June 25, 2025

We hope your summer is off to a great start! The NextGen team continues our advocacy work on the state budget, priority legislation, and other key projects. In this What’s Next edition, we’ll cover our recent Student Debt workshop, how you can help push for California’s Cap-and-Trade reauthorization, an upcoming Racial Equity Commission meeting, and other important updates.

Additionally, in the spirit of Pride Month, we’d like to encourage readers to check out the shoutouts that NextGen has been sharing in celebration of Pride! Take a look at the incredible individuals and organizations who stand in allyship with the LGBTQ+ community, as well as many helpful resources. Also, stay tuned for our final round of shoutouts coming later this week.

Now, let’s jump into this edition of What’s Next at NextGen:

★ Thank you for Joining Our Student Debt Workshop: The NextGen team and our partners from the Student Debt Crisis Center (SDCC) would like to thank the more than 200 attendees who joined our recent Student Debt virtual workshop!  It was our privilege to share the latest information and updates on recent changes to federal student loan debt policy and programs. The workshop was designed to help student borrowers navigate the current federal student loan debt landscape, better understand available repayment options, and answer as many questions as possible from student loan borrowers who have been affected by all the upheaval in this space. If you weren’t able to participate in the workshop, we recorded it in its entirety and it is available to you to review.

★ TAKE ACTION on Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization: Lots happening on the Cap-and-Trade front! This important greenhouse gas emission reduction program is scheduled to expire in 2030 but with the discussions around electricity and gas prices, the pending closure of the Benicia refinery, and auction revenues decreasing, the Governor and Legislature are pushing to add more certainty to the program and pushing for it to be reauthorized sooner. NextGen’s stance is to fight for a program extension that strengthens the state’s existing Cap-and-Trade system. Many of the state’s large emitters are using the current situation to push an agenda that would roll back various California environmental laws and weaken the Cap-and-Trade program – knocking us off track to meet our 2045 climate goals.

We believe that the state – by working and listening to all stakeholders  – can craft a Cap-and-Trade program reauthorization that tackles the affordability question affecting California households and businesses, strengthens key program provisions, and keeps us on track to meet our climate goals. Right now, you can take action to help us in this advocacy fight. Your action will help us improve California’s air quality, increase climate affordability, foster the deployment of new technologies, support communities on the frontlines of climate change, and continue California’s climate leadership. Send a quick email to your state Legislator and Governor Newsom asking them to extend and strengthen California’s Cap-and-Trade program – it’s time to stop handouts to big oil!

★ Join the Upcoming Racial Equity Commission Meeting: Mark your calendar for an upcoming meeting of California’s Racial Equity Commission, being held this Thursday, June 26th at 9:30 AM PT. We encourage you to attend the meeting to learn more about the Racial Equity Commission’s work and to hear directly from the Commission as they release the draft of California’s first ever Racial Equity Framework. This framework is designed to ensure state leaders, departments and agencies are mindful of racial equity and justice provisions across government policies and programs. This is an important opportunity for the public to provide their input into the state’s first Racial Equity Framework. The meeting will be hosted both virtually via Zoom and in-person at the Monterey County Government Center, 2nd Floor – Monterey Conference Room located at 168 West Alisal Street in Salinas. Register to virtually attend the Racial Equity Commission’s upcoming meeting!

★ The NextGen Team in the News: NextGen’s Senior Policy Advisor, Ken Spence recently sat down with Sacramento’s KCRA 3 News to share a closer look at NextGen’s workforce development programs and discuss the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) Shine Grant award! SMUD awarded its Shine Grant to NextGen to support its Opportunity Young Adult (OYA) program that assists formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted adults, aged 18 to 28 in the Sacramento region, as they reintegrate into society. The Shine grant will help NGP provide program participants stipends for transportation and food, career coaching, workforce training, and additional support services. Watch Ken’s full interview with KCRA 3 to learn more!

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Stay informed, stay empowered! The NextGen team is here to help you Know Your Rights – check out the legal resources and information to support and protect immigrant communities in California.

Know Your Rights!

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★ Did You Know? What’s Next is sent to your inbox twice a month but you can sign up to be added to NextGen’s full email list to stay looped into breaking news, state legislative updates, opportunities to take meaningful action, and so much more. Sign up for NextGen’s full email list today to stay informed!

★ Member Spotlight: This week NextGen is shining a spotlight on Senator Monique Limón, who represents California’s 21st Senate District, which includes Santa Barbara County and parts of Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties. Before being elected in November 2020 to serve in the State Senate, she served as a California Assemblymember, and prior to that was a member of the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education.

Recently, Senator Limón was elected by her peers to become the next President pro Tempore (pro Tem) of the California State Senate, making history as the first woman of color to be elected to lead the State Senate. Her term will begin in 2026 and the NextGen team sends along our heartfelt congratulations to Senator Limón on this groundbreaking achievement. She has championed several budget issues and bills with NextGen and we look forward to continuing to work with her on various policy initiatives that protect and uplift California’s most vulnerable communities. Make sure to follow Senator Limón on Facebook to stay up-to-date with her work!

★ Legislative Deadlines and Insights: While bills work their way through policy committees in the second house, simultaneously negotiations reach a deal on the final budget are in the final stages! SB 101 was passed by the Legislature on June 13th, which represented a budget deal struck between the Assembly and Senate – meeting their constitutional requirement to pass a budget by June 15th. The Governor was not part of this deal and once he received SB 101, it started the clock for the Governor’s 12 day signing period, which ends on June 27th. During this period, he can either sign the bill into law, veto it, or “blue pencil” line item veto specific items in SB 101.

The Legislature and Governor have been in intense negotiations to reach a deal that will change, amend, and update portions of SB 101 with the Governor’s office final imprints. On June 24th, a three party deal was struck and a package of budget bills made public. This package includes two budget bill juniors that amend SB 101 as well as past Budget Bills and at least 18 trailer bills. We expect to see this package passed by the Legislature by June 27th, followed closely by the Governor signing them into law in time for the state’s fiscal year to begin on July 1st.

★ Follow NextGen on Bluesky: NextGen is now active on Bluesky! We encourage you to check us out there and receive the latest updates on bills and budget issues 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.

Thank you,

NextGen California