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Bishops Urge Continued Criminal Justice Reform by Opposing Prop 20
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California is a leader in correctional justice reform and the Church has been a strong voice in that effort. Recent reforms have produced many policies aimed at preparing incarcerated people to return safely and productively to the community while simultaneously expanding services to help crime victims heal and recover.
Proposition 20 on the November ballot will reverse that progress, threatening to return California's correctional system to the overcrowded, expensive, and revolving-door system of the past. For this reason, the California Catholic Conference is opposing Prop 20.
Problems in the old system were so severe that a federal judge took over control of inmate medical service at one point. California voters and lawmakers, however, began gradually reforming the system by enacting more than a dozen bills or ballot initiatives - such as Prop 47 (2014) and Prop 57 (2016) - that have prioritized local public safety programs over long prison sentences.
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Suicide Prevention and Mental Health
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September is National Suicide Prevention Month. There's no question that in addition to COVID-19, natural disasters, the economic downturn, and lifestyle changes like distance learning have created a great amount of anxiety. It's okay to not feel okay, and it's to talk to someone. The National Suicide Prevention hotline number is 1-800-273-8255. There is also a chat line available.
In addition, the State has a website devoted to emotional support during the pandemic and includes resources for those with anxiety, youth and teens, older Californians and those at risk for domestic abuse. Don't shoulder these burdens alone. Reach out today. |
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Take Action Now
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Oppose the Expansion of Abortion Access Through Midwives
California is among the few states that allows certified midwives to include abortion care under their scope of practice. California is one of only 12 states in the country where abortions are allowed by someone other than a licensed physician. Now AB 1237 allow abortions without even the supervision of a licensed physician. Ask your representative to protect women and the unborn by rejecting this increase to abortion access.
Oppose the Funding of Sex Changes
AB 2218 uses taxpayer dollars to fund nonprofits, hospitals, and health care clinics that provide transgender-identifying minors and adults with sterilizing transitioning drugs and surgeries. Tell your senator that in the middle of a budget, economic, and health crisis, AB 2218 should not be prioritized.
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Lawmakers Grapple with Eviction "Cliff"
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Governor Gavin Newsom and the California legislature are trying to find a solution to a wave of evictions that may begin early next month due to the economic impact of the pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic, the state's courts halted evictions temporarily but, earlier in the month, California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said that the court-imposed eviction ban would end on Monday, September 1. She rightly pointed out that it is up to the governor and legislature to address the issue and that the courts should not be involved for the long term.
One solution being discussed is AB 1436 (Chiu, D-San Francisco). Favored by housing activists, it disallows COVID-caused evictions by landlords or mortgage holders over a certain size until next year, shifting the risks to the landlords and mortgage holders. Such a move may be unconstitutional and is temporary at best.
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August 28, 2020
Vol. 13 No. 30
California Catholic Conference
En Español
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"If we take care of the goods that the Creator gives us, if we put what we possess in common in such a way that no one would be lacking, then we would truly inspire hope to regenerate a more healthy and equal world." @Pontifex
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FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP and GENERAL ELECTION RESOURCES
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