Education and Equity

Zero-Textbook Cost Program

California made a historic $115 million investment in the FY21 state budget to develop Zero-Textbook Cost (ZTC) degree pathways for associate degrees and CTE certificate programs across California Community Colleges (CCC). The ZTC program will create a future where students and educators have access to high quality, accessible, and free course materials. The Board of Governors is now considering how best to disperse these funds and implement the program.

Underground Scholars State Budget Allocation

MCPP supported increased funding for the Underground Scholars Program. The FY22-23 budget allocated $4 million ongoing for UC to provide support to formerly incarcerated students. Underground Scholars help create opportunities and remove barriers for incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and system impacted individuals into higher education. Budget was signed July 2022.

SB 990 (Hueso) -Corrections: County of Release

MCPP is a co-sponsor of SB 990 which will create new opportunities for system-impacted individuals to access higher education and vocational training. If signed into law, it would remove barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals who are on parole the opportunity to live, work or pursue an education outside of the county where they previously resided prior to incarceration. SB 990 is pending at the Governor’s Desk.

AB 2881 (Berman) - Public Postsecondary Education: Students with Dependent Children

MCPP is a sponsor of AB 2881 which will remove barriers student parents face at community colleges, CSUs, and UCs by providing student parents with priority enrollment, establish a student parent webpage at each campus, and increase awareness for the opportunity to take advantage of the California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. AB 2881 is pending at the Governor’s Desk.

Medical Research

California Institute of Immunology & Immunotherapy (CIII) Budget Allocation

MCPP supported the allocation of $500 million over the next three budget years towards the establishment of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII). This 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. CIII will maintain California’s stature as the unquestioned global leader in biotechnology while accelerating the career pipeline for California students in these emerging fields. Budget was signed by the Governor in July 2022.

FDA Modernization Act

The FDAMA includes provisions that will modernize testing to be humane and more effective. It will allow pharmaceutical companies for the first time to submit alternatives to animal data in establishing the drug’s safety and effectiveness. These alternative methods may include cell-based assays, organ chips and micro-physiological systems, sophisticated computer modeling, and other human biology-based test methods. Passed by the U.S. Senate in September 2022.

Animal Welfare

SB 971 (Newman) - Housing: Household Pets

SB 971 will increase 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. SB 971 was signed by the Governor in September 2022.

SB 513 (Hertzberg) - Homeless and Domestic Violence Shelters Grants: Pets and Veterinary Services

SB 513 creates a permanent grant program through the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to provide shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets owned by people experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence. SB 513 was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 11, 2022.

H.R. 8514 (Schiff, Huffman, DelBene, Feinstein) - Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act of 2022

The Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act was introduced in July 2022 and would end the future capture and breeding of whales for public display. H.R. 8514 was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Agriculture.

H.R. 5828 (Schiff) - Pets Belong with Families Act

H.R. 5828 introduced in November 2021 prohibits public housing agencies from imposing breed restrictions on pets owned by residents of public housing units. Under the bill, public housing agencies can restrict the ownership of dangerous animals based on specific behaviors or actions of the animal, but prohibits the classification of dangerous by breed. H.R. 5828 was referred to the Committee on Financial Services.