California Policy and Politics Friday

In last-minute scramble, California lawmakers fail to deliver promised environmental reform -- Despite a last-minute scramble, California Senate leaders failed to fix an environmental law rollback for advanced manufacturing, leaving pollution concerns untouched as session ends. Yue Stella Yu and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Calmatters -- 09/12/25

Fighting for ‘Charlie’s ultimate goal’: What’s next for Bay Area conservative student groups? -- A growing group of Bay Area college students are committed to following Charlie Kirk’s example and bringing conservative conversations to left-leaning campuses. Connor Letourneau, Nanette Asimov, Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

California Trucking Firms Go Under, Fueling Wider Industry Fears -- ”We were running more efficiently than we’d ever run as a company by far, and we still couldn’t make it,” said Schneider, whose father Timothy Schneider started TGS Transportation, in Fresno, in May 1985. TGS’s closure and the collapse of another midsize California carrier, GSC Enterprises, in July, sent shock waves across the state’s tightknit trucking industry and beyond. Paul Berger in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/12/25

Millions of Californians at risk of losing Medi-Cal coverage as rules tighten -- Most of the federal changes under HR 1, commonly referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” apply to adults on Medi-Cal, the joint federal-state health insurance plan for low-income Californians. They enact new work requirements, more frequent renewal rules, and new copayments. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

UC Berkeley gives Trump administration 160 names in antisemitism probe -- UC Berkeley has given the Trump administration the names of 160 students, faculty and staff and information about their “potential connection to reports of alleged antisemitism” to comply with a federal investigation into campus handling of such claims, a campus spokesperson confirmed Thursday. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

 

California lawmakers pass a final flurry of bills, these are Newsom’s potential veto targets -- Proposals to regulate AI, cap insulin costs and provide lawyers to children in immigration court are among the policies California lawmakers are debating this week as they conclude their work for the year. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

Newsom, legislative leaders reach deal to fund high speed rail with ‘historic’ $1B annual commitment -- The funds would be enough to complete the initial operating segment from Merced to Bakersfield — but not enough to extend the project further to Gilroy or Palmdale Kate Talerico in the San Jose Mercury$ Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Gavin Newsom agrees to more drilling to stabilize California gas prices -- A grand energy and climate deal struck between Gov. Gavin Newsom and top legislative leaders this week could open the door to more oil drilling in the Central Valley in an attempt to stabilize California’s sensitive oil market. Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/12/25

How environmental groups lost Newsom to Big Oil -- Environmental justice groups came into this session riding high on the back of wins over the oil industry — and they ran into the affordability buzzsaw. Alex Nieves Politico -- 09/12/25

Worse than doing nothing’: online safety advocates slam changes to AI chatbot bill -- Some online safety advocates and the California branch of the American Association of Pediatrics are withdrawing their support for a bill intended to make companion chatbots safer for children to interact with. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/12/25

Admiration for Charlie Kirk — if not his beliefs — cut across political lines -- Charlie Kirk, the conservative millennial influencer who galvanized young Americans to support the GOP and was assassinated this week in Utah, was the most influential modern-day catalyst of shifting voting trends among fledgling voters, according to Republican and Democratic strategists. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

California lawmakers pass bill to ban ICE agents from wearing masks -- The legislation, passed by Democrats over Republican objections in this deep blue state, would prohibit ski masks, balaclavas and other face coverings for local and federal law enforcement, as well as officials from other states operating in California. Lindsey Holden Politico Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

‘I am not the same person.’ Pasadena man recounts 13 days in ICE’s ‘basement’ -- Sick, underfed and sleep-deprived. A Tunisian man recounts 13 days inside the downtown L.A. ICE facility after he was arrested by agents while en route to the supermarket. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

California Legislature passes bill to protect medical data of transgender people -- California lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would expand the state’s protections of transgender people by shielding their medical data from being shared with Republican-led states and law enforcement. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Will Newsom make a big move on death sentences before he leaves office? -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is a fervent opponent of the death penalty who has halted executions in the state since taking office in 2019 and dismantled Death Row at San Quentin State Prison, moving hundreds of condemned inmates to other prisons. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

Redistricting could put Darrell Issa’s seat in Congress in play. A primary fight among Democrats is already brewing -- The effort to redraw California’s congressional maps could give Republican Rep. Darrell Issa a tougher defense of his seat, as new candidates — including San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert and third-time congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar — join the race in a district Democrats aim to make more competitive. Lucas Robinson in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 09/12/25

