Euthanasia rates of cats and kittens are on the rise at L.A. city animal shelters

Jen Naitaki, senior advisor for the Michelson Center for Public Policy, another nonprofit founded by Michelson focused on policy change in California and Los Angeles, said the city’s free and low-cost spay and neuter vouchers run out quickly every month. Most kittens and cats brought to the shelter are strays, or so-called community cats without clear owners.

LA is exterminating dogs at an unprecedented rate. The faces on the ‘kill list’ are heartbreaking

Michelson Center for Public Policy, one of Los Angeles’ leading animal welfare organizations, said Mayor Karen Bass’ 2025-26 and 2026-27 budgets did not invest enough in spaying and neutering pets. “Los Angeles is already paying for this failure in dollars and animal lives,” the organization said. In both budget cycles, Michelson urged city leaders to increase funding for spay-and-neuter programs, including calling for at least $3.5 million more in the 2026-27 budget, saying prevention is the most effective way to reduce shelter overcrowding, save animals and lower long-term costs.

New Pilot Program Fights Mass Incarceration, Builds Local Economy and Keeps Communities Together 

In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Sentinel, Vera Institute of Justice, an MCPP policy partner, highlights California’s $5 million investment in Jails to Jobs, a new Los Angeles pilot designed to connect people with employment opportunities shortly after arrest. The piece credits J2J co-sponsors MCPP, Vera, and NextGen California with advocating for this program and positions workforce development as a cost-effective strategy to strengthen economic mobility and public safety.

Some Californians could be losing their landline service soon

MCPP’s Cristal Mojica was interviewed by KNX Radio about the hundreds of thousands of Californians who could lose their landline phone service next year under AT&T. Mojica says AT&T's logic is bottom-line driven, noting that landlines are not as profitable to AT&T as they would like, so the network giant is working to create a narrative that folks do not need it. In reality, landlines provide critical connectivity during emergencies such as wildfires and other disasters, especially in rural areas or regions without reliable cell service. 

Mayor Bass' budget cuts $1.6 million for dog exercise program at L.A. animal shelters - Los Angeles Times

Jennifer Naitaki, a Michaelson Center for Public Policy senior advisor, said the group’s workers keep notes on how the dogs behave outside their kennels, something that helps match the dogs with appropriate new homes.

“They help us understand the behavior of these dogs and what home is going to suit them the best,” she said. “And so their notes are directly contributing to live outcomes.”

About 15% of households in California don't have internet access, report finds

Cristal Mojica, digital equity expert at the Michelson Center for Public Policy, said pricing data is intentionally obscured. “It makes it harder for people to shop around between internet plans,” Mojica told LAist. “It makes it really challenging for our state legislators to be effective and make effective decisions around affordability when they have to try to dig around for that information themselves.”

California addresses veterinarian shortage, expands scope of veterinary staff

The signing of these bills comes after the San Diego Humane Society worked alongside several groups to advocate for these reforms, including: the San Francisco SPCA, CalAnimals, Valley Humane Society, Best Friends Animal Society, ASPCA, Michelson Center for Public Policy and the Humane World for Animals.  

Letters to the Editor: California has led the way in curbing pet-selling cruelty. It can’t stop now

“California led in 2019 by barring pet stores from selling inhumanely, commercially bred dogs. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom can finish the job. By signing Assembly Bill 519, he can close the online loophole these bad-faith brokers exploit and make good on the state’s promise to curb this cruelty.” — Jennifer Naitaki, Michelson Center for Public Policy. Republished in MSN News.

California Senate Setback for AB 1380 Bill Supporting Incarcerated Firefighters

Co-sponsors of AB 1380 continue to express their disappointment but vowed to keep pushing. Tania Vargas, executive director of Initiate Justice Action, and Mayra Lombera, chief policy officer for the Michelson Center for Public Policy, said AB 1380 was “a transformative bill that would have strengthened public safety through job creation” and that blocking it “squandered a common-sense chance to honor their service and strengthen our fire response.”

Senate Committee Blocks Bill That Would Help Incarcerated Firefighters

California Assembly Bill 1380 was shelved by a Senate committee. The bill would have provided incarcerated firefighters with the basic certifications needed to pursue firefighting careers upon release.

Firefighting to Freedom: California Leaders Honor Incarcerated Firefighters, Push for Landmark Reform 

California lawmakers, fire officials, and community advocates gathered on the morning of August 22 at Stentorians Inc. in South Los Angeles to uplift the voices of incarcerated firefighters and rally support for the Firefighting to Freedom Bill Package—a sweeping set of seven bills designed to recognize the courage of incarcerated fire crews and open career pathways upon release.

Lawmakers Push for ‘Firefighting to Freedom’ Bill Aiding Incarcerated Firefighters

Local community officials and leaders also joined in support, including Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Cristine Soto DeBerry, executive director of Prosecutors Alliance Action, Mayra Lombera, chief policy officer at the Michelson Center for Public Policy, Brian Fennessy, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority and president of the California Fire Chiefs Association, and Taina Angeli Vargas, executive director of Initiate Justice Action.

California Proposes Seven Bills to Aid Incarcerated Firefighters’ Efforts

Supporters outside the legislature also endorsed the package. Mayra Lombera, chief policy officer at the Michelson Center for Public Policy, said the reforms reflect a vision that values sacrifice and rehabilitation. “Sacrifice is respected, experience is valued, and rehabilitation is met with opportunities rather than stigma,” Lombera said. “Opportunities should not be reserved for a few but all who want to step into the work and really achieve great success.”

Rescue groups respond after LAAS excludes rabbits from spay/neuter increase

Today was a bit of a blindside, to be honest,” Jana Brennan, program manager for Michelson Center for Public Policy's Spay and Neuter Initiative, told the Los Angeles Daily News on July 30. “Including those (coverage areas) is incredibly important for the long-term investment in spay and neuter in Los Angeles. So we were very disappointed to learn that had shifted back to that previous recommendation.” Republished in Los Angeles Daily News, The Daily Breeze, and MyNews LA.

LA Shelters are at a Breaking Point. City Council Just Defunded the Fix.

In a statement following the vote, Dr. Gary K. Michelson, founder and co-chair of the Michelson Center for Public Policy, said the decision would deepen the city’s ongoing shelter crisis. “The overcrowding of our shelters is a direct consequence of the city’s failure to provide basic services to families and their pets.” Republished in NewsBreak.

LA eyes free spay and neuter surgeries for pets under new voucher plan

If approved, the new rates would effectively render sterilization procedures free to eligible pet owners using city vouchers. Animal welfare advocates said that could make a meaningful difference. “We really feel like it’s a step in the right direction,” said Jana Brennan, program manager for Michelson Center for Public Policy’s Spay and Neuter Initiative. “The voucher value has not been raised in a decade, so the adjustment really brings these vouchers into closer alignment with today’s veterinary costs.”

Families are losing internet access as immigration sweeps further the digital divide

Advocates say the widening digital divide is severely limiting people’s ability to prepare, access legal resources, connect with loved ones who have been detained, and stay informed about their rights. “You're going to see a disproportionate impact on those communities in terms of access to information, critical minute-by-minute,” said Cristal Mojica, a digital equity expert at Michelson Center for Public Policy.

Digital advocates say lack of internet access harms immigrant communities during immigration sweeps

Amid the ongoing immigration raids, people have post food drives, legal aid networks, and even sightings of federal agents across Southern California online. But hundreds of thousands of Angelenos can’t access these resource because they lack internet access. LAist's Nereida Moreno speaks with Cristal Mojica a digital equity expert at the Michelson Center for Public Policy, about how the digital divide hurts immigrant communities.