Updating . .   

California net neutrality bill ‘eviscerated’ in Assembly committee meeting -- A California net neutrality bill that advocates hailed as the “gold standard” for Internet protections was “eviscerated,” its chief backer said, in a committee hearing Wednesday morning. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Brian Fung in the Washington Post$ -- 6/20/18

Trump and Kirstjen Nielsen’s embarrassing surrender on separating families at the border -- The Trump administration insisted it didn't have a policy of separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. It said that it was merely following the law. And it said “Congress alone can fix” the mess. It just admitted that all that was nonsense — and that it badly overplayed its hand. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 6/20/18

What the new plan to deter Capitol sexual harassment really addresses—and avoids -- California’s legislature is on the cusp of approving a new plan for responding to—and trying to prevent—sexual harassment in its own ranks. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 6/20/18

Fake out of Compton? Brown, smelly water sparks concerns and allegations of a political ruse -- Residents of Compton have complained about brown, smelly water coming out of their taps for more than a year. And when officials began talking about dissolving the troubled local water district, the area’s congresswoman scheduled a town hall meeting so community members could weigh in. Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives, Angel Jennings in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

$10,000 a minute pours into Bay Area couple's fundraiser to reunite separated migrant families -- Former Facebook employees Charlotte and Dave Willner launched the effort Saturday morning at 8 a.m. in response to President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" approach to undocumented immigrants. By Tuesday, the so-called RAICES campaign was bringing in $4,000 a minute, and for two hours straight Wednesday morning, $10,000 poured in a minute. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Disney offers $71.3 billion for a swath of Fox, topping Comcast's bid -- Disney’s new bid for Fox is nearly $19 billion more than what the company offered for the same assets six months ago, and $6 billion above Comcast’s offer last week. Meg James, Stephen Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Tariffs on Chinese goods threaten Southern California ports and could ripple through to consumers -- For months, as the Trump administration ratcheted up trade threats — announcing tariffs on allies and adversaries alike — business at the nation’s largest port complex in San Pedro Bay has hummed along, seemingly oblivious. Smartphones, clothes and toys flowed in from China. Ceramics and beverages arrived from the European Union. Fruit arrived from Mexico. Andrew Khouri, Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

'Don’t break the law,' McClintock says to families separated at the border -- Republican Rep. Tom McClintock, who represents Roseville and other Sacramento suburbs, is one of the few Republicans in the state who has stood firmly with President Trump in support of separating children from parents arrested crossing the border, part of the administration's "zero tolerance" policy for those caught trying to enter the country illegally. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Poor medical care led to deaths at immigration detention facilities, advocates' report alleges -- Inadequate medical care probably contributed to the majority of deaths of detainees at U.S. immigration facilities between December 2015 and April 2017, according to a new report issued by a coalition of advocacy organizations. Kate Morrissey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Department of Justice, California face off over sanctuary laws -- A federal judge on Wednesday pressed the Department of Justice on its lawsuit against California’s three new sanctuary laws, questioning Trump attorneys repeatedly on why the laws should be blocked. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/20/18

Trump says he’ll sign order ending child-parent separation -- President Donald Trump said he would be signing an executive order later Wednesday that would end the process of separating children from families after they are detained crossing the U.S. border illegally. Jill Colvin, Colleen Long Associated Press -- 6/20/18

Fox: Other Initiatives Lose Spotlight in Glare of 3 States Proposal -- Perhaps the most troubling thing about the Cal 3 States initiative qualifying for the November election is that it will take the spotlight away from important policy measures that will appear along side it on the ballot. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 6/20/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning

Where do kids separated from parents at border go? Some are in California -- As thousands of immigrant children head to tent camps and converted big-box shelters, a small number of kids separated from their parents by federal immigration officials at the border are being cared for by private foster agencies, including a handful in California and the Sacramento area. Anita Chabria, Kellen Browning in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Janet Napolitano, former Homeland Security chief, explains why she said no to family separation -- University of California President Janet Napolitano served as U.S. Homeland Security secretary for President Obama from 2009 to 2013. During that time, she says, she considered separating parents from their children as they were processed on charges of illegally entering the United States. But she says she quickly rejected that option, which the Trump administration now embraces. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Reena Flores Politico -- 6/20/18