Gavin Newsom to decide on bill fining tech giants for promoting violent content -- It would hold social media companies liable when algorithms promote posts that violate California’s civil rights laws. Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 09/12/25

Housing

Mayor Lurie’s ‘family zoning’ housing plan wins its first major approval -- The plan would create 36,000 new homes in San Francisco’s west side and northern neighborhoods. But, even though it passed through the planning commission, this isn’t the plans final form. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

In abrupt turnabout, Mayor Karen Bass withdraws her bill to overhaul L.A.’s mansion tax -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ bid to rewrite the city’s voter approved “mansion tax” fell apart on Thursday, with Bass and her allies pulling the state bill hours before its first critical vote. David Zahniser and Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Controversial bill that adds dense housing to transit stops passed by Assembly -- A controversial housing bill that would override local zoning laws to expand high-density housing near public transit hubs was passed by the California Assembly on Thursday with a vote of 41 to 17. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/11/25

Poverty

Despite improvement, California again has highest poverty rate in US -- California continued to have the highest poverty rate in the nation last year at 17.7%, tied only with Louisiana, according to new data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/12/25

Measles

L.A. child dies from complication of measles infection contracted in infancy -- The child — who was not old enough to be vaccinated at the time of infection — died from subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a fatal progressive brain disorder that strikes roughly 1 in 10,000 people infected with measles in the U.S. Doctors believe the risk is as high as 1 in every 600 children who contract measles as a baby. Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Workplace

Unemployment in California projected to get worse as prices rise -- California’s unemployment rate, the highest state figure in the nation in July, is projected to climb to 6.1% and stay around 6% next year, according to a new California Economic Forecast. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/12/25

California’s incarcerated firefighters, who make about $30 per day, could get a big raise -- In howling winds and choking smoke during the January fires that devastated Altadena and Pacific Palisades, more than 1,100 incarcerated firefighters cleared brush and dug fire lines, some for wages of less than $30 per day. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Police secrecy bill would shield undercover California officers in misconduct cases -- California police officers accused of misconduct are already shielded by some of the strictest confidentiality laws in the country, but state lawmakers are considering adding more layers of secrecy this week. Libor Jany and Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

This beloved Californian theme park is slashing jobs and shortening its season -- Latest in the spotlight is California’s Great America in Silicon Valley. Six Flags Entertainment, the company that controls the park, disclosed this month that it will lay off 184 seasonal workers in November. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

New Paramount owner already has his sights on next target: Warner Bros. Discovery -- Warner Bros. Discovery stock jumped nearly 29% Thursday upon news that Larry Ellison-backed Paramount was preparing a bid to buy its rival that owns HBO, CNN and the Warner Bros. studio. Meg James and Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

AI Startup Founders Tout a Winning Formula—No Booze, No Sleep, No Fun -- o reach the dream of creating a trillion-dollar company, the 20-somethings flocking to San Francisco give up everything but their laptops. Katherine Bindley, Xavier Martinez, Rebecca Picciotto, Eli Imadali in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/11/25

Pessimism among job seekers is the worst in a decade -- A rare and vexing blend of forces — low unemployment and job quits, slowly rising layoffs, and sluggish hiring — means there are fewer opportunities, resulting in some of the toughest job-hunting conditions since the 2008 financial crisis. Taylor Telford in the Washington Post$ -- 09/12/25

Insurance

Map: Insurance industry thinks these Bay Area ZIP codes have the highest wildfire risk -- New data shows for the first time what a modeling company for many major home insurers thinks of wildfire risk across the Bay Area in 2025. Megan Fan Munce, Sriharsha Devulapalli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

Education

California's sex abuse law caused a ‘feeding frenzy.’ Lawmakers can't find a fix -- It’s been six years since Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 218, dramatically expanding the time people have to file lawsuits alleging they were sexually abused as children. Since then, school districts and other public entities have spent billions defending against the rush of lawsuits the law made possible. Eric He Politico -- 09/12/25

Yes, that’s a human brain on a cafeteria tray. UCLA fair shows off science cuts under Trump -- UCLA researchers decried federal suspensions of medical and scientific research grants. The Trump administration froze the funding as punishment for the university’s alleged inadequate response to campus antisemitism. Researchers don’t know yet how long critical studies on cancer, stroke recovery, and addiction treatment can go on. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Also

