1. Fighting to Improve Prison Health Care: The story of Senate Bill 396 When you look at me, I don’t have a problem with you seeing a convict. I’m still going to walk proud because my mama and my grandma taught me to do that. So I don’t care how you see me. I want you to understand that when I look at myself in the mirror, you know what I see? I see my mom and dad’s daughter. I see my sister’s sister. I see my kids’ mother and I see my grandbaby’s grandma. That’s what I see. I’ll be willing to do my time, just let me do it well, that’s all I’m asking.” —Ellen Richardson, Valley State Prison for Women, testifying to California’s Joint Legislative Committee on Prison Construction & Operations, October 11, 2000. Rachel Poulain Estelle Schneider Donna Willmott

2. The Advocates  Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) Advocating for the rights of incarcerated mothers and their children

3. The Issue: Inadequate medical care  Medical Technical Assistants (MTAs)  California’s Co-payment System  Regular Preventive Care  Medication Delays  Pregnant Women

4.  Litigation The Context  Media  Legislative work

5. Senate Bill 396 Author: Senator Sheila Kuehl  Eliminate the use of Medical Technical Assistants (MTA)  Require that all California Department of Corrections’ (CDC) medical facilities become accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC  Eliminate the $5 co-pay fee for each prisoner- initiated medical visit

6. What did the interest group do to push the bill?  Formed an advocacy coalition  Organized lobbying day  Support letters and postcard  Testimony from: –Family members of prisoners who had died –Department of Corrections Dr. Shansky  Media coverage

7. Who opposed the bill?  California Correctional Peace Officer’s Association (CCPOA)  American Correctional Association (ACA)

8. SB 396 Timeline Feb. 21 SB396 introduced to the Senate Apr. 24 Amended in Senate Ayes 4. Noes 1. May 2 Significantly amended in Senate. Ayes 4. Noes 1. May 14 Amended in Senate Ayes 12. Noes 0. Jun. 4 Amended in Senate Ayes 24. Noes 12. Sep. 12 Significantly amended in Assembly Ayes 49. Noes 26. Oct. 12 Vetoed by former Governor Gray Davis

9. Conclusion  So why did Davis veto SB396? –March 30, 2002 SACRAMENTO – “Gov. Gray Davis received an additional $251,000 from California's prison guards union earlier this month, only weeks after the governor granted the officers a pay hike of as much as $1 billion and fulfilled their wish by proposing to close five private prisons. By DAN MORAIN LA Times Staff Writer