This story was reported for San Diego News Network on September 24, 2009.
California legislators are making headway when it comes to funding, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decided he wants to keep Healthy Families now. Here’s a recap of what’s happening at the state capitol.
Keeping kids healthy: Schwarzenegger signed a bill Tuesday allowing 670,000 children to stay insured under California’s Healthy Families program.
The Healthy Families program, which provides health care to 76,000 children in San Diego County, was initially proposed for elimination by Schwarzenegger in June. The proposal was then included in the Big 5 budget agreement reached in July. However, after seeing much opposition, particularly from the Democratic Caucus, Schwarzenegger’s thoughts changed.
Schwarzenegger directed the Health and Human Services Agency to work with other commissions in supplementing General Fund appropriations and keep Healthy Families alive. Had Healthy Families been eliminated, it would have saved the state roughly $366 million.
“I am proud that the legislature, health plans and health care advocates were able to come together and agree on an innovative solution to protect the health care of California’s most precious resource — our children,” Schwarzenegger said. “This bipartisan legislation means that hundreds of thousands of California children will continue to have access to health care coverage — without any new General Fund dollars. This shared solution is a great example of the type of options we should be considering in this economic time.”
Authored by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), AB 1422 provides $194 million in shared solutions to keep California children enrolled in Healthy Families, including:
• $80 million grant from the First Five Commission
• $14 million from modest increases in premiums and co-pays in the Healthy Families program
• $100 million from continuing an existing fee on Medi-Cal managed care plans
“In this tough year AB 1422 was an opportunity for us to do something together,” Bass said. “Helping keep 600,000 low-income children from losing their health care and thousands more from being stuck on a waiting list is an important and positive step. And with back to school season upon us and flu season on its way, this couldn’t have happened at a better time.”
UC walkout: Students, professors and other employees at the University of California’s 10 campuses are rallying to protest deep budget cuts that have led to layoffs, furloughs, course reductions and higher fees.
Rallies, teach-ins and class walkouts are expected during the system-wide protest Thursday, which is the first day of classes at eight of UC’s 10 campuses.
A union representing thousands of university technical employees is holding a one-day strike because they have been working without a contract for 18 months.
Protest organizers say they are angry about the university administration’s handling of the budget crisis.
UC officials say the fee hikes and job cuts are needed as the university grapples with a massive budget shortfall caused by an unprecedented reduction in funding.
Status on school race: California’s schools will soon be ready to “Race to the Top.”
Weeks ago, Schwarzenegger asked legislators to make three major changes to the state’s public school system so that California would qualify for educational funds from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funds under ARRA called “Race to the Top,” will give California’s public schools a much-needed boost particularly after the system saw major cuts in the July budget agreement.
Schwarzenegger asked the Senate and Assembly to change three sectors of California’s education system: take the cap off charter schools and allow for more to be built; allow students to attend schools outside of their districts and increase accountability and transparency for teachers.
On Tuesday, Bass, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) urged the Governor to sign SB 19, which was approved by both houses of the legislature earlier this month. The bill would delete existing language in state law that could be deemed by the federal government as preventing the use of pupil data in teacher assignment and evaluation. The goal is to make teachers more accountable.
“This law has drawn national attention,” Bass said. “President Obama, Education Secretary Duncan, Gov. Schwarzenegger and editorial boards up and down the state have called for repealing this law to allow California to apply for much-needed federal funds. The Legislature has listened and it has acted. We look forward to a signature on this bill so we can begin the next steps in school reform.”
Schwarzenegger has until Oct. 12 to act on the bill.
High-speed rail: California is on the high-speed route for more jobs, or so legislators hope.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s board of directors approved a grant application for federal stimulus dollars Wednesday and should the state garner the funds that could mean thousands of jobs for Californians and a faster transportation system throughout the state.
The board of directors approved submitting applications for $4.57 billion in Federal High-Speed Rail Stimulus Funding for 10 projects throughout the California HSR system. In addition, the board approved grant applications for six corridors which meet the conditions required for funding for preliminary engineering and environmental work. The corridors are: Los Angeles to San Diego, Los Angeles to Palmdale, Palmdale to Bakersfield, Merced to San Jose, Sacramento to Merced, and the Altamont. California also previously submitted an application for $1.1 billion for commuter rail projects.
In total, California is applying for $5.7 billion of the $8 billion of Federal Stimulus dollars available this year.
“California is the only state in the nation prepared to deliver a true high speed, 220 mile-per hour train system, which will guarantee ridership levels, and ensure the train’s profitability,” said Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani (D-Livingston), who pushed for the passage of the grant alongside Bass. “High-speed rail dollars will put Californians back to work and put California’s economy back on track toward a high-speed recovery. Further, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has now entered into memorandum with 5 countries throughout the world – Italy, Spain, France, Japan, and Germany, providing a consortium of expertise that will guarantee the projects’ success.”
Californians approved of the high-speed rail project last November by 52 percent.
Associated Press contributed to this report. Hoa Quach is the political editor for the San Diego News Network.