CA Latino Legislative Caucus Unveils 2016 Priority Legislation

SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) and Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), Chair and Vice Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, announced the Caucus’ 2016 priority legislation.

“The 21 members of the Latino Caucus are committed to improving the quality of life for all working families in California,” Alejo said. “Our legislative priorities reinforce our belief that addressing the issues that affect Latinos in California – including access to quality education, health care, immigration, civic engagement, energy and economic development – end up helping all Californians.”

The following eight bills are the Latino Caucus’ 2016 priority legislation:

AB 2016 (Alejo) Ethnic Studies Implementation: This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to oversee the development of, and the State Board of Education to adopt, a model curriculum ensuring quality courses in ethnic studies. Following the adoption of the model curriculum, school districts that do not otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies curriculum shall offer, as an elective in the social sciences, a course of study in ethnic studies for students in grades 9-12.

SB 1216 (Hueso) High Risk Youth Employer Tax Incentive: This bill institutes an employer tax credit to incentivize the hiring of high risk youth who have been convicted of a crime and completed a work readiness program.

SB 1289 (Lara) For-Profit Immigration Detention Facilities: This bill prohibits private, for-profit companies from operating immigration detention facilities in California and requires all other detention facilities to comply with federal guidelines that mandate the protection of detainee rights.

AB 1550 (Gomez) Cap & Trade Funds: Targeting Climate Investments in Disadvantaged Communities & Low Income Households: This bill requires a minimum of 25 percent of proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to be invested in projects that are located directly within disadvantaged communities. It also requires an additional 25 percent of the proceeds to fund projects that benefit low income households.

AB 1676 (Campos) Gender Pay Equity: This bill seeks to address pay inequity between men and women by prohibiting employers from requesting a job candidate’s salary history and by requiring that employers provide job applicants with a salary range for the position sought.

AB 1721 (Medina) Higher Education: Cal Grant Program Expansion: This bill seeks to enhance college access by increasing the number of competitive Cal Grant awards, expanding the amount of funds available to Cal Grant B awardees, and raising the age of eligibility.

AB 2408 (Eggman) Cap and Trade Funds: Maximizing Multibenefits to Low-Income Households and Disadvantaged Communities: This bill authorizes the allocation of moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (Fund) to maximize the delivery of integrated greenhouse gas reduction projects for households in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The bill also requires state agencies and departments administering grants from the Fund to update program guidelines in order to promote the coordination of proposals implementing a regional and neighborhood approach.

AB 2757 (Gonzalez) Overtime for Agricultural Workers: This bill seeks to allow agricultural workers to receive overtime pay for work performed beyond a normal eight hour workday. The current overtime exemption for such workers would be phased in over a four-year period.

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Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/162598416

Password: AlejoLatinoCaucus2016

What: Statement from Latino Caucus Chair Assemblymember Luis Alejo and B-roll of the Capitol Presser

Below are links to audio from today’s Latino Caucus news conference:

Caucus Chair Assemblymember Alejo says the California Legislative Latino Caucus (CLLC) has established a set of guiding principles to determine which bills to support. (:30)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusAlejo1.mp3

Assemblymember Alejo makes remarks about his CLLC priority bill, AB 2016. (1:18)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusAlejo2.mp3

Assemblymember Alejo says the Latino Caucus is hopeful for more legislative victories again this year. (:57)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusAlejo3.mp3

Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) makes remarks about his CLLC priority bill, Assembly Bill 1550. (1:22)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusGomez1.mp3

Assemblymember Susan Talamentas Eggman  (D-Stockton) makes remarks about her CLLC priority bill, Assembly Bill 2408. (1:13)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusEggman1.mp3

Assemblymember Nora Campos (D-San Jose) makes remarks about her CLLC priority bill, Assembly Bill 1676. (2:46)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusCampos1.mp3

Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) makes remarks about his CLLC priority bill, Assembly Bill 1721. (1:05)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusMedina1.mp3

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) makes remarks about her CLLC priority bill, Assembly Bill 2757. (1:32)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusGonzalez1.mp3

Link to entire news conference. (20:08)
http://www.asmdc.org/audio/20160412LatinoCaucusNewsConference.mp3

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CONTACT: Andrew Bird / Andrew.Bird@asm.ca.gov / (916) 319-2030