California Policy and Politics Tuesday

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Newsom vetoes bills that would have mandated independent redistricting for L.A. -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed two overlapping bills that would have forced large California cities to establish independent redistricting commissions by 2030, citing potential unbudgeted costs. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

Newsom signs treatment-focused bills in response to fentanyl crisis, but vetoes others --Gov. Gavin Newsom pointed to budget constraints and his administration’s existing opioid work in vetoing several bills to combat California’s fentanyl crisis, even as he signed others that aim to make addiction and overdose drugs more widely available. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/10/23

Gavin Newsom rejects bill to offer cash assistance to California’s undocumented seniors -- The bill, authored by Assemblyman Juan Carrillo, D-Palmdale, would have provided $1,100 to $1,900 per month to undocumented individuals who are blind, disabled or older than 65. Currently, California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) is limited to people with eligible immigration status. Mathew Miranda in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/10/23

Electric school buses, pesticides and oil wells: New environmental laws coming to California -- But with less fanfare, Newsom also signed more than a dozen other significant environmental bills over the weekend that lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Legislature had sent to his desk. In doing so, he won accolades from environmental groups, and disappointment from some industries, including oil and agriculture. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/10/23

Walters: Economic uncertainty prompts more Newsom vetoes as California tax deadline nears -- While many wait to see how Gov. Gavin Newsom handles hundreds of bills on his desk, others await the looming deadline for tax returns to see whether the state will face another multibillion-dollar deficit. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 10/10/23

Attack on Israel divides California’s 3 leading candidates for Senate -- Only one of the three leading candidates, Rep. Adam Schiff, expressed unequivocal support for Israel amid its response to the Hamas fighters who surged across its border and kidnapped and killed hundreds of civilians. Lara Korte, Ben Fox Politico -- 10/10/23

Porter comes out swinging in Senate labor forum -- Rep. Katie Porter on Sunday came out hard against corporate Democrats in the first Senate campaign event since the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, looking to distinguish herself from two Democratic frontrunners with similar records. Lara Korte Politico -- 10/10/23

Bay Area Israelis and Palestinians watch developing war with grief, fear for future -- For seven years, Dan Cohen helmed his Oakland-based media relations company from his new home just outside Tel Aviv — an across-the-world move intended to bring his wife and three children closer to their Jewish roots. And for seven years, life carried on in the relative warmth and safety he expected. Jakob Rodgers, Austin Turner in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/10/23

S.F. police shoot, kill driver who crashed into Chinese consulate building -- San Francisco police shot and killed a suspect at the Chinese consulate building on Monday afternoon after the person drove a car into the visa office. Nora Mishanec, Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

What you see is what you’ll pay: New law bans ‘junk’ fees on hotel bills, concert tickets, etc. -- Californians can soon say goodbye to so-called junk fees, those startling charges that appear in a transaction only when a customer is about to hit “purchase.” Carly Olson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

Workplace

Kaiser chops jobs in two East Bay cities and in Southern California -- The healthcare titan revealed that it plans to eliminate 49 non-union jobs in California, the filings with the state Employment Development Department show. The Bay Area layoffs include a loss of 28 jobs, all in the East Bay, according to the WARN notices. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/10/23

Healthcare workers kick off 5-day strike at four hospitals over staffing shortage, labor practices -- Roughly 1,500 essential workers at four hospitals in Los Angeles County kicked off a five-day strike Monday morning to protest what they claim are dangerous working conditions and unfair labor practices by hospital management. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

WGA members easily ratify new contract to end 148-day strike as anxieties loom -- As members of the Writers Guild of America voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract that ended a 148-day strike, anxieties loomed over a coming contraction in the film and TV business that could limit job opportunities even after Hollywood gets back to work. Wendy Lee, Stacy Perman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

Walgreens pharmacy staff walk out, citing unsafe working conditions -- Thousands of Walgreens pharmacy staff across the country are walking off work this week, alleging that poor working conditions are putting employees and patients at risk. Jaclyn Peiser in the Washington Post$ -- 10/10/23

PG&E

PG&E faces California money penalty for huge and destructive wildfire -- The state Public Utilities Commission is eyeing a $45 million penalty against PG&E due to the utility’s role in causing the Dixie Fire that scorched portions of five California counties in 2021. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/10/23

Breathe

‘A disturbing new normal’: Why have chemical releases at Martinez refinery continued? -- Last week’s black dust merely the latest in a year-long series of incidents. Will McCarthy in the East Bay Times$ -- 10/10/23

Education

Teachers of recently arrived immigrant students to get help under new law -- As soon as Jenna Hewitt King asked students in her senior English class for newcomers to introduce themselves, she knew she was in over her head. Zaidee Stavely EdSource -- 10/10/23

Street

Man in custody after scaling Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel and claiming to have a bomb -- In aerial footage from local TV, the man could be seen on the wheel carrying a dark bag. Police and firefighters were at the scene, and around 4:30 p.m., the man had climbed down and been taken into custody by officers gathered beneath the ride. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

Firearm-wielding Manhattan Beach jewelry store employee chases off five robbers -- A group of masked, hammer-carrying suspects smashed into Manhattan Beach’s Prestige Jewelers for the second time in a decade over the weekend. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/10/23

Also

Bay Area native missing from event near Gaza border -- A Berkeley native who relocated to Israel is missing days after he attended an outdoor party near the Gaza border, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service reported. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, left his home at 11 p.m. Friday to attend an outdoor party near the Gaza border and has not been heard from since, his father told the outlet. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/10/23

UCSD Health to buy Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, make bid to partner with Tri-City Medical Center -- University health system says it needs to ease crowding at its two campuses in La Jolla and Hillcrest. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/10/23