L.A. County officials oppose Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' policy, direct agencies to assist children -- Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to send a letter to the Trump administration formally opposing its policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Board of Supervisors also directed county agencies to request permission to visit shelters and assist children who were separated from their parents and could possibly be placed with relatives in L.A. County. Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Hundreds in San Francisco protest Trump’s ‘fascist’ child immigration policy -- Hundreds of protesters descended on a block of San Francisco’s Financial District on Tuesday to protest the Trump administration’s policy of separating thousands of immigrant children from their parents at the border. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Jerry Brown to keep National Guard deployment amid backlash to family separations at border -- So far, eight states’ governors have announced their intention to withhold or reverse National Guard deployments to the U.S.-Mexico Border, an initiative led by the Trump administration in an attempt to crack down on illegal border crossings. However, a spokesperson for California Gov. Jerry Brown said in an email that as of Tuesday, there are no plans to change course. Rebecca Plevin, Samuel Metz and Evan Wyloge in the Desert Sun$ -- 6/20/18

After bitter primary clash, Villaraigosa pledges to help Newsom win California governor's race -- Antonio Villaraigosa and Gavin Newsom, Democrats who clashed bitterly in the California gubernatorial primary, said their differences were behind them Tuesday as they pledged to work together to get Newsom elected governor in November. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Garcetti bashes California's top-two primary while Schwarzenegger wants it to go nationwide -- Is California’s top-two primary system a “sell job” or has a “better political culture” emerged because of it? Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Walters: Budget trailer bills have become Christmas trees -- As detailed in this space a few days ago, the Legislature is using a budget “trailer bill” to deprive voters of vital information about local government and school bond issues. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 6/20/18

Pelosi intervenes in California net neutrality battle -- Ahead of a committee hearing Wednesday morning on two state net neutrality bills, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to the committee chair urging him to pass “comprehensive protections” in the state — a move that elevates California’s net neutrality fight to the national level. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Grid-expansion bill narrowly passes state Senate committee -- The state Senate committee that oversees energy and utilities agreed to move forward on a bill Tuesday that would expand the California power grid to as many as 14 states, but the legislation was not wholly embraced. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press-- 6/20/18

Dialysis dispute targets billing, health -- Dialysis patient Mike Adames is grateful for the premium assistance he receives from the American Kidney Fund to stay on his Kaiser insurance plan. The Madera patient says he likes his Kaiser doctor and has no desire to switch to publicly funded Medicare, even though he qualifies. But if Senate Bill 1156 is approved, Adames likely wouldn’t get that choice. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 6/20/18

Bills headed for state Senate would put limits on payday, auto-title lending -- State legislators killed a bill that would have reshaped much of California’s consumer lending market, but two more-modest bills made it through the state Assembly and now move on to the Senate. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Prank robo calls plague California lawmakers, top Democratic campaigns -- In an email to Assembly members and staff on Monday night, Mark Hoover, deputy chief sergeant-at-arms, said "several legislators in the Assembly and Senate have received phone calls and/or messages from an individual who appeared to be in distress, pleading for help saying, 'I can't breathe!'" Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Orange County vote count shows Rouda likely to face Rohrabacher in congressional race -- Democrat Laguna Beach businessman Harley Rouda on Tuesday is on the verge of clinching a top-two finish in the 48th Congressional District’s narrow congressional primary contest – a result that would send him to a November runoff against GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 6/20/18

California advances biggest US change to police use of force -- California would lead the U.S. in significantly changing the standard for when police can fire their weapons under legislation that cleared its first hurdle Tuesday after an emotionally charged debate over deadly shootings that have roiled the country. Sophia Bollag, Don Thompson Associated Press -- 6/20/18

Activists begin 8 days of protest, seek accountability for Stephon Clark, Brandon Smith -- Nearly three months after Stephon Clark was shot and killed by two Sacramento police officers, the African American community is making a new push to keep the discussion of police use-of-force at the forefront. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Children's book about police shootings comes to schools in Stephon Clark's neighborhood -- In a school library in south Sacramento on Tuesday, children crowded around tables for story time. The book's topic: police shootings and racial injustice. Cassie Dickman, Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Out with soda, juice and chocolate milk—California could become first state to restrict kids’ meals -- Under a bill advancing in the Capitol, restaurants could offer only water or milk with meals marketed for children. Not soda. Not juice. Not chocolate milk. Those sugary drinks would still be available, at no extra cost, but only upon request. Elizabeth Castillo Calmatters -- 6/20/18

