Updating . .   

California Democrats pitch business tax hike following Trump's tax cut -- Assemblymen Kevin McCarty of Sacramento and Phil Ting of San Francisco introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 22 Thursday that would raise corporate taxes on California companies with revenues higher than $1 million. The state tax hike would be for an amount equivalent to half what they received from the federal tax cut.  Liam Dillon  in the Los Angeles Times$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Wealthy exodus to escape new tax rules worries California Democrats -- The Republican-backed federal tax bill flipped the tables on a never-ending question for California politicians: Will high taxes lead the state’s wealthiest residents to flee the Golden State for the comparable tax havens of Florida, Nevada and Texas? Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/18/18

California 'Dreamers' arrested outside House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's office -- With less than 36 hours to go before the federal government could shut down, seven Californians who were brought to the country illegally as children sat down in a U.S. Capitol hallway and began to scream.  Sarah D. Wire  in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

California attorney general threatens $10,000 fine for businesses that share employee information with immigration agents -- Concerned about “rumors” of an imminent immigration enforcement sweep in California, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Thursday warned employers he is prepared to seek fines if they violate a new state law that prohibits them from giving information on employees to federal authorities. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Effort to make tampons tax-free in California fails again -- For at least the third time in recent years, an effort to exempt tampons from sales taxes in California has failed. Assembly Bill 9 was killed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday morning.   Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Silicon Valley doesn’t make cut for Amazon’s second headquarters -- In fact, aside from Los Angeles, the Seattle company stayed away from the tech-heavy West Coast; Portland also did not make the cut. The short list includes Columbus, Newark, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Northern Virginia, New York City, Boston and Washington. Toronto was the only Canadian city on the list. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Benjy Engel and Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/18/18

Latino vote could spike in California – thanks to one man -- California Latinos, for years a growing voting bloc, are far more engaged in public affairs since the election of Donald Trump. Forty-six percent said the Republican president has increased their interest in politics, with 68 percent of Latinos telling a new poll they planned to vote in the 2018 primary for governor and other statewide offices. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/18/18

Flu may be spread just by breathing, new study says -- Until now, most people thought you could catch the flu after being exposed to droplets from an infected person’s coughs or sneezes, or by touching contaminated surfaces. But a new study released Thursday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that we may pass the flu to others just by breathing. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/18/18

Parents accused of holding their 13 children captive charged with torture, sexual abuse -- Formal charges were announced Thursday in the case of the parents accused of torture and child endangerment after authorities said their 13 children were discovered chained and malnourished inside their Perris home. Paloma Esquivel, James Queally and Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Harassed at work? Bill gives California victims years to complain -- Assembly Bill 1870, introduced Thursday by a bipartisan group of female lawmakers, would give victims up to three years after harassment occurs to file a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the state agency tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

NASA: 2017 was second hottest year on record — trailing only 2016 -- The planet continued its dramatic warming in 2017, federal scientists said Thursday, with last year marking the hottest on record when the short-term influence of El Niño conditions is factored out. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Santa Ana Says it Broke State Law When Approving $1 Million Subsidy for Car Dealers -- Santa Ana officials are acknowledging they violated a state law regarding transparency and public input when the City Council approved a $1 million taxpayer subsidy for local car dealerships, money that would be drawn from emergency reserves while the city is facing budget deficits. Nick Gerda VoiceofOC.org -- 1/18/18

Glorious Presidio site seeks occupant: must be deep-pocketed do-gooder -- The Presidio Trust is looking for some deep thinkers with even deeper pockets to redevelop Fort Winfield Scott, a 30-acre cluster of buildings and green lawns that has long been regarded as one of the former Army post’s most picturesque and desirable corners. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Study finds riskiest times, routes for Bay Area drivers -- Weary commuters are accustomed to bragging — and cursing — about the comparative misery of their soul-crushing daily drives between home and work, most focused on how long it takes. Now they can also boast about the dangers they endure during their commutes. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

