Expensive Inequality Insights reader,
About 10 years in the past, the California Public Utilities Fee determined they need to cease requesting Social Safety numbers from low-income residents making use of to acquire backed cellphone service. Then, the fee by no means really stopped requesting the data.
CalMatters Reporter Alejandra Reyes-Velarde reported in February that the cellphone program, California LifeLine, nonetheless excludes lots of of hundreds of people that don’t have Social Safety numbers instantly out there. That features undocumented immigrants, unhoused people who might need had their paperwork taken throughout an encampment sweep, folks fleeing home violence, and foster youth who don’t have their start certificates.
Now the CPUC has proposed to lastly replace its utility and renewal varieties to take away language requiring Social Safety numbers and permit candidates to submit further figuring out paperwork apart from a driver’s license and passport. Candidates can even be capable to submit present overseas authorities identification paperwork. There can be a remark interval and doable vote subsequent month earlier than the modifications could be carried out, stated Ashley Salas, an lawyer with the buyer group, The Utility Reform Community.
The Lifeline program helps 1.2 million low-income households get free or discounted cell companies. It eliminates some native, state, and federal cell service charges and presents qualifying contributors reductions of as much as $19 month-to-month and as much as $39 off a service connection.
Individuals who already qualify for sure authorities applications could also be eligible for the reductions. Anybody already enrolled in a public help program, resembling Medicaid and Medi-Cal, Part 8 housing, or CalFresh, qualifies for Lifeline, the Los Angeles Instances reported. Qualification will also be income-based. A household of 4 would qualify for the subsidy if they’ve an annual gross earnings of $48,400 or much less.
DON’T MISS
- Black farmers. After years of discrimination, Black and different minority farmers are getting greater than $2 billion in direct funds from the U.S. Division of Agriculture. The USDA has a historical past of refusing to course of loans from Black farmers, of approving smaller loans in comparison with white farmers, and of foreclosing extra shortly when Black farmers who obtained loans bumped into issues, the Related Press reviews.
- Assured earnings. The Metropolis of Los Angeles may convey again its assured fundamental earnings program after researchers discovered contributors reported with the ability to spend extra time with their kids and decrease ranges of psychological abuse, amongst different advantages, LAist report. Some 3,202 low-income residents obtained $1,000 every month for a 12 months within the “Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot program,” in any other case referred to as BIG: LEAP.
- Warmth battle. CalMatters’ Jeanne Kuang wrote about a gaggle of farmworkers who misplaced their jobs at a tomato subject close to Dixon after they determined to go house early as a result of they felt sick as a result of triple-digit warmth in June. California has guidelines to guard farmworkers from extreme warmth, however inspections and citations are considerably down in comparison with earlier than the COVID pandemic. A invoice earlier than the Legislature would make it simpler to file staff’ compensation claims for warmth sicknesses.
- Baby deaths. Between the early 1800s and late Nineteen Sixties, the U.S. federal authorities forcibly eliminated Native American kids from their properties and despatched them to boarding colleges to be assimilated. Practically 1,000 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian kids died whereas attending these colleges, in line with a brand new investigative report by the Inside Division that calls on the federal government to apologize and “chart a road to healing.” The New York Instances has extra particulars.
- Reparations help. A brand new survey by the California Black Energy Community and knowledge evaluation agency Catalyst California discovered that Black Californians, no matter their political get together, overwhelmingly help reparations. Of the 1,256 Black Californians polled, 94% stated they help reparations for slavery and different types of racial oppression. Some 63% of the respondents recognized as Democrats, whereas 22% stated they have been Impartial voters, and three% recognized as Republicans.
Thanks for following our work on the California Divide crew. Whilst you’re right here, please inform us what sorts of tales you’d like to learn. E-mail us at inequalityinsights@calmatters.org.
Thanks for studying,
Wendy Fry and the California Divide Group
