Category: State

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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/

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AiQ Children's Issues Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues Racial Justice State

AIQ for 02/23/2022 Introduced Bills related to Ending Childhood Poverty in California

These are 3 bills LOPP-CA may be supporting during this legislative session.

This bill would establish California’s first baby bond program for children who lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 and eligible foster youth. The bill also lays the groundwork so one day California can expand the program to all children living in low-income circumstances. I’ve attached the support letter template for more details. 

  • AB 2180 (Wicks), The Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers Taskforce 

This bill would establish the Taskforce for Children with incarcerated parents and caregivers as California lacks a statewide entity that focuses on identifying and addressing the needs of system-impacted children. Asm. Wicks will be including this bill in her working class families package of bills as an emphasis to the disproportionate impact mass incarceration has on working class families, especially women, and the destabilization that leads to. 

  • AB 2589 (Santiago) This bill will would
  • Provide a 1-time payment of $2000 per child dependent to California residents who made less than $30,000 in 2021 and file their taxes. 
  • Increase the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) minimum tax credit to about $255 per eligible tax filer. 
  • Together, AB 2589 would benefit approximately 5 million Californians, including 2 million children.
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AiQ State Updates

California Redistricting is Complete!

It’s important to learn what Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly Districts you are in. These will be our districts for the next ten years, beginning with the June 2022 Primary. I used the following link to find mine. It is important to click just one final map at a time to see the districts you are in. If you are close to a line between two districts you can put in your exact address to make sure which one you are in. I needed to do that to verify my State Senate District.

https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps

Categories
AiQ Homelessness & Housing Hunger Issues Immigrant Justice Poverty Racial Justice State

California Roars Back: Governor Newsom Announces Largest State Tax Rebate in American History

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Contact: Governor’s Press Office
Monday, May 10, 2021(916) 445-4571

Two-thirds of Californians set to benefit from Golden State Stimulus checks amounting to nearly $12 billion in total – the largest state tax rebate in American history

Billions in funding for rental relief and water and utility assistance

Part of the Governor’s $100 billion California Comeback Plan, a comprehensive recovery plan to tackle five of California’s most persistent challenges

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today previewed his $100 billion California Comeback Plan – the biggest economic recovery package in California’s history – including unprecedented investments to address the state’s most persistent challenges, starting with nearly $12 billion in direct cash payments to Californians hit hardest by the pandemic.

Chief among the new proposals is a major expansion of the Golden State Stimulus, providing additional direct payments to middle-class families that make up to $75,000. Under the plan, two-thirds of Californians will benefit from $600 direct payments. Qualified families with dependents, including undocumented families, will also now be eligible for an additional $500. The plan triples California’s previous investment, reaching more people and giving bigger benefits.

“California’s recovery is well underway, but we can’t be satisfied with simply going back to the way things were,” said Governor Newsom. “We are tripling the Golden State Stimulus to get money in the hands of more middle-class Californians who have been hit hard by this pandemic. Two in three Californians will receive a check from the state and more than $5 billion in aid will be made available to those who need help paying their rent or utility bills.” 

Under Governor Newsom’s California Comeback Plan, the state would also offer the largest renter assistance package of any state in America, with billions of dollars to help low-income Californians pay back 100 percent of their back-rent, their rent for the months to come and overdue water and utility bills.

Throughout the week, Governor Newsom will highlight other major investments and key initiatives of the California Comeback Plan. 

Governor Newsom’s California Comeback Plan seizes this once-in-a-lifetime moment to address long-standing challenges by taking on threats to our state’s future and ensuring every California family – regardless of their race or zip code – can thrive.