Here in California, there are many hurdles to overcome before a bill becomes a law. One of the more significant is what the Appropriations Committees in each chamber refer to as the “suspense hearing” – a critical opportunity to win the approval of those closest to the state budget. This hearing is quiet yet definitive, a moment where many bills die for reasons having nothing to do with the actual merit of the policy.
That’s why we were thrilled to learn that three bills JBAY has sponsored or supported this year cleared suspense a few weeks ago, advancing efforts to make college more affordable, housing more stable, and increase state and county accountability for the wellbeing of youth who have been in foster care or experienced homelessness.
Here are more details about each of these pieces of proposed legislation:
- AB 2251, authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (D-San Fernando Valley) and sponsored by JBAY, would require colleges and universities to be more transparent about how they calculate “Cost of Attendance” (COA) budgets. Schools would also need to better inform students about opportunities to adjust those budgets, a measure that would prevent students from having to turn down vital financial aid.
- AB 2162, authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by JBAY, would strengthen California’s Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program. The bill would raise the program’s age limit to 28, aligning it with federal Housing Choice Voucher eligibility for former foster youth, and establish county reporting on voucher capacity to raise local and state awareness of resources.
- SB 1421, authored by Senate Pro Tem Emeritus Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) and supported by JBAY, would improve state and county accountability for outcomes among older foster youth by adding new measures to the California Child and Family Services Review.
From this point, Assembly Bills 2251 and 2162 are awaiting a full Assembly vote, while SB 1421 awaits a Senate vote. If passed, the bills will move to the second house, and if successful there, to the Governor’s desk where he has until September 30th to sign or veto.
Our JBAY team and legislative partners are now busy shoring up support among Assembly and Senate members and providing additional information to those who may be undecided. We’re mobilizing youth who can speak to the benefits of each bill and sharing our research and insights to build broader momentum.
We encourage you to get involved by learning more about these and other bills sponsored by JBAY here. We thank you for your unwavering belief in us and, more importantly, in each of the young people we exist to serve.