Inside this issue

• End of Session Legislative Report
• Webinar Series Celebrating 'Season of Creation'
• Catholic Labor Network Mass
• COVID-19 Hitting Hard in Facilities with Close Quarters

  End of Session Legislative Report  
 
California lawmakers worked right up to and past the midnight deadline of the two-year legislative session, which officially ended at midnight on August 31. Those bills that made it through both houses now sit on the Governor's desk until he either signs or vetoes each measure.
 
The CCC is closely monitoring the Governor's actions, and you can expect to see a variety of alerts from the Catholic Legislative Network to urge either a signature or veto. The Governor has 30 days to act on any bill that is sent to him.
 
The CCC is thrilled to report that our sponsored bill, SB 905 (Archuleta, D - Pico Rivera), which protects the privacy of volunteers, passed out of the Assembly and now awaits Governor Newsom's signature.  Please keep watch for an alert asking the Governor to sign this bill.
 
We are also pleased to report AB 2512 (Stone, D-Scotts Valley) passed. This bill updates the definition of "intellectual disability" to include conditions that manifest before the end of the development period as defined by clinical standards, which will benefit those with intellectual disabilities who are being charged or sentenced in the criminal justice system.

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  Webinar Series Celebrating 'Season of Creation'  
 
September 1 kicked off this year's month-long Season of Creation with Pope Francis offering a profound reflection on respect for the earth, its resources, the evils caused by man's greed and the need for "restorative justice" such as debt cancellation for poor countries. 
 
During this year's Season of Creation 2020, the Catholic Climate Covenant is hosting a five-part webinar series, "On the Common Good & Our Common Home," for U.S. Catholics to:
Understand how Catholic social teaching (CST) and creation care are essential to the fullness of faith and the Church's mission;
Facilitate courageous conversations about climate change and Catholic civic participation;
Apply Catholic Social Teaching, including creation care, to form one's conscience ahead of the 2020 elections.

Click here for more or to register.  

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  Catholic Labor Network Mass  
  The Catholic Labor Network is hosting its first annual live streamed Mass on Monday, September 7 at 2pm. The Mass will be hosted by Bishop John Stowe of the Lexington Diocese, who has spoken out boldly in defense of Catholic Social Teaching of unions and worker justice.
 
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops highlighted healing in our communities in this year's Labor Day statement.
 
God knows the challenges we face and the loss and grief we feel," the Bishops wrote. "The question to us is this: will we pray for and willingly participate in God's work healing the hurt, loss, and injustice that this pandemic has caused and exposed? Will we offer all we can to the Lord to "make all things new?"

Registration is required to view the event. Click here for more.  

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  COVID-19 Hitting Hard in Facilities with Close Quarters  
 
While California continues to try to keep COVID-19 cases down by reducing or shuttering certain industries, essential workplaces and facilities that operate with large populations in close quarters are seeing large numbers of infections. While some measures have been mandated to ensure safety, unclear directions or failure to comply with safety measures have resulted in outbreaks.
 
Farm workers have been especially hard hit and meat packing and other food packaging facilities have become hotspots for the virus. Foster Farms has temporarily stopped operations at its poultry plant in Livingston after close to 400 employees reported positive and seven workers died. Similar outbreaks have happened at other facilities throughout the country.

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September 4, 2020
Vol. 13 No. 31

California Catholic Conference

 En Español

"Today we hear the voice of creation admonishing us to return to our rightful place in the natural created order - to remember that we are part of this interconnected web of life, not its masters. #SeasonOfCreation" @Pontifex

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