Updating . .   

Immigration lawsuit pits California Department of Justice against federal counterpart -- The California Department of Justice on Wednesday took its federal counterpart to court, seeking an order to release documents that would explain the rationale of a threat to withhold law enforcement grants unless agencies in the state cooperate with immigration enforcement. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

California's Legislature may put its new sexual harassment disclosure policy into state law -- The decision by leaders of the California Legislature to voluntarily disclose some records related to sexual misconduct investigations could, under a new proposal, become state law. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

California officials say they’ll block Trump’s plan to expand oil drilling off coast -- The California Coastal Commission sent a letter Wednesday to the federal Bureau of Ocean Management urging the agency to withdraw plans to allow the ocean drilling, saying the proposal increases the threat of an oil spill that could cause “catastrophic harm.” Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Two new polls show tight race for second place in campaign for governor -- One public poll conducted for the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education found Newsom, a Democrat, in the lead with 25 percent, followed by Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor, at 10 percent, Republican John Cox, a San Diego County businessman, at 9 percent, Democrat John Chiang, the state treasurer, at 8 percent, and Republican Travis Allen, a state assemblyman, at 7 percent. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/7/18

Opposing Trump paying off for vulnerable California Democrat -- Rep. Ami Bera is getting an assist on his 2018 campaign – from President Donald Trump. A new independent poll from the University of California, Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) found that a plurality of likely voters – 48 percent are inclined to re-elect the Democratic incumbent in the Sacramento-area swing district. Another 44 percent are not, while just 8 percent are undecided. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Pelosi puts her foot down on spending bill leading to Dreamer legislation -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she couldn’t support a broad spending deal that would keep the government open and meet most Democratic demands unless House Republicans allow votes on legislation to help young immigrants, throwing GOP efforts to avoid another government shutdown into turmoil. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Pelosi launches hours-long filibuster-style speech in bid to force immigration votes in the House -- Pelosi (D-Calif.) began talking shortly after 10 a.m., using her right as minority leader to speak for as long as she wants. She began by saying that she would lead opposition to a broad two-year budget agreement that includes several Democratic priorities but does not address immigration — the topic that has prolonged the spending debate for several months. “I have no intention of yielding back,” Pelosi said at 3:41 p.m. Eastern as she neared the six-hour mark of her ongoing remarks. Ed O'Keefe, David Weigel and Paul Kane in the Washington Post$ -- 2/7/18

Doctors Prepare for Immigration Enforcement Visits At Hospitals -- Pediatricians across California are calling on Congress to pass legislation protecting immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, saying their patients are skipping appointments because they’re afraid a visit to the hospital will get them deported. April Dembosky KQED -- 2/7/18

Elon Musk’s red Roadster overshoots Mars orbit, heads for asteroid belt -- The Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk blasted into space aboard the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket was supposed to head for orbit around Mars, but instead, it’s on a flight path expected to take it close to the dwarf planet Ceres, in the middle of our solar system’s asteroid belt. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/7/18

Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, who just purchased the Los Angeles Times, is a controversial figure in medicine -- Patrick Soon-Shiong, a respected transplant surgeon from the University of California at Los Angeles turned entrepreneur and philanthropist, first became famous for inventing an important cancer drug. Ariana Eunjung Cha in the Washington Post$ -- 2/7/18

Prop. 13 fight looming over how California taxes business properties -- It has been a liberal dream for decades to undo parts or all of Proposition 13, the seminal California initiative limiting the property tax rate. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

San Gabriel becomes the latest California city to withdraw from ICE collaborations -- San Gabriel city leaders on Tuesday rescinded a police department agreement with immigration officials, citing doubts about the arrangement’s necessity and heightened fears about deportations. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

California lawmaker wants all Uber, Lyft cars to be electric by 2028 -- Senate Bill 1014 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) would set goals for the electrification of ride-hailing cars over the next decade, and set aside up to $300 million to help subsidize the purchase of electric cars by ride-hailing drivers. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Solar jobs drop in California, after years of growth -- The number of solar jobs in the state fell more than 13 percent in 2017, an annual survey released Wednesday found, as issues ranging from regulatory changes to a long, wet winter stunted sales. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Covered California enrollment dips 2% after ‘repeal and replace’ drama -- In California and across the nation, millions of Americans who do not receive health insurance through their employers are continuing to sign up for health plans through marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/7/18