What transgender legislator Danica Roem learned from Metallica -- Danica Roem is the first openly transgender candidate to be elected and serve in a state legislature, but that’s not why she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates last year. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

They Wanted to Raise $1,500 for Immigrant Families at the Border. They Got Over $5 Million -- It all started with a viral photo of a toddler crying as her mother was detained at the border. Charlotte and Dave Willner saw it on the internet, like so many other people, and responded by starting a fund-raising page that would rapidly become the largest single fund-raiser in Facebook’s history. Julia Jacobs in the New York Times$ -- 6/20/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

See the 100 highest pensions in the CalPERS and CalSTRS systems -- How much does it take to make it into the 100 top-earning CalPERS or CalSTRS retirees? A pension of more than $219,000. CalPERS is the retirement system for most state employees. CalSTRS is the retirement system for most certificated school district employees. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Retail Oasis Or Ghost Town? The Future Of San Diego Malls -- Deserted corridors, empty stairways and shuttered storefronts. That's mostly what you'll find these days at Westfield's Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego. Neiko Will KPBS -- 6/20/18

As Tesla races to meet Model 3 deadline, factory pressures and suspicions grow -- Tesla chief Elon Musk said last week that the company’s layoffs of 9 percent of its workforce wouldn’t affect production as the all-electric automaker races to build thousands of new Model 3 sedans a week. Drew Harwell and Danielle Paquette in the Washington Post$ -- 6/20/18

Anaheim City Council votes to put 'living wage' initiative on its November ballot -- After emotional statements from Disneyland workers and Anaheim business owners, a divided Anaheim City Council voted Tuesday to put on its November ballot a measure that would require hospitality operations that accept a city subsidy to pay a “living wage.” Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Borenstein: MTC considers risky scheme to reduce pension debt -- The Metropolitan Transportation Commission will be asked soon to consider a risky borrowing-and-investment scheme to try to reduce its employee pension debt. The problem is that there are no magic bullets for covering the ever-increasing retirement payments. Dan Borenstein in the East Bay Times -- 6/20/18

Sacramentans get nonstop flights to Kona as Hawaiian air wars heat up -- Sacramento fliers will be able to jet directly to the biggest of the major Hawaiian islands for the first time starting in December. Alaska Airlines on Tuesday announced it will fly three days a week to and from Kona International Airport on the big island, Hawaii, beginning Dec. 20. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Furor over Trump’s policies scorches tech -- The furor over President Donald Trump’s policy of seizing and caging immigrant children at the border is fueling yet another revolt in the tech industry, whose workers have bristled at doing business with his administration. Steven Overly Politico Sheera Frenkel in the New York Times$ -- 6/20/18

Uber’s new plan to woo drivers: It’s electric -- Esther de Frutos of San Francisco loves driving her leased Chevy Bolt EV for Uber because it’s clean, quiet and avoids the high cost of gas, but she sometimes suffers from range anxiety. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Trump’s New Round of Tariffs Likely Will Hit Consumers Directly -- Many Chinese products imported by the U.S. are consumer goods, making it difficult to construct a list of $200 billion in extra items for tariffs without hitting consumers. Josh Zumbrun, Khadeeja Safdar in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/20/18

Homeless  

Use tax breaks to combat homelessness, candidates for California governor say -- More people are homeless in California than anywhere else in the country as home prices and rental costs rise. When state populations are taken into account, the Golden State ranks second behind Hawaii for its number of unsheltered residents. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Housing  

Lawsuit alleges Inglewood broke law by choosing Clippers over affordable housing -- Uplift Inglewood Coalition, a group created in 2015 in response to rising housing costs, claims in its lawsuit that Inglewood did not notify housing developers and other agencies about the availability of the land now slated for a new Clippers arena. The Surplus Land Act requires a public agency to give first priority to affordable housing when selling public land. Jason Henry in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/20/18

