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GOP lawmakers call for subpoenas to be issued after audit finds mishandling of money by University of California -- Alarmed by an audit critical of the University of California, a half-dozen Republican Assembly members called Tuesday for the Legislature to issue subpoenas for records as part of an independent forensic audit to determine whether the mishandling of UC resources broke any laws. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

California Senate leader unveils new proposal to phase out use of fossil fuels to generate electricity -- Meeting the goal would require dramatic changes to the state's electricity infrastructure over the next two decades, including an end to burning natural gas, the source of nearly half of California's power. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Unprecedented highway money okayed — now what? -- First, is the 12-cent increase in the fuel tax, starting in November. Then, other taxes and fees will kick in to help finance the $52 billion package in Senate Bill 1, which includes $34 billion over the next 10 years for repair and maintenance of roads, highways, bridges and culverts. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 5/2/17

Hank Lacayo leaves a legacy of empowering others -- As Hank Lacayo told the story — and as with all his stories, he told it many times — he had moved to Newbury Park in the late 1980s to more or less retire. In his late-50s, he had by then packed in what most would consider to be more than a lifetime of accomplishments. It was time to start slowing down. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 5/2/17

Earthquake early warning system nets $10.2 million in Congress' budget deal -- The budget deal reached in Congress this week penciled in $10.2 million for an earthquake early warning system for California and the rest of the West Coast for the budget year that ends in September. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Huge arsenal seized from high-ranking Pasadena police officer's home, new records show -- Federal agents seized about five dozen firearms worth tens of thousands of dollars from a high-ranking Pasadena police officer during a raid earlier this year, according to newly released government records. Richard Winton and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Suspect in mass shooting at Oakland college to plead no contest -- The alleged gunmen who killed seven people during a 2012 shooting spree at Oikos University in Oakland was set to plead no contest to all charges stemming from the rampage, according to prosecutors. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/2/17

Proterra to test self-driving bus in downtown Reno -- Companies from Uber to Ford are racing to deploy self-driving taxis on city streets, perhaps within five years. Other robot vehicles may not be far behind. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/2/17

State ban on conversion therapy upheld after Supreme Court passes -- California’s ban on “conversion therapy,” which seeks to turn gay youths straight, survived a U.S. Supreme Court challenge Monday when the justices rejected an appeal by religious conservatives who argued that the law interfered with their right to provide spiritual counseling to minors. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/2/17

An Emerging Progressive -- Richmond resident Kimberly Ellis advocates for electing more women to public office, and she wants to become the next chair of the California Democratic Party. Steven Tavares Oakland Magazine -- 5/2/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Here’s how Donald Trump’s attorney general could change life in California -- No one in the Trump administration is better positioned in the coming months to upend the direction of California than Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Pick an issue, and he doesn’t agree with the majority of state residents. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/2/17

LAPD's May Day strategy: Relationships, numbers and invisibility -- The Los Angeles Police Department began laying the groundwork four months ago. Community organizers were contacted. Plans were shared. Relationships developed. Marisa Gerber, Veronica Rocha , Kate Mather and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Tens of thousands across the Bay Area partake in May Day demonstrations -- Rallying against federal policies that have left many feeling threatened and angry, tens of thousands of protesters across the Bay Area took to the streets Monday in massive May Day demonstrations that led to arrests, worker strikes, school walkouts and the shutdown of businesses. Tatiana Sanchez, Casey Tolan and Ramona Giwargis in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/2/17

1 arrested at ‘March for America’ in LA as counter-protesters crash pro-Trump rally -- A rally at the federal building in downtown Los Angeles on Monday in response to the city’s massive May Day march descended into a chaotic back-and-forth between Trump supporters and a group of counterprotesters clad in black, with masks and handkerchiefs covering their faces. Denise Quan in the LA Daily News -- 5/2/17

Sacramento may start paying for legal defense of undocumented immigrants -- Sacramento leaders are poised to spend up to $300,000 to boost the city’s status as a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, even as the federal government threatens to crack down on jurisdictions providing such immigrant protections. Ryan Lillis and Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/2/17

