In 2003, the Women’s Foundation of California launched the Women’s Policy Institute (WPI). The inaugural year of WPI far exceeded expectations and provided us with evidence that strong training, coupled with mentoring from advocacy experts can result in grassroots women leading successful policy advocacy.
Complementing the policy work and individual research happening during retreats, allies and experts contributed to the fellows’ learning experience with presentations on a variety of subjects. For example:
- Political consultant Mary Hughes of Staton & Hughes presented on the post-Recall political climate in California;
- Staff of the California Budget Project led a workshop on the state budget and the appropriations process;
- The staff of Senator Sheila Kuehl, California Elected Women’s Association, California Legislative Women’s Caucus, California Office of Women’s Health, California Women’s Healthcare Partnership and Kaiser Family Foundation provided information about current policies and future needs around women’s health and women’s economic development;
- The SPIN Project presented on media relations and message framing; and
- Assembly Member and Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus Hannah-Beth Jackson presented on ten key elements for effective policy advocacy.
The Foundation learned that the efforts of the Institute are successful when fellows are aligned with existing policy advocacy activities. For example, the fellows working on Senate Bill 1639 became aware of other groups working on self-sufficiency, inserted themselves into existing efforts and influenced the groups to adopt their complementary agenda.
We also discovered that the Women’s Policy Institute succeeds in teaching fellows about policy advocacy. The majority of 2003–2004 fellows said their knowledge of policymaking moved from “somewhat or fairly well-informed” to “well-informed” just after the first retreat. They appreciated the wealth of knowledge of fellows, lead faculty and expert presenters.
WPI fellows saw every possible outcome one can have in legislative efforts: signed bills, a bill killed in committee, a vetoed bill, successful lobbying on the budget and stalled lobbying efforts. During 2003–2004, WPI fellows led legislative actions that included the following:
Senate Bills
SB1441 was signed by the Governor on July 15, 2004.
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.
SB1639 Education Works! was signed by the Governor on September 22, 2004.
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.
SB1525 was vetoed by the Governor on Sept 29, 2004.
This bill would have required that the Family PACT Program within the Office of Family Planning administer an early detection program for breast cancer and cervical cancer. This bill would have also renamed the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (Family PACT) Waiver Program as the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (Family PACT) Program. The primary benefits of this bill would have been increased access for low income women and the beginning of seamless health care, increased ease in enrollment for women and billing for healthcare practitioners and additional federal match dollars for the State.
SB1275 died in Assembly Health Committee on June 22, 2004.
This bill would have restricted marketing of baby formula to mothers immediately after giving birth.
Assembly Bill
AB1796 was signed by the Governor on Sept 29, 2004.
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.
In looking back on the 2003–2004 WPI, the Foundation discovered there is a tremendous hunger for policy advocacy training. Women who are often isolated by position and geography greatly appreciated the opportunity to identify allies in other areas of the state and to collaborate on projects that help move regional concerns to statewide campaigns and legislation. Graduates of the inaugural year felt inspired about their education and engagement in the public policy making process.
2003–2004 WPI Participants
Aspen Baker, Exhale, an After Abortion Counseling Talkline
Sherri Batie, Help, Inc.
Luz Chacon, Maternal and Child Health Access
Camila Chavez, Dolores Huerta Foundation
Namju Cho, Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
Martha Chono-Helsley, Realistic Education in Action Coalition to Foster Health
Melinda Cordero, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles
Helen Ewan, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc.
Robyn Flores, Flores and Felts International and Tulare County Network for Women
Kathryn Forbes, Westside Housing Economic Network
Alissa Friedman, OPTIC Opportunities for Technology Info. Careers
Sarah Galetti, San Luis Obispo County Women's Shelter Program
Roberta Gonzalez-Dow, Charitable Council of Monterey County
Carlina Hansen, Women's Community Clinic
Therese Hughes, Venice Family Clinic
Lorraine Kennix Provost, Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women
Katie McCall, Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health- San Francisco Bay Area
Saphay Nan, Khmer Girls in Action
Karen Shain, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Atta Stevenson, Cahto Tribe of Laytonville
Debbie Tom
Mily Trevino-Sauceda, Organización en California de Lideres Campesinas
Christina Wilson, California Coalition for Women Prisoners.
