Category: State

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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 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!

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AiQ Homelessness & Housing State

SB 4 Testimony

Check out the short video linked below to hear LOPP Director, Regina Banks, testify on SB 4 (Wiener). SB 4 would streamline and make easier the process for nonprofits and religious organizations to develop affordable housing projects on their land. The bill is onto Appropriations and needs our continued support. SB 4 will also likely be a Lobby Day bill!

Regina Banks Testimony on SB 4

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AiQ Enviroment State

AIQ News: 3/22/23

The Southwest California Synod hosted a meeting on World Water Day for celebrations, reflections, and calls-to-action on water and water justice. Here are some bills related to water that LOPP-CA is tracking in the state right now:

AB 1453 (Dixon)- Would require a 5-yr grant program to be established by the coastal conservancy to fund regular cleanups of beaches and waterways

AB 664 (Lee)- Would address safe drinking water in domestic wells at rental properties

AB 249 (Holden)- Would increase testing requirements & disclosure requirements of school drinking water lead levels; would also include infrastructure funding to improve water quality

Join us at AIQ on Wednesdays at 12pm Pacific Time to hear about these and other bills we can advocate around for water justice. Find the Zoom information here.

Remember to register for Lutheran Lobby Day 2023! Water issues fall under our theme of environmental justice and creation care. Register here!

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AiQ Events Poverty Racial Justice State

Press Conference on AB 1128

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.

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AiQ Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty State

AIQ News for Feb. 15, 2023

  1. California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)– AB 311 and its counterpart SB 245 have been proposed in the legislature. If enacted, the bill would remove the age limitation on receiving CalFresh benefits, specifically if their immigration status is the sole reason for not receiving the benefits, and make any individual eligible for the program regardless of immigration status. This is a big and important ask from a hunger, anti-poverty, immigrant rights advocacy perspective this year as it would include using state General Fund dollars to expand the program. Be monitoring these bills and begin advocating for it to the Governor’s office in particular, as it’s related to the state budget.
  2. Lobby Day 2023 registration is live! Start spreading the word to friends, family, and colleagues about Lutheran Lobby Day 2023, taking place on Wednesday, May 17th. You can find the registration form and more information here.
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AiQ California Ballot Measures State

2022 Ballot Measure Results

Following the 2022 midterm elections, our updated 2022 voter guide now includes the results of each California proposition beneath the original recommendations from the Policy Council of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California. Download the PDF document below to see the results and compare them to the council’s recommendations:

https://lutheranpublicpolicyca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/November-2022-Ballot-Measure-Voter-Guide-with-Results.pdf

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AiQ California Ballot Measures State

2022 Ballot Measure Recommendations

These recommendations by the Policy Council of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California are made within the framework of the principals, values, and commitments of ELCA Social Statements and Social Messages. Download PDF Document Below.

https://lutheranpublicpolicyca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/November-2022-Ballot-Measure-Voter-Guide.pdf

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Immigrant Justice Poverty Racial Justice State Uncategorized

Five Thousand Attend the Rally at the End of the Farm Worker Rights March!

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AiQ Education Events Immigrant Justice State UN/National Updates

Important AIQ Items This Week, Wednesday April 6, 2022!

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/