Progress Made in 2022 Towards Animal Welfare, Educational Equity, and Health Innovation

Michelson Center for Public Policy Successfully Advocated for Significant Policy Changes to Benefit Californians, Americans, and Animals 

“We are dedicated to making life less unfair for those less fortunate by removing systemic barriers and supporting innovation that increases access and improves lives. Our community partners, legislative and congressional leaders, along with Governor Newsom, helped bring forward fairness, opportunity, and inclusivity that will benefit all people.”  - Dr. Gary Michelson 

2022 has been a significant year of policy progress towards health innovation, animal welfare, and educational opportunity. We have worked together with our community partners, advocates, regulators, and elected officials to triumph over old systems and barriers to blaze new paths of inclusion, equity and opportunity. We have included our policy highlights and plan on sharing in future weeks a more in depth look on what these policy changes will mean towards improving our world.

Education, Equity, and Opportunity

Support for Student Parents Pursuing Higher Educational 

MCPP co-sponsored Assembly Bill 2881 by Assemblymember Marc Berman, which removes barriers student parents face at community colleges, California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC)  by providing them with priority registration, establishing a parenting student webpage for each campus, and increasing awareness around availability of the California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Signed by Governor Newsom, September 2022

Advocating for Effective Implementation of Zero Textbook Cost Program to HelpCommunity College Students

MCPP has served as a leading advocate before the California Community College Board of Governors for effective implementation of the historic $115 million investment made in the program to develop Zero-Textbook Cost (ZTC) degree pathways for associate degrees and career technical education certificate programs across California Community Colleges.Implementation of the program will be critical in  closing achievement  gaps and addressing current inequities,  creating a future where students and educators have access to free, high quality, accessible course materials. Read the op-ed by Dr. Gary Michelson and Michele Pilati from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges

Educational Opportunity for Justice-Involved Individuals

MCPP co-sponsored Senate Bill 990 by State Senator Ben Hueso that changes the residency requirements for people on parole and removes barriers to support the opportunity for these individuals to live, work or pursue vocational or higher education outside of the county where they resided prior to incarceration. Signed by Governor Newsom, September 2022

MCPP supported increased funding to the University of California of $4 million for the Underground Scholars Program in this year’s budget that will provide ongoing support to formerly incarcerated students. Underground Scholars helps create opportunities and removes barriers for incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and system impacted individuals to pursue higher education. Approved in FY 2022-23 Budget

Health Innovation 

Establishing the World-Class California Institute for Immunology & Immunotherapy (CIII): 

MCPP advocated and supported the allocation of $500 million over the next three budget years towards the establishment of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. The institute is co-founded by Dr. Michelson, and will be a multi-disciplinary research institute to harness and coordinate the extraordinary potential and accelerate the enormous health and economic benefits from immunology and immunotherapy. The California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy will maintain the state’s stature as the unquestioned global leader in biotechnology while accelerating the career pipeline for California students in these emerging fields. Approved in FY 2022-23 Budget

Animal Welfare 

Modernize Testing to Be Humane and Cruelty-Free

MCPP supported and advocated for a provision in the Food and Drug Agency Modernization Act that will modernize testing to be humane and more effective. The legislation allows pharmaceutical companies to submit alternatives to animal data in establishing the drug’s safety and effectiveness for the first time. These alternative methods may include cell-based assays, organ chips and microphysiological systems, sophisticated computer modeling, and other human biology-based test methods. Passed by the U.S. Senate in September 2022.

Pet-Inclusive Housing for All

MCPP supported Senate Bill 971 by State Senator Josh Newman, which increases the availability of pet-friendly housing for California’s low-income renters by expanding pet-inclusive policies for housing financed through the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program. Signed by Governor Newsom, September 2022

For more information, go to www.michelsonpolicy.org.