California Legislators Debate the Fate of Hundreds of Measures

The California Legislative Session will officially end at midnight on September 13 and bills are moving at a frantic pace in the Capitol Building as lawmakers hurry to get their bills passed before the deadline.

Numerous bills that the CCC has been tracking have made major moves. Some have fast-tracked their way to the floors of the chambers while others have now become two-year bills.

There are several life and dignity bills that the CCC is closely watching including SB 24, the bill that would make chemical abortions available on college campuses is on the Assembly floor; AB 922, the bill that would compensate women for providing their oocytes; and SB 29 would expand Medi-Cal to undocumented individuals who are 65 years or older.

The Network distributed an Action Alert on SB 24 earlier this week. (See next story.)

AB 809 (Santiago, D-Los Angeles) which would provide expectant parents with their rights through Title IX programs now sits on the Governor's desk. Thank you to all who worked in supporting that bill. Watch for an Action Alert on AB 809 next week. We would like to give the Governor some extra encouragement to sign this bill quickly.

(Look for details, analysis and committee votes on all the bills mentioned in this article on our Legislative Page.)

Oppose Abortion Medication for Colleges Bill Now

SB 24 Abortion by medication techniques (Leyva, D-Chino) mandates that the on-campus health centers of public universities in California offer abortion-inducing drugs like RU-486. Governor Brown vetoed a similar bill (SB 320) last year. Yet proponents keep bringing up the same measure with no significant changes and with no new evidence to support their position.

SB 24 also invites health centers to offer abortion counseling services to students but is specifically written in such a way to exclude pro-life counseling. This bill fails to allow students the opportunity to know any option other than abortion.

Besides the moral significance of this bill, SB 24 puts the health of college women at risk because college health centers will not have adequate resources to support them as they should. The bill also requires the State Treasurer to accept donations and administer a private abortion promotion fund. After the funding runs out in 2023, the cost will either go to taxpayers or the college students through their school's mandatory student fees.

The state of California should not be encouraging or funding abortions at all. SB 24 is now up for a vote in the California Assembly.

Let your Assembly Member know there is no need for these services on campus and that you oppose this one-sided bill. Where is the assistance for women who want to choose to keep their babies? Why have the legitimate concerns of college health providers been ignored?

Ask your Assembly Member for their NO vote on SB 24.

Change to Public Charge Rule to Undermine Families

On August 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule that will have negative consequences for families accessing critical public benefits for which they otherwise qualify. The rule is currently set to take effect on October 15, pending several court challenges that could delay or even halt implementation.

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin, TX and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of Venice, FL and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, expressed their strong opposition to the new rule declaring: "This rule will undermine family unity and lead many lawful immigrants to forgo vital assistance, including enrollment in nutrition, housing, and medical programs."

For more detailed information about the rule, we also encourage you to review the USCCB-CCUSA backgrounder (in English/en Español).

USCCB Holding Respect Life Program Webinar

The USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities is holding a Respect Life Program webinar on Thursday, September 12 at 2:30 p.m. EST for all parishes regarding changes to this year's materials.

The webinar will walk through the new resources and include a live Q&A at the end.

Click here to register.

September 6, 2019

Vol. 12, No. 24

En Español

Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts

As Hurricane Dorian continues its trek up the Eastern seaboard, Catholic Charities USA has begun relief efforts to help counter the destruction the storm has left it its path. The devastation is especially bad in the hard-hit Bahamas where some 60,000 people need food and supplies. On Grand Bahama Island, 60 percent of the island is now underwater, including the airport, making rescue and aid efforts difficult.

Catholic Charities USA is accepting donations and will be dispersing the funds to local agencies on the ground assisting those affected by this storm.

Click here for a list of dioceses who are accepting funds for relief services.

Thursday was the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Kolkata!

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