Social Work Voter Guide to the 2016 General Election November 8, 2016
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Social Work Voter Guide to the 2016 General Election November 8, 2016 Candidate Endorsements are made by the CalPACE Committee and are based on the candidate's commitment to the NASW Code of Ethics and official delegate assembly positions in Social Work Speaks. CalPACE evaluates candidates by sending out questionnaires and evaluating incumbent vote records. Senate District 03 Mariko Yamada, MSW Assembly District 30 Karina Cervantez Alejo Senate District 05 Cathleen Galgiani Assembly District 31 Joaquin Arambula Senate District 07 Steve Glazer Assembly District 32 Rudy Salas Senate District 09 N. Skinner/S. Swanson Assembly District 35 Dawn Ortiz-Legg Senate District 11 J. Kim/S. Wiener Assembly District 37 Monique Limon Senate District 13 Jerry Hill Assembly District 38 Christy Smith Senate District 15 Jim Beall Assembly District 39 R. Bocanegra/P. Lopez Senate District 17 Bill Monning Assembly District 40 Abigail Medina Senate District 19 Hannah-Beth Jackson Assembly District 41 Chris Holden Senate District 21 Johnathon Ervin Assembly District 42 Greg Rodriguez Senate District 25 Anthony Portantino Assembly District 43 L. Friedman/A. Kassakhian Senate District 27 Henry Stern Assembly District 44 Jacqui Irwin Senate District 29 Josh Newman Assembly District 45 Matt Dababneh Senate District 31 Richard Roth Assembly District 46 Adrin Nazarian Senate District 33 Ricardo Lara Assembly District 47 Cheryl Brown Senate District 35 S. Bradford/W. Furutani Assembly District 48 Blanca Rubio Senate District 39 Toni Atkins Assembly District 49 Ed Chau Assembly District 02 Jim Wood Assembly District 50 Richard Bloom Assembly District 04 Cecilia Aguilar-Curry Assembly District 51 Jimmy Gomez Assembly District 05 Robert Carabas Assembly District 52 Freddie Rodriguez Assembly District 07 Kevin McCarty Assembly District 53 Miguel Santiago Assembly District 08 Ken Cooley Assembly District 54 Sebastian Ridley-Thomas Assembly District 09 Jim Cooper Assembly District 56 Eduardo Garcia Assembly District 10 Marc Levine Assembly District 57 Ian Calderon Assembly District 11 Jim Frazier Assembly District 58 Cristina Garcia Assembly District 13 Susan Eggman, PhD, MSW Assembly District 59 Reggie Jones-Sawyer Assembly District 14 Mae Torlakson Assembly District 60 Sabrina Cervantez Assembly District 15 Tony Thurmond, MSW Assembly District 61 Jose Medina Assembly District 16 Cheryl Cook-Kallio Assembly District 62 Autumn Burke Assembly District 17 David Chiu Assembly District 63 Anthony Rendon Assembly District 18 Rob Bonta Assembly District 64 Mike Gipson Assembly District 19 Phil Ting Assembly District 65 Sharon Quirk-Silva Assembly District 20 Bill Quirk Assembly District 66 Al Muratsuchi Assembly District 21 Adam Gray Assembly District 69 Tom Daly Assembly District 22 Kevin Mullin Assembly District 70 Patrick O’Donnell Assembly District 24 M. Berman/V. Veenker Assembly District 76 Rocky Chavez Assembly District 25 Kansen Chu Assembly District 77 Melinda Vasquez Assembly District 27 A. Kaira/ M. Nguyen Assembly District 78 Todd Gloria Assembly District 28 Evan Low Assembly District 79 Shirley Weber Assembly District 29 Mark Stone Assembly District 80 Lorena Gonzalez Local Races W. Sac. City Council Martha Guerrero, MSW San Joaquin Supervisor Gustavo Medina, MSW Sutter Co. Supervisor Grace Espinola Washington School Board Jackie Wong, MSW NASW-CA only takes positions on initiatives where there is a clear nexus to social work State Initiative Position Chart Proposition 52 – State Fees on Hospitals Support Proposition 55 – Upper Income Tax Support Proposition 56 – Tobacco Tax Support Proposition 57 – Criminal Sentences Support Proposition 58 – Bilingual Education Support Proposition 59 – Citizen’s United Support Proposition 60 – Adult Films Oppose Proposition 61 – Prescription Drugs No Position Proposition 62 – Death Penalty Repeal Support Proposition 63 – Gun Laws Support Proposition 64 – Marijuana Legalization No Position Proposition 66 – Death Penalty Reform Oppose Prop 52 - SUPPORT: State Fees on Hospitals Extends indefinitely an existing fee on hospitals in order to continue drawing down matching federal funds to finance Medi-Cal, care for uninsured patients, and children’s health coverage. This measure makes it more difficult for the Legislature to divert these funds elsewhere. As social workers, we believe these funds are crucial as they finance healthcare for vulnerable communities. Prop 55 - SUPPORT: Upper Income Tax Brackets Extension Extends the personal income tax bracket increase on individual incomes over $250,000 per year for another 12 years. This extension also applies to joint filers that make over $500,000, and to heads of households making over $340,000 per year. The majority of the proceeds