIREN) and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
of Los Angeles.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
A Quick Rundown - Immigrant-Related Policies in CA
This past year has generated a flurry of activity around immigrant issues at the federal level, but most people don't know that there's a lot going on in California as well. The deadline has recently passed for the Governor to sign or veto bills from this last legislative session, and the outcome was a mixed bag for immigrant communities.
In an important victory for immigrant communities, the Governor signed AB 976, a landmark bill sponsored by apartment owners, that restricts landlords from checking the immigration status of would-be renters. This legislation is in direct response to local ordinances passed throughout the country, including in Escondido, CA, that try to ban landlords from renting to undocumented immigrants. Although Escondido backed down from enforcing this ordinance due to litigation and related controversy, this legislation prohibits other localities in California from passing similar ordinances. It sends a clear message to cities that requiring laypersons to check something as complex as immigration status will result in profiling, discrimination, and fear among immigrant communities. Immigrant advocates and landlord groups also hope this legislation paves the way for other states to pass similar legislation, ensuring people who look or sound like immigrants don't face undue discrimination. You can check out some recent articles written about AB 976 by taking a look at some of the following links -
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFf6T0AKfwa634lVHqYRtIwKYvMgD8S7SKJG7
or
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_7153174.
Despite his support for AB 976, the Governor mostly vetoed legislation that would have benefited immigrants, including the California Dream Act, which would have allowed immigrant college students eligible for resident tuition rates to access state-funded financial aid; SB 1, which would have established an Office of Immigrant Affairs to facilitate immigrant integration into California; AB 295 which would have enhanced state data to reflect the diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander communities; and SB 382, which would have allowed newly naturalized citizens to register to vote on the day of an election.
The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) was particularly disappointed by the Governor's veto of AB 8. The healthcare reform proposal that passed out of the legislature would have benefited many low-income California families and workers, including immigrants. The proposal represented a real step forward for low-income individuals who are currently uninsured or underinsured. The legislature continues to consider healthcare reform in a special session called by the Governor, but it is unclear what the outcome will be. The Governor's proposal, which he put forward after stating he would veto AB 8, lacks a lot of the consumer protections and affordability measures present in AB 8 and is not an alternative that consumer groups and labor are likely to support. To learn more about the healthcare reform debate, take a look at the Health Access blog at http://www.health-access.org/blogger.html.
In an important victory for immigrant communities, the Governor signed AB 976, a landmark bill sponsored by apartment owners, that restricts landlords from checking the immigration status of would-be renters. This legislation is in direct response to local ordinances passed throughout the country, including in Escondido, CA, that try to ban landlords from renting to undocumented immigrants. Although Escondido backed down from enforcing this ordinance due to litigation and related controversy, this legislation prohibits other localities in California from passing similar ordinances. It sends a clear message to cities that requiring laypersons to check something as complex as immigration status will result in profiling, discrimination, and fear among immigrant communities. Immigrant advocates and landlord groups also hope this legislation paves the way for other states to pass similar legislation, ensuring people who look or sound like immigrants don't face undue discrimination. You can check out some recent articles written about AB 976 by taking a look at some of the following links -
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFf6T0AKfwa634lVHqYRtIwKYvMgD8S7SKJG7
or
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_7153174.
Despite his support for AB 976, the Governor mostly vetoed legislation that would have benefited immigrants, including the California Dream Act, which would have allowed immigrant college students eligible for resident tuition rates to access state-funded financial aid; SB 1, which would have established an Office of Immigrant Affairs to facilitate immigrant integration into California; AB 295 which would have enhanced state data to reflect the diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander communities; and SB 382, which would have allowed newly naturalized citizens to register to vote on the day of an election.
The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) was particularly disappointed by the Governor's veto of AB 8. The healthcare reform proposal that passed out of the legislature would have benefited many low-income California families and workers, including immigrants. The proposal represented a real step forward for low-income individuals who are currently uninsured or underinsured. The legislature continues to consider healthcare reform in a special session called by the Governor, but it is unclear what the outcome will be. The Governor's proposal, which he put forward after stating he would veto AB 8, lacks a lot of the consumer protections and affordability measures present in AB 8 and is not an alternative that consumer groups and labor are likely to support. To learn more about the healthcare reform debate, take a look at the Health Access blog at http://www.health-access.org/blogger.html.
