Category: AiQ

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AiQ State Updates

AiQ News: 1/17/24

AiQ resumed for the new year today. Advocates heard updates about the 2024-25 proposed state budget as well as the legislative landscape in 2024.

Key notes:

  • State Budget– While a lot of critical programs and funding continue in the Governor’s proposed budget, there is still an estimated $38 billion deficit, per the Governor’s budget team analysis (this number could be as high as $58 billion, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office). Key cuts or funding delays exist in the housing/homelessness space, CalWORKs, and climate investments.
  • Legislature- The Assembly has new leadership following the change in Speaker, so we will be monitoring how the committee changes may impact legislation this session. Additionally, 2024 is the second year of the 2-year legislative cycle. Bills from 2023 will need to advance out of their house of origin by the end of January.

Note: AiQ will NOT meet next Wednesday, January 24th. We encourage you to attend the ELCA webinar on COP28, the UN Climate Conference, happening at the same time. Register here. Join us for AiQ again on Wednesday, January 31st.

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AiQ

AiQ Begins Jan. 17

Welcome to the start of a new year and a new legislative session! Get ready to hit the ground running with us next week on Wednesday, January 17th at noon when AiQ starts again. We’ll cover the current legislative landscape in 2024, the Governor’s proposed budget, and initial legislation we’re watching this session.

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AiQ Homelessness & Housing State Updates

AiQ News: 9/13/23

Great news, advocates! SB 4 passed out of the legislature and is on its way to the Governor! This is the product of years of advocacy, and we cannot be more excited to get this important housing bill across the finish line. Please call, email, and tag the Governor’s office on social media to urge him to sign the bill.

AB 249 (Holden), another one of our Lobby Day priority bills, has just one more vote to go in the legislature before going to the Governor as well. That means 2 of the 4 Lobby Day bills have a great chance to become law! Thank you for your continued advocacy to get these and other important bills done this year.

Important dates:

  • September 14th- Last day for each house to pass bills; legislative recess begins upon adjournment
  • AiQ is on hold until Wednesday, October 18th
  • Save the date! We will be holding a virtual legislative session wrap-up call on November 1st, at 6:30 pm PT
Categories
AiQ Education Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues State

AiQ News: 8/16/23

AiQ has started again now that the legislature is back in session. Some key updates following the legislative recess include:

  • Appropriations hearings are taking place the next 2 weeks. Remaining bills must get out of Appropriations before floor votes in early September.
  • SB 4 (Wiener) and AB 249 (Holden) will be in heard in their respective Appropriations committees during this time.
  • AB 712 (W. Carrillo) was signed into law by the Governor! This new law will now include hot and prepared food access for EBT users.

SB 4 (Wiener), the Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act, needs our continued support as we approach a floor vote. Please reach out to your Assemblymembers to urge their support!

Other news: AiQ is cancelled next Wednesday, August 23rd. We look forward to seeing you again on Wednesday, August 30th!

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AiQ Enviroment Federal Legislation Homelessness & Housing State

AiQ News: 7/12/23

SB 4 (Wiener): Affordable housing on faith-based lands – passed out of Assembly Natural Resources Committee with amendments on 7/10. It next heads to Appropriations.

SB 253 (Wiener): Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act – passed out of Assembly Natural Resources Committee with amendments on 7/10: It next heads to Appropriations.

**Any bills still active as of today will need to be passed out of their respective policy committees by the end of the day on Friday, July 14th to meet the legislative deadline. Bills that do make it to Appropriations will need our support in those committees. From there, we encourage you to start calling your representatives to urge them to support these and our other priority bills on the floor.

Federal advocacy: Please complete the ELCA Advocacy Action Alert on the Endangered Species Act. You can do so here.

AiQ schedule: We will NOT be meeting for AiQ until Wednesday, August 16th on account of the legislative summer recess (July 14th-August 14th).

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AiQ State

No AIQ 7/5

AiQ is cancelled today because of the 4th of July holiday. See you next Wednesday, July 12th!

If you missed last week’s AiQ, here are some resources we shared to discuss the now-passed and signed California budget for 2023-24:

Additionally, here’s a good summary from CalMatters on the passed budget.

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AiQ Immigrant Justice State

AIQ News: 6/7/23

Thank you to those of you who called in last week about AB 249 (Holden)! It successfully passed out of the Assembly and will be sent to the Senate to continue in the policy bill process.

Other hearings are taking place in the next few weeks, but most major legislation is on hold until the state budget is passed. The legislature has until the end of the day on June 15th to pass the Budget Bill.

Federal: Advocates in the D.C. ELCA Advocacy office, along with LOPPCA, are monitoring the illegal and unethical transportation of migrants from Texas and Florida into Sacramento. We will follow-up here and on our social media channels with concrete action steps for how you can help as we organize efforts to assist the migrants.

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AiQ Enviroment Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues

AIQ News: 5/31/23

Thanks to our continued advocacy, SB 4 (Wiener) The Affordable Housing on Faith-Based Lands Act, has passed out of the Senate! Continue to engage with us at AiQ to hear about how you can continue its advancement in the Assembly this summer.

AB 660 (Irwin)– Food Waste, Labeling Reform, passed out of the Assembly this week as well.

Food4All legislation has passed out of the Senate. The partner Assembly bill, AB 311, is still on the Assembly floor.

Please call your Assemblymembers and tell them to support AB 249 (Holden)- Clean School Drinking Water, on the Assembly Floor!

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AiQ Education Enviroment Homelessness & Housing

AIQ News: 5/24/23

3 of our 4 Lobby Day bills passed out of their Appropriations committees! SB 4 (Wiener), AB 249 (Holden), and AB 660 (Irwin) will be heard and voted on in the Senate and Assembly in the coming weeks. Reach out to your Senator and Assemblymember to urge them to support these bills.

SB 4 (Wiener) is likely being acted on TODAY (5/25)! If you haven’t already called your Senator, do so early today!

Categories
AiQ Homelessness & Housing State

AIQ News: 5/10/23

SB 4 (Wiener)- The Affordable Housing on Faith & Higher Education Lands Act of 2023 will be heard in Senate Appropriations on 5/15. Call your senator to voice support for this bill!

NO AIQ ON MAY 17TH!

There will be no AiQ on Wednesday, May 17th as that day is Lobby Day! We look forward to seeing you all at Lobby Day. Join us for AiQ again at noon on Zoom on May 24th!