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| Farm Workers Gain Major Victory | |
Cesar Chavez | On May 16 the United Farm Workers Union, founded by Cesar Chavez, and its allies won a major victory when the California Assembly gave final legislative approval to SB 104. The Assembly approved the bill along party lines, 51 to 26. It had previously been approved by the Senate on a vote of 24 to 14. The members of California Communities United Institute sent 3,634 E-mails and Faxes to the Assembly in support of SB 104 before the vote.
The bill now goes to the Governor. He seems likely to sign it as he was very supportive of the United Farm Workers union during his first two terms as Governor, in the 1980s.
To find out more about this bill, click here.
Boyce Hinman
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Governor Brown Said What??? |
Governor Brown | Governor Brown has always been know as a person who does things differently. Some even say he is kind of odd. In fact during his first two terms as Governor, in the 1980s, some called him Governor Moon Beam.
Recently the Governor issued his "May Revise." This is a new estimate of the revenue the state is taking in, and a new proposal for the state budget during the 2011 - 2012 fiscal year. That fiscal year runs from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. His May Revise also makes new proposals on what the budget approved by the legislature should look like, including what programs should be funded, at what levels, and what programs should get lower or no funds.
His proposed budget has an intriguing feature in it.
To read the rest of this article click here.
Boyce Hinman
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The Dem's Just Don't Get It |
State Capitol |
Most of California's Democratic state legislators say they strongly support state programs to provide affordable education, health care and social services for people on limited income. And, so far as I can tell, they really mean it.
And most of these legislators express deep distress over the major budget cuts that they have had to make to these programs. Again, I think that distress probably is real.
However, to their discredit, they appear to have ignored suggestions made by the members of California Communities United Institute (CalComUI) that could raise millions in dollars (without the need of a 2/3 vote) and which would at least reduce to cuts needed to those programs.
To read the rest of this article, click here.
Boyce Hinman
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New HIV Drug Approved |
 The following is a press release from Project Inform.
On May 20, 2011, the FDA approved the HIV drug, Edurant (rilpivirine), for people starting treatment for the first time. Edurant is now the fifth NNRTI drug.
The FDA approval came from a review of clinical studies that compared Edurant to Sustiva.
After 48 weeks, very similar results occurred: 83% of those on Edurant and 80% on Sustiva reached undetectable viral loads. Only 2% of those on Edurant stopped the studies due to side effects, while only 7% on Sustiva stopped.
Although offering this new option to people who start treatment for the first time is welcome news, there's a major difference in how well Edurant controlled HIV in people who started with viral loads above 100,000. In those who started between 100,000-500,000 copies, 20% on Edurant could not control their viral levels compared to 11% on Sustiva. For those above 500,000, 29% on Edurant and 17% on Sustiva could not.
To read the rest of this artricle, click here.
Boyce Hinman
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Join California Communities United Institute
The members of California Communities United Institute (CalComUI) get monthly E-mailed newsletters filled with information about legislation and other issues that affect each of the communities we serve. The newsletter helps you track the progress of the bills you care about.
Members also get E-mailed alerts about legislation of importance to the communities we serve. These alerts help members easily E-mail their elected officials on that legislation.
You can join CalComUI by visiting our web site and keying your E-mail address into the yellow box at the bottom. To start the process click here.
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Class Warfare |  For years conservatives have accused liberals and "leftists" of engaging in class warfare against the rich and on behalf of poor people. If that is true, a recent report (A Portrait of California) suggests that they have done a pretty poor job of it.
The report, issued by the American Human Development Project, provides evidence that Californians are increasingly being divided between the haves and the have nots. In addition to this economic stratification, there is a growing gap in the well being of Asian Americans and Whites on the one hand (probably with the exception of some groups, like Hmong people), and African Americans, Native Americans and Latinos on the other hand. The report provides compelling evidence that most Asian Americans and Whites in California are much better off than the other groups. You can see a copy of the report by clicking on the link below and then clicking on the link to the report at the end of the web based version of this article. To read the rest of this article, click here. Boyce Hinman ________ |
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Obama Explains Protections For Trans Federal Employees | |
In 2009 President Obama issued a memorandum declaring that the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 protects transgender federal employees and job seekers.
Recently the Federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a ground breaking policy statement explaining, more completely, just what that means. The OPM also sent a letter to insurance companies, that provide insurance to federal employees, explaining what coverage those companies are expected to provide for transgender federal employees.
To read the rest of this article, click here.
Boyce Hinman
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Governor Calls For End Of Commission On The Status Of Women |
 Governor Brown's May Budget Revision proposed the elimination of the California Commission on the Status of Women. The Commission is the only state agency that directly looks at all issues impacting women throughout the state. It helps to bring a voice to under-recognized communities, to create coalitions of diverse organizations working on issues that impact women and girls, and to increase public awareness and input on essential issues.
You can Call Senator Steinberg (President Pro Tempore of the Senate) and Assembly Member John Perez (Speaker of the Assembly) to urge them not to close the Commission. Their phone numbers are as follows: Senator Steinberg: (916) 651-4006 Assembly Member Perez: (916) 319-2046 Boyce Hinman ________ |
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California Communities United Institute Newsletter