Monday, July 9, 2007
California Immigrant Policy Center
1225 8th Street, Suite 590 ¨ Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 448-6762 ¨ Fax (916) 448-6774
CIPC’s SUMMER BILL Update
§ Page 1 of 5
Legislature Considers Key Bills In Advance of Summer Break
Legislative committee hearings on various bills affecting California’s immigrants and their families have begun. The bills have been heard in their “house of origin” and now come before the Senate or Assembly for further consideration. CIPC will keep you updated as the process unfolds. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez have announced that their health care bills will merge into Assembly Bill 8, the Democratic proposal for comprehensive health care reform. The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and our allies are actively engaged in working with the Governor and legislative leadership to secure a policy that would increase access to quality health care for all Californians. In addition to the health care legislation, bills moving through the Legislature include those addressing public benefits, immigration, language access and education. For more information on the bills listed below, please visit www.leginfo.ca.gov/billinfo.html or call Layla Razavi at 916.448.6762, ext. 202.
HEALTH CARE
AB 1 (LAIRD) - Health Care Coverage - Support - This bill expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs to include all California children whose families have incomes at, or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill creates a Buy-In Program under Healthy Families for children whose household income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill specifies the family contribution required for children enrolled in the buy-in program. It improves and simplifies the application and enrollment processes for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and transitions children enrolled in local children's health initiatives into those programs. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 47 to 25 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Senate.
AB 8 (NÚÑEZ & Perata) - Health Care Coverage - Monitor - This bill proposes a broad plan to expand public and private health coverage for California residents. This includes an expansion of eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families program by allowing all California children regardless of status with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to qualify. The bill also expands eligibility for these programs to low-income parents. AB 8 requires employers to provide health insurance to their employees or to pay 7.5% of payroll, or an appropriate amount as determined by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, into a state fund called the California Cooperative Health Insurance Purchasing Program (Cal-CHIPP), from which employees can buy health insurance. AB 8 does not include an ”individual mandate” but it does require workers to enroll in either their employer’s plan if offered or the plans offered through Cal-CHIPP. The bill also includes various insurance market reforms. This bill passed the Assembly Health Floor by a vote of 47 to 32 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Senate.
SB 32 (STEINBERG) – Health Care Coverage – Support - This bill is identical to AB 1 (Laird) and expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs by allowing all California children, regardless of status, with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to qualify. The bill creates a Buy-In Program under Healthy Families for children whose household income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill specifies the family contribution required for children enrolled in the buy-in program. It improves and simplifies the application and enrollment processes for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and transitions children enrolled in local children's health initiatives into those programs. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 25 to 13 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Assembly.
SB 840 (KUEHL) – Single Payer Health Care Coverage - Support - This bill would create the California Universal Healthcare System, a state run, “single-payer” program that provides health coverage to all California residents regardless of income or employment status. The program would roll in existing programs such as Medi-Cal and Healthy Families and be funded through state income and payroll taxes. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 23 to 15 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Assembly.
HUMAN SERVICES
AB 22 (LIEBER) - CalWORKs Maximum Aid Determination - Support - This bill phases out the policy that excludes children who are born into a family that is receiving aid preceding the child's birth. It thereby allows the newborn child to be included when determining the maximum aid, based on the number of needy persons in the same family. This bill passed the Assembly Human Services Committee by a vote of 5 to 2 and was placed on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 92 (GARCIA) - School Breakfast Expansion - Support- This bill requires school sites that meet the qualifications for federal severe need reimbursement to offer free or reduced breakfasts. The bill requires the State Department of Education to provide school districts or county offices of education with technical assistance to attempt to overcome barriers, such as financial limitations. This bill requires that schools offering the federal School Breakfast Program for the first time receive a priority for funding through the startup and expansion grant program. This bill passed the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 10 to 0 and was placed on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 1060 (LAIRD) – CalWORKs and Food Stamp Redetermination – Support - This bill repeals the quarterly re-determination requirements and instead requires that re-determinations be performed semi-annually. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 47 to 32 and will be heard in the Senate Committee on Human Services on June 26.
