Back to School: What you need to know about CA’s Healthy Youth Act
The school year has either already begun or is about to start for families everywhere, and after the backpacks and lunches are packed and children are settled into their desks, parents of public school students should take time to review California’s sexual health education law, which could impact how their child is educated regarding transgender youth.
Detainees in ICE Facility Hunger for Encounter with Christ
“Who are we,” asked one detainee, “that the Church should visit us?”
That sentiment – one of humbleness and a longing for the Sacraments and fellowship – characterized a pastoral visit by seven California Bishops and others to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Adelanto, CA, last week.
U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Pregnancy Centers
This week, faith-based pregnancy centers celebrated a victory when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that a California law requiring the clinics to inform patients about abortion violates the First Amendment.
The law, called the “California Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency Act” (“FACT Act”), singled out crisis pregnancy centers and required them to post signs and provide information about the availability of abortion services.
Search for “Better Way” during Border Chaos
The Trump Administration, after days of saying it had no choice, reversed its policy of forcefully separating families at the border. Massive public outrage, accompanied by the voices of religious leaders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, forced the President on Wednesday to alter his policy even though significant questions about what happens now remain unanswered.
Governor and Lawmakers Move 2018-2019 Budget Forward
Governor Brown and Democratic legislative leaders have agreed on significant items in a $190 billion dollar budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
Lawmakers voted to approve the budget bill late Thursday, which will now go to the Governor who has until June 30 to sign. Though it is largely approved, the Governor still has the authority to reduce or eliminate any appropriation contained in the budget.
CA Appellate Court Upholds Ruling Against Physician-Assisted Suicide
An appellate court’s judge ruling released last week means that physician-assisted suicide will remain illegal in California at least until an upcoming hearing by the fourth appellate court at the end of June.
End-of-Life Option Act Unconstitutional
The following statement is from Edward ‘Ned” Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, on the ruling by a Riverside Superior Court judge that the End-of-Life Options Act is unconstitutional:
Analysis of Propositions on June 2018 Ballot Released
In 1911, in an effort to wrestle control of the legislature away from the railroads, California was one of the first states to introduce the initiative process.
Allowing citizens to place policy directly on the ballot with an initiative is an “experiment” in direct democracy that the citizens of the Golden State still seem to hold dear.
Bishops Call for Elimination of Stigma and Closer Ties between Faith and Medicine
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the California Catholic Conference of Bishops used the opportunity to release an extended pastoral letter on the culture of mental health and the critical need to attend to those who suffer.
Successful Catholic Advocacy Day
This past Tuesday, over 100 Catholic Advocacy Day delegates representing nine California dioceses gathered in Sacramento to be the Catholic voice and speak with lawmakers at the Capitol. This year’s participants included deacon candidates and students from Newman Centers.
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