Griffith heirs join fight to reopen popular hiking trail to Hollywood sign -- The heirs of Griffith J. Griffith, the silver-mining magnate who donated the plot of open space that became Griffith Park, joined other groups Monday in a fight to reopen a popular Beachwood Drive trail entrance that leads up to the Hollywood sign. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/2/17

Should California allow bicyclists to roll through stop signs? -- Here’s a counterintuitive proposal currently circulating at the Capitol: Make California roads safer for bicyclists by allowing them to yield at stop signs, rather than coming to a complete stop, if there is no oncoming traffic. Assemblyman Jay Obernolte is prepared for your skepticism. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/2/17

Teen suspect in BART train takeover arrested after chase -- A foiled robbery in East Oakland led police to arrest a teenage suspect in last month’s swarm robbery on BART, in which dozens of juveniles allegedly took over a train stopped at Coliseum Station, officials said Monday. Vivian Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/2/17

Sacramento County drops appeal of huge verdict for four female sheriff’s deputies -- Sacramento County has abandoned its appeal of a multimillion-dollar verdict awarded to four female sheriff’s deputies last year for retaliation and harassment by their superiors, court documents show. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/2/17

Big rigs, big risks: As SoCal economy improves, truck traffic is rising and so are crashes -- The scene on Interstate 5 near Griffith Park last week Tuesday resembled a war zone: six crumpled cars scattered across lanes of traffic on both sides of the freeway, two pinned beneath other vehicles, the twisted wreckage of two burning big rigs and lines of gridlocked cars stretching for miles in either direction. Meghan McCarty with Aaron Mendelson KPCC -- 5/2/17

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds    

Bill would return California carbon-fee money to consumers -- California Senate Democrats on Monday proposed a significant overhaul of the state's cap-and-trade program that would use money raised from taxing polluters to give rebates to consumers. The proposal is the Legislature's latest attempt to extend one of California's primary efforts to reduce carbon emissions, which is scheduled to expire in 2020. Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 5/2/17

Mnuchin defends proposal to eliminate tax deduction that benefits Californians — including himself -- Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday stumped for the Trump administration tax plan rolled out last week — noting that he is for it even though one reform would hit his own wallet. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Housing  

Housing construction is on the rise in California, but it's still not enough -- Housing construction jumped last year across California, adding new supply in a state grappling with a persistent housing shortage, according to data released Monday. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Thinking of renting in LA? Here’s what it will cost you -- Rents are rocketing in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, driven by surging demand that is outstripping supply. Ryan Carter in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/2/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

Oakland planning worker quadrupled pay with overtime -- Oakland’s highest-paid city employee last year was not the fire chief, mayor or top cop. It was a civil engineer who reviews building plans and who has long reaped one of the sweetest overtime deals in the city. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/2/17

California population grew to 39.5 million in 2016 -- Los Angeles grew by more than 40,000 people and now is home to more than 4 million. San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco also saw significant population gains. Of the 10 largest cities in the state, Sacramento grew by the largest percentage with a 1.4 percent increase, according to the report. Sophia Bollag Associated Press -- 5/2/17

As California grows, Menlo Park and other Bay Area cities see population boom -- California is growing as its economy booms, but the fastest-growing cities are far from where the jobs are, according to new data released Monday by the state’s Department of Finance. Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$

Sacramento Is Fastest-Growing Big City In California -- The state capital grew by nearly one-and-a-half percent last year, the highest percentage among California's ten largest cities. While Sacramento is adding new residents, housing is not being added as quickly. Randol White Capital Public Radio -- 5/2/17

SoCalGas warns of natural gas shortage to meet surging demand, as Aliso Canyon wells remain closed -- Operators of the natural gas wells in Aliso Canyon are warning California regulators they have concerns about meeting energy and electricity demands this summer and for the upcoming winter. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/2/17

Strike averted: Writers Guild of America reaches agreement with studios -- Hollywood can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Writers Guild of America early Tuesday morning reached a deal with the major studios and networks for a new film and TV contract. David Ng in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Writers Guild of America contract talks stall, move Hollywood closer to a possible strike -- Talks between the two sides stalled late Monday as the countdown clock approached the midnight deadline without any announcement about a deal. David Ng in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/2/17

