California State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I strongly support a woman's full right to make her own reproductive choices and am honored to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood. I oppose any limits on access to a safe, legal and affordable abortion. I unequivocally believe in confidential, unrestricted access to women's health care services, including the full range of reproductive services, contraception and abortion, without requiring guardian, judicial, parental or spousal consent or notification. I oppose waiting periods, mandatory counseling and ultrasounds, non-surgical abortion restrictions and 'personhood' amendments and TRAP laws. Access to women's health services and family planning is essential to achieving women's equality.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I believe the reformers of 2012 have made an impact in stabilizing our pension system and it is my hope that no additional changes will be necessary to ensure budget stability. We must preserve our promise of retirement security to existing employees and pay out the benefits our state workers deserve. If the need arose, I would consider an income tax increase on our highest-earners.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Do you support repealing California's nonpartisan blanket primary election system?
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- I support any measures which increase transparency and fairness in our campaign finance system, and any measures which make voting more accessible for all our communities.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- As the current president continues expanding his list of who does and does not belong in the United States, California must stand firm in protecting vulnerable members of our community from attack and unjustified deportation. I believe we need to make our criminal justice and law enforcement systems more just: this means investing in community-based prevention programs, behavioral alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders, and taking a public health approach to our drug policies.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of California?
- Yes

7. Do you support expanding state public housing programs?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- I believe that when the state spends its dollars on a robust social safety net, it creates the ability for all our workers and families to thrive and grow our economy. I also believe it is up to us as a state to ensure that the private sector is acting in a way that upholds anti-discrimination and civil rights for all workers. I support progressive tax reforms which strengthen our social safety net and ensure that our wealthiest residents and businesses are paying their fair share.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in California?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No Answer

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from California high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support the Common Core standards, but would remain critical of any standards set by the Tump Administration. I believe we should drastically increase funding in our public school system. I believe we need more transparency and accountability in how charter schools are run. Among other reforms, we must hold charter schools subject to the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act and the Public Records Act, to enable parents and the community at large more insight into how taxpayer dollars are being spent. I unequivocally support the right of any Californian to access affordable higher education, regardless of residency status.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support permanent statewide water usage restrictions?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I believe climate change poses an existential threat to humanity, and to the fundamental rights and futures of all those who live in my district. I would be a strong and relentless champion for steering California toward a clean, renewable energy future, holding local air polluters accountable, and ensuring everyone has access to free and clean drinking water, among other efforts.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Giving teachers guns does not make our children safer. To address gun violence, we need to pass common sense gun safety measures. I believe we should lead the nation on using smart gun technology and closing gun shows and internet sales of guns. We should also outlaw any after-market accessories that enable a weapon to be altered into an automatic or semi-automatic weapon. I have been endorsed by gun violence prevention advocates Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly and the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and have received the Moms Demand Action candidate distinction award.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through California's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- I believe I am the strongest health care candidate in my race. If elected, I will fight to bring single-payer to California and in the meantime will protect and expand Medicaid and ACA protections by passing an individual mandate and creating a public option. I unequivocally support mandatory vaccines for all --they are an important public health tool to protect all our kids. I am honored to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood and CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates, a coalition of community clinics.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in California's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in California's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by California state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Do you support California's "Sanctuary State" immigration policies?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support all measures to increase our anti-discrimination laws and ensure that no Californian receives discriminatory treatment in their school, workplace, or community. We must continue to push for even more employer transparency and anti-wage discrimination legislation in order to erase our pay equity gaps. Part of this means we need more access to data on employee salaries, so that employers and legislators can better understand where pay gaps exist. We must couple these efforts with creative measures that ease financial burdens on low- and middle-income families.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1: Fixing our housing and homelessness crisis by building more transit-oriented affordable homes for low-income people, protecting existing tenants from displacement, and growing in a smart way by building more homes in walkable, transit-oriented neighborhoods. 2: Boosting funding for our public schools through Prop 13 reform, teacher pay increases, supporting early childhood education, high accountability standards for all schools, free community college, and a permanent funding source for our entire higher education system. 3: Achieving a single-payer health care system as soon as possible, and protecting ACA provisions and expanding Medicaid access in the meantime through progressive health care reforms.