Updates

In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan signed the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act establishing collective bargaining for California’s municipal, county, and local special district employees. Services for municipal, county and special district residents and taxpayers have been in decline ever since. In 1976, Governor Jerry Brown signed the Educational Employment Relations Act establishing collective bargaining in California’s public schools and community colleges, and in 1978 Brown signed the State Employer-Employee Relations Act establishing collective bargaining for state government employees. Services for students and state residents and costs for taxpayers have suffered ever since.

A grave threat to democracy in California is sitting on Governor Newsom’s desk. If signed by him, Assembly Bill 1 would allow legislative staff to form a government employee union. That means that the state employees who write and edit thousands of pieces of legislation every year and provide advice to elected legislators about those bills would become a special interest with business before the state.

A new California law that took effect this year may be the most important political reform the state has enacted in a half century. No wonder special interests and the politicians they help elect are trying to kill it.

We are pleased to present the second GFC Courage Award of 2023 to Senator Anna Caballero.

Special interest groups have filed suit against SB 1439, a bill supported by Govern For California and signed into law last year by Governor Newsom that restricts “pay-to-play” (“P2P”) practices.

We are pleased to present the first GFC Courage Award of 2023 to Senator Ben Allen.