Uber fights to block San Francisco’s demand for drivers’ names, addresses -- The city wants the information so it can notify drivers that they are required to get business licenses, just like all other small enterprises in the city, from nail salons to freelance writers. But Uber, which previously has provided the information for city audits, says it wants to protect its drivers’ privacy. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/2/17

If you’re looking for a ride to Fresno’s airport, Uber can’t get you there anymore -- The California Public Utilities Commission forbids “transportation network companies” or TNCs such as Uber and Lyft from doing business at California airports without an operating agreement with individual airports. Lyft continues to serve the Fresno airport, Meikle said on Monday afternoon. Tim Sheehan in the Fresno Bee -- 5/2/17

Water   

Floods possible as warmth melts heavy Sierra snowpack -- The historic snow that piled up in the Sierra this winter has started to come down a mountain melt-off that’s swelling rivers and creeks with a dazzling, and potentially dangerous, flow of water. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/2/17

Education 

LAUSD to stick with Michelle Obama-era healthy meals for students, despite Trump-era changes -- Changes could be coming to school lunches under President Donald Trump’s administration, but the Los Angeles Unified School District said it will keep serving healthy meals to students. Antonie Boessenkool in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/2/17

Some schools asked parents for Social Security numbers. Now schools are on state’s radar -- Some central San Joaquin Valley school districts have been flagged in a complaint to the California Attorney General’s Office for requiring proof of a Social Security number or other personal information upon enrollment – a practice advocates say is harmful to undocumented families. Mackenzie Mays in the Fresno Bee -- 5/2/17

Researchers find wide variations in understanding, implementing California's school funding formula -- Researchers who closely examined the impact of the state’s funding formula in eight school districts found a continued commitment to the goals of the new system but an uneven implementation and “consistent misunderstandings and confusion” of fundamental aspects of the law. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 5/2/17

Report praises UC for enrolling low-income students; criticizes other elite universities​ -- ​University of California campuses and the University of Southern California won praise for enrolling relatively large numbers of low-income students who receive federal Pell grants​ in a new national report that sharply criticizes many other elite campuses for having small ranks of such students. Larry Gordon EdSource -- 5/2/17

Cannabis 

How much can you buy? California’s proposed medical marijuana rules broken down -- Californians now have their first look at what will likely be the rules imposed on the 21-year-old medical cannabis industry. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 5/2/17

Medical marijuana gets reprieve from feds in spending bill -- Medical marijuana advocates are relieved that a bipartisan spending deal to fund the government through September also extended an amendment that protects them from federal prosecution. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 5/2/17

Immigration / Border 

Meet the Immigrant Legislators Putting Their Stamp on the Capitol -- These eight immigrants are members of the state Legislature, and are helping to craft policy at the state Capitol — or in some cases to oppose it. Katie Orr KQED -- 5/2/17

Environment 

‘Mansionization’ and home remodeling are slashing urban green-scapes by reducing trees, study says -- The remodeling of single-family homes, including the controversial practice known as mansionization, has resulted in the destruction of the urban forest in Los Angeles County cities by as much as 55 percent, according to a study released Monday. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/2/17

Should Southern California be worried about sharks? -- Growing up and surfing in Western Australia, Ian Cairns never thought much about sharks. Like in Orange County, surf line-ups were crowded, people swam carefree in crystal clear water, beaches bustled with activity. Then, something changed. Sharks started attacking people. Laylan Connelly in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/2/17

Also . . . 

Hacking is now so common that even small nations are doing it -- “It’s very inexpensive. It’s very efficient,” said John Hultquist, a cyber espionage analyst who’s studied the growth of hacking among smaller nations for iSight Partners, a division of FireEye, a Milpitas, California, cybersecurity firm. Tim Johnson McClatchy DC -- 5/2/17

POTUS 45  

5 Trump health care promises that won't become reality -- Donald Trump broke the first campaign promise he made about Obamacare when he couldn’t scrap the law on the day he took office. He’ll get another chance to make good on the pledge this week, if the House takes up a revised repeal-replace plan. Dan Diamond Politico -- 5/2/17

