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Home , Jose Medina, Marc Levine, Mark Stone (politician)

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 Senate District 07 Steve Glazer Assembly District 32 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 Assembly District 40 Abigail Medina Senate District 19 Hannah-Beth Jackson Assembly District 41 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 Senate District 29 Josh Newman Assembly District 45 Matt Dababneh Senate District 31 Richard Roth Assembly District 46 Senate District 33 Ricardo Lara Assembly District 47 Cheryl Brown Senate District 35 S. Bradford/W. Furutani Assembly District 48 Senate District 39 Toni Atkins Assembly District 49 Assembly District 02 Jim Wood Assembly District 50 Assembly District 04 Cecilia Aguilar-Curry Assembly District 51 Jimmy Gomez Assembly District 05 Robert Carabas Assembly District 52 Assembly District 07 Kevin McCarty Assembly District 53 Assembly District 08 Assembly District 54 Sebastian Ridley-Thomas Assembly District 09 Jim Cooper Assembly District 56 Eduardo Garcia Assembly District 10 Assembly District 57 Ian Calderon Assembly District 11 Assembly District 58 Cristina Garcia Assembly District 13 , 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 Assembly District 16 Cheryl Cook-Kallio Assembly District 62 Assembly District 17 Assembly District 63 Anthony Rendon Assembly District 18 Rob Bonta Assembly District 64 Assembly District 19 Assembly District 65 Sharon Quirk-Silva Assembly District 20 Assembly District 66 Assembly District 21 Assembly District 69 Tom Daly Assembly District 22 Assembly District 70 Patrick O’Donnell Assembly District 24 M. Berman/V. Veenker Assembly District 76 Rocky Chavez Assembly District 25 Assembly District 77 Melinda Vasquez Assembly District 27 A. Kaira/ M. Nguyen Assembly District 78 Todd Gloria Assembly District 28 Assembly District 79 Shirley Weber Assembly District 29 Assembly District 80 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 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 the Department of Justice. Lost or stolen firearms and ammunition would be required to be reported to law enforcement. Social Workers support the reduction of violence in our communities. Since the implementation of strong gun laws, there has been a decrease in firearm related deaths. Specifically for California, in just two decades, the state’s gun death rate has been cut by 56% (www.smartgunlaws.org).

Prop 64 - NO POSITION: Marijuana Legalization Legalizes marijuana for recreational use by adults 21 or older. This measure imposes a state excise tax of 15% on retail sales of marijuana, as well as imposing various cultivation taxes. Also prohibits marketing and advertising marijuana directly to minors. Allows for local regulation and taxation, and authorizes resentencing and destruction of records for prior marijuana convictions. We did not take a position on this initiative because we believe it may be premature. While we appreciate the decriminalization provisions, we are concerned that there is currently not a standard for impaired driving while under the influence of marijuana. We prefer to allot more time to observe the outcomes from other states that have legalized marijuana.

Prop 66 - OPPOSE: Death Penalty Reform Speeds up the appeals process for the death penalty by putting the Supreme Court in charge of initial petitions and establishing a time frame for death penalty review. It would require prisoners on death row to work while in prison and pay restitution to victims' families. If this measure passes and receives more votes than Prop. 62, this measure will prevail. We oppose this measure because we support the total abolition of the death penalty.

For more information, email [email protected] To view the California Secretary of State’s Voter Handbook on the Initiatives, visit www.ss.ca.gov