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California watchdog considers rule that would curb secret lobbying at state Capitol -- The Fair Political Practices Commission plans to vote Thursday on narrowing a regulation that allows people to avoid identifying themselves as lobbyists by attending Capitol meetings as experts. They comply with current rules by working alongside lobbyists who are properly registered. Allison Noon Associated Press -- 3/13/16

California lawmakers benefit from public records carve-outs -- Californians are entitled to view a wide variety of emails, memos and other records created by their state and local governments. Ask to see who your state lawmaker is emailing, however, and they'll get a two-page canned response that says, in essence, "no way." Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 3/13/16

Decker: For Donald Trump, protests create a short-term benefit and a long-term threat -- A flammable brew of populist anger, a candidate's provocative remarks and disruptive protesters found a fuse, and the result, at what was to be a Donald Trump event in Chicago this weekend, was an explosion that continued to reverberate through the presidential campaign Saturday. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/16

Trump claims man who tried to rush stage connected to ISIS -- Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is claiming that the man who tried to rush the stage at his Ohio rally Saturday morning is connected to Islamic State militants — an allegation Middle East experts dismiss as farcical. Vivian Salma and Jill Colvin Associated Press -- 3/13/16

San Bernardino Assembly race could define what it means to be an Inland Empire Democrat -- What happens when a Democratic lawmaker strays from party leaders on a key piece of Gov. Jerry Brown’s policy agenda? One assemblywoman who held back support for a sweeping climate-change bill last year is starting to find out. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/16

Multiple sex harassment cases against UC faculty prompt new review process -- University of California President Janet Napolitano has announced a new sexual harassment review process for administrative leaders, amid furor over Berkeley’s handling of misconduct claims involving its law school dean. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/16

Rape kit backlog: DNA matches suspect to teens’ rape 6 years later -- One minute they were getting into their car on Allston Way in Berkeley just before 10 on an unseasonably warm Friday night. The next, a stranger had a black handgun to their heads. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/13/16

Officials reach out to neighbors of shuttered battery recycling plant concerned about lead contamination -- A small army of volunteers led by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti went door-to-door Saturday to begin the task of assessing the extent of the lead contamination in thousands of homes, businesses and schools surrounding a shuttered battery-recycling plant east of downtown. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/16

Chinese developers muscling in to Bay Area housing market -- The flood of Chinese money into Bay Area housing is coming not just from home buyers. Developers and investors are also building and backing large residential projects here. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/13/16

More SDPD officers leaving despite better pay -- The San Diego Police Department is still losing more officers each month than it can replace, despite an increase in benefits last year that officials hoped would reduce departures. Pauline Repard in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/16

Walters: California prisoner count drops, spending increases -- Americans of a certain age may remember the term “peace dividend.” Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/16

Morain: Short takes from the campaign trail -- In each presidential election, University of California employees are among the largest collective sources of campaign money, particularly for Democrats. This year is no exception, but preferences of West Coast academia might surprise you. Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/16

San Francisco selling off spare parts for emergency water system -- San Francisco is having a fire sale on spare parts for the city’s 100-year-old emergency water supply system — the network of high-pressure pipes and hydrants designed to help firefighting efforts should city water mains fail in a major earthquake. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/13/16

Coalinga’s new oil boom: Proposal would transform empty prison into cannabis oil production -- Instead of relying on the black gold pulled from the ground for jobs and economic stability, Coalinga could find future wealth in marijuana by transforming its vacant state prison into a cannabis oil cultivation and manufacturing operation. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 3/13/16

UC bigwig, bounced in sex-harass scandal, is pulled from new job -- A former UC Berkeley vice chancellor who was forced from his job last year following a sex harassment scandal — but kept on by Chancellor Nicholas Dirks to serve as an international ambassador for the school’s planned Global Campus in Richmond — has been ordered removed from his new job by University of California President Janet Napolitano. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/13/16

Willie Brown: Gov. Brown needs to buck big tobacco and sign antismoking bills -- As a veteran of California’s tobacco wars, my advice to Gov. Jerry Brown is to buck the tobacco lobby and sign the just-passed package of bills that, among other things, raises the age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21. Willie Brown in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/13/16

