Legislative Wins
Over the past nine years, teams of Women’s Policy Institute fellows have helped to develop and support numerous bills. Success for Institute fellows is measured less by the fate of these policy projects and more by the invaluable experiences gained from navigating the complex legislative process and building enduring relationships with elected and appointed officials.
Wins: 16 Bills Signed Into Law
AB 2530 (2011/2012) was signed into law on September 30, 2012
Authors: Assemblymember Skinner and Assemblymember Mitchell
AB 2530 is a bill to ensure that incarcerated pregnant women are restrained in the least restrictive way possible when being transported to and from a state or local correctional facility (reintroduction of AB 568 and AB 1900).
*Worked on by two previous WPI teams and passed on the third try.
AB 2015 Calls for Kids Act (2011/2012) was signed into law on September 30, 2012
Author: Assemblymember Mitchell
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would ensure that the right of an arrested custodial parent to make telephone calls or otherwise arrange for the care of a minor child or children during his or her absence is applied without regard to immigration status or language of the person arrested.
AB 138 was signed by the Governor on October 9, 2011.
Author: Assemblymember Beall
AB 138, the Elder Economic Planning Act of 2011, requires the California Department of Aging and the local area agencies on aging to use the Elder Economic Security Standard Index as a guide in making resource allocation decisions and in crafting statewide and local area plans. The Elder Economic Security Standard Index quantifies the costs in the private market for meeting the basic needs of elders, including,but not limited to, the costs of essential household items, food,health care, shelter, transportation, and utilities.
SB 897 was signed by the Governor on September 30, 2011.
Author: Senator Mark Leno
SB 897, the RCFE Residents Foreclosure Protection Act would protect elderly residents living in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) from the physical and emotional upheaval that results from unexpected and abrupt foreclosures. Under this bill, California’s 8,000 RCFEs must provide timely notification to residents, their legal representatives, and the state should the facility fall into severe financial distress or foreclosure, thereby preventing the forced eviction of vulnerable RCFE residents through no fault of their own.
SB1440 was signed by the Governor on September 29, 2010.
Author: Senator Alex Padilla
SB 1440, the California Community Colleges Student Transfer bill guarantees admission to the California State University System with junior standing. The law will allow thousands of community college students with an associate's degree to have a more streamline path for transfer to the California State University system. This bill would enact the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, which, commencing with the 2011–12 academic year, would require a student that receives an associate degree for transfer to be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets prescribed requirements.
AB 1963 was signed by the Governor on September 27, 2010.
Author: Assemblymember Nava
AB 1963, the Farm Worker Health Act, provides oversight and structure to a program aimed at protecting farm workers from overexposure to dangerous pesticides. This law protects farm workers from pesticide poisoning - before it occurs - and will lead to workplace safety improvements, ensuring long-term protections to farm workers and their families.
AB 2070 was signed by the Governor on September 28, 2008.
Author: Assembly Speaker Bass
A bill to give social workers more discretion to extend the timeline before parental rights are terminated in the case of a parent’s incarceration and would expand the reunification services available to families following incarceration.
AB 2695 was signed into law by the governor on September 26, 2006.
Author: Assemblymember Goldberg
This bill strengthens protections from physical assault for frontline workers dealing with domestic violence, reproductive rights, and human rights. The bill permits employers to obtain protective orders for the entire worksite when an individual or a group of employees experiences violence or a credible threat of violence in the workplace.
SB 1569 was signed into law on September 29, 2006.
Author: Senator Kuehl
This bill serves victims of human trafficking by extending certain public benefits including refugee cash assistance, Medi-Cal, and employment social services — to qualified victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other crimes.
SB 148 was signed into law on September 29, 2006.
Author: Senator Scott
This bill creates safer and more livable communities by increasing local control over liquor store licensing.
AB 450 (Changed to AB 1179) was signed by the Governor on October 7, 2005.
Author: Assemblymember Yee
This bill prohibits the sale or rental of violent video games to minors.
SB 484 was signed by the Governor on October 7, 2005.
Author: Senator Migden
This bill establishes the California Safe Cosmetics Act of 2005 and requires cosmetics manufacturers to disclose to the Department of Health Services (DHS) a list of ingredients in their products that are chemicals that have been identified to cause cancer or reproductive harm.
AB 1285 was signed by the Governor on October 7, 2005.
Author: Assemblymember Montañez
This bill expands the family childcare retention program in Los Angeles County, thereby increasing working families’ options for affordable quality childcare.
SB 1441 was signed by the Governor on July 15, 2004.
Author: Senator Kuehl
This bill provides that a victim of domestic violence or abuse has the right to have a domestic violence counselor and a support person of his or her choosing present at any interview by law enforcement authorities, district attorneys or defense attorneys, as specified, and shall be notified orally or in writing by the attending law enforcement authority or district attorney of that right prior to the commencement of an initial interview.
SB 1639 Education Works! was signed by the Governor on September 22, 2004.
Author: Senator Alarcón
This bill improves access to education to community college for CalWORKs students whose primary language is not English and increases access to higher education for foster care youth by requiring that they receive information about educational opportunities. The bill also establishes the intent of the Legislature to enable residents to reach self-sufficiency, to develop a Student Parent Scholar grant program to assist low-income parents with postsecondary education, increase access to higher education for foster care youth and ensure that programs operated with federal TANF funds promote education and training for jobs that offer self-sufficient wages.
AB 1796 was signed by the Governor on Sept 29, 2004.
Author: Assemblymember Leno
This bill provides that a convicted drug felon, with certain exceptions, shall be eligible for aid under the Food Stamp Program. The bill will require these Food Stamp Program applicants to have proof of completion or other affiliation with a government-recognized drug treatment program, or other evidence that the illegal use of controlled substances has ceased.
Wins: One Resolution Passed by the Legislature
AJR 6 ‘Elder Economic Dignity Act’ was sent to the White House in August 2009
Author: Assemblymember Beall
A resolution to ensure that the United States is working to achieve the economic security of the aging population in California and beyond by modernizing the way in which poverty among seniors is calculated.