California NOW

Let's Stop Shackling Pregnant Women

In California, we shackle pregnant women, even though it puts their health at risk. Women in jails across the state are forced to walk with shackles around their swollen ankles, chains around their waists, and handcuffs behind their backs.

Last year, even though the Legislature voted unanimously to end this barbaric practice, Governor Brown vetoed the bill.

So this year, it's back on his desk (with modifications to sections he had trouble with last round).

AB 2530 would prohibit the use of dangerous shackles on pregnant women who are incarcerated.  There’s no fiscal impact, and no reason to stall progress.

California NOW stands with the ACLU in urging women across our state to let Governor Brown know that there is strong public support to stop shackling pregnant women who are incarcerated.

Click here to take action today, urging Governor Brown to join bipartisan support in stopping this inhumane treatment of pregnant inmates.

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

Today is Labor Day.  A day we celebrate the American worker and the basic rights they enjoy.

Today is also a day that a great injustice can be corrected.  Right now there is a piece of legislation on Governor Brown's desk that serves to end a discriminatory practice for California’s 200,000 domestic workers.  It's AB 889 - the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

Domestic workers - comprised of housekeepers, nannies, and caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled - work in private households to care for the health, safety and well-being of many Californians’ families and homes.

The vast majority of domestic workers are women of color and immigrants who, because they labor in private households and out of the public eye, are particularly vulnerable to unlawful employment practices and abuses. This bill seeks to provide domestic workers with equal labor rights and protections.

AB 889 would provide domestic workers with basic rights that other workers have enjoyed in this country for decades.  Those rights include overtime pay, meal and rest breaks and sleep in adequate conditions for live-in workers.  Domestic workers have been excluded from these basic protections for generations – while taking care of what we value most - our loved ones and our homes.

AB 889 has made it through the Assembly and the State Senate so now it's up to the governor.  By signing this bill, he has the opportunity to end generations of exclusion from basic labor protections and to right a historic wrong.

Click here to learn more about this important piece of legislation and how you can contact Governor Brown's office.

Monday's Action Checklist

Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped than killed or injured by enemy fire.  Every day American service women and men, who have pledged their lives to protect our country, are being raped and sexually assaulted. Not by the enemy, but by their fellow soldiers, commanders, and officers – by the people whose job it is to protect them.  Take Action NOW:  Click here to learn more about the movie that we need to be talking about.

Farm workers are dying from heat. In fact, since California issued its landmark 2005 regulations to keep farm workers from dying of extreme heat, preventable farm worker deaths are still occurring at a similar pace as before.  That's why the United Farm Workers has taken matters into their own hands and sponsored AB 2346, the Farm Worker Safety Act (Butler). This bill will allow farm workers to be able to enforce mandatory shade and drinking water requirements by taking delinquent employers to court.  It will also make growers jointly liable along with farm labor contractors they hire   Take Action NOW:  Click here to show your support for AB 2346!

Right now 7 million U.S. kids have asthma and that number is rising every day. Limiting carbon pollution could cut down on smog, and on asthma attacks.  The proposed new carbon rule will reduce pollution by 123 billion pounds of carbon annually (Yes!  That's billion with a "B"). If the EPA is overwhelmed by the support the public shows for clean air, then they will likely recommend a much-needed, strong carbon rule for President Obama to sign. Take Action NOW:  Click here to sign the petition.

We need your help to beat back a new industry bill that would actually make things worse for consumers.  The Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012” was written by the Personal Care Products Council, a trade association that represents the big multinational cosmetic companies.  Even though it may sound like a step forward on the surface, the “fine print” inside the bill would allow industry to continue placing profits over public health.  Take Action NOW:  Contact Congress to demand meaningful reform that protects our health.

Monday's Action Checklist

Tell Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act!  In what marks their latest anti-woman position, Senate Republicans are prepared to vote against the Paycheck Fairness Act. This would provide a much-needed update to the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to make it fit our modern times.  At its core, this law enforces actions against employers who discriminate against an employee's compensation based on gender and it strengthens penalties for equal pay violations.  Take Action NOW:  Click here to sign the petition urging Congress to pass the bill.

You may have heard that throughout the country, states have adopted new barriers to voting, making it harder for Americans to exercise their rights at the ballot box.  Here in California, there is a bill (AB 1436) that allows eligible voters to register to vote on election day and the two weeks leading up to it. This allows voting to be open to any citizen who is eligible and willing to exercise this fundamental democratic right. States with Election Day Registration (EDR) lead the nation in voter turnout. With EDR, we too can increase voter participation.
Take Action NOW:  Click here to sign the petition urging state legislators to support AB 1436.

When 40 million Americans lack even a single paid sick day, that is a big problem for the health of our families and for the health of our economy.  Research shows that the costs of replacing workers, including advertising for, interviewing and training new employees often far outweighs the cost of retaining employees by offering paid sick days.  The Healthy Families Act (H.R. 1876, S. 984) would set an important national standard for paid sick days. Its passage would be a critical step toward meeting the health and economic security of working families.  Take Action NOW:  Click here to sign the petition urging Congress to pass H.R. 1876.

Monday's Action Checklist

This week we're all about legislation here in California.  We are spotlighting three bills authored by Holly Mitchell.

First up is AB 2348 which will allow registered nurses in community clinics to provide birth control under a standardized procedure. That makes perfect sense in today’s world, especially given the safety of birth control and its wide use. Access to birth control is a critical public health issue and an essential component of women's health care.  Millions of women have safely taken the pill since the FDA approved it back in 1960. By passing AB 2348, California will expand women’s access to reproductive services. While elected officials across the nation are passing laws to defund reproductive health services and restrict women’s access to reproductive care, California can continue to be a leader in expanding access to essential women’s health care services by passing this bill.

AB 2266 would create “health teams” – including social service and housing providers to offer coordinated care to frequent users.  This bill would transform our Medi-Cal system from a ‘treat the illness’ to a ‘treat the person’ approach.  Overwhelming data on supportive housing, which offers the type of services this bill would fund, show that AB 2266 could save Medi-Cal between $7,500-$29,000 per participant, per year.  Most importantly, it would save the lives of potentially thousands of Californians, getting people off the streets, out of hospitals and into decent, appropriate care.

AB 2015 (Calls for Kids) gives parents in California the ability to make arrangements for their child at the moment of an immigration raid or an arrest.  Imagine the parent who is arrested and wants to ensure their child is with a relative or friend, but is prevented from making a phone call.  Once separated, bringing families back together and avoiding legal separation becomes more difficult. It is more expensive for state and local governments when children are unnecessarily placed in the custody of child protective services or foster care. Let's take care of families at the point of arrest and save unnecessarily cost and heartache in the future.  Right now, Calls for Kids has been sent to the Suspense Fille.  Let's ask the bill's author, Holly Mitchell, what we can do to make sure children don't end up in child protective services if they have another option.

Take Action NOW:  Call Assemblymember Mitchell's office and ask how you can help: 916-319-2047