Stop California's Coercion of Poor Families' Reproductive Choices
In California, we like to believe that everyone in our state enjoys strong support for their personal reproductive choices. Unfortunately, our laws don't always live up to this standard, especially for the poorest families in our communities.
It's shocking to realize, but California actually has a 20-year-old policy on the books, called the CalWORKs Maximum Family Grant (MFG), specifically implemented to coerce the reproductive choices of poor families.
Join us in calling for the passage of Assembly Bill 271, which would repeal this disrespectful law.
The CalWORKs MFG states that infants born to poor families cannot receive basic needs assistance unless their parents can show they were sterilized or used state-specified, invasive types of long-term birth control. Victims of rape must disclose private medical information to the state in order for their infants to receive support.
Tell state lawmakers to repeal this horrific law that only worsens childhood poverty in California.
To Governor Brown and Senators:
I am writing to show my support for the passage of Assembly Bill 271 and the repeal of the CalWORKs MFG.
This policy is a disrespectful and dangerous governmental intrusion into the privacy of women and men with the sole goal of preventing poor families from having children. The CalWORKs MFG has not decreased reproduction - an abhorrent goal anyway - but it has resulted in deep poverty and increased suffering among our state's poorest infants, children and families.
[Your comments here]
The CalWORKs MFG pushes the boundary of appropriate governmental intervention, violates the reproductive privacy and autonomy of low-income parents, and pushes poor families even further into poverty.
I urge you to pass Assembly Bill 271 and repeal the CalWORKs MFG.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
