In brief: Caucus run by Berkeley’s Skinner announces 2023 abortion bills

BERKELEY

The California Legislative Women’s Caucus, chaired by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and the California Future of Abortion Council on Monday announced their 2023 bill package on abortion rights. The package includes 17 pieces of legislation that would expand access to contraception and abortion and strengthen California’s standing as a safe haven for these services.

The bill package comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision last year overturning Roe v. Wade and the subsequent restricting of abortion in numerous states. This is the second year in which the Legislative Women’s Caucus has partnered with the California Future of Abortion (FAB) Council on a reproductive rights bill package.

Fourteen bills in last year’s package became law, including a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to abortion and contraception that was overwhelmingly approved by California voters in November. In addition, the Women’s Caucus and FAB Council were successful in securing a record $200-plus million in the 2022-23 state budget to expand and strengthen access to abortion and contraception services.

“The Legislative Women’s Caucus is honored to be partnering with the CA FAB Council for the second year in a row on bold legislation that will further solidify California’s position as a beacon for reproductive freedom,” said Skinner. “These are dark times, with women in many states being stripped of their bodily autonomy, including being forced to experience severe and unnecessary medical hardships. California will remain a light of hope, a safe haven for abortion and contraception and a fierce protector of the right to control our own bodies.”

— state Sen. Skinner’s office

RICHMOND

Art center to present three exhibit exploring climate crisis

This spring, the Richmond Art Center (RAC) will present a trio of new exhibitions that explore the climate crisis: “Fencelines: A Collective Monument to Resilience;” “Requiem: The Remains of the Day, August 4, 2021;” and “Tanja Geis: Recompose.” Also, the West Contra Costa Unified School District Student Art Show will return for its 57th year.

“Fencelines” is a community-based participatory art project that invites local folks to reflect on the circumstances of environmental injustice in the city of Richmond. In “Requiem,” photographer Ruth Morgan presents a selection of evocative photographs that document the devastation of Greenville, California, after it was burned down by the Dixie Wildfire on Aug. 4, 2021. Lastly, in “Recompose,” artist Tanja Geis displays mesmerizing cyanotypes of painted decomposing common murres, a bird species that experienced historic die-offs along local coasts in the summer of 2015 due to global warming.

All three exhibitions run April 5 through June 3. Visit richmondartcenter.org/exhibition/upcoming online for more details.

— RAC

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Court accepting applications for civil grand jury service

The Contra Costa County Superior Court is accepting applications for civil grand jury service for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The civil grand jury is made up of 19 members who serve for one year — July through June — to monitor, review and report on city and county governments, special districts and school districts.

Every effort is made to ensure that the Grand Jury reflects the makeup of the residents of the county. About 75 applicants will be selected to be interviewed by the grand jury selection committee, which is composed of superior court judges. After interviews, the judges will nominate about 30 applicants to constitute a grand jury pool from which the final panel of 19 will be selected by random drawing. The drawing is scheduled to be held June 16.

Individuals selected for service will be expected to be available June 20-23 and June 26-29 to attend an orientation at which they will meet with department heads, become familiar with their colleagues, learn about juror responsibilities and procedures and select committees on which they will serve.

Grand jurors must be U.S. citizens ages 18 or older who have lived in Contra Costa County for at least one year before selection and do not currently hold any elected position within the county. Applicants should have reliable transportation to Martinez and must be prepared to devote at least 30 hours a week to civil grand jury service.

Applicants should each have access to a computer, be familiar with Microsoft Word and be able to send and receive email. Citizens who work should apply only if they can be released from their jobs to perform the jury duties. Applicants selected as one of the 30 nominees will be fingerprinted before the random drawing.

Jurors receive a stipend for attending full jury and committee meetings and are reimbursed 62.5 cents per mile for allowable jury travel. Applicants can call the county’s Office of the Civil Grand Jury at 925-608-2621 or visit its website at cc-courts.org/grandjury for an application or more details about civil grand jury service. The application deadline is March 24.

— Contra Costa County Superior Court

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