Jewish Caucus Announces 2021 Priority Bill Package

Jewish Caucus Announces 2021 Priority Bill Package
Legislation Advances Major Jewish Community Priorities Including Addressing Hate Crimes and Strengthening Holocaust Education; Caucus Also Unveils “Tikkun Olam Agenda” To Uplift Vulnerable Californians of All Backgrounds

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the Chair and Vice Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, announced the Caucus’ 2021 legislative priorities. Selected by the membership, the legislative package includes four Jewish Caucus Priority Bills, which address key Jewish community priorities, as well as a slate of nine Tikkun Olam Bills, which speak to core Jewish values, including tzedek (justice) and ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha (loving the stranger as yourself).

“During these challenging times, the Jewish Caucus is focused on addressing our community’s top priorities while also working to uplift vulnerable Californians of all backgrounds through our Tikkun Olam agenda,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who serves as Assembly Majority Whip and Chair of the Jewish Caucus. “This year, we are proudly bringing our Jewish values into the policymaking process and working closely with allies in other communities to address issues like hate crimes, Holocaust education, homelessness, mental health, and access to justice. Through our legislative work and budget advocacy, we are firmly committed to ensuring that the Jewish community has a seat at the table and a voice in policymaking process.”

“We’re proud to unveil our third annual Tikkun Olam bill package alongside our package of hate crimes legislation,” said Senator Scott Wiener, Vice Chair of the Jewish Caucus. “By supporting these bills, we state loudly and clearly that these issues are Jewish issues. Housing access, addressing food insecurity, criminal justice reform, and environmentalism directly affect people in our community and align with our values. We will continue to fight for the vulnerable because we know that true justice means the liberation of all people.”

Jewish Caucus Priority Legislation

AB 57 (Gabriel): Assembly Bill (“AB”) 57 would implement recommendations from the State Auditor to better prevent, respond to, and document hate crimes in California, including improved training for law enforcement and stronger guidance, outreach, data collection, and reporting by the California Department of Justice. This bill is supported by major Jewish groups throughout the state, including JPAC, ADL, AJC, Hadassah, Jewish Federations, and the California Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism.

AB 587 (Gabriel): AB 587 would require social media platforms to publicly disclose their content moderation practices regarding online hate, disinformation, extremism, and harassment. This bill sponsored by the ADL, and is supported by numerous Jewish and civil rights groups including JPAC, AJC, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Armenian Assembly of America, California Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Israeli-American Civic Action Network, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

AB 1126 (Bloom): AB 1126 would establish the California Commission on the State of Hate & Violent Extremism, to monitor current trends relative to hate crimes and violent extremism and make policy recommendations to the Legislature, Governor, and relevant state agencies and departments. This bill is supported by major Jewish and civil rights groups, including JPAC, Hadassah, Equality California, and Jews United for Democracy & Justice.

SB 693 (Stern): Senate Bill (“SB”) 693 would strengthen Holocaust and genocide education and awareness by establishing the Governor’s Council on Genocide and the Holocaust Education, which will promote resources for teacher training and approve best practices to be utilized in the classroom. This bill is supported by numerous Jewish organizations, including JPAC, ADL, Hadassah, Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center, and the USC Shoah Foundation.

Tikkun Olam Legislation

Tikkun Olam, or “Repairing the World,” is the Jewish notion that we bear responsibility not only for our own material welfare, but also for the wellbeing of society at large. This package reflects efforts to advance that notion and bring our Jewish values into the policymaking process.

ACA 2 (Levine): ACA 2 would provide voters with the opportunity to amend the California Constitution to eliminate the death penalty. If approved by 2/3 of the Legislature, ACA 2 would appear on the November 2024 ballot.

AB 775 (Berman): AB 775 would establish a Basic Needs Coordinator on each community college campus to help low income, homeless, and food insecure students more easily access basic services.

AB 988 (Bauer-Kahan): AB 988 would create a new three-digit phone line, 988, for suicide prevention and an immediate, localized emergency response for individuals in mental health crisis by trained mental health professionals.

AB 1020 (Friedman): AB 1020 would strengthen state enforcement and oversight of the Hospital Fair Pricing Act, provide patients with more information about how to apply for charity care, and increase eligibility for financial assistance for low-income patients.

SB 54 (Allen): SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, aims to reduce plastic waste and pollution at its source and to require producers to only use packaging material that can achieve a recycling rate of 75%.

SB 73 (Wiener): SB 73 would repeal mandatory minimum sentences for persons convicted of specified nonviolent drug offenses and provide judges with the discretion to grant probation. This bill is a step toward ending mass incarceration and the failed war on drugs, which has devastated California families and significantly impacts our state budget. SB 73 will not change the maximum penalty or sentencing enhancements.

SB 344 (Hertzberg): SB 344 would establish a permanent grant program for shelters providing shelter, food, and basic veterinary services for pets of individuals experiencing homelessness.

SB 355 (Becker): SB 355 would expand access to justice by increasing the number of low-income Californians who automatically qualify for court fee waivers.

SB 446 (Glazer): SB 446 would open pathways for the wrongly convicted to be fairly compensated for time spent unjustly in prison.

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