Advocacy

2022 CalSPAC Spring Conference – Sacramento – May 2, 2022 (photo credit to: @scottbecknerphotog)

The State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) is a nonpartisan, project-based volunteer advocacy arm of the Junior Leagues of California. Leagues throughout California can participate in advocating on issues that support individual leagues’ focus areas.

The Junior League of San Jose has two delegates who serve as our representatives on the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee, known as CalSPAC.

As delegates, they attend several CalSPAC conferences during the year, serve in a leadership or supporting role on the statewide committee, and take action on selected state and national issues that support our projects, mission, focus areas and/or positions statements.

Currently, the SPAC committee is a second placement for League members and focuses on sharing information, hosting events, and sponsoring trainings and activities with the membership that supports developing the potential in women

SPAC Activities

Throughout the League year, the SPAC committee hosts trainings and events about issues affecting women and children.
Annual events include:

  • SPAC Movie Night – Watch and discuss a documentary focused on empowering women
  • Refreshments with Representatives– In a casual setting, highlight state legislative trends impacting women and children as well as bills sponsored and/or supported by CalSPAC during the current legislative session

       2022 Refreshments with Representatives

  • Day at the Capitol – League members throughout the state head to Sacramento, learn about legislative matters, meet with local representatives, and tour the Capitol
2016 Day at the Capitol, May 2, in the State Assembly

2016 Day at the Capitol, May 2, in the State Assembly

 

Improving the Community through Civic Leadership training

Improving the Community through Civic Leadership Training 2016

Freedom Summit 2015

AdvocacySPAC_FreedomSummit_Photo2

In May 2015, JLSJ was a Gold Sponsor of Freedom Summit 2015, an anti-human trafficking  event featuring prominent local and national trafficking experts, survivors, Congressional delegates, athletes, and musicians that was held at Levi’s Stadium.

About CalSPAC
CalSPAC’s advocacy efforts are targeted to policy within the following focus areas:

  • Education – ensuring that all children and young adults receive educational opportunities that are developmentally appropriate, increase achievement, and lead to workplace marketability
  • Health – advocating for better access to quality health care and prevention programs that will improve mental health and physical health of our community members
  • Family Support – advocating for programs and policies that promote the physical and emotional well-being of all families
  • Violence Prevention – addressing the impact of violence in our communities through prevention, intervention, and education
  • Human Trafficking – committed to ending human trafficking in all its forms. SPAC supports policies and programs that stop human trafficking, advocate for victims, and educate the community at large

JLSJ is among the 17 leagues that are part of the CalSPAC coalition, representing more than 10,000 women across the state of California. Learn more about CalSPAC.

2016 CalSPAC Winter Conference_cropped

The collective voice of SPAC represents more than 10,000 voting women throughout California. SPAC has been successful in sponsoring and supporting many pieces of important legislation, including:

  • Legislation to help human trafficking victims including sponsoring AB1940, AB2040 in the 2011-2012 legislative cycle and SB738 in the 2012-2013 legislative cycle. AB2040 became law and assists human trafficking victims in getting their trafficking-related criminal records automatically deleted when they turn 18.
  • Legislation establishing the “Children’s Bicycle Helmet Law”
  • Legislation enhancing penalties for committing domestic violence in the presence of a minor
  • Legislation establishing the “Kids License Plate” to fund child abuse prevention and injury
  • Legislation providing breast cancer treatment for uninsured women and awareness on breast density
  • Legislation declaring May as Perinatal Depression Awareness Month in California under ACR 105 and the related legislation, ACR 53, which focused on increasing awareness regarding measures that healthcare providers, women, and their families can take to understand risk factors and triggers in hopes of heading off this devastating disease.