Sacramento, California - Building on the state’s efforts to support its immigrant communities, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed a package of bills to help foster a more inclusive state and create new opportunities for immigrants to contribute to our society.
“Our state doesn’t succeed in spite of our diversity – our state succeeds because of it,” said Governor Newsom.
SB 225 by Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) allows noncitizen Californians the ability to pursue civic engagement and public service through service in boards and commissions.
The Governor announced signing AB 1747 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), which prohibits the use of noncriminal information from the state's telecommunications database for immigration enforcement purposes, with some exceptions. Another bill by Assemblymember Gonzalez, AB 668, was signed to codify the common law privilege against civil arrest when that arrest is conducted without a judicial warrant.
The Governor also signed AB 1645 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) to require that California Community Colleges and California State Universities, and request that the University of California, designate a Dreamer Resource Liaison on campus to provide undocumented and other qualifying immigrant students with adequate support and resources to help navigate the education system.
California’s budget invests $25 million for a Rapid Response Program to assist qualified entities in providing critical assistance to migrants during emergent situations when federal funding is not available. This investment supported the opening of a new migrant family shelter in San Diego earlier this year. The budget also includes a total of $65 million to support qualified nonprofit organizations that provide a broad array of immigration services to low-income Californians, including a new pilot program to support family reunification and immigrants applying for humanitarian protections in California. The Governor also expanded health care access to undocumented young people and financial assistance for eligible immigrant students.
Previously, the Governor signed AB 917 (Reyes) which expedites the victim certification process for the purposes of obtaining T-Visas or U-Visas. He also signed AB 540 (Limón), which establishes the Cal Grant B Services Incentive Grant Program, and SB 354 (Durazo) which expands eligibility for the California DREAM loan program.
