2012 Legislative Priorities

Support legislative efforts to raise state revenue to fund services and programs that are related to the CAPAA legislative priorities that are not detrimental to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Education:

Closing the Achievement Gap:

• Continue to support the recommendations made in the Study of the Achievement Gap for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Students.
• Encourage the recruitment, training and hiring of bilingual teachers. Teacher training and professional development of bilingual teachers are very critical in improving the academic success of English Language Learners (ELL).
• Support the Statewide program for comprehensive dropout prevention, intervention, and retrieval.
• Higher Education - Support programs to encourage middle and high school students to attend college.

Health Care:

• Encourage programs that will address the disparity gap in health care for communities of color.
• Support culturally competent and culturally appropriate service delivery to communities of color, as well as the use of culturally competent literature.
• Preserve and encourage programs for Medical Interpreter Service. Immigrants with limited English proficiency go to hospitals and medical providers and need interpreters to communicate with their providers.
• Children’s Health Care – Support sufficient funding to provide health care coverage to API and immigrant children including mental health services and treatment.
• Support programs and medical services for the elderly and low-income.

Economic Development:

• Support the community outreach efforts of the Office of Minority Women Business Enterprises (OMWBE) in increasing certification of minority and women-owned businesses with OMWBE.
• Support increasing minority contracting and procurement opportunities for small businesses.
• Support increasing export initiatives with Asian countries.
• Support the creation of job opportunities for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Immigration:

• Support the Limited English Proficient (LEP) Pathway that promotes economic self-sufficiency for refugees and immigrants through job training, job search, English as a Second Language (ESL), work supports, and social services.
• Support Naturalization Services to help immigrants and refugees who receive public assistance become citizens, thus making them eligible for federal benefits and not reliant on state programs such as General assistance and state food assistance.
• Support the New Americans policy for a Statewide Policy Council to provide strategic recommendations for immigrant policy in areas such as citizenship, English acquisition, education and workforce development.