As GOP leaders try to avert a government shutdown, a Trump tweet undermines them -- As GOP leaders scrambled Thursday for votes to avert a federal shutdown, President Trump undermined the effort with a morning tweet opposing part of the deal. Passage of the four-week stopgap measure remains uncertain. Conservative Republicans and defense hawks object to yet another temporary measure and want more stable funding. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Gov’t scientists scramble to save research ahead of shutdown -- The nation’s premier medical research institute is in “a scramble” to prepare for a partial government shutdown that could ruin costly experiments and leave sick patients unable to enter cutting-edge studies, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said Thursday. Lauran Neegaard Associated Press -- 1/18/18

Fox: A Pandora’s Box: Suing Oil Companies, Consumers Pay -- Some members of the Los Angeles city council hope to join San Francisco, Oakland and New York City is suing oil companies on the principle that the costs associated with climate change (as a result of using fossil fuels) are a burden to the city and its taxpayers. If successful this precedent would open a Pandora’s box of problems for companies and the government itself, not to mention rather than relieving taxpayers of costs it would add to their financial burdens. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/18/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California may buck Congress with its own health insurance requirement -- With Congress ending the requirement that all Americans have health insurance, California leaders are preparing to counter that move by securing health care for as many residents as possible in a fortified state insurance exchange. Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters -- 1/18/18

High-speed rail: Key things to look for in 2018, a potentially pivotal year -- The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s revelation this week that its expected construction costs in the Central Valley are going up by more than one-third since 2016 is likely to spark questions about what may become of the convoluted and controversial project. Tim Sheehan in the Fresno Bee -- 1/18/18

Survey predicts big Latino turnout in Calif. June primary in response to Trump -- The survey of 900 registered Latino voters released Wednesday found that 68 percent said they were “100 percent” certain that they would vote. That turnout would be off the charts for the state’s 4.5 million Latino voters, especially considering that only 25 percent of all registered California voters cast ballots in California’s last midterm election in 2014. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Activists work to block the California Democratic Party from endorsing Sen. Tony Mendoza, who faces harassment probe -- Under investigation for sexual harassment allegations, state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) is facing a political challenge from 20 delegates from his Senate district who petitioned Wednesday to make it harder for him to earn a state Democratic Party endorsement. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Bail advocate pushes harassment claims against ‘Huggy Bear Hertzberg’ -- Sen. Bob Hertzberg made a political enemy of the bail industry last year when he introduced legislation to overhaul the money bail system in California. Now a Bakersfield man tied to the industry has launched a victims’ hotline and video featuring allegations that the Los Angeles Democrat inappropriately touched women. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/18/18

Lavish bash for California politicians and lobbyists gets a #MeToo makeover -- Each January, as lawmakers return to Sacramento from three months in their hometowns, hundreds of lobbyists and staff members join them at The Park nightclub near the Capitol to sip Moscow Mules, puff on cigars and catch up with old friends and frenemies. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 1/18/18

Villaraigosa slaps at Newsom's education record while campaigning in L.A. County -- Candidate for California governor Antonio Villaraigosa slapped at front-runner Gavin Newsom’s education record on Wednesday by pointing to racial disparities in San Francisco’s schools. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Newsom leads Villaraigosa in California governor’s race, but as election nears it still feels ‘undecided’ -- It’s getting kind of late for the race for California governor to still be in the early stages. Kevin Modesti in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/18/18

Oroville dam lawsuit: Racism, sexual harassment, theft at state water agency -- A lawsuit filed Wednesday against the state water agency in charge of the Oroville Dam not only alleges mismanagement and disregard for the public’s safety, but also a toxic work environment rife with racism, sexual harassment and theft. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Risa Johnson in the Chico Enterprise-Record -- 1/18/18

California vs. the feds over offshore drilling -- The rubber is hitting the road, the gloves are coming off and California leaders are suiting up for battle. At least, figuratively. Felicia Alvarez Capitol Weekly -- 1/18/18

