California Policy & Politics This Morning
Covered California officials, insurance chief clash over Prop. 45 -- California's Obamacare exchange and the state insurance commissioner are on a collision course over Proposition 45, a popular ballot measure aimed at reining in health insurance rates. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Governor signs human trafficking bill -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Friday that seeks to streamline human trafficking prosecutions, reduce some of the trauma to the victims and save taxpayer dollars. Dana Littlefield UT San Diego$ -- 8/23/14
Sen. Boxer defends U.S. policy against paying terrorist ransoms -- Days after the grisly killing of American journalist James Foley revived debate about whether the U.S. government should pay ransoms to terrorists, Sen. Barbara Boxer defended its “very clear” policy. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Walters: Drought leads California to rethink water management -- On average, rain and snow storms drop about 200 million acre-feet of water on California each year – 65 trillion gallons of the life-giving liquid. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
California Senate passes gun database checks bill -- The California Senate passed a bill on Friday requiring local law enforcement to search a database of firearms owners in most cases when carrying out checks on people who may harm themselves or others. Aaron Mendelson Reuters Judy Lin Associated Press -- 8/23/14
California lawmakers pass measure requiring testing of rape kits -- Amid ongoing efforts to address a backlog of unanalyzed rape kits that go untested throughout the country, California lawmakers passed a bill on Friday requiring law enforcement to process the evidence within a certain time frame. Jennifer Chaussee Reuters -- 8/23/14
Panting to take Fido out to dinner? Ban lifted for patio tables -- Teri Marshall's black Lab mix, Triniti, goes just about everywhere she does - to the park in their hometown of Napa, across the bay by ferry to San Francisco and to her marketing job at an office near the Embarcadero. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/23/14
Gov. Brown signs bills to help juvenile offenders, Title IX compliance -- Gov. Jerry Brown announced Friday that he has signed 33 bills into law, including measures providing the automatic sealing of juvenile offenders' records if they comply with court directions and requiring schools to report, by gender, who is participating in their sports programs. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
9/11 Relatives to Get Second Shot at Scholarships -- Relatives of Californians who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will get a second chance to apply for college scholarships under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown after investigations found that the state mishandled the program. Juliet Williams Associated Press -- 8/23/14
California Senate approves bill in response to Isla Vista massacre -- The state Senate on Friday gave final legislative approval to a measure, proposed in response to the Isla Vista massacre, that would help identify whether troubled individuals are armed. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
State reverses position on health insurance abortion coverage -- Health insurance companies in California can no longer sell health care plans that discriminate against women by limiting or excluding abortion coverage, Gov. Jerry Brown's administration said Friday. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/23/14
CalPERS seeks safer path but can't eliminate investment risk -- CalPERS, still feeling the effects of the 2008 financial markets crash, is working to dial back the risk in its investment portfolio. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Anti-Bera ad misleads on Obamacare -- Crossroads GPS, the outside group affiliated with GOP strategist Karl Rove, is out with a television ad in Sacramento County, yoking freshman Democratic Rep. Ami Bera to the federal Affordable Care Act. Criticism of the controversial health care overhaul has been a major campaign theme of Bera’s GOP opponent, former Rep. Doug Ose, who favors repealing and replacing the law. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
California Freshman Airs First Ad in Competitive House Race -- Brownley is seeking re-election in California’s 26th District, attempting to fend off GOP state Sen. Jeff Gorell. The Ventura County-based seat leans Democrat, but party officials are quietly sounding the alarm that a non-presidential cycle drop in turnout could imperil Brownley. Emily Cahn Roll Call -- 8/23/14
Judge declares ex-prisoner 'factually innocent' of murder -- A man whose 1987 murder conviction was overturned after he was found innocent earned another victory Friday that guarantees he will be compensated for his more than two decades behind bars, his attorney said. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Drunk driving arrest reveals danger of Tweeting while elected -- A photo of lawmakers partying on a Capitol balcony Thursday night took on added significance Friday as news broke that one of them was arrested hours later on suspicion of drunken driving. Laurel Rosenhall and David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