Balz: Campaign 2016’s dangerous descent into violence -- What erupted in St. Louis and fully boiled over later in Chicago, however, was no aberration. Donald Trump has built his candidacy on long-festering resentment and grievance. It is a poisonous combination, for the Republican Party and for the country. Dan Balz in the Washington Post$ -- 3/13/16

 

Sneering, sarcasm, protests: It's all in a day's Trump rally -- His reputation precedes him, along with his attitude and anecdotes and, now, the images of a near-riot that forced cancellation of a campaign stop just the night before. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Sacramento River flows over weir into Yolo Bypass for first time since 2012 -- Water from the rain-swollen Sacramento River began flowing over the Fremont Weir and into the Yolo Bypass on Saturday morning, according to monitors at the California Nevada River Forecast Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Gas company finishes cleaning Porter Ranch parks as fallout from leak continues -- Southern California Gas Co. said Saturday that it has completed the cleaning of four public parks in Porter Ranch after residents complained about oily residue found on playground equipment. Matt Stevens in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

L.A. County coroner's office workloads could threaten accreditation, sources say -- The embattled Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner met all accreditation standards at the time of its last annual review in August, but showed some signs of potential problems because of a staffing shortage, according to the president of the National Assn. of Medical Examiners. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Can a preschool director turned Assembly speaker boost early childhood programs? -- Before he was speaker of the California Assembly, Anthony Rendon ran preschools for low-income children in Los Angeles. Deepa Fernandes KPCC -- 3/12/16

Stanford, UC Berkeley students stage battles to change controversial names on campus -- At universities across the country, centuries-old names that adorn buildings, streets and squares are under siege -- from Stanford's Serra Mall to UC Berkeley's Barrows Hall to Yale's Calhoun College. Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/12/16

Analysis: After scuffles in Chicago, Trump tells supporters he can unite the country. It's a hard sell -- A day after fistfights and shoving broke out at his planned event in Chicago, Donald Trump on Saturday blamed the violence on opponents who “taunted” and harassed his supporters and he continued to pledge he would unify the country. Cathleen Decker and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Republicans blame Trump for climate of violence -- Rubio and Kasich waver on supporting the GOP front-runner if he wins the nomination. Eli Stokols and Kyle Cheny Politico Reid J. Epstein, Patrick O'Connor and Colleen McCain Nelson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/12/16

Trump blames Sanders for chaos at his rallies -- Sanders hits back, 'Donald Trump is showing the American people that he is a pathological liar.' Kyle Cheny Politico -- 3/12/16

Obama thirsty for a taste of Donald Trump's wine -- "Instead, we've got a debate inside the other party that is fantasy and schoolyard taunts and selling stuff like it's the Home Shopping Network," he said. Darlene Superville Associated Press -- 3/12/16

New snowstorm hits Sierra Nevada as 'March Miracle' continues -- In what some are calling a "March Miracle," the Sierra have been hit by a series of powerful storms this month. That's important because the Sierra snowpack is a key source of water for California, which is in its fourth year of a drought. Veronica Rocha and Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Bay Area News Group wins two prestigious freedom of information awards -- The Bay Area News Group and its staff won two prestigious journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists during the 31st annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards banquet Thursday. Bay Area News Group -- 3/12/16

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Complaint alleges PG&E conflict by Brown's top aide -- A consumer advocacy group filed a complaint Friday with the state ethics agency seeking an investigation into whether the top aide to Gov. Jerry Brown influenced appointments to the state Public Utilities Commission while she owned stock in PG&E, an allegation rejected immediately by the Governor’s Office. Jeff McDonald & Patrick McGreevy in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/12/16

As rain falls in California, tensions rise over who gets the water -- Saying too much water is flowing out to sea, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Friday called on operators of the federal and state water projects to pump more water south through the Delta to drought-stricken farms and cities in Central and Southern California. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Tobacco industry threatens referendum on smoking bill -- Just days before the Legislature approved a bill that would raise the smoking age to 21, a lobbyist warned that the tobacco industry would file a November ballot referendum to overturn the law if it's signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, according to a coalition supporting the measure. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