In the quest to bridge the digital divide, California left behind its rural communities. State lawmakers want to change that -- Until a few years ago, most students in Winters — a farming community of 7,000 west of Sacramento — did not have computers at home. So the city’s then-mayor, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, pushed for a program that enabled the school district’s sixth-graders to check out laptops along with their textbooks. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

LA officials approve pro-immigrant measures, further opposing Trump policies -- Los Angeles City Council members Wednesday approved four proposals to help immigrants, further cementing the city's opposition to Trump administration immigration policies. Leslie Berestein Rojas KPCC -- 1/18/18

Politifact CA: Mostly True: California ranks 41st on per student spending but No. 1 per prisoner -- Democratic candidate for governor Delaine Eastin wants to reduce California’s high poverty and incarceration by investing more in students. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 1/18/18

Skelton: Democrats running for California governor need to stop talking about Trump and start talking about public pensions -- One thorny topic you won’t be hearing Democratic candidates for governor talking much about is California’s essential need for public pension reform. You’ll hear them berating President Trump and defending immigrants here illegally, and for good reason. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Walters: Brown relents a little on school accountability -- For years, Gov. Jerry Brown has preached a secular version of a religious principle called “subsidiarity,” asserting that local officials should have flexibility to act without micromanagement from Sacramento. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/18/18

Border Wall Security Cost San Diego More Than $1 Million -- The San Diego County Sheriff's Department incurred nearly $900,000 in added costs and the San Diego Police Department incurred more than a quarter-million dollars in added costs to patrol and secure the Otay Mesa border area during the month long construction of eight border wall prototypes by would-be government contractors, it was reported today. KPBS -- 1/18/18

U.S. judge clears way to send case for bail as fair, effective to trial for a decision -- A federal judge has cleared the way for trial to determine the constitutionality of bail requirements in San Francisco and statewide, ruling that defenders of the system must show it’s the best and least-restrictive way to make sure that defendants who have been released from jail show up in court. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

California tax on space companies would end under Assembly bill -- Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale (Los Angeles County), said AB1878 would exempt space transportation companies from a tax enacted by the Franchise Tax Board last year. The tax is collected on space companies based on a formula that factors in the frequency of launches from California soil and the distance a spacecraft travels into space. Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

H-1B: Immigrants make up nearly three-quarters of Silicon Valley tech workforce, report says -- With the debate over immigration to the U.S. as fiery as ever, a new analysis suggests that Silicon Valley would be lost without foreign-born technology workers. About 71 percent of tech employees in the Valley are foreign born, compared to around 50 percent in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region, according to a new report based on 2016 census data. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/18/18

The mudslide closure of the 101 is hurting Santa Barbara businesses -- The mudslides that hit Santa Barbara County last week continue to clog a main artery for cars and trucks trying to get through the area. Some local business owners say the prolonged shut down of the 101 freeway has led to missed shipments and lost revenues. David Wagner KPCC -- 1/18/18

State’s top court refuses to restore firefighters’ award -- The state Supreme Court refused Wednesday to reinstate a San Francisco jury’s $3.7 million damage award to 15 firefighters who claimed age discrimination in the city’s scoring of a 2008 exam on promotions to lieutenant. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

SpaceX and Boeing aim to take crews to the space station soon, but Congress has a warning -- If all goes according to plan, this year could mark the first time since 2011 that U.S. astronauts will blast off to the International Space Station in an American-made spacecraft. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Transit  

BART Gets OK to Launch First Cars in Its ‘Fleet of the Future’ -- State regulators have given the green light for BART to begin carrying passengers on the first 10 of its new “Fleet of the Future” cars. Dan Brekke KQED -- 1/18/18

Homeless  

More of LA County’s homeless are dying. Here’s why -- Cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, diabetes, cancer, cirrhosis, severe bacterial infections and other treatable conditions were all listed as causes of deaths reported by the Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner, and released last week by the county’s Department of Mental Health. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/18/18

