The California Nurses Association, Healthy California campaign, Our Revolution and #KnockEveryDoor plan a second wave of coordinated canvasses this Labor Day weekend to engage community members with the campaign for SB 562, legislation which would guarantee health coverage to all Californians and eliminate premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket health costs.

The statewide organizing effort was launched earlier this month with canvassing in Eureka, Patterson (Stanislaus County), and in the Southern California cities, Whittier, Sylmar and Paramount.  An outreach campaign aimed at expanding the support of businesses for SB 562 will launch later in September.

Upcoming Canvass Actions

Saturday, Sept. 2
Fullerton - District 65 (Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva)
Torrance - District 66 (Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi)
Ventura - District 37 (Assemblymember Monique Limon)

Sunday, Sept. 3
Santa Ana - District 69 (Assemblymember Tom Daly)

This wave of grassroots organizing for SB 562 occurs against a backdrop of new developments on the bill. Earlier this month, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who acted unilaterally in late June to block legislative action on SB 562 after the bill passed the California Senate, announced the creation of a "Select Committee" on "universal coverage."  In a statement, the Healthy California campaign recognized "the committee as a clear reaction to the statewide pressure from our campaign and grassroots supporters," and resolved to continue organizing, as the committee "cannot vote on SB 562 or amendments to the bill," and only continues to delay the legislative process.

The California Democratic Party endorsed SB 562 last weekend at its Executive Board Meeting in Anaheim. This is in effect a tacit rebuke to Speaker Rendon, one of the top Democratic office holders in California. While canvassing Rendon's district this month for SB 562, volunteers with CNA, Our Revolution, the Healthy California Campaign and #KnockEveryDoor found that not one respondent knew Rendon, and many cited concerns about access to healthcare or spiraling costs that would be addressed by SB 562.

According to a survey, conducted August 16 to 20 by GBA (Gerstein/Bocian/Agne) Strategies, a prominent Democratic-aligned Washington DC polling firm, likely 2018 voters in Rendon’s 63rd Assembly district oppose his decision to block legislative action on SB 562. Further, 41 percent of the AD 63 residents contacted said his decision would make them less likely “to vote for him” when Rendon is “on the ballot for re-election again next year,” compared to only 17 percent who said they’d be more likely to vote for him. A full 81 percent said they are “almost certain” to vote in November 2018.