Saturday, May 16, 2026

Senator Pérez Welcomes Fire Aid and Teacher Leave in State Budget, but Flags Gaps in College Support

Senator Sasha Renee Perez via Facebook

Pérez, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, praises pregnancy leave for teachers and per-pupil spending while saying more wildfire aid is needed

State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, on Friday welcomed a proposed $100 million state investment in mortgage and rebuilding assistance for Los Angeles County wildfire survivors and a new requirement that California provide 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for TK-12 and community college teachers, both included in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May Revision to the 2026-2027 state budget.

Pérez, who represents Pasadena, Altadena, and 19 other communities in the 25th Senate District, issued the statement one day after Newsom released the revised budget proposal Thursday. She praised what she described as record per-pupil education spending and the state’s largest special education investment, but said the revised proposal does not include restoration of the Middle Class Scholarship program. The Legislature faces a June 15 constitutional deadline to pass a balanced budget.

The May Revision proposes a $100 million disaster rebuilding fund aimed at helping wildfire survivors secure construction financing through loan-loss guarantees, according to the governor’s office. The Newsom administration estimates that thousands of victims of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires cannot afford to rebuild because of a gap between insurance payouts and the cost to build again, the Hanford Sentinel reported.

The Eaton Fire began January 7, 2025, and destroyed more than 9,000 structures across Altadena and surrounding areas, according to Los Angeles County. The fire killed 19 members of the Altadena community, Pérez said in a January statement. Together, the Eaton and Palisades fires killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, according to The Real Deal.

“I appreciate the new $100 million investment in mortgage and rebuilding assistance to help Los Angeles County fire survivors,” Pérez said in her statement. “Yet, I’m concerned that California will need to do even more given the Trump administration has disgracefully turned its back on fire survivors.”

Pérez said she looks forward to working with colleagues and the governor “to address the widespread fire recovery needs that remain for survivors of the most devasting fires in our state’s history.”

On education funding, the May Revision proposes a $5 billion Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant and increases ongoing special education funding by $2.4 billion, or 43%, which the administration described as the largest such investment in state history, according to abc10. The revised funding estimate for Proposition 98 — the share of the state general fund that goes to TK-12 schools and community colleges — would be a record $127.1 billion in 2026-27, with per-pupil funding rising to $21,013, EdSource reported.

“The Governor’s May Revision offers some significant new investments in education,” Pérez said. “As the Chair of the Senate Education Committee, I appreciate the record investments in per-pupil spending, including the state’s largest investment in special education, and a healthy discretionary block grant for schools and their unique needs.”

The paid pregnancy leave provision implements Assembly Bill 65, sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, which provides up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for TK-12 educators and school employees, according to the California Department of Education.

“I strongly support the historic investment to provide 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for TK-12 and community college teachers, which was an effort we led last year as a Legislative Women’s Caucus priority,” Pérez said.

The senator also addressed higher education funding. “The May Revision also maintains the state’s commitment to ongoing General Fund investments in both the UC and CSU systems to provide each with a five-percent base increases to support operations and student access,” she said. The revised proposal would defer paying out $129.7 million for the University of California and $143.8 million for California State University until next year, according to EdSource. Both systems had been allocated a combined $716.3 million in new base funding under the governor’s January budget.

“However, there remains room for negotiation, as it does not include restoration of the Middle Class Scholarship program, which serves to support the affordability of higher education in California,” Pérez said. “The Governor’s proposal still leaves money on the table that should be going to schools, and we look forward to continuing our discussion with the Administration.”

The 25th Senate District, which includes the cities and communities of Pasadena and Altadena, contains the burn zone of the Eaton Fire and the Pasadena Unified School District, which projects a budget shortfall of $30 million to $35 million for the 2026-27 school year, according to district documents. The Eaton Fire destroyed or severely damaged five PUSD schools, all located in Altadena, according to district reporting.

Pérez committed the Senate to its previously announced budget framework. “The Senate will continue to follow our Foundation for the Future budget plan as we work with the Governor and the Assembly to pass a balanced budget by the June 15 constitutional deadline,” she said. “Our focus will remain prioritizing California’s families and the overall economy by making responsible choices now so we can prevent bigger and more harmful budget cuts in the future.”