Motels could shelter thousands of LA's homeless -- Los Angeles may make it easier for motels to convert into housing for homeless under an ordinance debated by the City Council's Homelessness and Poverty Committee Wednesday. Rina Palta KPCC -- 1/18/18

Taylor: Sheds for homeless in Oakland are proving to be a useful tool -- Oakland’s shed site plan is working — so far. The city’s first site to temporarily house homeless people in sheds sits on an empty lot on Sixth Street between Castro and Brush streets. At first, its success was in doubt. Only three people moved in the week after it opened on Dec. 4. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Education 

UC tuition could rise again — regents to vote next week -- The price of a year at the University of California will rise to $12,974 for undergraduates next fall if the UC regents approve a 2.7 percent hike in tuition and fees — an extra $342 — at their meeting next week in San Francisco. Students are already protesting. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Federal audit finds problems with California's graduation rate calculations -- Every year, the California Department of Education and many of its school districts boast about record-high graduation rates. But a federal audit raises questions about the accuracy of the local and statewide numbers. Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Initiative backers betting 2018 will be the year to take on California's Proposition 13 – Forty years after Californians revolted against rising property taxes to pass Proposition 13, advocates of tax reform believe the timing is finally right to do surgery on it. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 1/18/18

California higher education leaders urge Dreamers to reapply quickly for DACA protection -- The leaders of California’s three sectors of public higher education joined forces Wednesday to urge all undocumented students to take advantage of a recent court decision and reapply for protection against deportation under the DACA program.​ Larry Gordon EdSource -- 1/18/18

Cannabis 

Once Pot-Friendly, Calaveras County Bans Marijuana -- Previously pot-friendly Calaveras County has reversed course and banned commercial marijuana farms, paving the way for lawsuits from growers who used to receive permits and pay taxes. Paul Elias Associated Press -- 1/18/18

Immigration / Border 

A dream deported -- Maria Mendoza-Sanchez raised four children in Oakland, built a nursing career and bought a home. Then came the election — and the most agonizing decision of her life. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Bay Area police unlikely to help ICE on immigration sweeps -- Officials from several Bay Area law enforcement agencies said Wednesday that federal officials haven’t looped them in on any plans for major sweeps for undocumented immigrants, and added that they didn’t plan to help with any such operations. Evan Sernoffsky and Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

California has a tip for Dreamers: Act now while the feds can’t stop you -- The head of California’s university system and the state’s top lawyer sent a message to Dreamers Wednesday: File your DACA papers now, we’ll help. “Enroll now, reapply now,” said Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, at a press event with state Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Dreamers From Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s District Call On the GOP To Step Up -- The Department of Justice is appealing a court ruling that blocked the Trump administration from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The department says it will take “the rare step” later this week of filing a petition asking the Supreme Court to intervene. Susan Ferriss KQED -- 1/18/18

Young immigrants in Sonoma County join race to renew deportation reprieve -- Foreign-born residents of Sonoma County have joined the rush of young immigrants nationwide who are scrambling to renew their requests for temporary protection from deportation, taking advantage of a court-ordered move by Trump administration to resume accepting such paperwork while it seeks to end the Obama-era program. Eloísa Ruano González in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/18/18

UC Berkeley student released from ICE detention center -- After a single wrong turn led to nearly three weeks in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, Luis Mora is finally going back to school. Annie Ma in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Health 

Home care agencies often wrongly deny Medicare help to the chronically ill -- Medicare does cover home care services for patients who qualify but, according to advocates for seniors and the homecare industry, incentives intended to combat fraud and reward high quality care are driving some home health agencies to avoid taking on long-term patients, such as Campbell, who have debilitating conditions that won't get better. Rule changes that took effect this month could make the problem worse. Susan Jaffe KPCC -- 1/18/18

Also . . . 

