Weigh in on Legislation

Contact Governor Brown about bills being considered in legislative session. Legislation is sent to the Governor on September 9, he has until October 9 to sign or veto bills. At press time, legislators were deciding on the following bills.

Legislation updated on 10-5-11

Health

• School lunch AB 402 (Skinner) would allow counties to contact eligible families about food stamps (CalFresh) if their children qualify for the school lunch program. This would make it easier for families to find out about food stamps.

• Limit Bisphenol-A AB 1319 (Butler) would limit the amount of bisphenol-A allowed in baby bottles, infant formula, and baby food. Over 200 studies document the negative health impacts of BPA on children. Signed into law by the Governor.

• Lead jewelry SB 646 (Pavley) would require that jewelry be certified as having less than the legal limits for cadmium or lead. Lead can cause learning and behavior problems in young children. Signed into law by the Governor.

• Healthy food finance initiative: AB 581 (Pérez) would set up an initiative to expand access to healthy food in underserved communities. This would help address obesity and diabetes epidemics in low-income communities and communities of color.

• Simplified health insurance application process: AB 1296 (Bonilla) would establish streamline application procedures for state health insurance coverage. This would make the application process easier for families.

More information Western Center on Law and Poverty, 916-442-0753; First 5 Association, 510-526-9999; California State PTA, 916-440-1985

School

• Bullying prevention AB 1156 (Eng) would encourage schools to include bullying prevention in school safety plans. Would also require the state provide bullying prevention training to schools. This would help schools better recognize and prevent bullying— making school environments safer for children.

• After school programs licensing SB 737 (Walters) would allow After School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Programs to operate up to 60 hours a week without a license or permit. Supporters say this would help make sure children have access to afterschool programs. Opponents say afterschool programs should be licensed to make sure they provide a safe environment.

More information California Afterschool Network, 530-754-7422; CA PTA, 916-440-1985

Child Care and Development

• Family child care unions: AB 101 (Pérez) would have allowed family child care providers to unionize if they receive state subsidies to care for children from low-income families. This would also have applied to some family, friends, and neighbor caregivers (license-exempt providers) who receive subsidies for the children in their care. Starting in 2014, unionized child care providers would have been able to negotiate with the state for higher reimbursement rates for the subsidized care they provide. Vetoed by the Governor.
  
  Supporters say low wages, limited benefits, delayed and reduced subsidy payments have forced providers to leave the profession. This limits working families’ access to child care. Studies link higher wages and benefits for providers to reduced turnover and better quality care. Being part of a union would also give providers and families a stronger voice to speak out for the children they serve. But advocates also say some providers may decide not to join a union—and stop accepting children with child care subsidies—which could reduce families’ access to care.

2011-12 State Budget Aftermath

The final state budget rescinded many of the previous cuts to child care and Cal-WORKs programs. This means the state did not raise parent fees, did not eliminate child care for 11- and 12-year-olds, and did not reduce child-only CalWORKs grants.

However, families will still see higher premiums for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families—and the state made deeper cuts to funding for these programs. The state also requires First 5 Commissions send $950 million in to the state. First 5 is funded through a tobacco tax and provides early education, health, and parent support programs around the state. “This [change] forces Commissions to make drastic cuts to their programs,” says Brad Strong of Children Now. Several Commissions are challenging this change in court.

The budget changed how child care funding is allocated—a major policy change that removes this funding from the “Prop. 98 funding guarantee.” Prop. 98 sets the state’s minimum funding level for schools, and previously included child care. Prop. 98 has helped maintain funding for child care programs. This change could set the stage for “even more dire cuts [to child care] in coming years, which will have a huge impact on families,” says Strong. State preschool and the After School Education and Safety Program will still be covered by the Prop. 98 guarantee.

Sources: California Budget Project, Child Development Policy Institute, Children Now

Help Shape Healthy School Policies

Action Get involved in your district’s school wellness committee to help make sure children have access to healthy food and activities at school.

Background “Parent involvement in school wellness policy is key to promoting healthy foods and healthy activities at schools,” says Peggy Agron, chief of California Project LEAN.

School wellness committees in each district set goals for physical activity, nutrition guidelines for foods and beverages available at school, nutrition education, and wellness-related activities. Wellness committees often include district and school staff, parents, students, and community members.

Parents involved in school wellness committees have made important changes in California schools, according to a California Project LEAN report.

• In the Los Angeles Unified School District, a parent involved with the school wellness committee helped identify ways that cafeterias could improve the way they serve meals. The district took action to reduce the stigma associated with free and reduced-price meals, improve the foods being served, and involve students in the process.

• At Monterey Elementary School, a parent mobilized others to work with the principal and district food service to get a salad bar and more variety offered at meals.At Alamosa Park Elementary, a parent helped organize a week of healthy activities and a jog-a-thon fundraiser. She also offered weekly healthy tips and classroom presentations about healthy food and nutrition.

Congress recently strengthened requirements for school wellness committees as part of the December 2010 legislation that reauthorized federal funding for child nutrition programs. Now districts have more criteria about following through with school wellness plans and also about involving the community and parents, says Kumar Chandran of California Food Policy Advocates.

Studies show that healthy, fit, wellnourished children perform better in school, concentrate better, and have less disruptive behavior. Children get a significant part—sometimes the majority— of their daily intake food at school. California schools with strong physical activity programs have also seen children do better on math and reading tests.

Get involved with your district’s school wellness committee—contact the district’s District Food Service or Child Nutrition Director.

More information California Project LEAN, 916-552-9907, www.californiaprojectlean.org/doc.sp?id=168&parentid=20

Free Lead Screening for Artificial Grass

If your school, child care center, playground, or home had artificial grass (also called artificial turf) installed before 2008, it may contain high levels of lead. Lead can cause learning disabilities and behavior problems, particularly in young children.

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is partnering with California's Attorney General to offer free lead screening for artificial grass samples. If samples have high levels of lead, CEH will advise administrators on how to reduce children's exposure.

Some facilities may be eligible to have turf replaced as part of a court settlement between CEH, the Attorney General, and three turf companies (AstroTurf, Field Turf, and Beaulieu). The court settlement also limits the amount of lead in new artificial grass.

More information Contact CEH, 510-655-3900, www.ceh.org/turf