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Government Relations

High-Impact Advocacy Across the State

Racial disparities that leave low-income people of color behind should concern us all. The Government Relations team aims to shift public policy priorities and investments toward programs that benefit all Californians—not just the privileged few.

  • SB 17 (Pan) – Office of Racial Equity
    Establishes the Office of Racial Equity (ORE), governed by a Racial Equity Advisory and Accountability Council (REAAC), to develop a statewide Racial Equity Framework in consultation with state agencies. Read the bill text here.

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MEET THE TEAM

A TIMELINE OF OUR VICTORIES

Catalyst California’s government relations work has helped achieved the following:

2022
September
Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-16-22, establishing the state’s first Racial Equity Commission. Senator Richard Pan, M.D. developed the Commission with Catalyst California and other racial equity organizations that sponsored SB 17 (2021). Through the Governor’s executive order, the Commission will produce a Racial Equity Framework consisting of resources and tools to promote racial equity and address structural racism. 

>> Governor's press release

2022
September
Governor Gavin Newsom signed our sponsored bill, AB 2832, authored by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). The bill created a new tool to identify the areas of highest need of increased early care and education (ECE) and whole child resources due to racial and economic inequities. AB 2382 was included in Education Trust-West’s “The Equity 8 – California’s Key Legislative Proposal 2022.”

Learn more

2021
October
Governor Newsom signed our sponsored bill, AB 1363, authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley). This data will help guide instruction and practice, build on DLLs’ linguistic skills and needs, and support early childhood educators and quality Early Learning.

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2020
November
Helped secure passage of AB 1196 (Gipson), a powerful policing reform bill The bill creates a uniform statewide policy to eliminate the use of chokeholds and carotid artery restraints statewide by law enforcement.

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2020
November
Helped secure passage of ACA 6 (McCarty), restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated people

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2020
June
Helped secure passage of bill that authorizes the Secretary of State to establish an advisory committee that would make recommendations and establish guidelines for removing barriers to Native American voter participation
2019
August
Helped secure passage of the Police Accountability and Community Protection Act
2018
August
Secured $850 million in Early Childhood Education investments
2018
June
Helped secure passage of SB1421, The Right To Know Act

Gives the public the right to see certain records relating to police misconduct and serious uses of force.

2018
June
Secured $90 Million for 2020 Census for outreach to hard-to-count communities
2017
June
Securing over $800 million dollars for state-funded early care and education programs since the Great Recession.
2017
June
Securing funding for Census 2020 outreach and planning.
2017
June
Securing $200m allocation in the budget to establish the College Readiness Block Grant.

The grant provides California high school students, particularly those who are low income, English learners, or foster youth, additional supports and creates a stronger pipeline between high schools and the University of California and other postsecondary educational institutions.

2015
July
Securing full health care coverage to undocumented children under the age of 19 within Medi-Cal.
2015
June
Negotiated a change in funding formula for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) grants.

As a result, the new allocation formula provides much-needed access to high-quality preschool slots to areas where high number of children do not have access to state subsidized preschool.

2013
June
Creating the Local Control Funding Formula that guarantees more funding for low-income students, English learners, and Foster Youth.
2010
September
Establishing Transitional Kindergarten, which gives California a two-year public school kindergarten experience that will ensure that our youngest children will be prepared to succeed in school.
2011
July
Establishing the California DREAM Act

Allows children who were brought into the US under the age of 16 without proper visas/immigration documentation meet in-state tuition and GPA requirements to have access to financial aid benefits at public universities and colleges.

2008
September
Providing $90 million in facility lease money reimbursement to charter schools serving low-income students and $400 million in facility eligibility to the state’s overcrowded classrooms.
2008
September
Ensuring that the state streamline funding for early childhood education and care so that more resources can be spent on services to children.