California Policy and Politics Thursday

With Prop. 1 passage, Gavin Newsom again changes how Californians with mental illness get help -- Gov. Gavin Newsom made mental health a priority since he took office five years ago. The ballot initiative voters approved this week will provide billions of dollars to fund housing and treatment facilities for mentally ill Californians. Jocelyn Wiener CalMatters Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Rachel Bluth Politico Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 3/21/24

Newsom and Democrats announce a plan to reduce the enormous budget deficit. How? TBD -- Facing a shortfall of at least $38 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders said they have agreed to $12 billion to $18 billion in cuts but offered no details. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Shohei Ohtani’s attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling -- Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation. Gustavo Arellano, Adam Elmahrek, Nathan Fenno, Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times$ Chelsea Janes in the Washington Post$ Andy McCullough, Fabian Ardaya, Sam Blum, Britt Ghiroli in the New York Times$ -- 3/21/24

Steph Curry isn’t running from a future in politics. What do experts think of his chances? -- Curry, who’s trying to will the Warriors to the playoffs in his 10th All-Star season, didn’t rule out a future run for political office in a sit-down interview with CBS last week. Danny Emerman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/21/24

Border security is swaying some California Democrats — and could sway control of Congress -- Since Trump got Republicans to bail on a bipartisan border deal, some Democrats have grown more outspoken in favor of stricter immigration policies and stronger border security. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

‘Dehumanizing’: Mexico’s president lashes out over Texas immigration law -- He declared that Mexico would not accommodate the return by Texas officials of any migrants to Mexican territory — a stance that calls into question how the state law would be enforced if it is cleared by the courts. Patrick J. McDonnell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Trump Is in Line for a $3.5 Billion Windfall From Stake in Truth Social -- Supporters who have driven up share price are expected to vote Friday to take company public. Amrith Ramkumar in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/21/24

Arellano: I know who Trump should pick for VP — and she’s right here in O.C. -- The person Trump should choose is on no one’s radar except mine. It’s such a perfect choice that I’m loath to even write out my thoughts lest they manifest like a political version of Beetlejuice. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

1 Vote and Counting

A single vote separates candidates in tight Bay Area House race -- Only one vote separates the second- and third-place finishers in the 16th District House race, per the latest vote count total released Wednesday. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$

Workplace

Almost everyone in Hollywood wants to get back to work. What’s taking so long? -- The resulting lag poses a significant threat to California, where TV, film and commercial shoots are a sizable driver of employment supporting not just bigwig directors, producers and movie stars but also all the below-the-line laborers, craftspeople and myriad ancillary businesses that keep the industry moving. Christi Carras, Marisa Gerber in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

BART inspector general finds employees cost transit agency thousands in time theft -- The employees collected overtime, double-time pay, paid pension benefits and vacation accruals on top of their base salary during the scheme. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

If California government wants to use AI, it will have to follow these new rules -- State agencies must follow a new set of rules when signing contracts that deal with generative AI, but don’t address harmful forms of AI used in the past. Khari Johnson CalMatters Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

California doctors struggle to make payroll one month after ransomware attack -- A cyber attack crippled claims processing nationwide, forcing doctors and hospitals to forgo payments and risk medical supply shortages. Khari Johnson, Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 3/21/24

Willie Brown

Plante: Willie Brown at 90: The straight ally who decriminalized gay sex in California -- On the former San Francisco mayor’s 90th birthday, Hank Plante celebrates Brown for his overlooked contribution to gay rights in California. The item is in the San Francisco Standard -- 3/21/24

Willie Brown Celebrates 90th Birthday With California Political Powerhouses -- A veritable “Who’s Who” of state and local politics turned out at City Hall Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the 90th birthday of Willie L. Brown Jr., who, as speaker of the Assembly and later as mayor, mastered the art of raw power politics in California like few others. Scott Shafer KQED -- 3/21/24

Charter Schools

Tougher oversight, more transparency: Report recommends sweeping changes to California charter school laws to prevent future abuses -- A sweeping new report recommends more than two dozen legislative and policy changes to address weaknesses in California’s charter school laws that have been highlighted by recent cases of charter fraud and abuse. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/21/24