Arellano: Against the backdrop of the Hollywood sign, the Border Patrol takes a hellaweird group photo -- The crown for the worst stunt involving the Hollywood sign now lies with the Border Patrol. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

Walters: Two years later, Californians still don’t know full impact of the $20 fast food wage -- As the California Legislature churns toward the end of its 2025 session this week, processing the remnants of thousands of bills introduced during the year, several measures encompass the Capitol’s most enduring conflict: Labor unions vs. employers over working conditions. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 09/12/25

Odds of La Niña developing have increased. Here’s what it means for California weather -- The relocated storm track generally means wetter-than-normal conditions in the Pacific Northwest. By contrast, it means drier-than-average conditions along the southern tier of the U.S., including Southern California. Jack Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

Southwest Airlines adds small Wine Country airport to California network -- Southwest Airlines will launch service from Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa next spring, adding Wine Country to its network of California destinations. Beginning April 7, 2026, the airline will offer nonstop flights to San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver and Burbank. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/12/25

World’s toymakers set up shop in El Segundo’s new toy hub to be near Barbie -- It’s only September, but the world’s toymakers and designers are converging on El Segundo this week for an industry conference to decide on the hottest toys for next year. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/12/25

POTUS 47

‘Don't even bother dealing with them,’ Trump says of Democrats’ shutdown demands -- The president weighed in after top Democratic leaders sketched out ultimatums on health care. Meredith Lee Hill Politico -- 09/12/25

Trump Says He Will Send National Guard to Memphis -- President Trump said he planned to send National Guard troops to Memphis, Tenn., as part of a crackdown on crime across the country, following his administration’s intervention in Washington, D.C. Tarini Parti in the Wall Street Journal$ Patrick Svitek and Amy B Wang in the Washington Post$ Joseph Gedeon The Guardian -- 09/12/25

Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing had become ‘more political’ and likely acted alone, authorities say -- The man accused in the Charlie Kirk assassination had earlier expressed to family his opposition to the viewpoints of the conservative activist, the authorities said Friday in announcing an arrest in a targeted killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in the United States. Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, Jesse Bedayn and Hannah Schoenbaum Associated Press -- 09/12/25

For Trump, Charlie Kirk Is a Deeply Personal Loss -- The president’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination shows how much the 31-year-old conservative activist had become a part of the Trump family. Robert Draper in the New York Times$ -- 09/12/25

Trump vows to punish critics after slaying of Charlie Kirk -- President Donald Trump, following the death of GOP activist and close friend Charlie Kirk, vowed to unleash the weight of his administration onto those he said contributed to an environment of “radical left political violence.” Emily Davies and Michael Birnbaum in the Washington Post$ -- 09/12/25

As Political Violence Rises, Trump Condemns One Side -- The president made no mention of the recent killings in Minnesota of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, who were on a hit list of dozens of left-wing figures; the arson attack on the home of Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, while he and his family slept; a shooter’s attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a hammer assault on the husband of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the shootings at an Arizona campaign office of Kamala Harris; or the Jan. 6 pro-Trump mob attack on the Capitol that injured roughly 150 police officers. Luke Broadwater and Alan Feuer in the New York Times$ -- 09/12/25

As America enters new age of political violence, some experts warn of retribution -- Leaders in both parties react to Charlie Kirk’s slaying with fear and foreboding about the country’s direction. Naftali Bendavid in the Washington Post$ -- 09/12/25

Kash Patel fumbled out of the gate on the Charlie Kirk investigation — and MAGA noticed -- It’s never a good idea for the FBI director to wrongly suggest that a criminal suspect has been caught — but for Kash Patel, the moment was especially ill-timed. Erica Orden Politico -- 09/12/25

 

Firm Inflation, Soft Jobs Data Pull Fed in Opposing Directions -- Inflation firmed last month, with price increases picking up for goods such as cars and clothes and essentials like food and housing. Rachel Louise Ensign and Nick Timiraos in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/12/25

On Ukraine and Gaza, Trump Casts Himself as a Bystander, if He Can’t Be a Peacemaker -- President Trump often insists he can bring peace to global conflicts. But when allies and adversaries alike appear to be ignoring him or testing American will, he adopts a what-can-you-do shrug. David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 09/12/25