L.A.-area house prices rise nearly 8% in May as Orange County’s price hits record high -- Southern California house prices were up in May for a 72nd consecutive month, rising 7.7 percent year over year in the Los Angeles metro area and 6.8 percent in the Inland Empire, the California Association of Realtors reported Tuesday, June 19. Jeff Collins in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 6/20/18

$900M housing bond still alive, but now a fallback option -- A proposed $900 million San Diego housing bond still has a chance to make the November ballot, but it’s now being characterized as mainly a fallback option to a separate November measure to expand the convention center and address homelessness. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/20/18

The Median Home Price In California Now Exceeds $600,000 -- You can blame the Bay Area and other red hot high-cost areas for the increase. There are now five counties out of the nine-county Bay Area where the median price is above a million dollars. And that could go higher looking at demand, which has led to many bidding contests. Drew Sandsor Capital Public Radio -- 6/20/18

Water  

Under ‘Iron Lady of Water,’ San Diego Secured Its Own Supply – at a Price -- For 22 years, Maureen Stapleton has led the San Diego County Water Authority. In just two decades, the agency’s first female general manager accomplished what generations of men had not: Under her leadership, San Diego acquired its own supplies. Ry Rivard Voiceofsandiego.org -- 6/20/18

Wildfire  

Erin Brockovich joins legal team suing PG&E over October wildfires -- Celebrity environmental crusader Erin Brockovich, made famous by an Oscar-winning film about her work fighting PG&E, has joined the legal team representing more than 1,500 North Bay residents suing the utility company over last year’s wildfires. Martin Espinoza in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 6/20/18

Cannabis

Puff or Chug? Pot Beer Is Coming to Nevada, California -- There’s a new craft beer in town, and this one offers a different kind of buzz. San Diego-based Cannabiniers will introduce what it says are the first line of de-alcoholized craft beers infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, marijuana’s psychoactive ingredient. Jen Skerritt Bloomberg -- 6/20/18

Backers of the Chalice Festival sue California cannabis regulators, Victorville over event permit -- Organizers of one of the most popular marijuana festivals in California are suing the Bureau of Cannabis Control and the city of Victorville after both entities refused to issue permits for an upcoming event in San Bernardino County — a suit that could set the fate of big-scale cannabis events throughout the state. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 6/20/18

You can now find marijuana laws for every California city using your Amazon Alexa -- Navigating California’s confusing patchwork of marijuana laws just got easier. If you own an Amazon Echo product, you can now ask Alexa – the brain behind Amazon’s smart-speaker platform – to tell you the rules for any city or county in California. Philip Lawrence, Brooke Staggs in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 6/20/18

San Diego bans marijuana from new urban gardens -- San Diego took the precautionary move on Tuesday of prohibiting growing of marijuana in the dozens of urban gardens expected to soon sprout up across the city under a new property tax incentive approved in January. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/20/18

Cyclist dies after collision with driver who was high on marijuana, police say -- The bicyclist struck the vehicle on Truxel Road near the South Natomas Community Center at noon on Saturday. The driver had the right of way, police spokeswoman Linda Matthew said. Jordan Cutler-Tietjen in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/20/18

Canada just legalized marijuana. That has big implications for US drug policy -- None of this may seem too shocking in the US, where already nine states have legalized marijuana for recreational use and 29 states have allowed it for medicinal purposes. What sets Canada apart, though, is it’s doing this as a country. Previously, the South American nation of Uruguay was the only one that legally allowed marijuana for recreational purposes. German Lopez Vox -- 6/20/18

Education 

L.A. school board approves $8.2-billion spending plan amid concerns over future -- The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday approved an $8.2-billion spending plan for the next school year as expected, but also pledged support for a comparatively tiny amount of new spending to give students free college admissions tests and college savings accounts. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it -- A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Sacramento-Area School Districts Suspend Black Male Students At Highest Rate In the State -- Researchers at San Diego State and UCLA say they looked at numbers provided by the districts themselves. What they found? Five unified school districts; Sacramento City, Elk Grove, Twin Rivers, San Juan, and Natomas topped the list of districts suspending the highest proportion of black males, all located in the Sacramento area. Randol White Capital Public Radio -- 6/20/18

In race for California governorship, Newsom and Villaraigosa pledge unity – After a bitter primary gubernatorial contest, driven in large part by funds from pro-charter school backers, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa have declared a truce. By Louis Freedberg, EdSource. Louis Freedberg and Mikhail Zinshteyn EdSource -- 6/20/18