AB 1382 (LENO) – Food Stamps: Statewide Fingerprint Imaging System - Support – This bill eliminates the requirement that applicants for and recipients of Food Stamp benefits submit to fingerprint imaging as a condition of eligibility, unless they also apply for or receive General Assistance or CalWORKs. The bill moves the responsibility for implementing and maintaining the statewide fingerprint imaging system to the Office of Systems Integration rather than the Health and Welfare Data Center. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 46 to 32 and will be heard in the Senate Human Services Committee on June 26.
LANGUAGE ACCESS & EDUCATION
AB 590 (SOLORIO) - Involvement of LEP (Limited English Proficient) Parents in education- Support – With the goal of improving students’ academic achievement, this bill establishes a four year pilot grant program that would fund local educational to improve communication with, and involvement of parents who are Limited-English-Proficient in their children's education. This bill passed the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7 to 3 and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 615 (TORRICO) – Emergencies: Persons with Limited-English-Proficiency - Support –
This bill requires the state to ensure that the needs of Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) persons are addressed when the state creates emergency and disaster response plans. The bill requires that LEP persons be represented on emergency planning committees, that the state provide ethnic based community organizations with disaster preparation training and that it disseminate translated emergency preparedness materials. The bill also requires that the California Emergency Council report on emergency preparedness and response and recovery recommendations as they concern LEP individuals. The bill also requires the creation of a registry of qualified bilingual persons in public contact positions who can assist in the event of a large-scale emergency or disaster. AB 615 passed the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 1726 (JONES) - Access to civil court interpreters - Support - This bill requires an interpreter to be present to provide interpretation services in any civil action or proceeding in which a party in the proceeding does not understand the English language or speak it proficiently. The bill requires the court to pay the interpreter fees for the litigants. This bill passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9 to 0 and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
AJR 18 (SOLORIO) – United States Citizenship for Legal Permanent Residents - Support - This bill memorializes the Legislature’s opposition to a proposed increase in the fees for lawful permanent residents to begin the naturalization process and calls upon the President and Congress to address the nation’s system of financing immigration services. This bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 3 to 2 and will be up for a vote on the Senate Floor.
SB 1 (CEDILLO) - Office of Immigrant Affairs - Support - This bill establishes the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) in order to ensure the integration and civic participation of new citizens in the state. The bill requires the OIA to enter into agreements with non-profit organizations that serve immigrants to ensure the success of the NSP program and provide reimbursement if funds are available. The bill also requires the OIA to submit a state plan to the Legislature every other year detailing the goals of the office and results from its efforts. The bill requires the office to adjust the state plan according to the comments presented at legislative hearings and written comments submitted to the office. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 25 to 14 and will be heard in the Assembly Committee on Business & Professions on June 26.
SB 60 (CEDILLO) - Driver's Licenses – Oppose Unless Amended –
This bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver's licenses and identification cards that are in compliance with specified requirements of the federal Real ID Act of 2005. The bill also requires the department to issue a driver's license that permits driving, and is not acceptable for federal identification or for any official purpose, to an applicant who does not provide valid documentary evidence of lawful status. Although CIPC has long supported access to driver’s licenses for all Californians, regardless of immigration status, we are opposed to the federal Real ID Act because of its discriminatory effect on immigrants. We urge the Legislature to enact a driver’s license policy that improves public safety by ensuring that all drivers on our streets are trained, tested, licensed and ensured in a fair manner. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 24 to 15 and will be heard in the Assembly Committee on Transportation on June 25.
SB 160 (CEDILLO) - California Dream Act - Support - This bill establishes procedures and forms that enable persons who are exempt from paying non-resident tuition under AB 540 to apply for, and participate in, all student aid programs administered by these segments to the full extent permitted by federal law. This bill passed the Senate Education Committee and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
Anti-Immigrant Legislation –
In past bill summaries, CIPC has reported on the introduction and consideration by the legislature of a number of anti-immigrant bills. We are glad to report that the bills CIPC has been tracking (see “Spring Legislative Update” at http://www.caimmigrant.org/) either failed in committee or were pulled by the author for lack of support. This includes AB 648 which at the time of the Spring legislative report was still making its way through the legislative. We thank you for any advocacy efforts you undertook to oppose these bills.
