The California State Legislature and Governor Newsom have agreed on a record-setting $310 billion budget deal, meeting the June 27 deadline and concluding lengthy negotiations on several contentious issues.

The budget continues spending on many areas bolstered in recent years by the state’s surplus but managed to refrain from dipping into the state’s reserves despite a projected $35 billion revenue shortfall. It also avoids increasing or creating new taxes on individual Californians and businesses.

The CCC has been actively advocating and championing many budget items affecting women, children, and families that ultimately became part of the final deal.

In education, the CCC is excited about the continuation of the universal meal program that provides free meals for all students, a new literacy screening program for students to identify disabilities, including dyslexia, and the funding for all school sites to maintain at least two doses of naloxone, the emergency drug used to reverse opioid overdose. 

The new budget also clarifies that Foster Youth Tax Credit recipients cannot have their tax refunds intercepted for debt payments, something the CCC has actively supported. This will provide critical relief for low-income foster youth.

CCC joined coalitions to help the most vulnerable in the budget, resulting in $7 million annually in funding for services to survivors of human trafficking, ensuring family fees for subsidized childcare cannot be more than 1% of a family’s income, and raising the reimbursement rate for childcare providers to ensure they can stay open and serve California families

The final budget also includes roughly $380 million to reconstruct certain parts of San Quentin, which will revamp the prison into a Norwegian-style facility that focuses on job training and other programming to better prepare individuals for reentry in a way that reduces recidivism rates.

The budget includes $1 billion in grants to cities and counties to address homelessness and housing issues, one of Newsom’s cornerstone issues. 

In one of the more controversial issues, the State’s $54 billion investment in climate programs last year was slashed by $6 billion in the Governor’s May Revision of the budget. Legislators and the Governor settled on $51.6 billion for climate programs, about 95% of what the Governor asked for earlier in the year.

California Catholic Conference Executive Director Kathleen Domingo discusses the California pro-life fight one-year post-Dobbs with EWTN’s Montse Alvarado and Tennessee Catholic Conference’s Executive Director Rick Musacchio.

On June 24, the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, thirty-one Catholic members of Congress authored a public statement of principles, falsely invoking specific teachings of the Catholic Church to defend their support of a legal right to abortion.

The USCCB issued the following corrective statement in response:

“Members of Congress who recently invoked teachings of the Catholic faith itself as justifying abortion or supporting a supposed right to abortion grievously distort the faith. It is wrong and incoherent to claim that the taking of innocent human life at its most vulnerable stage can ever be consistent with the values of supporting the dignity and well-being of those in need. ‘Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception,’ including through the civil law [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2270, 2273]. Abortion violates this with respect to preborn children and brings untold suffering to countless women.

“Conscience rightly enjoys a special regard both in Church teaching and in the public sphere. And policymakers should support the freedom of Catholics and of others to serve the common good in accord with their beliefs in a wide range of areas – from services and assistance to recently arrived migrants, to offering health care and social services.

“Nevertheless, conscience is not a license to commit evil and take innocent lives. Conscience cannot and does not justify the act or support of abortion. In fact, conscience ‘must be informed and moral judgment enlightened’ with the Word of God in faith and prayer, and ‘guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church’ [CCC 1783, 1785]. Moreover, the reality that the preborn are our living sisters and brothers is not only a matter of faith, but is attested to by science and sound reason.

“We once again implore and pray for Congress to join us in working toward the true common good by prioritizing authentic, uplifting support for the vulnerable and marginalized, including mothers and families in need.”

Bishop Burbidge’s statement as pro-life committee chairman marking the anniversary of the Dobbs decision was released earlier this month and may be read here.

The Catholic bishops of California have pledged to unite our state’s life-affirming resources that accompany women, children, and families facing challenges during pregnancy and the early years of parenthood. Promoting the website and phone number connects women to healthcare, housing, and wellness resources in their communities throughout the state.

To celebrate the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, head over to Support Changes Everything to learn about the website and phone number that connects women to healthcare, housing, and wellness resources in their communities throughout the state.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was enacted nationwide Tuesday, requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant women and new mothers. CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo talks with NBC Bay Area’s Marianne Favro about how the new law benefits expectant mothers.