Campus

UC Berkeley professor staging sit-in defends free speech, rejects antisemitism -- A UC Berkeley professor who has slept in his office since March 7, says he is using his sit-in to clarify the line between legitimate political protest and anti-Jewish hate. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

UC delays vote on much-debated proposal to restrict some faculty speech -- Facing opposition from some academics, regents will accept more feedback and consider item in May. Michael Burke EdSource -- 3/21/24

Education AI

LAUSD launches Ed, the nation’s first AI “personal assistant” for students -- Los Angeles Unified School District students will soon have their own individualized AI tool, a “personal assistant,” to help them with everyday tasks and remind them about school work when they forget. Mallika Seshadri EdSource Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Climate

‘People who move here don’t leave’: Why this rich California enclave is bracing homes for rising seas -- ‘People who move here don’t leave’: Why this rich California enclave is bracing homes for rising seas. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

Is California’s attempt to use hydrogen power just greenwashing? -- While advocates see hydrogen fuel as a must-have for weaning California off of fossil fuels, the actual hues of green hydrogen leave much to be skeptical about. Safi Nazzal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Oil

Chevron ordered to pay more than $13 million in fines for oil spills in Kern County -- State officials said there were over 70 oil spills in Kern County between 2018 and 2023 that were attributable to Chevron. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

Develop

Concord approves concepts for billion-dollar, 40-year development at Naval Weapons Station site -- The project’s term sheet is a non-binding agreement preceding final contracts for the land’s sale, construction. Katie Lauer in the East Bay Times$ -- 3/21/24

Skid Row

Children on Skid Row: Four migrant families form a tenuous community -- Arriving from Texas, the four migrant families from Central and South America, with children as young as 2, spent 90 days in the Union Rescue Mission in Skid Row. Then, told they’d have to pay rent they didn’t have, they formed an impromptu community in a tent encampment two blocks away. Ruben Vives, Doug Smith, Brian Van Der Brug in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Homeless

Reward rises to $200K to find killers of homeless people in S.F. Mission District -- More than 7 years after two people living in a wooden box were fatally shot in the Mission District, San Francisco police on Wednesday announced that the reward for information leading to the shooters’ arrest has been increased to $200,000 — eight times the original amount offered. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

Guns

New initiative seeks to crack down on violent gun crime in Southern California -- The goal, officials said, is to train local police detectives to prepare cases that could be elevated to the federal level. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Street

Why did an S.F. judge give a 30-day sentence for armed robbery? Here’s what case records show -- A 30-day sentence for the armed robbery of a postal worker generated outrage. But a more complex picture emerges from court records in the case. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/21/24

34 home burglaries in 35 days: Is Irvine still one of the safest cities in U.S.? -- Can you still claim to be one of the country’s safest cities if thieves are burglarizing your residents’ properties on a daily basis? Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Correctional officer charged with sex abuse of 15-year-old at Ventura County youth facility -- A 28-year-old corrections officer was charged with nine felony counts related to the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl under his supervision at a youth correctional facility, the Ventura County district attorney said Wednesday. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Second Chance

California is clearing criminal records — including violent crimes — to offer second chances -- California has one of the nation’s broadest laws to clear criminal records, and it’s about to expand even more. Supporters say expungements give a fresh start to people who have done their time. Jeanne Kuang CalMatters -- 3/21/2

Jericho Share

California orders religious-based health care sharing ministry to stop selling member plans -- Jericho Share was not licensed to sell insurance in the state. Yet the company marketed services that are similar to traditional insurance coverage regulated by the agency, according to the order. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/21/24

Also

MacKenzie Scott donates $640 million, with $137 million going to California nonprofits -- Philanthropist and billionaire MacKenzie Scott distributed $640 million this week to more than 350 community groups nationwide, 76 of which serve Californians. Each nonprofit received $1 million or $2 million. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24

Surcharge for alternatives to dairy milk stirs up lawsuit against Starbucks -- Three California women are suing Starbucks, alleging it unfairly charges more to those who request nondairy milks in their drinks because they can’t safely consume dairy. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/21/24