On the final day to sign or veto passed legislation, Sept. 30, Gov. Newsom signed one of UNITE-LA's top policy priorities of the 2021-22 legislative session, Senate Bill 951, authored by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, officially making it state law. This extraordinary accomplishment was the culmination of a broad and robust political engagement strategy, which focused on elevating the voices of our most vulnerable Californians who would benefit from the new law.

SB 951 increases, from 60 to 90 percent, the share of workers' wages paid by the State Disability Insurance/Paid Family Leave program for those in lower-wage jobs, effective Jan. 1, 2025. As a result, these programs will be far more accessible for Californians who need to take paid time off from work to recover from serious illness, care for their seriously ill family member or bond with a new child without jeopardizing their economic security. UNITE-LA is humbled to be one of so many organizations who worked hard to have Paid Family Leave become law in California.