Immigration, Border, Deportation 

California to defend immigration laws against Trump -- After repeatedly suing the Trump administration over U.S. immigration policies, California will find itself in an unusual position Wednesday: defending protections for people in the country illegally against a court challenge by the federal government. Sudhin Thanawala Associated Press -- 6/20/18

Hollywood producers speak out against Fox over immigration stance -- Some powerful Hollywood producers and directors have criticized Twenty-First Century Fox Inc over its news commentators’ support for the U.S. immigration crackdown that separates children from their parents, with one award-winning producer threatening to take his work elsewhere. Reuters -- 6/20/18

Health 

Trump administration finalizes rule to allow for skimpier health plans -- Many patient advocates and independent experts say loosening health insurance rules, while possibly making health coverage more affordable for some healthy people, will push up costs for those who need more comprehensive benefits. Less stringent rules may also put consumers in health plans that don’t cover the services they need if they get sick. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

House GOP budget sets up massive safety net cuts, Obamacare repeal bid -- House Republican budget writers debuted an ambitious deficit-reduction plan Tuesday that would force GOP committees to cut at least $302 billion over a decade and potentially lay the groundwork for another repeal vote on Obamacare. Sarah Ferris Politico Erica Werner in the Washington Post$ -- 6/20/18

Environment 

Toxics agency says Exide cleanup is far from over -- The head of the state Department of Toxic Substances Control says it will take two more years to finish removing lead from all of 2,500 properties near the old Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon. She also says her agency will make sure Exide pays for the cleanup of an estimated 7,000 additional properties, even if the state has to sue. Alyssa Jeong Perry KPCC -- 6/20/18

State will test developed portion of Hunters Point Shipyard, but critics say it won’t be enough -- California health officials said Tuesday they will begin testing in July on the hilltop portion of the former Hunters Point Shipyard currently under development, a process state officials say should put to rest the fears that harmful levels of radioactive materials are buried among the burgeoning neighborhood’s handsome townhomes and grassy dog runs. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

With plastic straws on way out, Bay Area bartenders face paper straw shortage -- Aardvark, the Fort Wayne, Ind., manufacturer that is Bay Area bartenders’ preferred purveyor of paper straws, has seen a 5,000 percent increase in sales and demand in the past two years. Even with production running 24/7, that demand has created serious delays in fulfilling orders. Lou Bustamante in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

Also . . . 

Teen’s family sues San Francisco over extended detention -- A woman filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department alleging probation officials unlawfully held her 15-year-old son in custody on a nonviolent property offense last June, according to court records. Lauren Hernandez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/20/18

LA Supes vote to move ahead with new jail for mentally ill inmates -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to move ahead with a $2.2 billion plan to demolish Men's Central Jail in downtown L.A. and replace it with a 3,800-bed facility that will specialize in treating inmates with mental health problems. Opponents say the money should be spent on more mental health facilities, not jails. Frank Stoltze and Libby Denkmann KPCC Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

POTUS 45  

Trump leans on inflammatory rhetoric to defend border separation -- President Donald Trump and his allies are using the same inflammatory language they’ve used to describe violent gangs to defend the separation of undocumented children from their parents at the border. Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 6/20/18

President Trump seems to be saying more and more things that aren’t true -- President Trump — a man already known for trafficking in mistruths and even outright lies — has been outdoing even himself with falsehoods in recent days, repeating and amplifying bogus claims on several of the most pressing controversies facing his presidency. Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ -- 6/20/18

Kirstjen Nielsen Was a Target of Trump’s Immigration Ire. Now She’s His Protector -- Just last month, Kirstjen Nielsen, the homeland security secretary, drafted a resignation letter after being berated by President Trump over what he saw as her tepid support for his tough immigration policies, according to two people familiar with the episode. She never sent it. Elizabeth Williamson and Ron Nixon in the New York Times$ -- 6/20/18

Fact-Checking the Trump Administration’s Case for Child Separation at the Border -- The president, the attorney general and the secretary of homeland security have used lots of figures and interpretations of recent history to explain recent policy changes. Not all of it has been accurate. Linda Qiu in the New York Times$ -- 6/20/18

