Victory! Three New Women’s Policy Institute Bills on the Governor’s Desk

Women’s Policy Institute fellows played a key role in advancing three bills that were approved by the California legislature in August and now await the governo r’s signature. If signed, these new laws will strengthen childhood lead poisoning prevention, keep more kids out of foster care and with their families, and protect tenants in the foreclosure crisis.

The 2007-2008 Environmental Health team advocated for two years to pass a bill that strengthens childhood lead poisoning prevention. Co-sponsored by the National Health Law Program and Physicians for Social Responsibility, SB 775 (Ridley-Thomas) will improve education for parents about lead poisoning and expand lead testing for children at high risk.

The 2008-2009 Criminal Justice team
partnered with Assembly Speaker Karen Bass on a bill to prevent the breakup of families by increasing the likelihood that children who would otherwise remain in the foster care system will be able to reunite with their parent after a parent’s incarceration. AB 2070 (Bass) gives social workers and courts 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.

The 2008-2009 Family Economic Security team worked closely with the Western Center on Law and Poverty and Assembly Member Alberto Torrico on a bill to protect the invisible victims of the foreclosure crisis: tenants who lose their homes through no fault of their own. AB 2586 (Torrico) introduces various protections for tenants in the case of foreclosure, including ensuring that water and electricity services stay on and that tenants recover their security deposits if they are forced to move.

Fellows in the Women’s Policy Institute are nonprofit leaders who are learning the policy process and putting their advocacy skills into action immediately, making a real difference in the lives of California’s women and families. In its first four years, the Institute achieved nine legislative “wins.” With your help, we can add three more to the list this year!

Take Action Now!

• To sign on to a letter asking the governor to sign SB 775, send an email to Manjusha Kulkarni Kulkarni@healthlaw.org
• To sign on to a letter asking the governor to sign AB 2070, send an email to Sue Castagnetto scastagn@scrippscollege.edu
• To sign on to a letter asking the governor to sign AB 2586, send an email to Marilyn Bamford mbamford@familiesfirstinc.org 

See the results of all the Women’s Policy Institute policy projects

Go to the WPI Graduate Network Home Page