Asm. Garcia and Sen. Skinner Release Statement on Gov. Newsom’s State of the State Address

Mar 09, 2021
Contact: 
Sulema Landa Sulema.Landa@asm.ca.gov

Asm. Garcia and Sen. Skinner Release Statement on Gov. Newsom’s State of the State Address
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia and Senator Nancy Skinner, chair and vice chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus, released the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s 2021 State of the State Address:

“California women, particularly women of color and those who are low income, have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-induced recession. In fact, this is the first recession in state history during which more women lost jobs than men. As Governor Newsom remarked tonight, ‘mothers have been leaving the workforce in startlingly high numbers.’ And those workforce losses are predicted to be felt for years to come, threatening women’s economic security both now and in the future and placing many more women and children in poverty.
“We’re heartened by Gov. Newsom and the Legislature’s recent budget actions that have provided $3.8 billion in Golden State Stimulus direct relief to low-income individuals and families, including undocumented Californians, along with $2.2 billion in grants to our smallest businesses, many of them run by women and minority entrepreneurs.

“The pandemic has also inflicted a substantial psychological toll. During the past year, California women, in addition to losing jobs, have faced a caregiving crisis, the challenges of homeschooling, isolation, illness, and the loss of loved ones. It’s no wonder that nearly half of California women have reported experiencing anxiety and depression. The $6.6 billion in essential funds to assist our schools reopen classrooms safely that both the Governor and Legislature recently approved is just one needed and welcome response to help relieve some of these burdens.

“Governor Newsom also correctly pointed out that the most acute pre-existing condition remains income inequality, that there can be ‘no economic recovery without justice.’ As Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins stated in her opening remarks, ‘normal wasn’t working, we have to get back to better.’ We applaud the Governor’s proposals to invest a record amount of funding in public education next year, along with the administration’s recent efforts to ensure that all California teachers get vaccinated and that 40% of vaccine doses are directed to low-income communities and communities of color who have been impacted most by this deadly disease.
“The Women’s Caucus is committed to working on additional actions to help reverse the devastating impacts on women and children and prevent women from falling further behind, and we look forward to our shared work with the Governor and our legislative colleagues on these goals.”

###