Lutheran Office of Public Policy - CaliforniaA celebration event for the passing of SB 4 took place last week at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) in San Francisco! Regina Banks was in attendance and shared that it was a truly joyous event that brought together faith communities and the labor unions that advocated on behalf of the bill this year.
Below are some photos from the event. LOPP will work with congregations in the coming year to help them begin taking advantage of SB 4 to house our neighbors.
Check out the following conversation with Hunger Advocacy Fellow, Savannah Jorgensen, and California EnviroVoters Legislative Affairs Manager, Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, as they discuss 3 environmental bills we’re tracking ahead of Lutheran Lobby Day 2023.
Enviro Bills Deep-Dive Discussion
These bills may be on the docket for our advocacy on Lobby Day. Hopefully this conversation helps you as we prepare for that day and future advocacy!
SB 253 (Wiener)- The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act is being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 18. If your senator is on this committee, reach out and tell them to support it! If they are not on this committee, tell them to support it on the Senate floor!
AB 660 (Irwin)- Updating expiration/use-by dates on food packaging, is being heard in the Assembly Health Committee on April 18. If your assemblymember is on this committee, reach out and tell them to support it! If they are not on this committee, tell them to support it on the Assembly floor!
ELCA Advocacy News: Farm Bill listening sessions are only a week away! Sign up for the Pacific Time Zone session here. These sessions will focus on the federal Farm Bill that’s up for reauthorization this year with a time zone area focus. The Pacific Time zone focused session will take place on Friday, April 21 at 12 noon PT.
SB 253 (Wiener)- The Climate Corporate Leadership & Data Accountability Act, a bill LOPPCA is strongly supporting along with our various coalition partners, is being heard in committee TODAY! Call your state Senator and urge them to support this crucial bill.
ELCA Advocacy call for public comment on harmful proposed asylum rule: Comment by March 27th! Find out more on the proposed rule and take action here.
Next Wednesday, March 22nd, is World Water Day. Instead of our regular AIQ meeting on that day, we will be joining Southwest California Synod from 12-1 pm for their annual celebration of World Water Day. There will be several speakers, including our Director, Regina Banks. We hope to see you there! You can sign up here to attend the event. The regularly scheduled AIQ will be back on March 29th.
Join LOPP-CA and other partners for an afternoon celebrating the ending of the ICE contract at Yuba County Jail! The event will take place on Sunday, March 19th, from 1-3 pm outside of Yuba County Jail. More details, including the link to RSVP, can be found on the flier below.
Join us for the celebration of the end of the ICE contract at Yuba County Jail on Sunday, March 19th from 1-3 pm! RSVP & register for transportation at www.bit.ly/YubaClosure
Registration is open for Lutheran Lobby Day 2023! Register here: Lutheran Lobby Day 2023 Sign-up and invite your friends, congregations, family, everyone!
Committee hearings for some of the bills we are monitoring will be coming soon. Hearings of note:
SB 253 (Wiener, Gonzalez, Stern)– Climate Corporate Leadership & Data Accountability Act; hearing set for March 15
AB 1128 (Santiago)– YCTC expansion; can be heard in committee March 18
AB 1498 (Gipson)– CalEITC minimum amount; can be heard in committee March 20
SB 245 (Hurtado, Rubio)– Food4All; hearing set for March 20
An important piece of legislation will be announced on Monday, February 27th starting at 8 am from Los Angeles. Assemblymember Santiago, joined by the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) Coalition, will hold a press conference on AB 1128.
AB 1128 (Santiago) would expand the $1,083 Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) to one million more families who are eligible for the CalEITC, helping fight poverty amid record costs in the state.
If you’re in the area, you can come out to show support for this bill at Central City Neighborhood Partners, 501 S Bixel St, Los Angeles, CA. For those not in the area or unable to attend, tune into the press conference from home and make a note of AB 1128 for your advocacy efforts!
About the CalEITC Coalition (LOPP-CA is a member!): The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) Coalition is a broad group of 35+ advocacy and community and faith-based organizations, including policy advocates, low-income service providers, and labor organizations across the state of California committed to expanding access to the CalEITC and other cash-back tax credits.
On August 3rd, farm workers launched a 24-day, 335-mile “March for the Governor’s Signature” from the UFW’s historic Delano CA 40 Acres. They’re arriving on August 26th at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Will you join us for our final steps?
Farm workers are marching to win the right to vote for a union, free from intimidation and threats. This march is to convince Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2183, the Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act (AB 2183-Stone). The bill will give more choices to farm workers so they can vote without fear. Farm workers will be able to vote in secret whenever and wherever they feel safe.
Be a part of history. On August 26, thousands of farm workers and supporters will march the last mile from Sacramento’s Southside park to the big finish at the capitol. Join us!
1. Please send out this announcement to your congregation encouraging everyone to register for Lutheran Lobby Day on Wednesday, May 18th:
Lutheran Lobby Day is Wednesday, May 18th: Advocate with us on Lutheran Lobby Day, Wednesday, May 18th as we respond to our baptismal calling as Lutherans to strive for justice and peace in all the earth. We are grounded in Lutheran theology, and all are welcome regardless of faith or lobbying experience. We will gather virtually on Zoom to pray, learn, and meet with California’s legislators. Go to https://lutheranpublicpolicyca.org/lobby-day-2022 to register.
2. Also: it is not too late to register for Ecumenical Advocacy Days, April 25th-27th. EAD 2022 is a virtual gathering to be held April 25-27, 2022. Register today! https://advocacydays.org/. Scholarships are available at https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/ecumenical-advocacy-days-with-scholarships/
3. Immigrant Day of Action April 26th: Are you ready to build an equitable California where everyone—our family, friends, colleagues and neighbors can thrive? Join us Tuesday, April 26, 2022, as we gather our collective power virtually for Immigrant Day of Action! to register go to: https://caimmigrant.org/event/immigrant-day-2022/