California Politics Podcast: Smoke Signs -- This week, we look at the big legislative tobacco fight, proposals on the "gig economy" and a soda tax, as well as the leadership selections from Speaker Anthony Rendon. With John Myers of the Los Angeles Times and Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project. Link here -- 3/12/16

Outgoing LA County coroner describes department in turmoil: ‘It’s nuts’ -- Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Mark Fajardo submitted his resignation Friday and will return to his old job next month as Riverside County’s chief forensic pathologist, he said during an interview later in the day. His resignation is effective April 15. Sarah Favot in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/12/16

180 bodies are stacked up in L.A. County morgue, coroner says -- About 180 bodies are in storage at the Los Angeles County morgue because of delays in processing, Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Mark Fajardo said in an interview Friday. Fajardo said he was resigning because his pleas to county officials for more resources have been ignored. Richard Winton and Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Hiltzik: How the refineries came to own our air pollution regulators -- "Regulatory capture" is the term for what happens when an agency overseeing an industry begins to see things the industry's way. Consider the most recent illustration: the South Coast Air Quality Management District board and the refinery industry. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Nancy Reagan is eulogized as tough but tender and her husband's fiercest protector -- In a service filled with stories of the enduring love between one of the nation's most influential political couples, dignitaries, celebrities and other mourners joined Friday to eulogize Nancy Reagan, recalling a former first lady as tough as she was tender and who was an astute and forceful protector of her husband's legacy. Brittny Mejia and Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ Liset Márquez in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/12/16

How a state senator — whose family is in the taxi business — put the brakes on two Uber bills -- San Diego taxi company owner Alfredo Hueso is a frustrated businessman. State regulations are helping companies like Uber and Lyft rob him of business, he believes. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

With his convictions overturned, Richard Alarcon says he'll run against Rep. Tony Cardenas -- Former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who saw his convictions for perjury and voter fraud thrown out two months ago, has another curveball in store for the San Fernando Valley: He's running for Congress. David Zahniser and Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/12/16

One of Hahn's GOP opponents drops out of the race for L.A. County supervisor -- One of two Republicans running against Rep. Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro) for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said Friday that he was dropping out, leaving the veteran lawmaker to face one GOP candidate and one other Democrat in the June 7 primary. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Tea Party favorite Tim Donnelly aims for Congress, auctions off guns -- Former Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a tea party favorite and unsuccessful candidate for governor, said Friday he is running for Congress, bidding to unseat fellow Republican Paul Cook in Southern California’s desert region. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Beau Yarbrough in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/12/16

LA Police Commission recommendations emphasize avoiding the use of deadly force -- In a move that's already provoking contention among police experts, two Los Angeles police commissioners Friday called for changes to policies on when LAPD officers should use deadly force. Ashley Bailey and Rina Palta KPCC -- 3/12/16

What Schwarzenegger’s role as California governor says about Trump -- The similarities between Donald Trump and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are so obvious that comparisons started rolling in as soon as Trump announced his candidacy for president last year. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls     

Voters may decide whether to tax candy and snack foods in California -- A California lawmaker suggested Friday that the state reinstitute a sales tax on candy and snack food, adding to the list of proposals on the table this year to address growing health problems by raising taxes on cigarettes, marijuana, vaping and sodas. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions     

Business groups join forces to fight statewide minimum wage hike initiatives -- As two initiatives to raise California's minimum wage inch closer to the November ballot, business groups have formed a coalition to fight them. Brian Watt KPCC Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Treasury retirement plans could assist Californians without employer-sponsored savings -- A recent study shows nearly half of California workers don’t have a retirement savings plan available at work, and the U.S. Treasury Department is hoping a new no fee, no minimum deposit retirement saving program will fill the gap. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

 UC pension overhaul shifts away from guaranteed benefits -- The University of California is set to adopt a new pension tier for its underfunded retirement system that it calculates will save nearly $1.5 billion over the next 15 years. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Drought   