State Sen. Ben Hueso arrested on suspicion of drunk driving -- State Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the California Highway Patrol. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle Juliet Williams Associated Press Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Chris Nichols UT San Diego$ -- 8/23/14
Ben Hueso, other lawmakers, photographed drinking on Capitol balcony before DUI arrest -- Hours before state Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, he and four other lawmakers were photographed reveling on a Capitol balcony, drinks in hand. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Sen. Ben Hueso “profoundly sorry” after DUI arrest -- Officers observed Hueso driving the wrong way on 15th Street near X street in Sacramento about 2:24 a.m. this morning, California Highway Patrol Officer Julie Powell said. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Economy, Employers, Jobs
Jerry Brown reaches tentative contract with last state-union holdout -- After months of contentious talks, one rejected contract offer and a strike threat, negotiators representing 850 state operating engineers reached another tentative labor agreement with Gov. Jerry Brown late Thursday. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
California tribal deal sailing toward ratification -- A revamped casino compact between the Brown administration and a prominent San Diego County tribe seems headed for quick ratification after brief informational hearings this week and Assembly approval Friday morning. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
More than 1,000 businesses affected by same malware as Target -- The Secret Service estimates more than 1,000 businesses have been affected by the same kind of cyberattack that scraped Target's cash register system for consumer credit card information, the Department of Homeland Security said in an advisory Friday afternoon. Salvador Rodriguez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Sacramento hotel-tax take reaches milestone: Highest since recession began -- Hotel tax collections in the city topped the heights reached before the Great Recession dealt its hard blows to the economy and the lodging industry. Mark Anderson Sacramento Business Journal -- 8/23/14
The state of America’s widening wealth gap -- The Census data suggest that the wealth gap in America has widened over the past decade, regardless of how you slice it. Emily Badger in the Washington Post$ -- 8/23/14
Education
Top L.A. Unified officials worked with Apple/Pearson before iPad deal -- Senior Los Angeles school district officials, including Supt. John Deasy, had a close working relationship with Apple and Pearson executives before these companies won the key contract for a $1-billion effort to provide computers to every student in the nation’s second-largest school system, records released by the L.A. school district show. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
San Francisco College accrediting panel proposed probation, not more severe sanctions -- The private panel that moved last year to revoke the accreditation of City College of San Francisco has admitted in a court filing that all 15 members of its evaluation team recommended a less punitive sanction. Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
At SDSU, first-day jitters for faculty, too -- CA colleges embark on hiring surge after years of drastic cuts. Karen Kucher UT San Diego$ -- 8/23/14
UC regents reconfirmed over criticisms of out-of-state recruiting -- The state Senate overwhelmingly reconfirmed four members of the University of California Board of Regents Friday, but not before raising concerns over the university’s increasing enrollment of out-of-state and international students. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Drought
Water officials didn’t all cut back -- County water officials issued a “Drought Watch” alert in February, calling on the region’s residents to reduce water use, even beyond existing conservation efforts. Those same water officials went on to increase their own use by an average of 4.3 percent in the first six months of this year, compared to last year, according to billing records obtained by U-T Watchdog. Joel Hoffmann UT San Diego$ -- 8/23/14
Volunteers deliver bottled water to drought-stricken community -- Nearly 1,000 people whose wells have gone dry due to drought received an emergency allotment of bottled water Friday. The door-to-door giveaway of 12 gallons of water per person was the latest development in a summer of water woes in the central San Joaquin Valley. Lewis Griswold in the Fresno Bee -- 8/23/14
'Greywater' helps East Bay residents cope with parched landscape -- Using simple plumbing materials, water that contains no toxic substances (like bleach, sodium, boron or shampoos) can also supply essential nutrients to vegetables, as long as it doesn't touch edible parts of the plants. Lou Fancher in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 8/23/14
Lawn painters bring the green in California drought -- Thanks to California’s chronic drought and watering restrictions, there’s no shortage of dry, dusty-brown lawns. And that’s led to a growth in business for a remedy that doesn’t involve wasting water or risking fines: lawn painting. Juniper Rose in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Environment
Federal agency to release extra water for Klamath salmon -- A federal agency has decided to boost releases of cool clean water into Northern California's Klamath River to prevent a repeat of the 2002 fish kill that left tens of thousands of adult salmon dead. Jeff Barnard Associated Press -- 8/23/14