Does the Hollywood sign need an electric shuttle, an aerial tram — or a second sign? -- How do you solve a problem like the Hollywood sign? The iconic sign, a perpetual lure for tourists seeking the perfect snapshot, has become a frustration for Hollywood Hills neighbors who complain that a crush of visitors has clogged their residential streets. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

San Leandro official faces misconduct probe after sexual harassment claim -- San Leandro’s city manager admitted this week that he successfully pushed the City Council to award a $1.5 million loan to a community organization directed by a woman with whom he regularly met in her SUV and who now accuses him of sexual harassment. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

POTUS 45  

Americans think Trump doesn’t work as hard as most presidents -- Less than 48 hours after President Trump returned from his three-day weekend at Mar-a-Lago, some bad news arrived for the chief executive in the form of a new poll from Quinnipiac University. Fifty percent of Americans, it turns out, think Trump works less hard than past presidents. Only a quarter of respondents thought he worked harder. Philip Bump in the Washington Post$ -- 1/18/18

Kelly calls some of Trump’s campaign pledges on immigration and wall ‘uninformed,’ meeting attendees say -- White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly told Democratic lawmakers Wednesday that some of the hard-line immigration policies President Trump advocated during the campaign were “uninformed,” that the United States will never construct a wall along its entire southern border and that Mexico will never pay for it, according to people familiar with the meeting. Ed O'Keefe in the Washington Post$ -- 1/18/18

More Details Emerge About Trump’s Relationship With Porn Star -- In Touch magazine published excerpts on Wednesday from its 2011 interview with Ms. Clifford, 38, known as Stormy Daniels. In them, she said she had had an affair with Mr. Trump that started in 2006 and continued on and off for a few years. Maya Salam in the New York Times$ -- 1/18/18

Beltway 

Muir Woods, Alcatraz and other parkland likely to close in federal shutdown -- The National Park Service plans to order visitors “to leave the park immediately” in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the event of a cutoff in federal funding, under a policy the agency drew up in the fall during a showdown like the one unfolding this week in the nation’s capital. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/18

Republicans lack votes to prevent a shutdown -- House Republicans are short of the votes they need to avoid a government shutdown, but Speaker Paul Ryan and GOP leaders remain confident they will pass a stopgap funding measure when it comes to the floor on Thursday. John Bresnahan, Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle Politico -- 1/18/18

As Trump announces 'Fake News Awards,' GOP senators assail his attacks on the press as antidemocratic -- On a day President Trump promised to deliver “Fake News Awards,” two Republican senators as well as several Democrats warned on Wednesday that his unceasing attacks on a free press are undermining a fundamental tenet of democracy and emboldening despots abroad. Noah Bierman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

Mick Mulvaney takes first step toward overhauling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- Mick Mulvaney once called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau a "joke ... in a sad, sick kind of way.” Now, as its acting director, he’s in a position to change it. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/18

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

State leaders blast Trump administration's reported plans for a federal immigration sweep in Northern California -- California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León on Wednesday blasted the Trump administration’s threats to arrest political leaders of so-called “sanctuary cities” and a looming federal immigration sweep expected in Northern California. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Single-payer debate resurges in California Capitol, as opposition from health providers ramps up -- The emergence of heavy-hitting healthcare groups such as the California Medical Assn., the California Dental Assn. and the California Pharmacists Assn. signals an escalation in the opposition to the legislation, under which the state would foot the bill for nearly all medical expenses of its residents. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Villaraigosa leads among Latino voters in new poll, but a significant number are undecided -- Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, was backed by 31% of Latino registered voters in a Latino Community Foundation poll, while Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom was backed by 14%. The rest of the candidates polled in the low single digits. The greatest number of respondents, 36%, said they were undecided. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

After calling for surveillance reform, Feinstein casts crucial vote to kill it -- After years of tangling with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, civil liberties activists seemed to have her onboard with their fight to curtail the vast warrantless surveillance program exposed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Quinn: A Viable Republican Should Run Against Sen. Feinstein -- Three Republicans are now running for governor, hoping one can slip into second place in the primary and make the fall runoff. But that is unlikely given the four well funded Democrats in the race. It is the Senate contest, completely overlooked so far, where there is an opening for a Republican. That’s because incumbent Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is showing remarkable weakness in early polling. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 1/17/18

