What’s Next: Let’s GET TO WORK for the final weeks of the legislative session! 📣✊
August 18, 2025
Welcome back to another issue of What’s Next at NextGen! We hope you had a great summer, enjoyed some quality time with family and friends, and are now ready to hit the ground running with the NextGen Policy team as we embark on the busy weeks ahead! The State Legislature returns from their summer recess today and thus begins the final few weeks of the legislative cycle. In the coming weeks, the Assembly and Senate will process hundreds of bills through their last committees and then vote to pass many of these bills out of their respective houses by September 12th – the last day of this year’s legislative session.
These last few weeks of the legislative session will consist of large policy decisions in the climate, electricity affordability, and elections arena as well as any further state budget changes needed, given the massive policy and programmatic changes made in the federal reconciliation budget bill. The legislation in the elections arena is an important and necessary response by California which would allow for a special election in November to consider a ballot measure on mid-decade redistricting – such a ballot measure would authorize the redrawing of our Congressional maps but only if the state of Texas does so. As you may be aware, President Trump recently asked the Governor of Texas to redraw their Congressional maps in an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting effort in hopes of retaining a Republican majority in the House of Representatives in next year’s mid-term elections. With these issues still up in the air, the final weeks of the legislative session will be jam packed as our elected leaders consider how best to steer the state through these uncertain times.
As the NextGen team prepares to make a sustained advocacy push around our policy priorities, this edition of What’s Next will focus on several of our key projects including a sneak peek at how we are “making it count” with the Climate Action Counts Campaign and how you can join the campaign; a look back at a recent op-ed highlighting the importance of reauthorizing and strengthening our state’s Cap-and-Trade program and why California’s legislators must act with urgency to make this a reality; and an opportunity for you to RSVP for an upcoming webinar focused on educating the public about electric vehicles (EVs) – with a closer look at cost-saving incentives, charging options, and answers to frequently asked questions about EVs – plus several other topics.
There is a bundle of information in this edition, so let’s get started with What’s Next at NextGen:
★ NextGen is “Making it Count” for California’s Climate: The NextGen team is really leaning into the effort to combat climate change with our work on the Climate Action Counts Campaign – and you’re invited to join the movement! Every day, we’re doing our part to make small choices that have a positive impact on our environment and that help in the fight against climate change. These are simple actions that you are probably already doing, like recycling, shopping at thrift stores, taking a hike, or visiting a local Farmers' Market! Imagine what we can accomplish when all of us come together to collectively make climate-friendly choices – that’s what the Climate Action Counts Campaign is all about!
Climate Action Counts is an easy and fun way to take action in support of California’s climate. We are trying to rally thousands of Californians to take the pledge and continue making climate friendly choices! Join the movement and take the Climate Action Counts pledge today!
★ Here’s the Latest on Cap-and-Trade: Right now, the future of California’s Cap-and-Trade program is currently being negotiated by Governor Newsom and state legislative leaders. Cap-and-Trade is a market-based program that plays a key role in California's strategy to meet its climate goals. By charging industries to burn fossil fuels, the program limits the amount of pollution emitted while also generating revenue to lower consumer utility bills and make investments in renewable energy and clean transportation programs in communities across the state. The Cap-and-Trade program is currently set to expire and if it is not reauthorized it will put billions of dollars for climate investments at risk, hindering California’s path to carbon neutrality by 2045.
Given that the Cap-and-Trade program is one of our foundational policies in the fight against climate change, we must urge our elected leaders to both reauthorize and strengthen the program so that we can meet our climate goals! As you might imagine, the oil companies and others in opposition are trying their best to weaken the program. In the coming weeks, stay tuned for more information about oir advocacy efforts to reauthorize Cap-and-Trade. In the meantime, check out a recent op-ed published by climate investors Ari Freisinger and Nik Mittal who share their expert take on the best-case scenario for the future of the program. Their message is loud and clear: California must reauthorize and strengthen its Cap-and-Trade program to help provide good-paying jobs, lower energy bills, and protect the environment! Read the full op-ed from Ari and Nik that was published in Capitol Weekly!
