AACRE 2006 Budget Agenda
In 2006, AACRE advocated for the following priorities in the California budget process:
Expanding and Protecting Language Rights
More than one-third of APAs need language assistance. In the judicial system, not having interpreters results in these APAs not receiving true access to justice. The proposed budget offered language that strongly supported the need for interpreters in the civil courts, including family law and domestic violence cases, but did not provide funding. AACRE spearheaded efforts to advocate for court interpreters in order to provide access to justice in these critical situations. The budget proposal passed by the Legislature contained $10 million devoted to this issue, but this amount was vetoed by the Governor.
AACRE is supporting a proposal to increase the number of bilingual occupational safety and health inspectors for conducting investigations of workplace hazards. Many low-wage APA workers are employed by industries with high rates of occupational and safety hazards. The janitorial, nail salon, and other manufacturing and service industries can expose workers to a range of hazards – such as toxic chemicals and repetitive stress. Limited English proficiency can keep workers from exercising their right to report hazards or to apply for workers’ compensation benefits. As a result, workers are more likely to suffer injuries and illnesses at work. The budget proposal passed by the Legislature contained $1.5 million devoted to increasing occupational safety and health inspector positions, but this amount was vetoed by the Governor.
In education, limited English proficient parents are struggling to stay involved in their children’s education. AACRE led efforts to continue $267,000 dedicated for the Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents and extend $400,000 received in last year’s state budget dedicated to translating template parental documents. These translated documents will be posted on the California Department of Education’s Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents and shared with school districts throughout the state so that they can communicate and support the involvement of immigrant parents in their children’s education. The final budget contains funding for both these items.
Ending Discrimination and Advancing Civil Rights
AACRE supported the January budget proposal to augment $1 million for the Department of Fair Employment and Housing to increase additional employment discrimination enforcement. The most recent data from 2003 illustrates that over 280 employment discrimination cases were filed based on APA national origin discrimination in one year, and additional funding is critical for resolution of cases. The final budget contains funding for this item.
Promoting Immigrant Rights
AACRE worked in coalition with other immigrant rights groups to oppose the January budget proposal to deny assistance for elderly and disabled legal immigrants through the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants. Over 80% of elderly Cash Assistance Program for Immigrant recipients are APAs, and extending the time period for denying them benefits places them at risk for hunger and homelessness. Due to our efforts, this harmful proposal was eliminated and is not part of the state budget.
AACRE supported a proposal to increase staffing and resources dedicated to enforcement of minimum wage and overtime law violations. Many low-wage APA immigrant workers are susceptible to not receiving minimum wage or overtime wages for their labor and services. The final state budget contained $1.5 million in funding for increased enforcement.
AACRE supported a proposal to provide an inflation adjustment for the Equal Access Fund, which provides resources for nonprofit legal service providers and court-based self- help centers to assist low-income clients with civil legal matters, such as elder abuse, domestic violence, family support, housing, or access to needed health care. Several of the projects have a specific focus on assisting low-income, immigrant, and limited English proficient APAs, and the increase in funding will go towards helping additional APAs needing legal services. The final budget reflected this change.
AACRE also supported efforts to expand funding for the Naturalization Services Program, which provides funding to organizations for assisting immigrants with attaining citizenship. The final budget provided $3 million for this program.