CTGCA Recruits Push California Forward on Equity
When we recruit a woman to run for the State Legislature in one of our target districts, we are intentional about ensuring that she’s prepared to run and win. But we’re also intentional about vetting around values, because her commitment there will make a difference when it comes to improving the lives of Californians.
We focus on vetting around these core values because research and experience show them to be bellwether commitments of a legislator who will be an effective advocate for women, children, and marginalized communities across the state.
Close the Gap California Recruits are committed to these core progressive values:
Reproductive freedom
Close the access gap to contraception and affordable reproductive health care.
Quality public school for all
Close the funding and achievement gap in our education system.
Combating poverty
Close the wage gap and remove obstacles that contribute to poverty.
One-quarter of all women legislators in California today are CTGCA Recruits, and we couldn’t be more proud of the work they have accomplished so far in their still relatively young legislative careers, to advance policy that impacts over 40 million Californians. The nation looks to California as a progressive leader, and women legislators here have built a proud record of raising the national bar on equity.
Here is just a small sampling of policies CTGCA Recruits have introduced during their time in office:
1. AB 1356: Reproductive Health Care Services (Bauer-Kahan, CTGCA Class of 2018)
Even in deep blue California, women’s health centers and patients encounter severe and sometimes even life-endangering harassment from anti-choice demonstrators who seek to intimidate, shame, or block access to care.
Authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, this newly passed legislation will add critical updates to make our state’s current law — the FACE Act — to make it more effective in protecting reproductive health care employees, providers, volunteers and patients from intimidation and harassment. Specifically, it prohibits the disclosure or distribution of their private information, as well as malicious videography and photography on reproductive health care center property. AB 1356 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 22, 2021.
2. AB 744: Telehealth Coverage (Aguiar-Curry, CTGCA Class of 2016)
Prior to AB 744, health insurance companies were not required to reimburse health care providers, including Planned Parenthood, for virtual healthcare services. While many providers provided virtual visits anyway in order to meet patient demand, the financial burden led many providers to have to consider closing their doors. Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s landmark legislation eliminated this barrier for Californians to receive telehealth services, averting a life-threatening shortage of care across the state and particularly in rural areas.
AB 744 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on October 16th, 2019. The impact of this legislation has grown immeasurably since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. AB 673: Penalties for Failure to Pay Wages (Carrillo, CTGCA Class of 2017)
AB 673 ensures an employee can collect fees if their paycheck is late through a hearing before the Labor Commissioner. Authored by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, this legislation protects California workers by increasing employees’ power to receive their paycheck on schedule, and provides them a recourse if their employer is violating the law. AB 673 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on October 10th, 2019.
4. AB 469 — FAFSA/CA Dream Act for All (Reyes, CTGCA Class of 2016)
AB 469, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Reyes, helps eligible students pursue their dreams of attending college by increasing access to financial aid. This bill was recently signed into law by Governor Newsom on October, 6, 2021.
Asm. Reyes also authored AB 1018, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2017, which created equity plans for homeless and LGBTQ+ students at California’s community colleges.
5. AB 1976 — Employment lactation accommodation (Limón, CTGCA Class of 2016)
Prior to AB 1976, employers were required only to provide time and a space that is not a toilet stall for female employees to express milk. Many offered spaces that were simply common areas of restrooms, or inconveniently located far from an employee’s work station. Senator Monique Limón’s bill expands on that requirement to make lactating at work more accessible by laying out clear expectations for employers to provide spaces that are close to their workspace, and are not restrooms, to express breast milk in private. This bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 30th, 2018.
6. AB 179 — California Transportation Commission (Cervantes, CTGCA Class of 2016)
AB 179, authored by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, requires one of the eleven appointed members of the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to have experience working on environmental justice, climate, and equity issues. This landmark legislation emphasized the environmental community impact of transportation across the state of California and set a new precedent to consider it when making decisions in regards to transportation. The legislation protects residents who are vulnerable to the effects of pollution, especially those already facing multiple disparities in health, and ensures they have a voice on the Commission. This bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on October 13th, 2017.
Close the Gap California is committed to building on progressive women’s historic momentum by recruiting them statewide and achieving equality in California by 2028. Join us!
About Close the Gap California
Close the Gap California (CTGCA) is a statewide campaign launched in 2013 to close the gender gap in the California Legislature by 2028. By recruiting accomplished, progressive women in targeted districts and preparing them to launch competitive campaigns, CTGCA is changing the face of the Legislature one cycle at a time.
One in every four women in the Legislature is a CTGCA Recruit. Our Recruits are committed to reproductive justice, quality public education, and combatting poverty, and nine of 10 serving today are women of color.
