effectiveness of these programs in maintaining diversity within the postsecondary system in the post Proposition 209 regulatory environment. Single Block Grant The Administration proposes to consolidate statefunded programs that serve legal immigrants in a single block grant. The block grant would provide fixed sums of money to counties to provide basic safetynet services in a discretionary manner. Counties will have the discretion to decide what programs should continue to be provided to current beneficiaries. These programs include CalWORKs, California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), and Healthy Families for legal immigrant children. •
NCLR urges you to maintain the administrative and funding reliability of CFAP and CAPI. These are programs that allow families to stay in the workforce and reduce the state’s need for more costly interventions. CFAP provides nutritional assistance for immigrants who are working and contributing to the state’s economy. Studies show that the prevalence of hunger among legal immigrants is seven to ten times greater than for families who have not lost their Food Stamp benefits. CAPI assists elderly and disabled legal immigrants who may otherwise be pushed into indigence without these supplements. For many disabled legal immigrants, CAPI supplements are the only way to make ends meet, whether by providing access to food and housing or by helping defray the costs of necessary medical services.
Cap Enrollments The Administration proposes to cap MediCal enrollment of legal immigrant children for nonemergency Medi Cal services at 910,000, denying services to 78,000 individuals to save a total of $17.2 million. Once the limit is reached, those immigrants eligible for MediCal will be placed on a waiting list. Healthy Families is also looking to cap the enrollment of eligible children and families at 732,000. This program provides lowcost, comprehensive health insurance to lowincome children and their families. This reduction is expected to create a waiting list of 110,000 children, predominately Latino. •
NCLR urges you to maintain the administrative and funding integrity of the MediCal and Healthy Families programs to avoid exacerbating uninsurance rates among Latinos. When compared to all ethnic groups, Latinos depend on MediCal and the Healthy Families program significantly more than any other group. Twentysix percent of the Latino community, or 2.3 million individuals, rely on Medi Cal and the Healthy Families program for health coverage.
Driver’s Licenses Senator Gil Cedillo (DLos Angeles) has introduced SB 1160, which would allow immigrants to apply for a driver’s license and includes provisions to address security concerns. Currently, California requires a Social Security Number and proof of legal status from driver’s license applicants, effectively barring many individuals in different stages of the immigration process from obtaining a driver’s license and auto insurance, and preventing the state from testing their driving knowledge and skills. The provisions to address security concerns are still being negotiated by Senator Cedillo and Governor Schwarzenegger. •
NCLR believes that driver’s licenses should serve as proof of an individual’s authorization to operate a motor vehicle and proof of identity. However, NCLR does not support legislation that ties obtaining a driver’s license to immigration status or a process that requires Departments of Motor Vehicles to be responsible for making immigrant eligibility determinations. NCLR urges you to work with advocates to advance public safety, national security, and uphold civil and immigrant rights to make sure that all California residents be eligible to obtain a driver’s license only if they pass the driving and written tests, submit proof of identity, and comply with all other licensing requirements.