Legislation
MISSION
Did you know that PTA is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in California and the nation? Our legislative mission is to speak on behalf of all children and youth at the local, state and federal levels. A primary purpose of PTA is “to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.”
CLICK MY CAUSE
The Click My Cause App gives you the power to speak up for all children with the press of a button. When a PTA supported bill needs public support in Sacramento, you will get an alert. As soon as you receive the alert you can choose to send a "postcard" from you directly to your State Assembly Member, your CA State Senator, the committee or floor where the bill is pending, and the Governor telling them where you stand on the position.
(Currently only available for iphone)
From your iPhone, download the Click My Cause app from the App Store, then select your organization (PTA), and select OK to allow notifications.
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY: ELECTION SEASON IS UPON US!
As the November 8 election quickly approaches, PTA wants to remind you that your vote matters. Please be sure that you are registered to vote. You can register to vote anytime, but to be eligible for an election, you must be registered 15 days prior to election day, which for the November 8th election is October 24, 2016. In Contra Costa County, you can register online. For information about the upcoming election, please visit the Contra Costa County Elections Division.
Contra Costa County is actively seeking poll workers to help with the November 8 election. It takes more than 1,500 poll workers to conduct a countywide election in Contra Costa County. Poll Workers say how much they enjoy seeing and assisting their neighbors and community members on Election Day. They consider it part of their civic duty to assist with the election. Poll workers are paid and training is provided. If you would like to apply, please complete the poll worker application. Students may also apply (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).
The November 8 ballot is crowded. There are 17 ballot measures for you to consider. One of the purposes of PTA is to secure adequate laws for children and youth. This entails law making at all levels, including ballot measures. PTA wants you to know that they have carefully researched the ballot measures. On the November, 2016 election ballot, there are five propositions on which the California State PTA has taken a “SUPPORT” position;
PROPOSITION 51 — SUPPORT. School Bonds. Funding for K-12 School and Community College Facilities. Initiative Statutory Amendment. PTA supports safe and up to-date schools. The $9 billion in bond money will go for new construction and modernization of K-12 public schools, charter schools, vocational-education facilities and California community colleges. More information.
PROPOSITION 55 — SUPPORT. Tax Extension to Fund Education and Healthcare. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. This initiative extends the temporary personal-income tax increases on high-income earners. Money will go to schools and community colleges, budget reserves/debt payments and health programs. About half of the estimated tax money would go to schools (about $4 billion). If these taxes disappear, it would hurt our already underfunded education system. More information.
PROPOSITION 56 — SUPPORT. Cigarette Tax to Fund Healthcare, Tobacco Use Prevention, Research, and Law Enforcement. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. We know that education and smoking cessation programs work to save lives by preventing teens –who have been shown to be sensitive to the price of tobacco products — from choosing to smoke in the first place. This initiative increases the cigarette tax by $2 per pack, with an equivalent increase on other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes containing nicotine. The money would go to increase funding for existing health-care programs, tobacco-use prevention/control programs, tobacco-related disease research and law enforcement, physician training, dental-disease prevention programs and administration. More information.
PROPOSITION 58 — SUPPORT. SB 1174 (Chapter 753, Statutes of 2014), Lara. The California Education for a Global Economy Initiative (California EdGE). In 1998, voters approved Proposition 227 requiring that all students be taught in English, and that English learners be taught in sheltered English courses. PTA opposed Proposition 227 because it forced English Language Learners (ELLs) to take English-only classes regardless of students’ individual needs. In addition, it took away parents’ right to choose what is best for their children. This initiative deletes the sheltered English provisions. It requires students be taught in programs with access to core academic standards, and that school districts provide effective and appropriate methods for language acquisition. Parents and guardians may choose language-acquisition programs that best meet the needs of their children. More information.
PROPOSITION 63 — SUPPORT. Firearms. Ammunition Sales. Initiative Statute. PTA believes that limiting access to the kinds of guns and ammunition that can kill large numbers of people in a short amount of time is common sense. We must fight gun violence by limiting the types and number of guns and ammunition available to those who would use them to do harm to others. Reasonable, common-sense gun laws reduce gun deaths and injuries, keep guns away from criminals and fight illegal gun trafficking. More information.