Fox: Audit the High Speed Rail -- With the revelation yesterday that the high-speed rail budget for the Central Valley segment jumped a whopping $2.8 billion there are no more excuses to prevent an independent audit of the rail project. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/17/18

Stockton Receives $20 Million Donation For Financial Aid -- Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs announced a $20 million donation that will make it possible to give financial aid to every college-bound student in the Stockton Unified School District next year. Rich Ibarra Capital Public Radio -- 1/17/18

PG&E to install 7,500 electric car charging stations for apartments, offices -- Apartment dwellers who would like to buy an electric car often can’t, for a simple reason — they have no place to charge. Even if their building has parking — a big “if” in San Francisco — their landlord may be reluctant to let them install an electricity-guzzling charger on the building’s account. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Paint companies could hand taxpayers the bill for hazardous lead paint cleanup under proposed California ballot measure -- A proposed November statewide ballot measure could allow three of the nation’s biggest paint companies to hand California taxpayers a bill for the cost of cleaning up health hazards caused by lead paint. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Abcarian: She wanted to go slow; he wanted to go fast. She told the world. Is Aziz Ansari a victim or a perpetrator? -- The Aziz Ansari cultural moment was inevitable. Ansari, the immensely talented actor who just won a Golden Globe for his work on “Master of None,” has been very publicly accused of unwanted sexual aggression during a first date by an anonymous 23-year-old woman who met him at an Emmy after-party last year. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

California says false emergency alert unlikely here -- State lawmakers introduced a bill this month that would require all counties to be able to send Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, and to create protocols and procedures for when and how to utilize the tool. The bill was drafted in response to what one state senator called a failure to warn people during the deadly Northern California wildfires. Joaquin Palomino in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Industry group asks Supreme Court to strike down Berkeley cellphone warning ordinance -- The ordinance, approved by the City Council in May 2015, mandates a warning notice to people buying and leasing cellphones that carrying the devices close to the body when switched on could expose them to radiation in excess of federal guidelines. Tom Lochner in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Apple says it will accelerate U.S. investments and job creation -- Apple announced on Wednesday that the company plans to contribute more than $350 billion to the U.S. economy over the next five years by creating more jobs and investing more domestically, building upon what it calls its “commitment to support the American economy and its workforce.” Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Apple pulls an Amazon, plans a new campus outside Bay Area -- Tech companies like Apple and Amazon, which announced plans for a second headquarters outside Seattle last year, have been under a microscope recently for their impact on jobs. Wendy Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Apple will bring much of its overseas cash back to the U.S. under new, corporate-friendly tax law -- Apple had long resisted returning to the U.S. its $265 billion in overseas funds because those holdings would be taxed at a rate of approximately 40%, Chief Executive Tim Cook told “60 Minutes.” Under the new tax law passed last month, however, Apple could face a one-time rate of 15.5% for bringing that wealth back to the U.S. David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

5 shuttle buses chartered by Google, Apple apparently vandalized on I-280, possibly with pellet gun -- Five buses driving in the northbound and southbound directions of Interstate 280 between Highway 84 and Highway 85 were damaged during the Tuesday morning and evening commute, said California Highway Patrol Officer Art Montiel. Michelle Robertson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Stanford: How weight gain changes your whole body -- Weight gain isn’t just a number on your bathroom scale. A new Stanford study has found that the entire body undergoes changes for the worse when people pack on the pounds. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

AP Sources: WH directed Bannon silence in House interview -- Steve Bannon’s attorney relayed questions, in real time, to the White House during a House Intelligence Committee interview of the former Trump chief strategist, people familiar with the closed-door session told The Associated Press. Tom LoBianco, Zeke Miller and Jonathan Lamire Associated Press -- 1/17/18