Call to Action: Support the State School Bond

State school bond conversations are heating up, and we need your help!

June 27 is the final date to pass and sign a bill to place a school bond on the November 2024 ballot. The Legislature and Governor need to hear directly from community colleges that our system supports the school bond and should be included.

The last successful state school bond was Proposition 51, which was passed by voters in 2016 and provided $2 billion to community colleges. CCFC supports AB 247 (Muratsuchi), which would place a $14 billion TK-14 bond on the November 2024 ballot. AB 247 would fund the existing community college capital outlay program, though the specific dollar amount for community colleges is still to be determined.

It is important to show a groundswell of support for the school bond. CCFC is asking our community college members to contact the Legislature in one of two ways:

• Support Letter – Draft and submit a letter in support of AB 247. See below for directions and a letter template. Please submit letters as soon as possible.
  

• Call/Email Your Legislator – Contact your legislator directly to urge their support for the state school bond and AB 247. You can call their office, or submit brief comments using the “Contact Me” feature on their personal website. If you already have a good relationship with someone in your legislator’s office, reach out to that person!
  • If you need assistance identifying your legislator, click here to use the “Find Your California Representative” Legislator Look-Up Tool. The tool will direct you to the personal website of your Senator and Assembly Member.

FYI – There is a second bond bill still alive in the legislative process: SB 28 (Glazer), which would place a $15.5 billion TK-University bond on the ballot. CCFC does not support this version of the bond. Our primary goal is to have a viable bond that will be passed by voters. SB 28 includes provisions that contributed to the defeat of Proposition 13 in March 2020, such as the inclusion of UC and CSU and controversial policy changes to the K-12 program.

Please note, once the bond is officially on the ballot, we will request Board resolutions supporting the specific proposition number. Stay tuned!

How to Submit a Letter to the Legislature

Submit your letter directly through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal, available here. Letters should be directed to the Senate Appropriations Committee, because that is the current location of AB 247 (check the box for Senate Appropriations, as well as for any author staff listed). Please reach out to Jessica Contreras if you need assistance. Jessica can also assist with cc’s to your own legislators.

Click here for an AB 247 Support Letter Template (.docx)

It is vital to send a copy of your letter by email to:

• CCFC: jcontreras@m-w-h.com
• Governor’s Office: Nichole.Murillo@gov.ca.gov

For your reference, click here to view CCFC’s support letter on AB 247.