SACRAMENTO – California’s Legislative Black Caucus’ legislative package introduced earlier this year as a result of the State of Black California Report, moved to the next stage of the legislative process. The 15 piece package, which focus was to address the disparity gaps outlined in the report, included legislation on the five key index areas including Economics, Education, Housing, Corrections and Rehabilitation and Health.

The five bills that moved to the opposite house included:

• AB 428: Access to A-G Curriculum – Assemblymember Wilmer Carter (Inland Empire)
  Ensures parents and students receive notification in writing, prior to class registration each high school semester, a list of “A-G” courses offered by the high school as well as the student’s progress towards fulfilling the “A-G” core curriculum

• AB 658: Homicide Study – Assemblymember Karen Bass
  Requires a study to examine the disproportionate rate of African American male homicide throughout the state focusing in the inner city to form the development of pilot programs in Los Angeles and Oakland

• AB 741: Infant Mortality Reduction Strategies – Assemblymember Karen Bass
  Develops pilot programs based in Los Angels and Oakland to address infant mortality among African-Americans

• AB 1025: Lift bans to employment for ex-offenders under the Business & Professions Code – Assemblymember Karen Bass (Los Angeles)
  Eliminates statutory restrictions to employment for former felons

• SB 765: Integrated Neighborhood Renewal Project – Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (Los Angeles)
  Provides comprehensive services such as law enforcement, health, education, housing, and economic development to in order to increase community development

• AB 1454: Curriculum Alignment – Assemblymember Laura Richardson (Long Beach)
  Aligns state academic curriculum content standards with state performance standards; requires the State Board of Education to conduct a review process and make revisions in consultation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Four additional bills were made into two-year bills and will be heard next year. These bills, which need more time to develop include:

• AB 232: The Economic Opportunity Initiative – Assemblymember Curren Price (Los Angeles)
  Develops a statewide action plan to revitalize low-income neighborhoods in California by utilizing an integrated business, homeownership and workforce investment strategy

• AB 491: Improve Pupil to Counselor Ratio – Assembly Wilmer Amina Carter
  Increases number of college counselors at the secondary school level
  
  
• AB 868: Vocational Inmate Labor – Assemblymember Mike Davis
  Provides vocational training, linked to prominent industries, for inmates while they are incarcerated

• AB 1422: Down Payment Assistance Agency – Assemblymember Mike Davis (Los Angeles)
  Establishes the Home Down Payment Assistance Agency

“This package was a good start as we address the disparity gaps that exist for Blacks throughout the whole state,” states Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass, vice chair of the Caucus. “These issues were a real concern of ours as legislators as well as for the black residents. Our goal is to develop ways to eliminate the gaps in order to move one step closer to improving the lives of Black Californians.”

Bass adds that the focus will continue on moving the legislation through the process as well as mobilizing the statewide alliance, which was created during the development of the State of Black California report and work together on developing and implementing solutions.
 
The State of Black California Report provides a snap shot of blacks in California. The report was the result of a one-year research project that included qualitative and quantitative data collection measuring the status of the state’s black population relative to whites and other ethnic and racial groups. The nine-member Caucus, largest delegation in the state’s history, commissioned the report in order to develop a public policy agenda for the Caucus that would improve the lives of Black Californians.

The quantitative data was compiled by using an Equality Index, an objective tool to compare the degree to which blacks enjoy equal conditions relative to those of whites and other ethnic groups. The Index measured the overall wellbeing using a single index to represent performance on a number of economic, housing, health, education, criminal justice and civic engagement outcomes. Whites are used as the baseline group in calculating the Index with a constant score of 1.00. The overall index results reveal an index score for blacks in California of .69. The index scores for blacks fare below that of whites in each index measured.   
  
The community was also involved in the data collection process. Last year, the Caucus hosted community town hall meetings with hundreds of residents in the Inland Empire, San Diego and Sacramento. Caucus members had the opportunity to listen to the issues that affect the black population in the different regions. Residents described positive aspects as well as challenges faced by the black population in their region.

A copy of the State of Black California Report can be downloaded at http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a47/stateblack.htm