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Young Invincibles’ Statement on California Budget Agreement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 15, 2014

Contact: Riana King, riana.king@younginvincibles.org, 213.221.7326

Young Invincibles’ Statement on California Budget Agreement

Budget Falls Short on Investment in Education and Healthcare for Young Californians

[SACRAMENTO, Calif.]—Today, the California Legislature passed its version of the fiscal year 2014-2015 budget; the $108 billion budget heads to Governor Brown for the final sign off. Linda Leu, California Policy and Research Director at Young Invincibles, issued the following statement:

“We are pleased that this budget includes some important education investments for our generation, but California needs to invest more in programs that support low-income and undocumented young adults. “

“All young Californians, including low-income and undocumented young Californians deserve greater access to health care, more affordable education and help finding a job – all of which California failed to allocate adequate funding for in the budget.”

Here’s an overview of what the budget achieves for young Californians, and where it falls short:

The California FY14-15 Budget:

  • Affirms the Governor’s allocation of $50 million for a Workforce Development Program at California Community Colleges.
  • Reinvests $50 million in both the UC and Cal State systems.
  • Moderately increases the Cal Grant B Access Awards by $175 per student to help the lowest income students afford college. Students can now receive an award of $1,648 per year to help with books and living expenses. This brings the award closer to its intended value of $5,900, if it had been adjusted for inflation.

The California FY14-15 Budget fails to address:

  • The importance of access to health care to young Californians’ economic future by:

o   Rejecting a $23 million grant to expand Medi-Cal enrollment and retention efforts, so that more young Californians that qualify for coverage can sign up and stay covered.

o   Continued disinvestment in the safety net, which is needed to serve the undocumented and other remaining uninsured due to the delay of SB 1005 that would have expanded coverage for undocumented Californians.

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Young Invincibles is a national organization committed to amplifying the voices of young adults, ages 18 to 34, and expanding economic opportunity for our generation. Young Invincibles ensures that young adults are represented in today’s most pressing societal debates through cutting-edge policy research and analysis, and innovative campaigns designed to educate, inform and mobilize our generation to change the status quo.