For More information Please contact Layla Razavi, CIPC Statewide Policy Advocate at 916 – 448-6762 Ext. 202
1225 8th Street, Suite 590 ¨ Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 448-6762 ¨ Fax (916) 448-6774
CIPC’s SUMMER BILL Update
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Legislature Considers Key Bills In Advance of Summer Break
Legislative committee hearings on various bills affecting California’s immigrants and their families have begun. The bills have been heard in their “house of origin” and now come before the Senate or Assembly for further consideration. CIPC will keep you updated as the process unfolds. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez have announced that their health care bills will merge into Assembly Bill 8, the Democratic proposal for comprehensive health care reform. The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and our allies are actively engaged in working with the Governor and legislative leadership to secure a policy that would increase access to quality health care for all Californians. In addition to the health care legislation, bills moving through the Legislature include those addressing public benefits, immigration, language access and education. For more information on the bills listed below, please visit www.leginfo.ca.gov/billinfo.html or call Layla Razavi at 916.448.6762, ext. 202.
HEALTH CARE
AB 1 (LAIRD) - Health Care Coverage - Support - This bill expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs to include all California children whose families have incomes at, or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill creates a Buy-In Program under Healthy Families for children whose household income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill specifies the family contribution required for children enrolled in the buy-in program. It improves and simplifies the application and enrollment processes for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and transitions children enrolled in local children's health initiatives into those programs. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 47 to 25 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Senate.
AB 8 (NÚÑEZ & Perata) - Health Care Coverage - Monitor - This bill proposes a broad plan to expand public and private health coverage for California residents. This includes an expansion of eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families program by allowing all California children regardless of status with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to qualify. The bill also expands eligibility for these programs to low-income parents. AB 8 requires employers to provide health insurance to their employees or to pay 7.5% of payroll, or an appropriate amount as determined by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, into a state fund called the California Cooperative Health Insurance Purchasing Program (Cal-CHIPP), from which employees can buy health insurance. AB 8 does not include an ”individual mandate” but it does require workers to enroll in either their employer’s plan if offered or the plans offered through Cal-CHIPP. The bill also includes various insurance market reforms. This bill passed the Assembly Health Floor by a vote of 47 to 32 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Senate.
SB 32 (STEINBERG) – Health Care Coverage – Support - This bill is identical to AB 1 (Laird) and expands eligibility for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs by allowing all California children, regardless of status, with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to qualify. The bill creates a Buy-In Program under Healthy Families for children whose household income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level. The bill specifies the family contribution required for children enrolled in the buy-in program. It improves and simplifies the application and enrollment processes for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and transitions children enrolled in local children's health initiatives into those programs. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 25 to 13 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Assembly.
SB 840 (KUEHL) – Single Payer Health Care Coverage - Support - This bill would create the California Universal Healthcare System, a state run, “single-payer” program that provides health coverage to all California residents regardless of income or employment status. The program would roll in existing programs such as Medi-Cal and Healthy Families and be funded through state income and payroll taxes. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 23 to 15 and is awaiting referral to a committee in the Assembly.
HUMAN SERVICES
AB 22 (LIEBER) - CalWORKs Maximum Aid Determination - Support - This bill phases out the policy that excludes children who are born into a family that is receiving aid preceding the child's birth. It thereby allows the newborn child to be included when determining the maximum aid, based on the number of needy persons in the same family. This bill passed the Assembly Human Services Committee by a vote of 5 to 2 and was placed on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 92 (GARCIA) - School Breakfast Expansion - Support- This bill requires school sites that meet the qualifications for federal severe need reimbursement to offer free or reduced breakfasts. The bill requires the State Department of Education to provide school districts or county offices of education with technical assistance to attempt to overcome barriers, such as financial limitations. This bill requires that schools offering the federal School Breakfast Program for the first time receive a priority for funding through the startup and expansion grant program. This bill passed the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 10 to 0 and was placed on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 1060 (LAIRD) – CalWORKs and Food Stamp Redetermination – Support - This bill repeals the quarterly re-determination requirements and instead requires that re-determinations be performed semi-annually. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 47 to 32 and will be heard in the Senate Committee on Human Services on June 26.
