May 28, 2025

It is kind of hard to believe that this is the final week of May and the summer months are just around the corner! We hope that you’re staying cool as the temperatures outside begin to heat up, and that you’re ready for a brand new issue of What’s Next at NextGen! As the team wraps up one of busier months of this year’s legislative cycle, we’re looking forward to sharing: details about the Governor’s May Revise and what his proposed program cuts and fund shifts mean for California and our team’s work; information on the upcoming Student Debt Workshop will be hosting in June; an update on California’s School Meals for All program; and lots more that we can’t wait for you to check out!

Let’s take a look at What’s Next here at NextGen:

★ Reviewing the Governor’s May Revise: On Wednesday, May 14th, Governor Newsom’s May Revise was officially unveiled! The May Revise updates the Governor’s January budget proposal based on revenue figures that take into account April tax receipts; forecasted changes to state programs as well as the fiscal repercussions of any new state initiatives and federal policy impacts. In January, the Governor projected a small budget surplus; however, the May Revise now projects a $12 billion budget deficit looming on the horizon due to the various federal funding cuts, the ripple effect of the tariffs on the California economy, and various other factors. California lawmakers must now navigate the fine line between cutting back on spending to account for these challenges while also continuing to prioritize investments that will protect the state’s most vulnerable communities and build our economic foundation for the future.

In response to the Governor’s May Revise, NextGen California’s Executive Director Arnold Sowell Jr. said, “Here at NextGen, even in these trying fiscal times, we look forward to working with the Governor’s office, State Legislators, and our trusted partners to ensure that the final budget continues our efforts to build a more equitable, prosperous, and climate resilient California for all.” Read more from the NextGen team in response to the Governor’s May Revise and how it will impact both California and our advocacy work!

★ Join Our Student Debt Workshop: Mark Tuesday, June 10th on your calendars, because you’re now officially invited to participate in NextGen’s upcoming virtual Student Debt Workshop! Given all the various pronouncements surrounding student loans and with the dismantling of the Department of Education, the NextGen team and our partners clearly understand that student loan borrowers have a lot of questions and frustrations right now. In this workshop, we will do our best to share the latest information, provide helpful resources, and highlight things to keep on your radar regarding the current student loan debt landscape.

Student borrowers are encouraged to join us and our partners from the Student Debt Crisis Center to learn more about these topics and to have your most pressing questions answered. You can RSVP for NextGen’s upcoming virtual Student Debt Workshop now, and we encourage you to share this invitation with friends, family members, or colleagues who might benefit from this workshop. We hope to see you there!

★ Big News for School Meals for All: We’re pleased to share that Governor Newsom included full funding for School Meals for All in his revised state budget! Thanks to California’s successful School Meals for All program, all TK-12 students receive free breakfast and lunch to help ensure that no child goes hungry while at school. As an original co-sponsor of the program, the NextGen team has been working hard to support this groundbreaking endeavor and we extend our gratitude to Governor Newsom, our coalition partners, and the many Californians who took action by sharing their story about how receiving free meals at school impacted their lives. However, as the final budget negotiations unfold, we must continue our advocacy efforts to ensure the program receives the full appropriate level of funding. It’s not too late for you to help play a role in protecting California’s groundbreaking School Meals for All program by sharing your story about how school meals programs have positively impacted your life – share your story today!

Hear from NextGen’s Senior Policy Advisor Brian Weinberger as he breaks down the Governor’s May Revise and helps you understand how its program cuts and funding shifts will impact your community.

Read the Blog!

★ Did You Know? Check out the work being done at NextGen to help improve the lives of Californians like you! Our policy and programmatic work covers a broad range of issue areas – from fighting climate change, combating food insecurity, supporting higher education, expanding digital equity, strengthening California’s workforce, and so much more! Take a look at the top issues that the NextGen team is working on.

★ Legislative Deadlines and Insights: Things have been moving fast since the May Revise and this past week also marked another important legislative deadline – the Assembly and Senate Appropriation Committees’ Suspense File Hearings. These hearings center around bills that generally have a large fiscal cost. Over 400 bills were considered on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File with about 300 bills passing – a 71% passing rate. On the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File, there were 666 bills that were considered with 435 bills passing – a 65% rate. A handful of bills were also made into two-year bills in each committee, delaying their eligibility to move forward in the legislative process until January 2025.

Here at NextGen we take on the big fights and in this year of unprecedented challenges, we were disheartened to learn that a couple of our priority bills were held in committee, including AB 850 (Pacheco), the Increasing Institutional Debt Transparency and Protecting Students Act. However, the NextGen team remains undeterred and we are committed to pursuing these policies in the near future! Next up, the Capitol Community and the Legislature will turn their focus to passing bills off their respective Assembly and Senate floors in time for the House of Origin deadline on June 6th. Bills that do not pass the floor by deadline become either two year bills or are considered dead for this legislative session.

By June 15th, the Legislature must also pass the budget in order to meet their constitutional deadline. Currently, budget negotiations between the Legislature and the Governor are in full swing.

★ Follow NextGen on Bluesky: NextGen is now active on Bluesky! We encourage you to check us out there to receive the latest updates on bills and budget issues pending in front of the California State Legislature, learn more about the NextGen team’s advocacy efforts, and discover opportunities on how you can take meaningful action to help build a more equitable, prosperous, and climate resilient California for all. We’ll see you over on Bluesky – follow us today!

★ Our Mission: NextGen California is a nonprofit advocacy organization that breaks down barriers and rebalances power in the State Capitol on behalf of all Californians.

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.