In the News | California Latino Legislative Caucus

Vida En El Valle: Film Features Chávez's Legacy

March 11, 2014

By: Cynthia Moreno

SACRAMENTO — The Diego Luna-directed 'César Chávez' movie, opening nationally on March 28, does not mark the first effort by Hollywood to film the story about the iconic farmworker leader.

"When my father was still alive, he had many Hollywood stars visit him and propose playing his part in a Hollywood film, but he always respectfully declined," said Paul Chávez, César's son and president of the César E. Chávez Foundation.

"At that time, he just thought there were more important things to get done, so time just went by."

LA Times: Covered California faulted for low Latino enrollment

January 21, 2014

By: Chad Terhune

California keeps signing up people for Obamacare policies at a rapid clip, but the state's struggle to reach uninsured Latinos is drawing more criticism.

The Covered California exchange said Tuesday that more than 625,000 people have enrolled statewide in health plans through Jan. 15 as part of the Affordable Care Act. Even though enrollment opened in October, more than 500,000 of those enrollees signed up in just the last six weeks.

Sac Bee: Latino Caucus Wants DMV To Move Faster on Immigrant Driver's Licenses

January 09, 2014

By: Laurel Rosenhall

Lawmakers in California's Latino Caucus are pressuring the Department of Motor Vehiclesto speed up its process for issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Assembly Bill 60, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed last year, allows immigrants who are in the United States illegally to obtain a California driver's license. It calls for the new licenses to be available by Jan. 1, 2015, or "an earlier date as determined by the Director of the DMV," says a statement the California Latino Legislative Caucus sent to the media today.

UT San Diego: Court Grants Unauthorized Immigrant Law License

January 02, 2014

By: Michael Gardner

SACRAMENTO — The California Supreme Court relied heavily on legislation carried by San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez in its landmark unanimous ruling Thursday that clears the way for people here illegally to qualify for a law license.

LA Times: Latino Caucus Gains Clout in Legislature as Population Shifts

November 13, 2013

Latino Caucus Gains Clout in Legislature as Population Shifts: Politics: A growing contingent of lawmakers played a key role in fights over immigration and schools, and authored significant legislation. A goal is to elect a statewide officeholder.

November 29, 1993|JERRY GILLAM | TIMES STAFF WRITER

LA Times: Latino Caucus Head Denounces Recall Threats Over Gun Bills

October 24, 2013

By: Patrick McGreevy

SACRAMENTO -- A group of activists representing gun owners said Thursday that they may launch recall campaigns against a handful of Democratic lawmakers, including Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles), over the passage of several gun-control laws this year.

CNN: New California law gives undocumented immigrants driver's licenses

October 04, 2013

By: Jaqueline Hurtado & Catherine E. Schoichet

Los Angeles - It was a moment Jose Diaz knew he didn't want to miss.

The day laborer and undocumented immigrant waited for more than 10 years to see it.

"I missed work today," he said, "but I felt like I had to be here."

Diaz was in the crowd cheering after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law Thursday that will allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses in his state.

LA Times: California grows up about immigrant driver's licenses

October 04, 2013

By: Michael Hiltzik

It isn't often that someone can overturn two decades of stupidity with a stroke of a pen. California Gov. Jerry Brown achieved that distinction this week when he signed a law allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses.

In doing so, he rectified a historic injustice. If that's not enough for you, consider that he saved us all money.

NY Times: California Gives Expanded Rights to Noncitizens

September 20, 2013

By: Jennifer Medina

LOS ANGELES — California is challenging the historic status of American citizenship with measures to permit noncitizens to sit on juries and monitor polls for elections in which they cannot vote and to open the practice of law even to those here illegally. It is the leading edge of a national trend that includes granting drivers’ licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrants in some states and that suggests legal residency could evolve into an appealing option should immigration legislation fail to produce a path to citizenship.

New America Media: Sergio Garcia: In Defense of the American Dream

September 17, 2013

By: Sergio Garcia