Tag: Ballot Measures

California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Keep Kids and Tobacco Apart

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee

Flavored tobacco products like blue raspberry, root beer, and minty menthol target and  hook kids. Tobacco companies use these flavors to make our children their lifelong customers. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • Over 2 million middle and high school students now use e-cigarettes
  • In California, over 96% of high school e-cigarette users who smoke use flavored products
  • 4 out of 5 kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product

A “YES” vote on Proposition 31 will make it illegal to sell flavored tobacco products in the state of California. California State PTA is urging every parent, educator, and child advocate to vote YES on Proposition 31. 

As explained in more detail in our prior post the passage of Proposition 31 will affirm Senate Bill (SB 793), a 2020 law supported by California State PTA and the majority of California legislators. 

A Yes Vote on Proposition 31 is a Vote to Protect the Lives of All Children

The health and wellness of children is one of the California State PTA’s top priorities. And children have been a target of tobacco marketing for decades. By hooking children on tobacco, the tobacco industry is creating customers for life. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical and is especially harmful to youth. It affects brain development, attention, mood, and impulse control as well. It is also often a gateway to youth using other drugs. 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco addiction increases healthcare costs, including public health expenditures, by billions of dollars.  Much of that is paid for with tax money from smokers as well as non smokers, thus affecting all California residents.

Smoking, in any form, has tremendous second- and third-hand smoke effects. The children and people who choose not to smoke are still affected by the smoke and vapor in the air or embedded in the walls and surfaces. School bathrooms are frequently used by smokers, making them a dangerous place for all. It is a serious health crisis.

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support and Protect Our Kids

California State PTA urges all parents, teachers, members, advocates, and citizens to support Proposition 31. Because the California State PTA has adopted a YES (support) position on Proposition 31, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. Local units and councils can use this opportunity to share the harmful effects of tobacco on growing children as well as the long-term harmful effects on society as a whole. Some resources can be found here  https://www.voteyeson31.com/get-the-facts.

You can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, and other communications strategies to support Proposition 31. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.  

Individual action and advocacy is also important. In particular, the Vote Yes on 31 campaign is asking for proponents to share their reasons for supporting Proposition 31 and provides this link for doing so. 

Health, Environmental, and Equity Organizations Support Proposition 31

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 31. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association are among a growing list of supporters of Proposition 31. The full list of local, statewide, and national organizations is available on the Yes on 31 website.

California State PTA Supports Prop 28: Art & Music in Public Schools

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislation Team

For almost thirty five years, California State PTA has strongly and actively advocated for a full curriculum that includes the arts. Arts education supports all kids. In the past, many schools have cut arts education even though studies show that the arts keep students in school, increase the graduation rate, increase academic performance, and add to students’ ability to create, collaborate, think critically, and communicate.

Based on our long standing advocacy in this area,  a study of the measure, and the strength of relevant organizational authorities, our Board of Managers voted to support Proposition 28.  California State PTA is formally supporting and actively advocating for Proposition 28 – the Art and Music in Public Schools Measure. The measure is on the ballot of California’s statewide election on November 8.

How Proposition 28 Supports Arts Education

The passage of Proposition 28 is expected to generate more than $900 million a year in dedicated new funding for arts and music education for all public schools across California – without raising taxes. The measure provides extra funding for schools serving students in low-income communities, who are predominantly students of color, thus addressing current inequities in students’ access to arts and music education. This funding would be in addition to the state’s Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee. 

The majority of the funding is to be used to hire new teachers and staff (80 percent). That represents about a 50 percent increase in arts and music educators in classrooms in California. Besides traditional Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) programs, funds will be used to pay for instruction in computer graphics, animation, coding, and costume design. The measure helps address cuts to arts education which have occurred in many California school districts. 

The initiative also includes strong accountability and transparency measures. It requires school districts to submit annual, public reports to verify the funds are spent as intended, to directly benefit students.

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support

When there is an officially adopted California State PTA position on a ballot measure, such as Proposition 28, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. Many PTAs in California already actively advocate for arts education, for equity, and for strong education funding. This measure has all three!

Local PTAs can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, newsletters and other communications platforms to encourage your community to Vote Yes on Proposition 28. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. 

Remind families (and students!) to register to vote. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.

Individual action and advocacy is also important. The official Yes on Prop 28 campaign website encourages individuals to join the campaign and has a sign-up for volunteers.

A Wealth of Education and Arts Organizations Support Proposition 28.

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 28. A growing list of organizations in the Arts, Education, and many other fields have signed on to the coalition. You’ll find the full coalition list on the campaign website.

California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Prohibit Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee

With flavors like “cotton candy,” “mango slushy,” and “chocolate,” vaping tobacco products have become increasingly popular among youth as young as 4th grade. A 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that approximately one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students used e-cigarettes. The report directly ties the sale of flavored tobacco products, including candy-flavored vaping liquids, to a sharp increase in tobacco usage among our young people. The tobacco industry is targeting children.

That’s why California State PTA and the majority of California legislators supported Senate Bill (SB) 793, which was signed into law in 2020. The law would have prohibited the sale of flavored tobacco products.  

Opponents of SB 793 Put Proposition 31 on the November Ballot

Proposition 31 is a referendum that asks if voters agree with that law. As explained by the Secretary of State, the California Constitution provides for this type of referendum, enabling voters to approve or reject laws such as SB 793.

Since the passage of SB 793 in 2020, corporations that manufacture tobacco products like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds have spent millions to delay the law, with the goal of stopping it permanently. 

Proposition 31 asks voters whether they want to approve or reject the law regarding flavored tobacco products that was already passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. A YES vote means that you approve SB 793 and want to keep it. 

In other words, if approved/supported by the voters (YES votes) this proposition would allow SB 793 to go into effect and make it illegal to sell flavored tobacco products in the state of California. A law that would protect the children and families of California.

If this proposition is rejected by voters (NO votes), SB 793 would not be able to move forward and the tobacco industry would be able to continue to target young people and sell candy flavored tobacco products.

We need every parent, educator, and child advocate to affirm the 2020 law by supporting Proposition 31, in the process defeating the opponents of SB 793 who put Proposition 31 on the ballot. 

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support and Protect Our Kids

California State PTA urges all parents, teachers, members, advocates, and citizens to support Prop 31. Because the California State PTA has already adopted a YES position on Proposition 31, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. 

Local units and councils can use this opportunity to share the harmful effects of tobacco on growing children as well as long term harmful effects on the society. Some resources can be found here  https://www.voteyeson31.com/get-the-facts .

You can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, and other communications strategies to encourage your community to support Proposition 31. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.

Individual action and advocacy is also important. In particular, the Vote Yes on 31 campaign is asking for proponents to share their reasons for supporting Proposition 31 and provides this link for doing so. 

A Wealth of Health, Environmental, and Equity Organizations Support Proposition 31

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 31. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association are among a growing list of supporters of Prop 31.  The full list of local, statewide, and national organizations is available on the Yes on 31 website.