What’s Next: Get Caught Up On Op-eds, Webinars, New Bills - and More For You!
August 28, 2023
Who’s ready for the new issue of NextGen’s What’s Next? For all you first timers, welcome aboard, and thank you for signing up for our newsletter – so let’s dive in! NextGen is getting ready for the hectic last few weeks of this year’s legislative session and the final push for our budget and bill priorities. Please know that we’ll be reaching out soon to ask for your help in upcoming legislative advocacy efforts! For now, let’s take a look at a new Capitol Weekly op-ed authored by NextGen’s Senior Policy Advisor, Dave Weiskopf, which examines how and why California should fix its broken cap-and-trade program; our latest efforts to secure full funding for the Local Equitable Access to Food (LEAF) program in the state budget; information on SB 253, an important bill on climate change which will hold corporate polluters accountable; plus a few other key items we’re excited to share with you! Find a comfortable seat and enjoy this edition of What’s Next at NextGen:
★ NextGen Talks Cap-and-Trade Reform: It’s time to fix California’s broken cap-and-trade program, which was originally created to limit how much carbon dioxide and planet-heating gasses big polluters can emit each year by charging fees based on the amount of emissions these industries release. Nearly a decade after its launch, the cap-and-trade program is failing to limit carbon dioxide emissions in the state and is unintentionally giving polluters a break due to several policy loopholes in the program. In his new Capitol Weekly op-ed, NextGen’s Dave Weiskopf, our Senior Climate Policy Advisor, discusses the problems with the state’s cap-and-trade program and the solutions needed to correct its flaws: “It’s time for California’s regulators to force these industries to face reality and end the sweetheart deal they’re getting at the public’s expense.”
★ We’re Making a Final Push for LEAF: We are making our final advocacy push for this year to secure funding for the Local Equitable Access to Food (LEAF) program! As the Legislature and Governor consider potential budget clean-up legislation, we continue to fight for $14 million in California’s state budget to begin implementing SB 907 (Pan) and create the LEAF grant program. Learn more about the benefits of LEAF and how it will support electronic benefit transfer (EBT) staffing and technical assistance at certified farmers’ markets in California, as well as establish new, certified markets in under-served, low-income communities.
★ New Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements for Big Industry – SB 253: We strongly support SB 253, much-needed legislation from Senator Scott Wiener which requires large corporations in California to publicly disclose their carbon emissions and those in their supply chain. This bill presents an incredible opportunity for California to hold its largest polluters accountable and would be a massive win for climate justice in the state! An article published earlier this summer from Capital & Main takes a deeper look at this landmark climate legislation and why some large oil and gas corporations are already feeling threatened by the accountability and transparency that SB 253 will enact.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended the first couple of webinars in our Student Debt Cancellation & Federal Loan Information Workshop Series! 🎓
ICYMI 👉 Watch the full recording, hear the discussion, and learn about all the resources that are available to help student borrowers navigate the recent changes to federal student loan programs:
★ Did You Know? The NextGen team is proud to be hosting Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment events throughout California! Over the next several months, in partnership with various Assembly and Senate legislative offices, our team will participate in community events and gatherings throughout the state to help eligible Californians apply for the ACP, a benefit that provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for those who qualify. Keep a lookout for an upcoming event near you!
★ Member Spotlight: We’re shining a spotlight on Assemblymember Chris Holden, a champion for criminal justice reform and author of The California Mandela Act (AB 280)! Mark your calendar for 10:30 AM PST on September 7th and join us at California’s State Capitol for a rally in support of AB 280, with Assemblymember Holden’s Office, solitary confinement survivors, and fellow advocates! We’re doubling down on our efforts to get AB 280 across the finish line and reform how solitary confinement is used in California’s jails, prisons, and detention facilities – we hope to see you there!
★ What’s Next: Our next issue will be in two weeks – and there’s a lot that will be happening between now and then! By early September our team will have a clear picture of which bills will require some additional work to ensure they pass out of the Legislature and are signed by Governor Newsom – we’ll be reaching out soon to ask for your support. We also hope to have more information on upcoming ACP events and student debt workshops, a recap of our AB 280 rally, an update on SB 253, and much more. Talk to you then!
★ Our Mission: NextGen Policy fights for progressive policy change to address environmental, social, racial, gender, and economic inequities through justice-centered legislative advocacy, grassroots partnerships, and democratic civic engagement.
Thank you for being a part of our journey toward a more equitable California. As we continue to push for progressive policy change, we invite you to make a difference by donating to support our organization. Your contribution will directly impact our efforts to address environmental, social, and economic inequities throughout the state.
Thank you,
NextGen Policy