ADVOCACY PAYS OFF: ROXIE RULES ACT BACK ON LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Following repeated advocacy efforts by principals of Meow Meow Foundation (MMF), California Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) has reintroduced the camp safety bill formerly known as SB 955, the Roxie Rules Act.

Portantino, author of SB 955, was forced to pair down his bill package earlier this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Senators were restricted to three bill introductions, all of which had to be virus-related.

While Gov. Newsom’s team, in conjunction with the CDC, debated allowing summer camps to reopen, and have since given them the green light, MMF principals implored Portantino and nearly one hundred other legislators to reconsider the bill.

“In light of these developments, I am reintroducing the camp bill in the Assembly,” Portantino said. The senator crossed amendments that ultimately moved the contents of SB 955 into its new title SB 217 which was sitting in the Assembly Education committee.  

By doing this, he was able to avoid the bill purging in the Senate and give MMF—the bill’s sponsor—a “fighting chance”, he said, of getting the bill on the Governor's desk this legislative session. “We can't celebrate yet as our journey is just beginning,” Portantino said.

“To say we are thrilled that something has finally gone our way would be an understatement of understatements,” said MMF President Doug Forbes. “We fully acknowledge that this bill would do nothing to protect the lives of millions of campers and camp staffers this year, but it will set a long overdue health and safety precedent next year.”

“Who knows where COVID-19 will stand during summer 2021,” said MMF co-founder Elena Matyas. “Let’s hope it is long gone and a virus is available. Regardless, the protections afforded by SB-217 would finally and firmly require camp operators to institute critical measures in the best interests of children.”

The "new bill" must still be referred to a committee and subsequently weave its way through the Assembly process, including hearings at which Forbes and Matyas will likely virtually testify. If all goes as planned, SB-217 will be sent to the governor’s desk in September and be signed into law no later than early October.

For more on the bill go here.