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Learn about State Disability Insurance and Unemployment Insurance with updates on work search requirements for the unemployed. Questions can be submitted in advance, and attendees will have time during the town hall to ask general questions about both programs. RSVP here. Then go to Facebook here to join the Virtual Town Hall at 5:00 pm on July 14th.
Publication: San Diego Union Tribune
As an elite school that educates the masses and pumps money into the economy, UC San Diego is rarely the target of strong criticism. But a lawmaker unloaded last week, accusing UCSD and its sister campuses at Berkeley and Los Angeles of betraying Californians.
Publication: KQED Radio
Nearly a quarter of a million undocumented adults and seniors in California – many of whom are or have been essential workers – will gain access to low-cost or free medical services as early as next year under a groundbreaking budget deal approved Monday by the Legislature.
Publication: San Francisco Chronicle
The undergraduate student body at the University of California’s most popular campuses — UC Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego — is about to get a little more, well, Californian.
Nonresident students will have a tougher time getting into those schools next year after state legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed on a plan to cap enrollment of out-of-state and international students, starting with the 2022 fall semester.
Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the following statement on today’s budget actions:
“Today’s budget presents us with a great opportunity to transform California. We are seizing the moment by lifting more families out of poverty through Golden State Stimulus checks and the expansion of safety net programs, including a lower age for Medi-Cal eligibility regardless of immigration status. We are also investing a record $12 billion in new funding for homeless programs. I’m especially pleased with the strides we are making in higher education, adding more slots for Californians at UC and CSU and making more financial aid available. We are doing more for communities that continue to face challenges as we recover from the pandemic. This spending plan is a true reflection of the things we value most in California: inclusivity and opportunity for all to succeed.”
Publication: CalMatters
Richard Milton walked out of his medical appointment in Culver City into the noon sun. He needed to get back to the garage space he calls home. Black, 66, and a proud Army veteran, Milton has struggled with homelessness for years. “The garage is my sanctuary,” he said. “I have privacy there.”
Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the following statement about today’s passage of the 2021-22 state budget:
“It’s a privilege to have a hand in crafting such a historic and transformational state budget that will have lasting impact on Californians for decades. We are meeting the challenges of today – helping individuals, families and small businesses still struggling as a result of the pandemic – while also investing in tomorrow with priorities like infrastructure, university expansion, affordable housing supply and climate resilience.
I’m especially excited about the strides we’re making in early care and education, as we reform childcare rates, achieve universal transitional kindergarten, bring per-pupil spending to an all-time high, and expand access to higher education with more slots and financial aid. We are also taking the steps to build up mental health services for those students who have or will be dealing with the effects of a prolonged period of distance learning.
While we are addressing these critical needs, we’re further expanding vital social safety net programs, addressing homelessness in record levels and ensuring our economic recovery touches all communities. We’re seizing every opportunity to move California forward like never before.”
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Publication: KPCC Radio & LAist
It’s a small line item in the hulking state budget passed today, but a $200 million package to fund Asian American and Pacific Islander initiatives is unprecedented in its size and scope.
Publication: Los Angeles Times
The California Legislature on Monday approved a $100-million plan to bolster California’s legal marijuana industry, which continues to struggle to compete with the large illicit pot market nearly five years after voters approved sales for recreational use.
Los Angeles will be the biggest beneficiary of the money, which was proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to be provided as grants to cities and counties to help cannabis businesses transition from provisional to regular licenses.
Publication: KQED Radio
Shortly after a gunman in San Jose killed nine people and himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard on May 26, local and state officials put a renewed focus on California's "red flag" law, asking if it could have prevented the massacre.
Formally known as a gun violence restraining orders (GVRO), the law is designed to allow courts to take guns away from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. In 2014, California became one of the first states in the country to enact such legislation.