From the classroom to the Capitol: How a masters student's policy brief became law

For students pursuing their masters degree in the Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management, building critical skills for applied careers begins their first quarter on campus. ENV 202: Policy Implementation and Development is one of the first classes that incoming masters students in the program take. The course educates students on the policy process from developing and enacting legislation, budget changes, regulation development and review, building coalitions, implementation of new laws and understanding political power to impact policy making (Bunn, 2024). Students learn practical skills: communicating and engaging with policy makers, writing policy briefs, and conducting informational interviews. 

This course was previously taught by Dr. Julianne McCall formerly the Director of Precision Medicine at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and now the CEO of the California Council on Science and Technology. The course is currently taught by Dr. David Bunn, former Director of the California Department of Conservation and former Vice Provost with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Having instructors like Dr. McCall and Dr. Bunn allow students to learn the policy process from professionals who have worked in California policy for years.

In September 2022 then-student, now-graduate Carolyn Subramaniam developed a policy brief focused on a key vitamin that can prevent birth defects: folic acid. Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe birth defects in the brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida). Anencephaly is fatal at birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend folic acid supplementation beginning one month before pregnancy to reduce risk of neural tube defects. Almost half of pregnancies in the US are unplanned, making food fortification a strong option for providing a baseline protective level of folic acid.

In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated the addition of folic acid to all enriched grain products (such as wheat flour, cereal, rice, and cornmeal). Corn-based masa flour, a staple ingredient in Latin and Central American cooking, was excluded. The US incidence of NTDs has since dropped by 35% but Hispanic and Latino communities remain at a higher risk than other groups (CDC, 2024). While the FDA approved folic acid fortification of masa flour on a voluntary basis in 2017, most masa products still do not include folic acid. Mandating folic acid fortification of corn masa flour, a staple grain for many Central and Latin American communities, has potential to address this health disparity (Subramaniam, 2023).

A class assignment required students to interview a policy professional about their idea, so Carolyn networked at a program event to find an interviewee. A staff member in Assembly member Joaquin Arambula’s office expressed interest in the idea, and set up a meeting with the legislative team.

It was about a year later that Carolyn heard her idea had evolved into AB 1830: a bill that requires corn masa flour makers to add 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of flour. The bill went through several rounds of edits during the legislative process. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and March of Dimes co-sponsored the bill, and several other public health organizations registered support for it when it was heard in committee.

The final bill passed unanimously through the Assembly and Senate before being signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in late September 2024. The bill will go into effect in 2026. Asm Arambula was quoted in Calmatters stating the new law will “address a health equity issue, and California is once again leading the nation in protecting mothers and infants from preterm birth defects”. 

Carolyn’s experience demonstrates the incredible opportunities to engage in real-world policy for students in the Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management. 

It was exciting to watch the bill adapt to feedback during the legislative session. Nuances that I had not considered in my policy brief, such as an exception for small-scale tortilla makers, ended up being reflected in the final bill. This was a great reminder that the policy process works best with a variety of perspectives - including students.

Dr. Bunn shared Carolyn’s experience with the students enrolled in the class this year, encouraging them to develop and share their own policy pitches. Of Carolyn's experience, Dr. Bunn stated

“ENV 202 gives students very real experience writing policy briefs and op-eds and policy process engagement skills so their work is immediately relevant to current challenging issues. As was the case with Carolyn’s policy pitch leading to successful legislation, we expect policymakers at various levels will utilize EPM analyses and products to inform policy development.” 

This story serves as an inspiring reminder that students have the potential to influence real-world outcomes, and that civic engagement coupled with passion for progress can turn ideas into action. 

Contacts:

Jessica Penrose, Executive Director, japenrose@ucdavis.edu

David Bunn, Affiliated Instructor, dabunn@ucdavis.edu

Carolyn Subramaniam, Alumna, casubram@ucdavis.edu