During the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held virtually and featured on-camera presentations from key state legislators, gubernatorial staff and ACSA advocates. With most of the action returning to the Capitol, members have the chance to congregate and meet lawmakers face-to-face this year.

Legislative Action Days will begin Monday, April 17, with a kick-off luncheon, orientation and training. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is the event’s first keynote speaker and will address the group at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, the location of both the Monday and Tuesday keynotes.

Following region breakouts and legislative meetings, the week’s Speaker Series panels begin at ACSA’s offices with education staff from the State Assembly. Speaker Anthony Rendon’s special assistant Misty Padilla Feusahrens; principal consultant Erin Gabel from the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance; and chief consultant Tanya Lieberman of the Assembly Education Committee will discuss their work to incorporate Assembly priorities into the governor’s proposed education budget.

Just after the Assembly panel, Senate staff members Yong Salas, consultant for the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee; Lynn Lorber, chief consultant of the Senate Education Committee; and Andrew Medina, principal consultant for Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, will highlight the budget process on the Senate side.

After the Tuesday morning keynote at the Sheraton Grand (yet to be confirmed), ACSA will present the Friend of Education award to two winners: Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of the Assembly Education Committee and Brooks Allen, executive director of the State Board of Education. Then, at the ACSA offices, members of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s staff will speak on the governor’s priorities for education funding as budget negotiations continue.

“ACSA members are uniquely positioned to illuminate the challenges and opportunities facing public education,” said Iván Carrillo, ACSA’s senior director of governmental relations. “Throughout Legislative Action Days, school leaders from across the state will advocate on issues that are critical to student success. While I am looking forward to the week’s events, I am even more eager to watch the advocacy efforts’ influence on forthcoming policy and budget decisions. We see the power of ACSA members’ collective voice play out every year.”

Members interested in attending will need to contact their regional Vice President for Legislative Action. Contact Suzanne Caffrey for assistance.