Newsom Releases May Budget Revision

Gov. Gavin Newsom released his revised $288 billion budget proposal last week for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The new plan addresses the state’s $44.9 billion deficit by eliminating vacant state jobs and making steep cuts to spending on programs championed by the governor and the legislature in the last few years. 

Last month, an agreement between the governor and state legislature reduced the deficit by $17 billion through spending cuts, delays, and internal borrowing tricks. Newsom now proposes closing the rest of the gap through similar approaches, including withdrawing $12.2 billion from the state’s reserve fund, to be spent over the next two years. 

While the spending plan would protect many commitments made in prior years, it also includes cuts and delays to programs and services, including homeless housing, climate change, health care, services for the disabled and undocumented, and funding cuts for CSU and UC facilities. 

The plan now includes $260 million in cuts to Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention grants, which cities and counties use to pay for homeless services. This is a departure from his initial budget in January, which only delayed payment to the 2025-2026 fiscal year. 

The budget also delays an expansion to SNAP, the state’s food assistance program, for two years. 

Youth behavioral health is slated for $72.3 million in cuts this year, followed by $348.6 million next year, and $5 million the following year for school mental health partnerships, including services, grants, education, and youth suicide reporting and crisis response.

Childcare slots are being held at their current level, indefinitely pausing the planned expansion for low-income families. 

Lawmakers have until June 15 to pass a balanced budget or forgo their pay. 

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage 

Join us for a walking procession to the Cathedral in Sacramento.

May 22, 2024

Day Two continues at River Walk Park in West Sacramento with a Eucharistic Procession across the Tower Bridge to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento.

Start Location:

Sutter Health Park, 400 Ballpark Dr, West Sacramento, CA 95691

End Location:

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, 1019 11th St, Sacramento, CA 95814

Parking Available at Sutter Health Park, 400 Ballpark Dr, West Sacramento, CA 95690

Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento

Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Reynaldo Bersabal as auxiliary bishop of Sacramento. 

Bishop-elect Bersabal is a priest of the Diocese of Sacramento and currently serves as pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi parish in Midtown Sacramento. 

“But just like St. Paul, it is only with God's grace, and for the sake of and from the knowledge of the Gospel, that we can draw people to Christ. This is where I find exuberance and gratification - in serving and walking alongside people in their life’s journey. My priestly ministry makes for a gratifying and fulfilling avenue to serve the sick and the needy, to celebrate the sacraments, and to accompany people in their journey of discernment. All these, I vow to perform with honor and unapologetic love,” said Bishop-elect Bersabal. 

Newsom Has Audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican 

Gov. Newsom spoke at the three-day Vatican Climate Summit this week, an event organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

At the “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience” summit, Governor Newsom spoke before other governors, mayors, and civic and faith leaders from around the globe, touting California’s nation-leading efforts on clean energy. 

While in Vatican City, the Governor and First Partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, also had an audience with Pope Francis. His Holiness acknowledged California’s leadership on the climate crisis and the state’s moratorium on the death penalty while the Governor thanked the Pope for his advocacy on climate. 

The Pope, Governor Newsom, and other leaders signed a Planetary Compact aimed at accelerating global efforts to combat the climate crisis and build climate resilience.

Legislative Updates 

ICYMI: Assisted-Suicide Expansion Bill SB 1196 Pulled by Author

SB 1196, the assisted suicide expansion bill, was pulled from the Senate Health Committee by the author for lack of support last month. This means the bill is dead and will not move forward this year and the bill is dead. 

Thank you for keeping the pressure on through action alerts, phone calls, and legislative visits! Your efforts truly made a difference and put such overwhelming pressure on the committee that it was reluctant to even give it a hearing. 

Fate of CCC Catholic Advocacy Month Bills

• SB 1414 which makes purchasing a child for sex a felony, passed the appropriations committee unanimously with as of yet unknown amendments and is headed to the Senate floor. 
• Sadly, both AB 1968, which would have auto-enrolled Seniors for CalFresh and AB 2160 the California Women’s Care Act, were held in the appropriations committee due to cost. 
• SB 1001, making people with intellectual disabilities ineligible for the death penalty, is waiting to be voted on the Senate Floor next week. 
• AB 369, which allows high schools to partner with community colleges for dual enrollment of high school students, is in the Senate awaiting an Education Committee policy hearing - hopefully, in June. 

Age Verification for Pornography Sites Passes

AB 3080, the bill to require age verification of pornography sites, passed the Assembly floor this week. This is noteworthy, and part of a huge bipartisan shift we’re noticing in the legislature towards protecting children online from addiction, drugs, mental health impacts, and harmful content. The very progressive chair of the Privacy Committee spoke eloquently on the floor in support of the bill.

Visit our Alerts page for the latest on ways you can support our legislative efforts. 

Celebrate National Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month is a time to acknowledge the 463,000 American children and youth in foster care and the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections.

National Foster Care Month is being celebrated with a campaign recognizing the vital role that members from all parts of child welfare play in supporting children, youth, and families. This year’s theme is “Strengthening Minds. Uplifting Families.” This highlights the need to take a holistic and culturally responsive approach to support the mental health needs of those involved with child welfare.

There are a variety of resources, stories, and outreach tools to help you become involved in supporting foster care and ways you can spread awareness at the State and local levels. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In their 2018 pastoral statement on mental health, the California Conference of Bishops encouraged all "to encounter our brothers and sisters who struggle with mental illness. Even those who do not have serious mental health problems can, to some extent, understand the experience of those who do: for not one of us is entirely free from periods of anxiety, emotional distress, troubling or intrusive thoughts, or strong temptations."

You will find links to PDFs of the statement in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and a study/discussion guide for small groups to reflect on the document here. 

The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers also has valuable training, resources, and prayers.