Farmers in California delta beat goal for saving water -- A group of California farmers who delighted regulators combating the state’s drought by volunteering last year to use less water on their crops for the growing season has again surprised officials by exceeding an initial conservation target, officials said Friday. Scott Smith Associated Press -- 3/12/16

Education 

Superintendents, but not teachers, give high grades to Common Core rollout -- Most California teachers, principals and superintendents view the Common Core as more rigorous and more relevant to students than the previous state standards, but disagree over how well the Common Core has been implemented, researchers from the nonprofit education agency WestEd have concluded. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 3/12/16

State's 22 unaccredited law schools will be required to show dropout rates in June -- California's unaccredited law schools, which collectively have an 85% dropout rate, will soon have to disclose their attrition rates to prospective students. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Protesters call on UC Davis chancellor to resign in campus march, sit-in Students and protesters asked for Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi to resign -- A peaceful protest Friday seeking the resignation of UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi morphed into a sit-in in her office lobby with 35 students and protesters criticizing her acceptance of questionable board seats. Sam Stanton and Diana Lambert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/16

Immigration / Border 

Where did unaccompanied migrants go? -- Two years ago, tens of thousands of children fleeing the troubled nations of Central America flocked to the Southwest border, igniting national protests over immigration policies as overwhelmed federal agencies scrambled to find places to house and process the children. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/12/16

Environment 

Invasive frogs starting to shatter California's quiet nights -- About a dozen scientists and volunteers were hunting through the foliage of a tropical plant nursery recently in Torrance. Their prey, the tiny yellow-brown coqui frog, had invaded the business a couple years ago. Jed Kim KPCC -- 3/12/16

Also . . . 

Ben Bagdikian, noted media critic, dies at 96 -- Ben H. Bagdikian, a noted media critic and former dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley, died Friday at his home in Berkeley. He was 96. Mr. Bagdikian was a major figure in the world of media and journalism. He served in nearly every capacity in journalism from foreign correspondent, to newspaper executive, to educator and as a media critic. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/12/16

For Bay Area tech elite, a second home is just, you know, normal -- The minute Diane Flynn leaves her Menlo Park driveway, the vacation begins. Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/12/16

Beltway 

Campaign violence and Donald Trump: Hardly surprising, entirely predictable -- Violence splashed across the television screen Friday night like a horrific flashback from the 1960s, as fistfights and shoving broke out among thousands of supporters and opponents at a Donald Trump event in Chicago, drawing memories of police and protesters fighting in the streets of the same city during another political gathering in 1968. Nothing about it was surprising. Cathleen Decker and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Donald Trump has a history of endorsing violence against protesters -- Hours before Donald Trump canceled a Chicago rally Friday amid a racially charged clash between protesters and his supporters, the New York real estate mogul taunted demonstrators whose shouting interrupted him in St. Louis. “Go home and get a job,” Trump snapped at the Missouri protesters. “Go home to mommy.” Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/16

Analysis: Chicago chaos tests Trump promises of unity -- Donald Trump says he can unify the country. Now, he gets a chance to prove it. The Republican presidential front-runner canceled a Friday night rally in Chicago rather than enter a tense cauldron of animosity between his supporters and protesters — some of whom then proceeded to face off in several violent altercations as the political gathering veered dangerously close to a riot. Steve Peoples and Julie Pace Associated Press -- 3/12/16

Cruz, Rubio and Kasich criticize Trump for creating ‘environment’ for Chicago protest -- One night after declining to criticize Donald Trump's rhetoric toward the protesters at his rallies, his rivals for the Republican nomination, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio), all criticized the Republican front-runner. David Weigel in the Washington Post$ -- 3/12/16

Head of conservative Christian organization balks at backing Donald Trump even if he wins nomination -- Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, declined during an interview Friday to commit to back Donald Trump even after the New York billionaire secures the official GOP presidential nominee. Tom Hamburger in the Washington Post$ -- 3/12/16

Cruz: a candidate bears responsibility for the culture of a campaign -- Sen. Ted Cruz, responding to a question about violence at Donald Trump rallies, said on Friday that a candidate has the responsibility of setting the tone for his or her campaign. Katie Zezima in the Washington Post$ -- 3/12/16