AB 1382 (LENO) – Food Stamps: Statewide Fingerprint Imaging System - Support – This bill eliminates the requirement that applicants for and recipients of Food Stamp benefits submit to fingerprint imaging as a condition of eligibility, unless they also apply for or receive General Assistance or CalWORKs. The bill moves the responsibility for implementing and maintaining the statewide fingerprint imaging system to the Office of Systems Integration rather than the Health and Welfare Data Center. This bill passed the Assembly Floor by a vote of 46 to 32 and will be heard in the Senate Human Services Committee on June 26.
LANGUAGE ACCESS & EDUCATION
AB 590 (SOLORIO) - Involvement of LEP (Limited English Proficient) Parents in education- Support – With the goal of improving students’ academic achievement, this bill establishes a four year pilot grant program that would fund local educational to improve communication with, and involvement of parents who are Limited-English-Proficient in their children's education. This bill passed the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7 to 3 and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 615 (TORRICO) – Emergencies: Persons with Limited-English-Proficiency - Support –
This bill requires the state to ensure that the needs of Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) persons are addressed when the state creates emergency and disaster response plans. The bill requires that LEP persons be represented on emergency planning committees, that the state provide ethnic based community organizations with disaster preparation training and that it disseminate translated emergency preparedness materials. The bill also requires that the California Emergency Council report on emergency preparedness and response and recovery recommendations as they concern LEP individuals. The bill also requires the creation of a registry of qualified bilingual persons in public contact positions who can assist in the event of a large-scale emergency or disaster. AB 615 passed the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
AB 1726 (JONES) - Access to civil court interpreters - Support - This bill requires an interpreter to be present to provide interpretation services in any civil action or proceeding in which a party in the proceeding does not understand the English language or speak it proficiently. The bill requires the court to pay the interpreter fees for the litigants. This bill passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9 to 0 and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
AJR 18 (SOLORIO) – United States Citizenship for Legal Permanent Residents - Support - This bill memorializes the Legislature’s opposition to a proposed increase in the fees for lawful permanent residents to begin the naturalization process and calls upon the President and Congress to address the nation’s system of financing immigration services. This bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 3 to 2 and will be up for a vote on the Senate Floor.
SB 1 (CEDILLO) - Office of Immigrant Affairs - Support - This bill establishes the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) in order to ensure the integration and civic participation of new citizens in the state. The bill requires the OIA to enter into agreements with non-profit organizations that serve immigrants to ensure the success of the NSP program and provide reimbursement if funds are available. The bill also requires the OIA to submit a state plan to the Legislature every other year detailing the goals of the office and results from its efforts. The bill requires the office to adjust the state plan according to the comments presented at legislative hearings and written comments submitted to the office. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 25 to 14 and will be heard in the Assembly Committee on Business & Professions on June 26.
SB 60 (CEDILLO) - Driver's Licenses – Oppose Unless Amended –
This bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver's licenses and identification cards that are in compliance with specified requirements of the federal Real ID Act of 2005. The bill also requires the department to issue a driver's license that permits driving, and is not acceptable for federal identification or for any official purpose, to an applicant who does not provide valid documentary evidence of lawful status. Although CIPC has long supported access to driver’s licenses for all Californians, regardless of immigration status, we are opposed to the federal Real ID Act because of its discriminatory effect on immigrants. We urge the Legislature to enact a driver’s license policy that improves public safety by ensuring that all drivers on our streets are trained, tested, licensed and ensured in a fair manner. This bill passed the Senate Floor by a vote of 24 to 15 and will be heard in the Assembly Committee on Transportation on June 25.
SB 160 (CEDILLO) - California Dream Act - Support - This bill establishes procedures and forms that enable persons who are exempt from paying non-resident tuition under AB 540 to apply for, and participate in, all student aid programs administered by these segments to the full extent permitted by federal law. This bill passed the Senate Education Committee and was placed on the suspense file in Assembly Appropriations where it will not be acted on until the next calendar year.