★ An Upcoming Webinar About the Benefits of Electric Vehicles: The NextGen team is pleased to invite you to join our friends at Veloz for their upcoming informational webinar – “Electric For All: The Way Forward is Electric.” Mark your calendar and plan to join the webinar virtually on August 20th, 2025 at 10 AM PT. Information will be shared about Veloz’s newly launched national Electric For All consumer Electric Vehicle (EV) education program as well as on the top issues that matter most to EV drivers such as affordability and cost-saving incentives, charging options, driving range, and available new and used EV models. We encourage anyone who drives an EV, or who is interested in driving one, to attend the webinar and get your questions answered about Veloz’s new EV education program. Register to attend the webinar via Zoom!
Take action to reauthorize and strengthen California’s Cap-and-Trade program!
Right now, the future of Cap-and-Trade is being negotiated by Governor Newsom and state legislators – we need your help to urge your representatives to reauthorize and strengthen California’s cap-and-trade program! Send a quick, pre-written email today.
★ Did You Know? Are you looking for the best place to read timely and relevant information about pending California legislation, the status of state budget deliberations, the views of political insiders, and policy and program updates that directly impact you and your community? NextGen’s Let’s Talk blog is the resource that checks all of those boxes – stay in the loop on what’s happening in the State Capitol, hear directly from our team of policy experts, gain insights on legislative happenings, and so much more! Don’t miss out, sign up to get notified when new Let’s Talk blog posts are shared!
★ Member Spotlight: This week NextGen is shining a spotlight on Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan, who represents California’s 55th Assembly district which comprises a large portion of southern Los Angeles County. Throughout his career, Assemblymember Bryan has worked to strengthen and organize Los Angeles communities, with a focus on education, the environment, and racial justice. Prior to serving in the California Assembly, Assemblymember Bryan worked for the City of Los Angeles and helped lead a ballot measure campaign that raised millions to address racial injustice and empower Los Angeles communities. He also authored the first holistic report covering the needs of formerly incarcerated Los Angeles residents and served as the founding Director of the UCLA Black Policy Project, which focused on analyzing policy through a racial equity lens.
Assemblymember Bryan currently serves as Chair for both the Committee on Natural Resources as well as the Assembly Select Committee on The Status of Boys and Men of Color, and he serves as Vice Chair for the California Legislative Black Caucus. NextGen is proud to support Assemblymember Bryan’s AB 42 as part of our higher education work – this bill would help ensure that any student grants, loans, fellowships, or scholarships are not calculated as income when assessing an individual’s CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility. Our team looks forward to future collaborations with Assemblymember Bryan’s office as part of our work building a better California for all. Make sure to follow Assemblymember Bryan on Instagram to stay up-to-date with his work!
★ Legislative Deadlines and Insights: The Legislature’s return from Summer Recess means the last few weeks of the Legislative Session have now begun – it ends on September 12th. During these last few weeks, the Legislature will consider the fiscal impact of the hundreds of bills that are remaining to be processed via the respective legislative Appropriations Committees. The session will conclude with marathon rounds of daily Floor Sessions the first two weeks of September in order to pass bills back to their house of origin as well as take up any concurrence votes.
Once the Legislature adjourns for their Fall Recess, the Capitol Community will turn its eyes to Governor Newsom and his responsibility to take action on the bills that make it to his desk. In California, the Governor has three options: he can sign a bill into law, veto a bill so it does not become law, or take no action and the bill will become law automatically without his signature. He has until October 12th to take action on all the bills that reach his desk.
Issues that still loom large over these last few weeks of Session, include major policy decisions in the climate arena, our response to the redistricting issues recently raised by President Trump, as well as any further state budget changes needed given the massive policy and programmatic changes made in the federal reconciliation budget bill. With these issues still up in the air, the final weeks of Session are going to be a whirlwind of activity.
★ Follow NextGen on Instagram: The NextGen team is now active on Instagram! Give us a follow today to keep up to date with our advocacy and policy work; get notified of important news coming out of the State Legislature and Capitol community; stay in the loop on opportunities to take meaningful action; check out exclusive content from our team, and so much more! We’ll see you over on Instagram!
★ 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.
Thank you,
NextGen California