2024 PRIORITY LEGISLATION

Economic Equity/Health/Housing

AB 311 (Santiago) – Food For All (Two-Year Bill): AB 311 expands eligibility for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to any individual whose immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh by removing the 55 years and older age limit on eligibility

SB 1056 (Rubio) – California’s Kindergarten for All: SB 1056 will ensure that children receive critical instruction in their earliest years of learning by requiring students in the state to attend kindergarten, beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

Environment

SB 1105 (Padilla) – Leave for Farmworkers During Climate Emergencies: SB 1105 expands existing paid sick leave provisions to allow agricultural employees who work outside to use their currently entitled paid sick days to avoid smoke, heat, or flooding conditions created by a local or state emergency.

Education

AB 2104 (Soria) – California Community College Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing Pilot: AB 2104 would direct the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish a pilot program to allow up to 15 community college districts to offer a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree.

ACA 20 (Cervantes) – The California PROMISE Act: Assembly Constitutional Amendment 20 would require all students at the University of California, regardless of immigration status, to be eligible for paid opportunities at UC, including, but not limited to, employment, fellowships, residencies, apprenticeships, and contract work.

AB 2586 (Alvarez) – Opportunity for All (O4A): AB 2586 would allow students equal access to campus job opportunities, regardless of immigration status at the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges.

AB 2852 (E. Garcia) – Bi-National Higher Education Exchange Program: AB 2852 establishes the California-Mexico Higher Education Development and Academic Exchange Program Fund in the State Treasury and states the intent of the Legislature that $40 million be provided by California and $20 million be provided by Mexico to the fund to support the program.

Housing

AB 2140 (J. Carrillo) – Building Homeownership for All: AB 2140 seeks to direct the State Treasurer and other state housing agencies to develop a framework and study the creation of a large-scale homeownership-financing program designed to ease California’s critical homeownership gap

AB 2240 (Arambula) – Farmworker Housing: Farmworkers should be treated with dignity and respect reflective of the essential contribution they make to California’s agricultural economy and local communities. AB 2240 ensures that farmworkers and their families are not separated because of outdated policies and that their children’s education is not interrupted.

Civic Engagement/Diversity

SB 782 (Limón) – Gubernatorial Boards & Commissions: SB 782 requires the Governor’s Office, on or before January 1, 2027 and annually thereafter, to report the aggregate demographic information of individuals appointed by the Governor. The bill requires the report to be published on the Governor’s website.

Health

AB 4 (Arambula) – Expanding Access to Covered California (Two-Year Bill): AB 4 requires Covered California, in consultation with stakeholders and the Legislature, to develop options for expanding access to affordable health care coverage to Californians regardless of immigration status and report these options to the Governor and Legislature

AB 2860 (E. Garcia) – Doctors from Mexico Program: AB 2860 repeals the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program (Pilot Program) and reestablishes it as two distinct programs – the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program (Physicians Program) and Licensed Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program (Dentists Program) – and revises various requirements relating to the temporary state licensure of medical professionals from Mexico.

AB 2703 (Aguiar-Curry) – Expanding Behavioral Health Access in FQHCs and RHCs: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Centers (RHCs) provide access to the full spectrum of care including primary care, dental care, and behavioral healthcare to every Californian who walks through their doors, regardless of their ability to pay, their immigration status, health insurance status, or their individual circumstances. AB 2703 would permit highly qualified Psychological Associates to practice and be reimbursed under Medi-Cal for their services in these clinics.

AB 2131 (Valencia) – Expanding Access to Certified Nursing Assistants: AB 2131 ensures better accessibility to individuals looking to be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) by requiring the written and oral portion of the CAN competency exam to be offered in Spanish.

SB 1016 (Gonzalez) – Addressing Health Data Disparities for Latino & Indigenous Californians: Senate Bill (SB) 1016 will require the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Department of Social Services (DSS), to collect and disaggregate anonymous demographic health data on the ancestry or ethnic origin of specified Latino, and Indigenous Peoples.

Immigration/New Americans

SB 1132 (Durazo) – Public Health Inspections of Detention Facilities: SB 1132 clarifies that county health officers have authority to inspect private detention facilities as deemed necessary.

LINKS TO LATINO CAUCUS PRIORITY BILL LISTS: