What’s Next: Bills, budgets, big dates coming up
April 29, 2022
You know the drill, friend, — here’s another fresh edition of What’s Next! This one has some key dates to note, so get out your calendars and please keep on reading.
Friends don’t let friends miss an update from NextGen Policy.
★ Our Tax Rebate Reco: There’s no other way to say it — we’ve all felt the strain of rising gas prices. And, as our state leaders began negotiating the parameters of a tax rebate to give us some financial help, we wrote to Governor Newsom, Pro Tempore Atkins, and Speaker Rendon with our recommendations to make the proposal more equitable. Read our full letter here
★ Good News on SB 907: SB 907 — or Local Equitable Access to Food (LEAF) — was voted out of the Senate Agriculture Committee on consent, meaning it was approved unanimously by the committee and the author did not even have to present it! This bodes well for SB 907 as it continues to move through the legislative process. Your support is helping us expand access to healthy foods!
★ Digital Equity Bills Prevail: Thanks to the tireless efforts of our equity advocates, we can celebrate big wins on three of our digital equity priority bills! Both, AB 2748 (Holden) and AB 2751 (E. Garcia), defeated strong corporate opposition and passed out of the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee. AB 2750 (Bonta) was passed on consent and all three bills will be moving forward. This means we’re one step closer to closing the digital divide by prioritizing internet affordability and getting Californians connected.
★ Student Debt Summit: A few weeks ago, our Legislative Manager & Policy Advisor Samantha Seng participated in the Student Debt Crisis Center (SDCC)’s State of Student Debt Summit. Her presentation highlighted the severe impacts of the nation’s student debt crisis — especially on women of color. Samantha, among other event participants, was quoted in this Diverse article. Policy solutions to the student debt crisis must prioritize equity for all borrowers. (Watch the whole summit on YouTube here.)
Climate Action is a Necessity, not a Luxury: We’re so excited to announce the official publication and release of our Climate 100 report, From Luxury to Necessity: Budgeting for Climate Action, where we break down the steps policymakers need to take to integrate an all-of-government approach when it comes to climate budgeting — sign up to stay in the loop about upcoming updates and ways to get involved.
★ Member Spotlight: Take a minute to tweet your thanks to Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo and Senator Sydney Kamlager for uplifting equity in their respective Budget Subcommittees. NextGen is co-sponsoring SB 17 which requests $40 million in the Governor’s Budget — these funds will help establish the first-ever statewide Office of Racial Equity in California.
★ Key CA Election Dates: This year’s Primary Election is on Tuesday, June 7, and the deadline to register to vote is Monday, May 23. Mark these key dates so you’re ready to vote!
★ What’s Next: Keep an eye out! The Governor’s revised budget is expected to be released mid-May. NGP is fighting to ensure that climate solutions, increased accessibility to broadband, and racial equity are top priorities in California’s 2022 budget. Take a look at our full list of 2022 budget priorities.