Padilla’s ‘common sense fix’ could give citizenship status to millions
Today could be one of the shortest days of your life, thanks to the Earth spinning faster than usual. Aug. 5 is set to be one of the shortest days, by milliseconds, on record. With that, good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert.
PADILLA’S PATHWAY
Via Amelia Wu...
Legislation to expand a pathway to lawful permanent residency, from Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., could be a game changer for more than 8 million people.
The introduction of the bill challenges the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement in California and across the country, according to a Padilla press release.
The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would update a decades-old statute to allow immigrants to apply for a green card if they lived in the country for at least seven years, have no criminal record and meet other eligibility requirements.
“This legislation creates no new bureaucracies or agencies — it’s simply an update to a longstanding pathway to reflect today’s reality and provide a fair shot at the American Dream for millions of Dreamers, TPS holders, and highly skilled workers who have faced delays and uncertainty for decades,” Padilla said in a statement.
Padilla, who was joined at a Los Angeles press conference by a coalition of immigration advocates, argued the bill is “a common sense fix to our outdated immigration system.” The legislation also makes the eligibility a rolling date, so it wouldn’t need to be updated by Congress again.
If the undocumented people that the bill helps become citizens, the U.S. economy would see a $121 billion contribution and $35 billion in taxes, according to a 2023 estimate from FWD.us, an immigration and criminal justice reform advocacy organization.
“It’s long overdue for this country’s broken immigration system to be fixed, or more families will continue to be torn apart,” said Alejandro Barranco, a speaker at the press conference. “I stand with ... Sen. Padilla to fight for a pathway to citizenship for people like my dad, whose contributions make America stronger.”
SCHOOL OF HILTON
Via Nicole Nixon...
On a policy-focused swing through Sacramento this week, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton stood in front of the California Department of Education on Monday to blast the state’s bleak student test scores: less than half of students met state English standards and just one in three met grade-level scores in math last year.
“California used to be world famous for our education system. Now, instead of being the pride of the world, we’re the shame of America. We spend more than nearly every other state on education to get these results,” Hilton said. “It is an absolute outrage.”
California spends more than $24,700 per pre-K to 12th grade pupil.
The former Fox News host laid out his plan for schools, which focuses on ensuring students can read by 3rd grade by mandating phonics-based reading lessons statewide. The Legislature is considering a bill that would expand teacher training and materials for phonics lessons but stops short of requiring it.
Hilton also wants to implement a letter grade system for schools and reform teacher tenure, which gives educators stronger job protections and is typically granted after two school years.
Asked about President Donald Trump’s efforts to gut the federal Department of Education, Hilton said he supports “decentralizing power” and that parents should have greater influence over education policy.
He was joined by Gloria Romero, a former Democratic state senator who authored a controversial “parent trigger law” that allowed parents to vote to restructure schools deemed “failing.” The law, signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was defanged in 2016.
“Until we break the machine of one-party rule in Sacramento, you’re going to begin to expect that we will never get phonics education, we’re not going to get school choice, we’re not going to get a boost in the educational level for our children,” Romero said, adding that the state’s Education Department “works for the adults in the system,” not for students and parents.
Hilton is scheduled to talk this morning about Newsom’s plan to redistrict California in response to a Republican-led effort in Texas.
NEW FPPC COMMISSIONER
Via Amelia Wu...
Charlene Zettel will be stepping in as the Fair Political Practices Commission’s newest commissioner, appointed by State Controller Malia Cohen.
Zettel, a former Republican state Assembly member, brings decades of experience in government and regulatory oversight to the political watchdog agency.
“It’s an honor to join one of the nation’s leading political watchdogs,” Zettel said. “I look forward to advancing the FPPC’s work to ensure transparency, ethical governance and public trust.”
The FPPC is made up of five members, tasked with enforcing the California Political Reform Act, which governs campaign finance, lobbying, conflicts of interest and ethics in government, according to the FPPC mission statement.
Commissioners are appointed by the governor, state controller, attorney general and secretary of state for four-year terms after each presidential election.
“As a former lawmaker and public servant with decades of experience in oversight and accountability, she understands the importance of transparency, integrity, and public trust in our institutions,” said FPPC Chair Adam Silver. “Her perspective will greatly strengthen the FPPC’s mission to uphold ethical standards across California.”
FARMERS MARKET TO FORK
Via Amelia Wu...
A bipartisan resolution from Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, highlights the role farmers markets play in bringing communities together, according to a press release from Padilla.
The resolution celebrates National Farmers Market Week from Aug. 3 to Aug. 9. Since 1994, the number of farmer markets nationwide has increased by nearly 7,000 markets.
The resolution was also introduced in the House by Representatives by David Valadao, R-Calif., and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine.
California is home to the most farmers markets in the country, with more than 700 certified markets, according to a statement from Padilla. In 2020, farmer markets accounted for $1.7 billion in income for American farmers, according to the Farmers Market Coalition.
“These markets are not just places to shop — they are essential infrastructure for healthy communities and resilient local economies,” said Willa Sheikh, interim executive director of the Farmers Market Coalition.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially recognized National Farmers Market week since 2021.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Last night, our caucus met to discuss the urgent threat of a continued, blatant Trumpian power grab — a coordinated effort to undermine our democracy and silence Californians. The Assembly won’t stand by while our state is targeted. We will fight fire with fire.”
— Robert Rivas, speaker of the Assembly, D-Salinas
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