2015 Policy Priorities

Vision y Compromiso’s network of promotores prioritize three policy areas that have an expansive impact on the communities they support, the families they work with, and the work that they do: Health, Education, and Immigration. Within each of these priority areas, the promotores narrow in on issues that directly correlate to the needs of the Latino population.

  • Health
    Promotores firmly believe that access to health care is a basic human right; that no one should be denied care, health coverage or medical services because of income, health or immigration status. Promotores are long time supporters of single payer and believe that health care should be accessible to everyone and not solely reliant on the ability to afford health insurance.
  • Education
    Parents are at times challenged by the educational system both at the state and local level whether it be grading systems, requirements for grade progression, student and parent expectations, or helping their child get into college. To support a parents ability to provide their child the support needed to succeed in school, promotores support legislative policies that call for methods to increase parental involvement as well as support for student achievement.
  • Immigration
    In is a known fact that immigrants are the architects of our country and their contribution continue to this day. Promotores are at the heart of this reality and so continue to fight for immigrant rights and common sense policies at both the federal, state and local levels.

2015 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

In 2015, promotores of Vision y Compromiso selected legislative bills from among their self-identified platform of Health, Education and Immigration. Promotores selected four legislative bills from this year that reflect the interests of promotores across California.

  1. Health—SB 4 (Lara) Health for All
    Status: Signed into law
    SB 4 began as a bill calling for extending the state’s health care program—Medi-Cal for all immigrants regardless of immigration status, as well as an option for undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance coverage through the state’s health insurance exchange program—Covered California. Citing financial challenges, the state approved funding to provide health care for undocumented children 0-19 years of age. The program is scheduled to begin in May 2016.
  2. Education—AB 891 (Campos) Student Excellence Act
    Status: Failed in Committee
    Students need support for all their academic endeavors. AB 891 would have provided public transportation to students who wish to participate in after school activities. Whether it be sports, clubs, tutoring or other activities after regular school hours, students who are transported during the regular school day should be able to receive transportation to participate in school campus activities that enhance their educational experience. Issues of safety and security traveling home in the evening should never be a factor that prevents them from enjoying academic or sporting programs.
  3. Education—AB 734 (Kim) Parent Empowerment
    Status: Failed in Committee
    When parents are involved in their child’s education they are continuously encouraged and supported. However, when parents call for change in a school’s program through a petition drive their demands should not be disregarded. Parents have experienced frustration to bring an issue to the attention of a campus administration through a petition process only to have it ignored or dismissed. Moreover such an experience discourages parents from getting involved with their students’ academic careers. AB 734 would have provided parents the option to have their petition addressed by the school board of the campus they are petitioning.
  4. Immigration–AB 60 (Gonzalez) Immigration Services: Fraud Prevention
    Status: Passed into Law
    To close a loophole from AB 1159, a 2013 bill signed into law, AB 60 will provide further consumer protections to immigrants applying for programs under President Obama’s executive order. AB 60 prevents attorneys and consultants from demanding advanced payment for services related to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Childhood Arrivals (DAPA).