Dear Friends,

Big News: Governor Newsom just signed a state budget that provides $20 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

This is a major advocacy victory for JPAC and the Legislative Jewish Caucus. Amidst a $31.5 billion budget deficit in the state budget, this funding represents a significant investment in the safety of Jews and all vulnerable Californians.
In May, our powerful 300-person delegation to Sacramento made clear to 103 state lawmakers and Governor Newsom that continuing this program was a priority for our community. Our partners in the Jewish Caucus also dedicated significant effort by meeting with Budget Committee chairs and key policy leaders to ensure this funding made it across the finish line.

It made all the difference: Shortly after JPAC Capitol Summit, Governor Newsom added $10 million for security grants to his budget proposal, and the legislature countered with $20 million. This addition happened amidst the backdrop of state leaders cutting billions of dollars from their priorities to meet the inflating deficit, slashing some programs altogether.

The Governor signed the budget deal this week, affirming this big win in a tough year.

Help us thank our state leaders by sharing our tweet or thread! (Yes, we're on Threads now!)

Excitingly, similar models to our state's long-standing security grant program have expanded in New York, Illinois, and other states. As California goes, so goes the nation.


Also included in the state budget were these notable JPAC priorities:

  • $15 million to increase CalFresh minimums: This creates a pilot program to raise the minimum food benefits for low-income Californians from $23 per month to $50 per month. Its inclusion in the budget proposal is inspired by a bill we're supporting, SB 600 (Menjivar).

  • $150 million for border community rapid response: This sustains efforts led by Jewish Family Service of San Diego and their border partners to provide critical aid to migrants waiting for their asylum cases to be heard.


We will continue to shepherd our bill package through the legislative process, and advocate for our remaining budget priority: funding for the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education.


Shabbat Shalom,

David Bocarsly
Executive Director, JPAC
ICYMI

  • Watch JPAC's recent budget town hall here.

  • Watch the sessions you missed at JPAC Capitol Summit 2023 here.
JPAC is the voice of California’s Jewish community to the State Capitol, and the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation. We advocate in Sacramento on behalf of the Jewish community’s concerns and broadly shared values. Our member organizations collectively serve hundreds of thousands of Californians of all backgrounds and represent the interests of California’s 1.2 million Jews.
JPAC is a Coalition of California's Leading Jewish Community Organizations:
Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles • Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund • JCRC Bay Area • Jewish Family Service LA • Jewish Family and Children’s Services of SF • 30 Years After • American Jewish Committee • Anti-Defamation League • Bet Tzedek Legal Services • ETTA • Hadassah • HIAS • Holocaust Museum Los Angeles • JCRC of Jewish Silicon Valley • Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles • Jewish Center for Justice • Jewish Community Relations Council of Sacramento • Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay • Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Long Beach and Orange County • Jewish Family Service of San Diego • Jewish Family Service of the Desert • Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley • Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara • Jewish Federation of Orange County • Jewish Federation of San Diego County • Jewish Federation of the Desert • Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys • Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region • Jewish Free Loan Association • Jewish Long Beach • Jewish Vocational Service San Francisco • JVS SoCal