What's Next: New research and initiatives
March 31, 2022
Coming at you with another What’s Next! Keep reading for budget updates, new research on institutional debt, a special shout-out to one of our Senate leaders, and more.
We’ll be sharing “What’s Next” with our insiders list only soon. If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up to keep receiving these updates!
★ College Creditors Report: In partnership with the Student Borrower Protection Center and a team of University of California researchers, we conducted groundbreaking research that shines a light on institutional debt, or money owed directly to colleges from fines and fees. Our research found that the impacts of COVID-19 resulted in nearly 750,000 low-income students owing $350 million in institutional debt to California public colleges — more details and our recommendations to lawmakers here.
★ Priority Bill Update: SB 907, the Local Equitable Affordable Food (LEAF) initiative, passed on unanimous consent in the Senate Human Services Committee on March 29, 2022. Passing the first committee on unanimous consent is a great sign that SB 907 will successfully advance to the finish line, become law, and ultimately ensure low-income Californian’s gain more access to healthy foods. Follow the bill’s progress here.
★ Care4All Coalition: NGP supports the Care4All Coalition which comes together every year to prioritize bills designed to improve our healthcare system. From providing healthcare to everyone – regardless of immigration status – to ensuring health plans provide gender-affirming care to trans people, these bills will help put California on a path to achieving affordable, equitable, and universal healthcare. Click here to see the 2022 legislative agenda.
Follow us into the weeds for a second: The CA Legislature must finalize our state budget by June 15 at midnight, so we’re busy pushing for key investments in the areas of climate, education, broadband, environmental justice and more — read the full list.
★ Senator Spotlight: Sen. Dr. Richard Pan is championing two of our key priority bills (SB 17 and SB 907) this year. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with him, and we’re grateful for his leadership and help in our push for a more progressive California. Take a second to tell him thank you!
★ What’s Next: Stay tuned for the launch of our new initiative Climate 100 — we’ll be working with environmental leaders and key policymakers to ensure California’s budget actions on climate match our climate goals. In the meantime, please take the time to read what our Senior Policy Advisor, Dave Weiskopf, had to say about gas rebates in this recent CalMatters article.