On Monday, July 25th, Governor Jerry Brown signed the slimmer portion of the California Dream Act into law during a visit to Los Angeles. The signing took place during a town hall meeting hosted by Assemblymember Gil Cedillo (D-45th), the measure's author. Undocumented students are thankful that AB130 will be enacted into law. Now the work continues to move the more substantial portion of the CA Dream Act (AB131) out of ‘suspense’ in the Senate Appropriations Committee and sent over to the Senate floor and then to the Governor’s desk.
AB131 will have the greater impact for AB540 students in their educational journeys as it would provide state financial aid to AB540 students. Currently, undocumented students are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid making financing their education nearly impossible. California has already invested in these students’ K-12 education and will see a return in that investment by preparing and assisting financially a future educated workforce. Full passage of the CA Dream Act will be an investment in California’s future.
TODAY, the CA DREAM Bear calls on YOU to take action and do the following to ensure passage of AB131:
-
Sign the CA Dream Act Petition and share it with your friends, family, co-workers, etc... (Currently more than 7,500 signatures have been collected). Let's reach 25,000 by August, 26th, the last day for the Appropriations Committee to approve AB131.
-
Join the 25,000 Calls for the CA Dream Act Campaign to urge members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to Pass AB131.
-
Call Governor Brown and thank him for signing AB130 into law, but most importantly, urge him to continue the legacy of former Assemblymember Marco Antonio Firebaugh (original author of AB540) by supporting and signing AB131 into law.
- Print out the CA Dream Act Organizing Packet and start/continue organizing in your community to build up pressure and momentum for the full passage of the CA Dream Act.