Dear Friends,

It was a great week! The Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship and we passed the state budget - balanced and on-time.

Here are some good news highlights on California's Budget for 2017-18:

• K-12 Education: With an increase of $3 billion per pupil funding is now over $11,000 a year. Community colleges, early care and education for our 0-4 year olds, and afterschool programs also got healthy funding increases.  
• Higher Education: New funding supports our Community colleges to raise student graduation rates, retains the Middle Class Scholarship for CSU and UC students, and expands CalGrant financial aid.
• Health Care: As Washington threatens to defund Planned Parenthood, California's budget gives $50 million to protect and deliver women's reproductive healthcare. And the budget provides the first increase in MediCal reimbursement rates since the recession.
• State EITC: Self-employed Californians will now have access to California's Earned Income Tax Credit designed to assist low wage earners.
• Legal Services: Big boost in funding will provide free and low cost legal services to kids in foster care and their families, immigrants, and low income residents.

I am pleased that the budget we adopted yesterday delivers for Californians. With this budget we strengthen education, healthcare, and our safety net while also building up our state reserve fund to protect California in the future. It is an honor to serve the residents of Senate District 9.

Sincerely,

Nancy Skinner
Senator, 9th District

P.S. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more updates from the Capitol and throughout Senate District 9.