Irwindale Sriracha factory opens its doors: Owner hopes tourism will quell criticism -- Beginning this week, hundreds of truckloads of fresh-picked red jalapeño chili peppers are making their way to the city of Irwindale to be ground into Sriracha hot sauce. Sharon McNary KPCC Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ Sarah Favot in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/23/14
California trees nailed as the source of mystery infections -- A fungus called Cryptococcus gattii can cause life-threatening infections, especially in people with compromised immune systems. One-third of AIDS-related deaths are thought to be caused by the fungus. But though people in Southern California have been getting sick from C. gatti for years, nobody knew how. Nancy Shute KPCC -- 8/23/14
Efforts to Revive Rich California Mine Hit Strong Resistance -- It is quiet at Tim Callaway’s gold mine, with its crumbling concrete, rotting wood and the occasional butterfly accustomed to undisturbed access. But there is plenty of commotion over what’s below the surface: an unseen 240,000 ounces of ore. Carol Pogash in the New York Times$ -- 8/23/14
New U.S. Power Plants Entirely Renewable in July -- Every single U.S. electrical power plant that came online in July was a renewable energy plant, according to the federal agency that regulates the nation's power grids. Chris Clarke KCET Rewire -- 8/23/14
Health
L.A. accuses Glendale Adventist of patient dumping on skid row -- Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer has filed a lawsuit accusing Glendale Adventist Medical Center of dumping mentally ill and disabled homeless patients on L.A.'s skid row over the last four years. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Despite Errors, State Continues Enrolling Adults With Disabilities and the Elderly in New Health Program -- Ben Rockwell is a 68-year-old retired nurse with Parkinson’s disease and a long list of other health problems. He has to juggle two government health plans to make sure he gets the care he needs, but over the past two decades, he’s gotten good at it. Angela Woodall HealthyCal.org -- 8/23/14
Cedars-Sinai reports possible breach of patients' medical data -- Medical records and other data may have been compromised for at least 500 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the hospital said Friday, after an employee's laptop computer was stolen. Chad Garland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Covered California chief Peter Lee gets $52K bonus -- Peter V. Lee, the head of the state’s health insurance exchange, was awarded a 20-percent bonus for his efforts in launching the federal program in California. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
Covered California to offer adult dental benefits in 2015 -- Covered California will offer new family dental plans to consumers who enroll in health insurance coverage in 2015 and all individual health insurance plans will include pediatric dental benefits for members through age 18. Kathy Robertson Sacramento Business Journal -- 8/23/14
Arrest warrant issued for Santa Barbara tuberculosis patient -- Santa Barbara County officials issued an arrest warrant Friday for a 24-year-old man who stopped treatment for tuberculosis and who they say poses a public health risk. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/23/14
Also . . .
Despite Similar Shooting, Los Angeles’s ‘Bank of Trust’ Tempers Reaction -- When Los Angeles police officers shot and killed Ezell Ford, an unarmed 25-year-old black man last week, it took less than 24 hours for Lita Herron to get a phone call from a ranking officer at a nearby station. Jennifer Medina in the New York Times$ -- 8/23/14
Hackers Can Disrupt Traffic Lights, Researchers Discover -- To the growing list of drug infusion pumps, defibrillators, refrigerators, cars, baby monitoring cameras, smart toilets and other computerized devices that have been found vulnerable to hackers, you can add one more: street semaphores. Steve Johnson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/23/14
• Patrick Stewart Does the Ice Bucket Challenge in the Classiest Way Possible -- In the video, Stewart sits quietly writing a check, pulls a bucket of ice onto his desk…. and makes himself a nice, stiff drink. Tessa Berenson TIME -- 8/23/14
Placer Sheriff's Office hit with federal subpoena -- The Placer County Sheriff’s Office was served with a federal subpoena earlier this month, a department spokeswoman confirmed Friday. The agency declined to disclose the contents of the subpoena, served the first week of August, because of “legal constraints.” Richard Chang in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/23/14
POTUS 44
White House defends Obama on golf -- Amid criticism, spokesman says president appreciates the "gravity" of journalist's beheading. Justin Sink The Hill Lesley Clark McClatchy DC Steve Holland Reuters -- 8/23/14
Issa subpoenas Obama's chief of staff -- The GOP chairman is probing whether the White House spends tax dollars on political activity. Elise Viebeck The Hill -- 8/23/14
Beltway
The Republican civil war over taxes is coming -- For the last 35 years, the GOP has monomaniacally focused on lowering taxes on the rich. It's one part economic theory, and another party political mythology. Matt O'Brien in the Washington Post$ -- 8/23/14