Despite Trump attacks, Obamacare sign-ups hold steady, new numbers show -- Almost 12 million Americans signed up for 2018 health coverage through marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act, according to a new tally that indicates nationwide enrollment remained virtually unchanged from last year despite President Trump’s persistent attacks on the 2010 health law. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Riverbed Homeless Evictions -- Federal Judge David. O Carter halted the county’s Santa Ana riverbed homeless evictions late Tuesday night when he ordered the County of Orange and Anaheim, Orange and Costa Mesa to stop enforcing anti-camping and trespass laws along the riverbed. Spencer Custodio VoiceofOC.org Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 2/7/18

Judge: Baker can refuse to make same-sex wedding cakes -- A California bakery owner can continue to refuse to make wedding cakes for same-sex couples because it violates her Christian beliefs, a judge ruled. The decision came after a lawyer for Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield argued that owner Cathy Miller’s right to free speech and free expression of religion trumps the argument that she violated a state anti-discrimination law. Associated Press -- 2/7/18

Disclosing sexual misconduct — or not -- That’s why state Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, has authored a bill, SB 820, to ban these secrecy-driven agreements in cases of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. While last year’s tide of allegations, particularly in the Capitol itself, stirred broad support for policy change, there is considerable debate within those supporters about whether this bill is the best approach. Alex Matthews Capitol Weekly -- 2/7/18

He suffered severe burns at the hands of police. Now he wants more than $26 million -- James Bradford Nelson spent nearly two months in the hospital recovering from burns to his face, torso, legs and buttocks after officers held him down on the pavement on an afternoon when temperatures reached triple digits. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Reformers: End pepper spray use in California juvenile jails -- A state lawmaker and reform groups are pushing to restrict the use of pepper spray in juvenile jails in California, one of just six states that allow employees to carry the caustic chemicals in youth detention facilities. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 2/7/18

San Quentin staffer made me a sex slave, murderer says. He’s awarded $65,000 -- The #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and abuse has taken an unusual gender and geographic turn, with a convicted murderer in San Quentin State Prison being awarded $65,000 in damages by a federal jury after being turned into a “sex slave” by a female prison staffer. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Toyota failed to fix defect that can cause Prius to overheat and lose power, dealer claims in lawsuit -- Toyota said the problem on model years 2010-14 had been taken care of with a software change. But having seen more than 100 post-recall failures, Roger Hogan — whose family owns Claremont Toyota and Capistrano Toyota — warned customers about the issue and refused to resell used Priuses he'd gotten as trade-ins. Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Fox: Judicial Independence on Trial with Judge’s Recall -- A judge’s recall moves forward as another test to California’s judiciary and a challenge to judicial independence. Judge Aaron Persky will face voters in a recall election now that enough signatures have been certified to present his recall to voters. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/7/18

Democrats say corporate shareholders have pocketed nearly $100 billion from GOP tax law -- Twenty-seven of America's biggest businesses have already spent about $100 billion buying back stocks from shareholders in 2018, a move that shows how the new Republican tax law is primarily benefiting wealthy Americans and large corporations, a new report unveiled by three Senate Democrats says. Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 2/7/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California lobbyists could receive a four-year ban for sexual harassment under new legislation -- Any California registered lobbyist found to have committed sexual harassment could be banned from similar work for up to four years under a plan introduced on Tuesday at the state Capitol. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Walters: Sex harassment document dump isn’t enough -- Getting legislative leaders to release records about sexual harassment by legislators and their staffers was like pulling teeth without anesthesia. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 2/7/18

‘Serious marital infidelities’ charged in California governor’s race -- Republicans competing for California governor assailed the leading Democrats as immoral philanderers in a debate Tuesday, pillorying the rivals over their past affairs. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

GOP candidates for governor tear into one another as they seek traction -- The three top Republican candidates shared a debate stage for the first time Tuesday and spent more time shredding each other personally than taking stands on policy. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

New polls show political headwinds for Southern California GOP congressmen -- The separate polls, done by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, found a majority of voters disinclined to cast their ballots for Rep. Steve Knight, R-Lancaster , and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa. But those results may spread far outside those district boundaries, since they track closely with voter disapproval of President Trump and general unhappiness with Republican control of Congress. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Trump, GOP Congress Are Hurting California’s Republican House Members -- New data back up what many have assumed: Republican members of Congress in California are being weighed down by the unpopularity of President Trump and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Scott Shafer KQED -- 2/7/18