Anti-Immigrant Legislation –
In past bill summaries, CIPC has reported on the introduction and consideration by the legislature of a number of anti-immigrant bills. We are glad to report that the bills CIPC has been tracking (see “Spring Legislative Update” at http://www.caimmigrant.org/) either failed in committee or were pulled by the author for lack of support. This includes AB 648 which at the time of the Spring legislative report was still making its way through the legislative. We thank you for any advocacy efforts you undertook to oppose these bills.
For More information Please contact Layla Razavi, CIPC Statewide Policy Advocate at 916 – 448-6762 Ext. 202
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Having Our Say
As efforts to reform California's healthcare system move along, communities of color have recognized the need to ensure their interests are considered during this critical debate. Assemblymember Nunez and Senator Perata recently merged their plans, with many positive results for all California residents, including immigrants and communities of color. This new version of the proposals previously put forward by Democratic leaders does not include an individual mandate that forces California residents to have health insurance (which would be a real problem if insurance is unaffordable or has major gaps in coverage), limits out of pocket costs to 5% of income - particularly important for low wage workers, and provides health coverage to all children up to 300% of the poverty level. You can find full details about this proposal at Health Access' website, www.health-access.org.
Despite these positive developments, communities of color still have important issues to worry about. Minority and immigrant workers are over-represented in low-wage jobs, tend to have the highest levels of uninsurance among all populations, and face challenges in accessing quality preventative and ongoing care. It's critical that the voices of these communities are at the table while legislative leaders negotiate our state's healthcare future. After all, California is a majority minority state, and the well-being of our communities of color and families is critical for the long-term viability of our state. So, recognizing this need, community of color organizations and groups have come together to represent the needs of minority communities - in Sacramento, in the media, and in the broader debate that will have huge repercussions for our families. This coalition - dubbed Having Our Say - represents about thirty plus organizations across the state who serve, represent, or otherwise care about the needs of communities of color. It's convened by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and the Latino Issues Forum. So far, the coalition has brought together community and advocacy groups across the state to share info and strategize about healthcare reform; met with legislative leaders to share our concerns and priorities for communities of color; and hooked into broader healthcare reform advocacy efforts through coalitions such as the It's Our Healthcare campaign led by consumer groups and unions.
The next few months are a critical time in the healthcare reform debate. We urge you to get involved with the Having Our Say Coalition so our communities across the state are well-represented and play a role in any final decisions around our state's healthcare system. Please send an email to mbergstrom@cpehn.org to join the Having Our Say listserv and access related resources.
Also, we'll be posting more updates to keep you informed about the discussions around healthcare reform. You can also take a look at the blog updated by Health Access at http://www.health-access.org/blogger.html for daily updates on state healthcare issues.
Despite these positive developments, communities of color still have important issues to worry about. Minority and immigrant workers are over-represented in low-wage jobs, tend to have the highest levels of uninsurance among all populations, and face challenges in accessing quality preventative and ongoing care. It's critical that the voices of these communities are at the table while legislative leaders negotiate our state's healthcare future. After all, California is a majority minority state, and the well-being of our communities of color and families is critical for the long-term viability of our state. So, recognizing this need, community of color organizations and groups have come together to represent the needs of minority communities - in Sacramento, in the media, and in the broader debate that will have huge repercussions for our families. This coalition - dubbed Having Our Say - represents about thirty plus organizations across the state who serve, represent, or otherwise care about the needs of communities of color. It's convened by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and the Latino Issues Forum. So far, the coalition has brought together community and advocacy groups across the state to share info and strategize about healthcare reform; met with legislative leaders to share our concerns and priorities for communities of color; and hooked into broader healthcare reform advocacy efforts through coalitions such as the It's Our Healthcare campaign led by consumer groups and unions.
The next few months are a critical time in the healthcare reform debate. We urge you to get involved with the Having Our Say Coalition so our communities across the state are well-represented and play a role in any final decisions around our state's healthcare system. Please send an email to mbergstrom@cpehn.org to join the Having Our Say listserv and access related resources.
Also, we'll be posting more updates to keep you informed about the discussions around healthcare reform. You can also take a look at the blog updated by Health Access at http://www.health-access.org/blogger.html for daily updates on state healthcare issues.
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