SACRAMENTO, CA – Edward E. (Ned) Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, issued the following statement today in reaction to Gov. Jerry Brown signing the 2016/7 California State Budget into law:
“After many years of effort, the Maximum Family Grant Rule (MFG) has officially been repealed. It will help families and children throughout our State. In addition, $15 million in funding to help immigration services and naturalization programs, $65 million to address California’s teacher shortage, and $500 million to improve access to quality early childhood education, are also included in this budget.
“For this we are appreciative.
“It dismays us, however, to see that funding to provide physician-assisted suicide services for Medi-Cal recipients is still included while our Medi-Cal program offers no palliative care benefit for those same recipients. The inclusion of this suicide benefit for some of the state’s most vulnerable people should deeply offend and trouble all responsible citizens.”
For background: http://www.cacatholic.org/lawmakers-approve-budget-governor