Success: Access to Plant-Based Meals Required in California Hospitals and Prisons

Target: Jerry Brown, Governor of California

Goal: Support the decision to ensure that plant-based meal options are available in California’s prisons and hospitals, a major victory for human health and rights, compassion and sustainability, and environmental preservation alike.

People in California’s state institutions like hospitals and prisons will now be guaranteed access to a plant-based meal option, protecting their health and human rights, and promoting sustainability and the well-being of the environment as whole. Following petitions like this one at ForceChange, Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB 1138, “Ensuring a Plant Based Meal Option.” This legislation mandates that prisons, hospitals, and healthcare facilities make plant-based meals available to ensure that all of the people staying there have their needs met.

A growing number of Americans’ diets contain no animal products or by-products for a variety of reasons: ethics, food allergies and sensitivities, and religious restrictions are just a few. Not only is it a violation of rights to deprive people of that option, but plant-based meals are, as Judie Mancuso of Social Compassion in Legislature says, “key to better health outcomes, fighting climate change, and reducing the number of animals in our food production.” The new legislation also supports California’s initiatives to improve climate protection and water conservation: a 2014 study in the journal Climatic Change connected vegetarian diets with a 50-percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions related to food. President of the Physician’s Committee Neal Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C says, “Thanks to Senator Skinner and Governor Brown for this historic law to provide plant-based options to hospital patients looking to fight heart disease, diabetes, and obesity—or who simply want a more healthful meal.” Sign below to echo this sentiment and support the requirement of plant-based meal options in California’s state facilities.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Governor Brown,

Thank you for ensuring access to healthy and sustainable meals for people in California’s prisons, hospitals, and healthcare facilities by signing SB 1138. Requiring plant-based meal options to be available is a victory for not only for California’s citizens, but also for its environment, promoting compassion for animals and climate preservation.

Additionally, the people of California benefit in multiple ways, as they are guaranteed access to choices within their lifestyle that no one should be deprived of. Many Americans require meals without animal products or by-products, whether it is due to food sensitivities and health, ethics, or religious restrictions. As Senator Nancy Skinner states, “There’s a basic human right to nutritious food that meets health and cultural needs. SB 1138 makes sure that California custodial facilities respect that right.” I support SB 1138 and the decision to ensure that all of California’s citizens have access to plant-based meal options.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Silvia Rita