SB 464- Contact Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anthony Portantino and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins during this critical moment in the process and tell them why they need to pass SB 464 now. Call: Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair at (916) 651-4025 and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins at (916) 651-4039
Click here to email Senators Portantino and Atkins about taking action for #Food4All.
Sample Script:
Hello, my name is _______, and I am emailing to urge Senate President pro Tem Atkins or Senator Anthony Portantino to support SB 464 (Hurtado)—Food4All, a bill that will create a more equitable food assistance system that no longer excludes many immigrant Californians. SB 464 will modernize the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide vital nutrition benefits to households with low-income that are excluded from CalFresh solely due to their immigration status. SB 464 is an overdue solution to this long-standing issue that has only gotten worse during the pandemic. Please support SB 464. Thank you.
AB 221 – Emergency food assistance for Undocumented Californians (Santiago D)in appropriations; no hearing date yet but likely to pass to Assembly floor.
AB 941 – Farmworker assistance: resource centers. (Bennett D)Would provide provide farmworkers and their families with information and access to services related to, among other things, education, housing, payroll and wage rights, and health and human services.
Author: Edie Lott
| April 22, 2021 |
| California Families, Federal Exclusions & How the State Can Step in Now: Did you know undocumented and mixed status California families have been excluded from thousands of dollars in federal aid during the pandemic, even though they are deeply integrated into our communities, workplaces, and schools? Undocumented Californians are also shut out of most other supports, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and unemployment benefits. This leaves families with fewer resources to pay for food, rent, or other expenses State policymakers can step in now with support for undocumented Californians. California’s Golden State Stimulus replaced only a portion of the federal aid undocumented and mixed status families were denied. State leaders could provide much more support to these families using federal American Rescue Plan dollars designated for household economic relief, and help undocumented children, families, and communities.  Have a question about the labor market or EITC in California? Senior Policy Analyst Alissa Anderson tracks the California labor market, helps create policy to expand the California Earned Income Tax Credit, and focuses on policies that can eliminate poverty for children and undocumented Californians. Follow her and her work and reach out with questions. |
Bills to support right now in Food and Farming:
SB 464 (Hurtado) – Food for All – Would expand the CalFresh benefits available to undocumented immigrants in California (While these folks are not eligible for the federal SNAP program, California has funding through a parallel program to CalFresh that provides food assistance for people ineligible due to documentation status – this program needs further development, outreach, and funding to meet the needs of Californians. This bill is in committee process. (Long-term relief bill)
AB 221 (Santiago) – Emergency Food Assistance during COVID-19 to Undocumented Immigrants and their families. This bill was amended in the Assembly om March 30, 2021 (short term relief bill).
Quick facts to share: – These bills affect food, labor, agriculture, and public health organizations alike, i.e. our neighbors. Approximately 57% of farmworkers are unauthorized to work in the United States. Undocumented immigrant restaurant workers are 25 percent more likely to experience food insecurity. We know that farmers of color are undercounted and many undocumented. populations are currently ineligible for any food assistance beyond foodbanks. Access to our state food assistance program (SB 464) and immediate food dollars (AB 221) is a public health benefit.
Here is a link to a new Action Toolkit for Welcoming Migrants where you will find helpful links to additional information, organizations, and resources to engage in individual and group action, including:
- National and local organizations that work with asylum seekers and unaccompanied children
- Reflection and worship resources
- Action alerts and advocacy opportunities
- Background information on asylum and immigration policies
- Asylum sponsorship information
Together, we can continue to build awareness, pray for justice, connect with and support organizations engaged in this important ministry, and urge our public officials to humanely welcome children and families seeking asylum.
Important: Contact Diane Feinstein by phone or email and strongly urge her to support ending the filibuster! It the only way that meaningful legislation will be passed.
