Action Alerts!
We urgently need your support to protect those most vulnerable both locally and globally!
US Congress
Stop the Senate from eliminating Pro-Life protections and harming women and religious freedom!
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote soon on a resolution that could impose abortion-on-demand nationwide without any limits, require taxpayer funding of abortion, put women’s opportunities and spaces at risk of being opened to men (such as in sports, locker rooms, prisons, and shelters), and undermine the religious freedom of people and organizations of faith to carry out their important missions – potentially even requiring Catholic hospitals and health workers to perform abortions and gender procedures on children.
Protect taxpayers and preborn children. Tell the House to pass No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion!
The House of Representatives is considering whether to bring the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 7) to a vote, and your representative needs to hear from you to help make it happen! For decades, Americans of both parties have agreed that it is wrong to force taxpayers to pay for elective abortions. Policies like the Hyde Amendment not only protect taxpayers from this but have saved over two million preborn lives.
For more Action Alerts from the USCCB, please visit the USCCB ACTION CENTER
Top Priority 2024 Legislative Bill
AB 315: Frivolous Lawsuits Against Pregnancy Centers – Oppose
AB 315 would create a private right of action, allowing lawsuits against a pregnancy center for undefined speech that is “considered false or misleading advertising” about the provision of abortion.
SB 2: Gun Control in Sensitive Spaces - Support
This bill would prohibit concealed carry in sensitive spaces, including schools, houses of worship, parks, and stadiums. It would also update licensing criteria for concealed carry, raise an applicant's age to 21, and impose new training and gun storage regulations.
SB 4: Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act - Support
SB 4 will make building affordable housing easier, faster, and cheaper on land owned by faithbased institutions and nonprofit colleges.
AB 238: CA Student Teacher Support Grant Program - Support
This bill would support teacher retention and recruitment in California’s public school system. It would establish a grant program to compensate student teachers to help alleviate financial stress at a critical time in the teacher preparation process. This bill would require an appropriation of one-time funding, established by the California Student Support Grant Program under the administration on Teacher Credentialing, to award grants to teacher credential candidates to compensate the candidates while they perform their required student teaching. In administering the California Student Teacher Support Grant Program, this bill would require the commission to issue a request for proposals to all school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education in the state to solicit funding applications.
CCC: Backgrounders on Bills
For more information about legislative bills being supported & opposed, visit: www.cacatholic.org/action-alerts
Steps for a Successful Legislative Meeting
Legislative meetings give you the opportunity to voice your support, concerns, and opinions through a structured meeting process.
Guidelines for Pastors and Parishes
Step 1: Find out who your Representative is.
Visit the Senate and Assembly website to find your California Representatives:
Step 2: Do your research
Each member’s website contains a wealth of information: bio, contact information, office locations, committee assignments, etc.
Key questions to research about member:
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Republican or Democrat?
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Newly elected or a veteran? (# of terms)
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If a veteran, any leadership positions? Committee Chair?
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Is your Representative Catholic?
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On a key committee that impacts women, children and families?
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Assembly & Senate: Education, Health, Appropriations, Finance, Judiciary, or other?
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Sponsor or Co-Sponsor of key Bills?
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Personal Information…Profession? Name of parish? Spouse background?
If you can drop any of this information in your meeting request (or during the meeting), it will show that you have done your homework and want to have a substantial conversation.
Step 3: Contact the Office
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Call the number on the website and email
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You will request a meeting with the member or staffer (staff are experts on issues and advise the member)
When you call the office or email let them know your name and you are a constituent in their District participating in California Catholic Conference Advocacy Month, your title in your parish, the date you would like an in person meeting (May __, 2023, between 12pm-3pm), the number of people accompanying you, and the meeting focus on the following Bills: AB 315 (Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda), SB 2 (Portantion, D- La Canada Flintridge), SB 4 (Wiener, D-San Francisco), and AB 238 (Muratsuchi, D- Torrance).
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Log confirmed meeting with your advisor/moderator
Step 4: Meeting
Introduce yourself and have group members introduce themselves and what parish you are from. The team lead should introduce what bills you will be speaking on.
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Transition smoothly between speakers, by introducing the next speaker.
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Deliver the “ask” smoothly. The “ask” is a summary of what you would like to see from the legislator, and a gentle reminder that you would appreciate the legislator’s support for the bills you have brought up. This should be the facilitator’s role.
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Thank the legislator at the end of the meeting for their time and let them know that your group will stay in touch with their office.
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Leave behind any documents for reference.
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Ask to take a group photo.
Step 5: Post Meeting
Debrief with group and with CCC via zoom on May 5th and/or 19th.
May 5th
May 19th
Complete CCC survey. Click Here
Additional Resources
Links to Legislative Calendar, Find Rep, Bill Tracking, The Process, Letter Writing, etc.:
Legislative Process Booklets English - Spanish
Tips on advocacy:
https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/advocacy-action/
https://advocacy.calchamber.com/impact-california/tips-to-help-you-communicate-with-your-legislator/
Roster:
https://advocacy.calchamber.com/wp-content/uploads/elected-officials-roster.pdf
Religious Freedom Week 2024
Religious freedom allows the Church, and all religious communities, to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all. Beginning June 22, the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, the USCCB invites Catholics to pray, reflect, and act to promote religious freedom.
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
Protecting and promoting the inviolable rights of persons is the most solemn responsibility of civil authority. As Americans and as religious leaders we are committed to governance by a system of law that protects human rights and maintains the common good.
We are reminded that "the Church must be committed to the task of educating and supporting lay people involved in law-making, government and the administration of justice, so that legislation will always reflect those principles and moral values which are in conformity with a sound anthropology and advance the common good" (The Church in America, no. 19, quoting Synod for America, proposition 72).
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
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Table of Contents
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Resources
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Videos