SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara) issued the following statement today on Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revise, his revised budget proposal:
“California is facing a very tough budget year as the result of the pandemic, and this revised budget proposal reflects this new and painful reality.
But one undeniable bright spot in the Governor’s revised budget proposal today is his commitment to expanding universal job protection to everyone who pays into California’s Paid Family Leave Program, a policy area I have been working on for more than seven years. This pandemic has placed enormous strain on working families and revealed how inadequate our protections are to help Californians balance work and family responsibilities. Now more than ever we should be a state that is about supporting families who need to take time off to care for their seriously ill loved ones or take time off to bond with a newborn. As we work to finalize this state budget, we need to reaffirm our values and investment in our families and our children. To that end, expanding access to family leave should be a top priority.”
Jackson represents the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.