Why Congress’s Bipartisan Budget Deal Should Make Trump Worried -- The compromise prevented the White House from delivering on President Trump’s priorities and may serve as a blueprint for circumventing him in the future. Carl Hulse in the New York Times$ -- 5/2/17

Historians see a dark underside to Trump's Civil War riff -- President Donald Trump on Monday once again defied the history books, this time claiming that Andrew Jackson was “really angry” about the Civil War – despite having died 16 years before the first shots were fired – and puzzled why a deal wasn’t cut to avoid the war altogether. Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 5/2/17

Top Ethics Officer Challenges Trump Over Secret Waivers for Ex-Lobbyists -- The federal government’s top ethics officer is challenging the Trump administration’s issuance of secret waivers that allow former lobbyists to handle matters they recently worked on, setting up a confrontation between the ethics office and President Trump. Eric Lipton in the New York Times$ -- 5/2/17

Beltway 

Congress claws back power from Trump -- Congressional members didn’t just snub Donald Trump on his border wall: They also used the $1 trillion spending deal hatched over the weekend to rein in the president’s powers. Seung Min Kim and Austin Wright Politico -- 5/2/17

Democrats confident they can block Trump’s agenda after spending-bill win -- Democrats think they have set the stage to block President Trump’s legislative priorities for years to come by winning major concessions in a spending bill to keep the government open. Kelsey Snell and John Wagner in the Washington Post$ -- 5/2/17

 

-- Monday Updates 

Hundreds march for May Day at California's Capitol: 'The current presidency has managed to create panic' -- Hundreds of people marched to the Capitol in Sacramento on Monday to protest the Trump administration, overly aggressive policing and corporate influence in politics as part of the worldwide May Day protests. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

Police report turnout of about 15,000 for L.A.'s May Day marches -- As of about 1:30 p.m., police were estimating that about 15,000 people participated in L.A.'s May Day marches—far fewer than than the 100,000 protestors that organizers claimed would come out Monday. Kate Mather and Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

May Day march draws massive crowd to downtown LA in call to ‘resist’ Trump -- A call to unite those hurt by President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on immigration and deportation policies drew tens of thousands of people to downtown Los Angeles Monday morning for a different kind of May Day march. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/1/17

Protesters fill Bay Area streets for May Day demonstrations -- May Day protests got off to a raucous start around the Bay Area on Monday as impassioned immigrant and workers rights advocates converged on San Francisco and Oakland. Evan Sernoffsky and Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/1/17

Arrests, skirmishes rock Bay Area during today’s May Day demonstrations -- Four protesters have been arrested in Oakland while shutting down an Alameda County administration building in an act of civil disobedience. Several hundred people also gathered outside the San Francisco ICE office with about 40 blocking the driveway to close that building down as well. Tatiana Sanchez, Karen D'Souza, Casey Tolan and Malaika Fraley in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/1/17

30 percent of San Diegans give Trump an F at 100-day mark -- President Donald Trump has hit the 100-day mark of his presidency with historically low approval ratings, and a poll by The San Diego Union-Tribune and 10News found that the national trends are true in the region. Daniel Wheaton in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/1/17

‘Auntie Maxine’ and the quest for impeachment -- The overflow crowd at Busboys and Poets was black and white and shades in between, yuppies in chinos and activists in message T-shirts, bubbling with excitement to hear from the special guest at the restaurant’s open mic night. Instead of a poet or a musician, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) stepped onto the stage, showered with applause and cheers. Vanessa Williams in the Washington Post$ -- 5/1/17

Sierra snowpack is huge – and melting fast. What that means for spring flooding -- As state officials completed the final snowpack survey of the season Monday, forecasters predicted high river flows throughout spring and summer. The federal government’s California Nevada River Forecast Center said the undammed Merced River, which flows through the Yosemite Valley, could rise above flood stage this week. Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/1/17

Supreme Court clears the way for cities, including L.A., to sue banks over foreclosure crisis -- The Supreme Court expanded the reach of federal housing law Monday, ruling that cities — including Los Angeles — can sue major banks for discriminatory lending practices that hurt low-income neighborhoods during the Great Recession. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

