Check Out Our New Look!

The California Catholic Conference’s new logo and website are live!

Please take a moment to cruise our new website, which features new ways to track legislation, includes a newsroom for the stories and statements from the CCC, and defines our legislative priorities.

And for the latest, sign up for our Legislative Network and follow us on social media!

First Year of Two-Year Session Ends In Almost 900 New Laws for CA

The first year of the two-year legislative cycle wrapped up in mid-October, with Governor Newsom signing 890 new bills into law and vetoing 156. The new mandates will take effect Jan. 1, 2024.

The CCC tracked and monitored the more than 2,600 bills introduced this year. Many died in committee, others failed on the floor of the Senate or Assembly, while others were pulled for various reasons.

Of those that endured, the most notable successes for the CCC this legislative cycle included SB 4, which will make building affordable housing easier, faster, and cheaper on land owned by faith-based institutions and nonprofit colleges. With over 38,000 acres of land that falls into the space defined by this bill, this has the potential to make significant inroads in the reach for affordable housing in California.   

The CCC also proudly supported SB 14, which will classify the human trafficking of a minor as a serious felony and be included in California’s Three Strikes Law. SB 14 was initially killed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, but after vocal outcry from the CCC and other entities, the bill passed through both houses without a single dissenting vote.

The CCC also supported the signing of SB 2, which will prohibit carrying concealed weapons in sensitive spaces, including churches, as well as AB 1185, which establishes the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program that will provide grant funds to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of violent attacks or hate crimes due to ideology, beliefs, or mission.

The CCC also supported AB 1503 and SB 350, extending excused absences for religious retreats and bereavement services and resources, respectively.

The list of bills that were successfully defeated this year includes AB 957, which would have given weight to gender-affirming parents in custody disputes, and AB 1432, which would have provided out-of-state insurance coverage for abortion and gender transitions.

Legislative losses this year include SB 44, which would have required a person who is convicted of drug-related charges to receive a written advisory of the danger of manufacturing or distribution of controlled substances and that, if a person dies as a result of that action, the manufacturer or distributor can be charged with voluntary manslaughter or murder. The governor also signed SB 345, which makes California a sanctuary state for those seeking abortions or gender transitions.

Upcoming bills that were shelved by their authors this session but can be revived anytime during the next cycle include AB 710, AB 315, and AB 602, which all target pregnancy centers and their ability to communicate with patients.

The new legislative session commences in December, though most bills will be introduced after the new year. Be sure to visit the CCC’s refreshed legislative website for the latest news on bills in 2024.

November is Restorative Justice Month

Every November, the Catholic community comes together to learn, pray, and act on the ministry of Restorative Justice. International Restorative Justice Week will take place Nov. 19 – 25 this year, and the CCC Restorative Justice Committee, through its advocacy in legislation, education, and pastoral care, is dedicated to transforming our criminal justice system. This includes the reconciliation and healing of victims of crime and their families, prisoners and their families, and those who serve in the criminal justice system.

Today, people worldwide focus on a biblical form of justice that seeks healing and restoration. As believers, we reach out to all those affected — victims, family members, children, and the community, rather than just punishing the perpetrators.

Restorative Justice:

• Holds offenders accountable and challenges them to change their lives
• Reaches out to the victims and rejects revenge
• Restores a sense of community
• Opposes the violence that has engulfed much of our culture

Take the opportunity during International Restorative Justice Month to:

• Learn more about restorative justice, what the Church teaches, and what is being done in your parish or diocese to address this issue.
• Pray for all those affected by our criminal justice system to heal and find hope and forgiveness.
• Pray for our legislators to enact laws that truly restore our communities, heal our divisions, and respect the dignity of all people.
• Work at the local, state, and national levels to bring healing to the most needed places.

For additional information on restorative justice, available resources, and ways to make a difference, visit www.restorejustice.com.

USCCB Statement on Continued Violence in the Holy Land

WASHINGTON (October 27, 2023)  – In response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, renewed his call for peace.

“The war in the Holy Land is playing out in real-time before us with its mounting casualties, the growing humanitarian disaster, and the potential for violent regional and international escalation. The October 7 terrorist attacks of Hamas, which initiated this war, must be condemned. We renew the call for the release of hostages and protection of civilian populations. At the same time, we affirm continued efforts to allow humanitarian access, including corridors for those seeking safety, and urge Congress to provide support for relief efforts. As Pope Francis reminds the world, ‘War is always a defeat; it is a destruction of human fraternity.’

“We continue to pray for the victims caught in this cycle of violence as well as the regional and international actors who are being drawn into the conflict. We must not grow weary of offering our prayers and support for peace and justice for all concerned. A lasting solution respecting the rights, needs, and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians remains essential to these ends.

Hundreds gather at Christ Cathedral for funeral services of Bishop Tod D. Brown

About 1,500 people filled the pews Monday at the Christ Cathedral for the funeral Mass of the late Bishop Tod D. Brown, who led the Dioceses of Orange for more than a decade.

Brown shepherded the diocese during a period of great growth from 1998 until his retirement in 2012, including seeing its membership in the county double and making the decision to purchase the 35-acre cathedral campus in Garden Grove, which has since become the centerpiece of the diocese.

Brown died Oct. 15 at the age of 86. 

Members of the Knights of Columbus flanked Brown’s casket Monday morning as the rosary was recited in Vietnamese, English and Spanish – the three most-used languages of the diocese – and congregants began to fill the cathedral.