Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 2301 (Judiciary) into law, creating a new stream of funding for legal services in California - private, voluntary, charitable donations by individual attorneys to be collected through the annual State Bar membership dues process, starting in 2008.

Other states, including Texas and Georgia, have seen significant increases in available funding for legal services through similar systems. The next step in implementing AB 2301 is that the State Bar of California will convene a Task Force, charged with the responsibility for studying the successes in other states and making a formal recommendation to the State Bar Board of Governors for the process that California should implement in time for the 2008 dues collection process.

Tremendous credit is due to Assemblymember Dave Jones for the successful passage of this legislation, as well as Kevin Baker, Counsel to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

And many, many thanks to all of the legal services programs listed below that wrote multiple letters of support throughout the process, testified at hearings, and made legislative contacts in support of the bill. It just shows that when we work together as a statewide community, amazing things can happen - including NEW sources of funding! Congratulations to all of you on this success!

For more information about AB 2301, go to: http://www.calegaladvocates.org/link.cfm?5392.

Many thanks to the following legal services programs:

Alameda County Bar Association

Alliance for Children's RightsAsian Law AllianceAsian Law CaucusAsian Pacific American Legal Center Bet Tzedek Legal ServicesThe Bar Association of San Francisco's Volunteer Legal Services ProgramBay Area Legal AidCalifornia Advocates for Nursing Home ReformCalifornia Center for Law and the DeafCalifornia Indian Legal ServicesCalifornia Rural Legal Assistance FoundationCentral California Legal Services, Inc.Centro Legal de la RazaChild Care Law CenterChinese for Affirmative ActionDisability Rights Education and Defense FundDisability Rights Legal CenterEast Bay Community Law CenterHIV & AIDS Legal Services Alliance, Inc.Homeless Action CenterImmigrant Legal Resource CenterThe Impact FundInner City Law CenterLaw Center for FamiliesLaw Foundation of Silicon ValleyLawyer's Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay AreaLegal Aid Foundation of Los AngelesLegal Aid Foundation of Santa BarbaraLegal Aid of MarinLegal Aid Society - Employment Law CenterLegal Aid Society of Orange CountyLegal Aid Society of San DiegoLegal Aid Society of San MateoLegal Center for Elderly and DisabledLegal Services of Northern CaliforniaLegal Services for Prisoners with ChildrenLos Angeles Center for Law and JusticeMental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.Mexican American Legal defense and Educational FundNational Center for Youth LawNational Economic Development and Law CenterNational Housing Law ProjectNational Immigration Law CenterNeighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles CountyPro Bono ProjectProtection and Advocacy, Inc.Public Advocates, Inc.Public Law CenterPublic Interest ClearinghouseThe Public Interest Law ProjectPublic Counsel San Diego Volunteer Lawyer ProgramVoluntary Legal Services Program of Northern CaliforniaWestern Center on Law & PovertyWORKSAFE!Youth Law Center