U.S. withdraws from U.N. Human Rights Council -- The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is withdrawing from the U.N. body that oversees human rights around the globe, saying the 47-nation council has shown an “unconscionable” bias against Israel and a blind willingness to ignore abuse elsewhere. Tracy Wilkinson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/20/18

Beltway 

Congress flails as family separation crisis spirals -- Republican and Democratic senators are beginning to talk across the aisle about ending President Donald Trump’s practice of splitting families at the border. But so far, they’re mostly talking past one another. Burgess Everett, Heather Caygle Politico -- 6/20/18

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

Jerry Brown asked to pull troops from California border as Trump separates families -- State Sen. Kevin de León is asking Gov. Jerry Brown to pull California National Guard members from the border in response to President Donald Trump's policy to separate children from migrant families. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

Bill to share control of California’s electric grid advances -- Legislation to create a new, regional organization to manage the electricity grid across several Western states survived a vote in a key California Senate committee Tuesday, even as several senators expressed serious misgivings about the bill. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/19/18

A Democrat Funded by AT&T Could Sabotage California's Net Neutrality Law -- Efforts in California to pass a comprehensive net neutrality law hit a snag on Tuesday after a key committee, which is chaired by a Democrat whose coffers are flush with telecom industry cash, suddenly threw a wrench in the works. Dell Cameron Gizmodo -- 6/19/18

California Senate panel moves to restrict police use of force -- Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a proposal that would restrict the circumstances under which California police officers could use deadly force. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Sophia Bollag, Don Thompson Associated Press -- 6/19/18

Calpers Votes to Pay Next Investment Chief Up to $1.77 Million -- The maximum pay would be more than double the compensation for the current CIO, who’s retiring this year, an acknowledgment that Calpers must compete for talent with other public pensions as well as the private sector. Calpers manages about $354.5 billion in assets. John Gittelsohn Bloomberg -- 6/19/18

Poll finds Newsom has a commanding lead over Cox in California governor's race -- Democrat Gavin Newsom has a dominant lead over Republican John Cox in California’s race for governor, a contest where a significant number of voters appear to have cast ballots strategically to sway the outcome of the state’s top-two primary, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. Seema Mehta, Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

Finding a new way? A group of California Republicans looks to recast the party -- California Republicans working toward what they believe will be the restoration of their party have launched a website. Led by Assemblyman Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley, and supported by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, New Way California is pushing for moderate policies they say were originated by former President Ronald Reagan. Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/19/18

Colorado joins California in fight to prevent Trump from weakening auto emissions rules -- As the Trump administration moves to roll back ambitious vehicle-emissions targets, California and several other states that rely on those standards to achieve their clean air goals have enlisted an influential new partner in the fight to keep the rules intact. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

Trump blames Democrats, smugglers and Mexico for border crisis as Republicans press him for solution -- President Trump unabashedly defended his policy of separating children from their migrant parents on the southern border, spreading blame Tuesday among Democrats, Mexico and child smugglers ahead of a meeting with congressional Republicans eager for him to end the mounting political crisis. Noah Bierman, Eli Stokols in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

New Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong names veteran journalist Norman Pearlstine executive editor -- Pearlstine has spent 50 years in journalism helping shape some of the nation’s most prominent public tions — including Time Inc. magazines, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and Forbes. Meg James, Andrea Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

Seth MacFarlane donates $2.5 million to NPR, KPCC after slamming Fox News -- Seth MacFarlane just put his money where his mouth is when it comes to reporting the news. The “Family Guy” creator and star donated $2 million to NPR and an additional $500,000 to local radio station KPCC on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times has confirmed. Nardine Saad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/19/18

Fox: An Old Tale: Help is Coming for Public Unions from Legislative Majority -- Spooked by the imminent prospect of losing mandatory dues from bargaining unit employees, widely anticipated in the soon-to-be announced Janus case, California government employee unions have hauled out some of their most ambitious countermeasures to date and are rushing them through the legislature. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 6/19/18

Koch network raps Trump, won't support House immigration bills -- The political network founded by the Koch brothers is taking a stand against both President Donald Trump’s policy toward separating families at the border and two immigration bills due for votes in the House this week, dealing a blow to GOP leaders who are marshaling support for their version. Maggie Severns Politico -- 6/19/18