August 4, 2022
California Federation of Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Karen Contreras, Elaine Freeman,
Theresa Speake, and Lou Ann Flaherty
Proposition 28, Art and Music K-12 Education Funding Initiative – This measure would require a minimum source of annual funding for K-12 public shools, including charter schools, to fund arts education programs. The annual minimum amount established by the law would be equal to at minimum, 1% of the total state and local revenues that local education agencies received under Propositions 98 (1988) during the prior fiscal year.
The minimum under the proposed law would be in addition to the funding required by Proposition 98. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the ballot initiative would likely result in increased spending of $800 million to $1 billion eah fiscal year.
This funding would come from the general fund which means some other program or project would not be funded. In 1988, Californians approved Proposition 98 by a margin of 50.7% to 49.3%.
Proposition 98 amended the state constitution to require a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education (kindergarten through two-year community college), which is referred to as the minimum guarantee.
Proposition 98 established two formulas or tests to determine the minimum guarantee, which is the highest funding level produced by Test 1 or Test 2. Test 1 links the minimum guarantee to about 40% of the State General Fund, which is equal to California’s l986/87 funding level of public education. Test 2 calculates the minimum guarantee by adjusting the prior year’s minimum guarantee by student attendance and changes in the cost of living.
Support is coming from Californians for Arts and Music Education in Public Schools. Endorsements have come from former Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District Austin Beutner, former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, California Teachers Assoc and several celebrities and musicians. To date there is no organized opposition.
Proposition 31, Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum – Opponents of Proposition 31 seek to overturn Senate Bill 793 which was signed into law on 8/28/20, SB 793 banned the sale of flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers, with exceptions for hookah tobacco, loose leaf tobacco and premium cigars. Retailers would be fined $250 for each sale violating the law.
SB 793 received support from most legislative Democrats and a quarter of Republicans. The bill’s sponsor State Senator Jerry Hill (D) said “Using candy, fruit and other alluring flavors, the tobacco industry weaponized its tactics to beguile a new generation into nicotine addiction while keeping longtime users hooked.” SB 793 breaks big tobacco’s “death grip”.
The California Fuels & Convenience Alliance which opposed SB 793, described the flavored tobacco ban as “misguided policy that will do more harm than good” and “hurt small business, eliminate necessary tax revenue, and perpetuate dangerous and avoidable police interactions in our communities.”
The California Coalition for Fairness is campaigning for the veto referendum to repeal SB 793. Through December the campaign had received $21.16 million including $10.22 million from R. J. Reynolds Tobacco and $9.82 million from Philip Morris, USA.
For further information on any of the bills mentioned here, click on the bill # highlighted in the body of the above articles.
Find/contact your local Legislators, click HERE to inquire about or let them know your opinion about bills or issues.
To contact your U.S. Representatives, call the Capitol Switchboard at
(202) 224-3121
Listen to hearings on bills that interest you -Senate- click HERE; Assembly click HERE.
Legislative Portal links- Express your support or opposition to a bill or directly to the Legislative committee currently reviewing it (as an individual, not as a member of RWF or CFRW)- click HERE, or the bill’s author- click HERE, enter your bill # and look for tab at top of the bill page
labeled “Comments to Author”