Sacramento seeks to overturn “staggering” $5 million verdict in internet child-sex case arrest -- Sacramento officials are balking at paying a $5 million jury verdict awarded to a man who claimed he was falsely arrested by city police. They argue a new trial is needed because the amount of the verdict is excessive and the federal judge who oversaw the case was “highly prejudicial” against the main city detective who testified. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/1/17

The race to become California’s next governor is already awash in cash -- A small field of candidates hoping to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown next year has already raised more than $20 million. Here’s what we know. Ryan Menezes and Maloy Moore in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

Airbnb settles San Francisco suit, agrees to register all local hosts -- Airbnb and HomeAway settled a lawsuit against San Francisco Monday by agreeing to automatically register all their local hosts with the city. While a San Francisco law requiring vacation-rental hosts to register with the city took effect in February 2015, only about 2,100 out of an estimated 8,000 or more hosts have done so. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Lauren Raab in the Los Angeles Times$ Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/1/17

Hiltzik: Trump's EPA has started to scrub climate change data from its website -- Environmental advocates have been holding their breath since Jan. 20 against the moment when the Trump administration started to wipe information about the human effects on climate from the Environmental Protection Agency’s website. That moment arrived Friday, when visitors to the site were greeted with a notice headed: “EPA Kicks Off Website Updates." Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

Two L.A. sheriff's officials promoted to high ranks despite histories of serious discipline -- In his 27 years at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, James Tatreau Jr. has made plenty of headlines — often for the wrong reasons. Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/1/17

Police: Mass shooting at UTC apartment complex not about race -- The gunman who shot seven people during a poolside birthday party in University City on Sunday called his ex-girlfriend after wounding two and kept her on the phone while he carried out his rampage, police said Monday. Lyndsay Winkley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/1/17

Stanford Psychiatrists Take to the Stage -- In Palo Alto, where Asian Americans make up nearly 40 percent of the student population, they also make up roughly 40 percent of youth suicides. Four out of five of the most recent teen suicides in Palo Alto have been East Asian kids. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 5/1/17

Where are they now? Adrian Fondse -- Just over an hour south of Sacramento on Highway 99 is the small farming town of Ripon. East of town are miles after miles of almond groves. Driving past rows of trees on a nearly empty road, you may come to a small clearing with a sign noting that you’ve arrived at “Fonz’s Place.” And it literally is. Alex Vassar Capitol Weekly -- 5/1/17

Five Muslims walk into a Roseville bar – here’s what happened next -- On Sunday afternoon, five Muslims walked into a Roseville bar to discuss fear, hatred, ISIS, terrorism, the treatment of women and the Trump administration with seven non-Muslims. The Muslims didn’t drink any of the suds poured by the Monk’s Cellar Brewery & Public House, but they did dish out answers to questions about the hijab (head covering women wear) and their feelings about 9/11 and the terrorist attacks that have followed. Stephen Magagnini in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/1/17

Fox: A New State Motto: “Show Me the Money” -- Maybe we should change California’s official state motto from “Eureka” to “Show Me the Money.” Most of the high-profile news we get about California deals with the so-called “resistance” to the Trump administration. But, even in those discussions, money is an important barometer. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/1/17

Capitol Weekly Podcast: George Skelton -- Fifty years ago this week, Black Panther Party leader Huey Newton led an armed delegation of Oakland Panthers into the California state capitol in a bid to derail a proposed gun control bill. The event made international news, and photos of black-clad Panthers brandishing shotguns and other long guns were published around the world. George Skelton, then a young news reporter, was in the capitol when the Panthers entered on May 2, 1967. Link Here -- 5/1/17

Democrats say they now know exactly why Clinton lost -- But new information shows that Clinton had a much bigger problem with voters who had supported President Barack Obama in 2012 but backed Trump four years later. Alex Roarty McClatchy DC -- 5/1/17

Winners and Losers of the Spending Deal (Spoiler Alert: Trump Lost) -- In the early days of the Trump presidency, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have not agreed on much. But they have come together to keep the government open for the next several months. Thomas Kaplan in the New York Times$ -- 5/1/17