FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BURLINGAME – Barbara E. Kerr, president of the 340,000-member California Teachers Association, issued this statement about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s announcement today that he intends to veto SB 840, the universal healthcare bill by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl:
“Teachers across California join parents and other working families in expressing their deep disappointment in the governor for announcing today he plans to veto legislation that would provide the framework for universal healthcare in the state. Senate Bill 840 could finally provide coverage for the state’s more than 6 million people who are uninsured – including about 800,000 children.
“At a time when studies show there is a direct link between children’s health and their success in school, the governor is turning his back on a plan that would help cover these uninsured children and save billions of dollars in wasteful healthcare industry spending. Like all working people, teachers, parents and their children deserve a fair healthcare system that provides for all. This bill puts us all on that path.”