In the recent past, and in some ways still to this day, people with mental health, intellectual, and developmental disabilities were treated as if they didn’t exist and as if their voices didn’t matter. They were treated as if they had no rights at all – which at the time wasn’t too far from the truth. It was easy to institutionalize people, and once they were locked away in these state institutions, isolated and far from cities, they were forgotten by the general public.

(San Diego, CA) Join us for an upcoming press conference.  When: Tuesday, August 27, 8:30am.  Where: San Diego County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101(outside) 

(Sacramento, CA) In 2014, California took a giant step forward when it passed Proposition 47, a ballot measure that removed thousands of felonies from people’s records and reduced the jail and prison footprint across California. But now Proposition 47 is under attack.

State and local governments are increasingly proposing mask bans as a response to public protest.1 Mask bans are laws that make it illegal for people to wear masks in public.

Los Angeles, CA - On July 29, 2024, a federal judge ordered West Los Angeles College (WLAC), part of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), to restore a transportation assistance system to provide access for two disabled student plaintiffs, Charles Guerra and Karlton Bontrager, to WLAC’s steep, hilly campus by the start of the Fall 2024 semester. This case has been the subject of nearly eight years of heavily contested litigation, with LACCD denying its responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations to these students.

In June, Governor Newsom and the Legislature reached an agreement for the California 2024-25 Budget. The 2024-25 Budget includes total spending of $279.9 billion. The Budget covers a $46.8 billion deficit with a combination of budget delays, deferrals, revenues, fund shifts, reductions and by tapping into reserves.

(Sacramento, CA) - Disability Rights California (DRC) has submitted a comprehensive public comment letter to the Department of Transportation advocating for safe, dignified, and equitable air travel for individuals with disabilities.

RIVERSIDE, CA — On June 28, 2024, Federal Court Judge Jesus Bernal issued a historic permanent injunction in C.B. v. Moreno Valley Unified School District et al., in which he ordered Defendant Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) to make extensive district-wide changes, as well as reduce its reliance on school police and security officers to respond to students with disabilities.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court, urged on by Governor Newsom and his local allies, set back civil rights in its Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, which gives local governments discretion to ban people from sleeping outside, even when they have nowhere to go. As the nation’s largest disability advocacy organization, we condemn the harm this decision will inflict on our communities.

Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications.  

DRC applauds President Biden’s plan to keep families together by allowing certain undocumented spouses and children an expedited pathway to citizenship and integration in the community. This is a great first step in the desperately needed permanent legislative solution to a pathway to citizenship for our diverse communities.

On May 10, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom held a press conference to announce the major elements of the May Revision of the 2024-25 Budget. The May Revision reflects a higher-than-expected deficit. In January, the Administration projected a $38 billion deficit for 2024-25, which was smaller than what was estimated by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). The May Revision shows lower-than-projected state revenues and projects a total budget deficit of $44.9 billion, an increase of $7 billion from the January Budget. The Administration and Legislative Analyst’s Office indicate the budget might not improve much over the next several years and additional budget cuts may happen.

Submitted Electronically at: http://www.regulations.gov

Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fisher Lane, Rm. 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

Re: Comments on the Food and Drug Administration’s Proposed Ban on Electrical Stimulation Devices, Docket No. FDA-2023-N-3902

(Sacramento, CA) On Tuesday, May 28, California health advocates stood together with impacted families in opposition to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed cuts to the In-Home Supportive Health Services program for undocumented immigrants. The cuts to this critical program based solely on immigration status could have devastating impacts for the 1,500 undocumented immigrants currently participating and for the thousands more who could become eligible over the next few years. 

“California remains in a budget deficit and it is crucial that the state does what it can to protect those who are the most vulnerable during these times.  DRC is proud to align with 132 disability, aging and other civil rights organizations to lift up issues and concerns that our community prioritizes in this year’s May Revision of the budget from Governor Newsom,” says Eric Harris, Public Policy Director, Disability Rights California.

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

(Los Angeles, CA) - Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), Independent Living Center of Southern California (ILCSC), Disability Rights California and Relman Colfax PLLC have come together to applaud the Los Angeles Housing Department’s (LAHD) unveiling of its 1000th accessible unit in the accessible housing program, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards disability rights and justice. This achievement is the result of years of collaboration, advocacy and the pursuit of justice. 

Governor Newsom announced accelerated distribution of Proposition 1 bond funding. Although Proposition 1 was not supposed to pay for locked treatment facilities, Tuesday’s press event told a different story.

Newsom hailed last year’s passage of SB 43 to make conservatorships easier to impose on people. 11th hour changes to the legislation that became Proposition 1 authorized locked treatment.

Addressing the state’s housing and homelessness crises are the top priority for the Governor, Legislature, and voters. Yet, the proposed budget falls substantially short in delivering any significant progress in these areas.

The Governor proposed $1.2 billion of cuts in addition to cuts in his January budget to vital housing assistance programs which transition unhoused communities in to permanent housing. All while maintaining commitments to inhumane and ineffective actions such as clearing encampments and enacting the narrowly approved Proposition 1.