LOPP-CA is following several state bills. The most important are:
Housing: AB1199 creates a corporate landlord registry, AB15 Provides Covid relief eviction limitations
Healthcare: AB1400 Guaranteed Health Care for All AB1132 Health Care Consolidation and Contracting Fairness Act of 2021. Assembly-member Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) introduced a package of bills to address health care affordability, access, equity, quality and cost containment. AB650 Would see health care workers receive up to $10,000 if they worked on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Immigrant Justice: AB221 This bill would provide Emergency Food Benefits for immigrants adversely affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic and excluded from federal aid.
Ask your members of Congress to be an original co-sponsor of the EATS Act that will permanently rescind the college student SNAP rule.
- The deadline is tomorrow 3/11 to be an original co-sponsor.
- Members can sign on after tomorrow so please keep that drumbeat going in visits next week – this will be a priority bill. If you need any staff contacts please let me know.
- Already co-sponsors & do not need contact: Costa, Khanna, Lowenthal, Swalwell, Takano. 29 CA members co-sponsored in the last Congress.
- Reps. Gomez, Harder, and Panetta will reintroduce next week, so be ready to amplify on social media.
Deb Haaland’s confirmation to lead the Department of the Interior could be in jeopardy. If confirmed, Haaland would be the first Indigenous person to manage the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education. Both are part of the Department of the Interior. She would also oversee more than 480 million acres of public lands and nearly a dozen federal agencies, including the National Park Service. Both California senators are collecting letters and emails of support for her. Please consider writing a letter of support.
Northern California Kelp Forests: An analysis of satellite imagery has found that the kelp forest that only eight years ago formed a leafy canopy along the Northern California coast has almost disappeared. This is a huge environmental concern. For articles with more information click on these links: USNEWS, CLICK THIS LINK to find out about the State of California Natural Resources Agency Kelp Forest Restoration Project in Mendocino County.
Please consider attending Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD)! This is an annual national gathering of Christian advocates and activists. We worship, delve deeply into the pressing issues of the day, and lift our voices by speaking truth to power on Capitol Hill. The 2021 theme is ““Imagine! God’s Earth and People Restored.” EAD 2021 is an opportunity to support this global movement centered on and led by the people and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts due to historic racial and colonial inequities. Together, we will passionately advocate and reimagine a world that lives out the values of justice, equity and the beloved community. EAD 2021 will be a virtual gathering, to be held April 18-21, 2021. Register now!
Great news: LOPP-CA is now a part of First 5 California. We have a seat on their round table
Nicole Newell is back with LOPP-CA! She will be coordinating Lutheran Lobby Day. Lobby Day will be virtual and held on Wednesday, May 19th. The keynote speaker will be announced soon.
This legislative session LOPP-CA along with Bread for the World will be watching the movement and focusing on these three bills:
• SB 107 CalFresh: Simple for Seniors, which makes it easier for seniors to access healthy public food assistance
• SB 364 End Child Hunger, which establishes universal school meals for all kids in public schools and creates a stopgap nutrition program for school breaks and when campuses are closed
• AB 221 Emergency Food for All, which grants food assistance access to immigrants, regardless of status.
Others may be added later.
You can research the progress of any state bill by going to https://legiscan.com/CA/legislation and searching for the bill by bill number or key words.
Consider signing up for Chase Tibb’s podcast Faith and Capital at: https://faithandcapital.buzzsprout.com/
Write a letter to your state senator and/or assemblyperson stating that as Christians we affirm the Right to Food for all people – access, nutrition, food security, and dignity. In 2021 Californians will be speaking up about the Right to Food. Please personalize your letter and use your own words when possible. Be sure to include the bill numbers and names. Urge them to support the following hunger related bills:
• SB 107 CalFresh: Simple for Seniors, which makes it easier for seniors to access healthy public food assistance
• SB 364 End Child Hunger, which establishes universal school meals for all kids in public schools and creates a stopgap nutrition program for school breaks and when campuses are closed
• AB 221 Emergency Food for All, which grants food assistance access to immigrants, regardless of status.