are slated for education with a possible boost to healthcare in certain years. We support this because it provides crucial funding for important state programs. Prop 56 - SUPPORT: Tobacco Tax Increases the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2.00 as well as increases taxes on other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. The revenue from this tax increase will fund existing healthcare programs including: tobacco use prevention/control programs, tobacco-related disease research and law enforcement, University of California physician training, dental disease prevention programs, and administration. We also support this measure as it provides important revenue for healthcare related programs, and it also encourages healthier communities by helping to decrease smoking and tobacco use. Prop 57 - SUPPORT: Criminal Sentences Increases good behavior credits and opportunities for parole for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes. Also allows judges rather than prosecutors to decide whether to treat juveniles as adults. Inmates will not be automatically released, but those convicted of nonviolent felony crimes who have served their basic sentences and passed screening for public safety, would be eligible for parole. Social workers believe in second chances for those in the criminal justice system. This measure rewards inmates for good behavior and allows people to exit prison if they are no longer a threat to society. Prop 58 - SUPPORT: Bilingual Education (Overturn Prop 227) Repeals Proposition 227 of 1998, which limited the use of bilingual education in our schools. This measure preserves the requirement that students become proficient in English. Schools and communities, with the input of parents and students, will be able to choose the English language learner model that works best for their community. Also authorizes school districts to establish dual-language immersion programs for both native and non-native English speakers. We support this measure because it allows the use of the latest teaching techniques to teach English, while also preparing students to function in our global society by encouraging proficiency in more than one language. Prop 59 - SUPPORT: Overturn Citizens United Requests the Legislature to use their authority to propose and ratify an amendment to the federal constitution overturning the United States Supreme Court decision in Citizens United. The Citizens United ruling allowed unlimited spending in political campaigns by corporations and unions. This measure specifically details that the proposed amendment should clarify that corporations should not have the same constitutional rights as human beings. This would ensure that the voice of the people is not drowned out by corporations. Prop 60 - OPPOSE: Adult Films: Health Requirements Requires the use of condoms in the filming of pornographic films. It would also require producers to pay for vaccinations, testing, and medical examinations related to sexually transmitted infections. Producers must also obtain a state health license and post condom requirements at film sites. Imposes financial liability on producers, distributors, talent agents and performers, with a financial interest, for non-compliance. We oppose this measure as it interferes with Cal-OSHA, which already enforces this requirement. It is also poorly written and gives a state job to the author of this measure. Prop 61 - NO POSITION: Prescription Drug Prices Regulates drug prices by requiring state agencies to pay the same prices as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It applies to any case in which the state ultimately provides funding for the purchase of drugs, even if the drugs are not purchased directly by a government agency. Does not apply to individual purchasers. We did not give a recommendation on this measure as there could be many unintended consequences; including raising the price of drugs for Veteran’s or making some previously available drugs unavailable. It also only applies to 11% of drug purchases. Prop 62 - SUPPORT: Death Penalty Repeal Repeals the death penalty and replaces it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole (LWOP). It would retroactively apply to prisoners currently on death row. Also increases the portion of an inmates’ wages that can be applied to restitution to victims. Social Work Speaks, the policy book for NASW, has a clear policy opposing the death penalty as it is arbitrary and has been unequally applied. Prop 63- SUPPORT: Firearms: Ammunition Sales Prohibits possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and sets guidelines for their disposal. Requires individuals to pass a background check and obtain Department of Justice authorization to purchase ammunition. Requires most ammunition sales be made through licensed ammunition vendors and reported to