Two Congressmen Say It's Possible FEMA Won’t Pay Full Federal Share For Oroville Dam Repair -- Two Northern California congressmen say the Federal Emergency Management Agency might not pay its share of the $870 million price tag to replace the spillways at Lake Oroville. Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa and Democrat Rep. John Garamendi issued a joint release this afternoon that says FEMA has informed Congress it’s uncertain whether it will pay some $650 million for repairs. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 2/7/18

'A hot mess' — Council members trash the rollout of L.A.'s recycling program -- Frustration with Los Angeles' new recycling program boiled over at City Hall on Tuesday, with council members grilling trash company executives and calling for new oversight to address soaring bills and poor customer service. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

California drivers are – believe it or not – putting down their cellphones -- The study by the state Office of Traffic Safety found that fewer than 4 percent of drivers appear to be picking up and using their cellphones, a notable drop from a year ago when the same analysis found that nearly 8 percent of drivers were on their cellphones. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Memo from Farrell’s employer cites ‘benefits’ of him being San Francisco mayor, supervisor -- Representatives of Mayor Mark Farrell’s venture capital firm expect to reap “long-term benefits” from his term as mayor, according to a letter sent to the company’s partners the morning after he was sworn in. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Lopez: RecycLA and other reasons to wonder who's in charge at L.A. City Hall -- "You were had," said one angry taxpayer. "You guys got crushed," said another. The topic? L.A.'s Keystone Kops rollout of a new trash recycling program, which has featured a dramatic service reduction at a huge price increase for thousands of customers. It's so bad, even the people who supported the plan are ducking for cover, pointing fingers or throwing everyone else under the bus. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

While Oakland Is Worried About Getting Coal, Richmond Is Covered in It -- In October 2014, Sylvia Hopkins first noticed the line of coal cars sitting on tracks close to her home in Richmond's Atchison Village. Shortly thereafter, she began to discover black, greasy deposits on her windowsills. Janis Hashe East Bay Express -- 2/7/18

Californians won’t get to vote for 12,000 elected officials in 2018 -- Republican John Cox’s bid to overhaul California’s Legislature by dding thousands of elected officials came to a sputtering end Tuesday on the announcement that he failed to collect enough signatures. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

San Francisco sheriff wipes out electronic monitoring, community service fees for convicts -- The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday it will no longer force people convicted of crimes to pay fees for electronic monitoring and community service, announcing the change amid a broader push to wipe out numerous costs assessed by the city’s criminal justice system. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Sen. Tony Mendoza, facing sexual harassment probe, now has an election challenger -- Sexual harassment accusations have shaken up Los Angeles-area politics, bouncing two California assemblymen from office and sending a state senator into forced leave while the allegations against him are being investigated. Now the political ramifications may be worsening for that state senator, Democrat Tony Mendoza of Arleta. Kevin Modesti in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/7/18

LA County spends $145M on settling and fighting legal claims -- Los Angeles County spent more than $145 million fighting and paying for lawsuits alleging wrongful conviction, excessive use of force, medical malpractice and violation of federal clean water laws, among other claims, during fiscal year 2016-17, according to a report received Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/7/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Rhee: SpaceX had a big launch. California is taxing it -- California badly needs a fair and smart reform of its tax system – now more than ever after the giveaway to corporations and the wealthy in the new federal tax law. What the state doesn’t need are more gimmicks, such as soaking corporations with a tax surcharge. Foon Rhee in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Auto insurer aims to hire 325 in Sacramento -- Progressive Group of Insurance Cos., which bills itself as the fourth-largest auto insurer in the nation, plans to hire 325 people in Sacramento by the end of the year, part of a nationwide push of 7,500 hires in 2018. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

They were the first women to serve as Sacramento police officers. Not everyone was welcoming -- Flossie Crump was just a few months into her job as a patrol officer with the Sacramento Police Department when she faced one of the first tests of her resolve. Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Want to Airbnb your home for the bulk of the year? L.A. might let you — on a case-by-case basis -- Los Angeles residents who want to rent out their homes for short stays for the bulk of the year would have to get case-by-case approval from the city under a new proposal being explored by city lawmakers. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

No vacancy: Residents of Tahoe tourist town seek to limit vacation rentals -- Loud hot tub parties, overcrowded driveways and trash left by vacationers in this alpine community recently prompted elected leaders to enact tough new rules for landlords. Now activists are pushing an even tougher ballot measure that would make operating vacation rentals unlawful in much of the city. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Tesla Batteries In The Mountains? Squaw Valley Could Soon House A Giant One -- The battery would be part of a “microgrid” that could support the ski resort and about 900 homes in the area for about four hours if the main power system fails. Andy Wirth, president and COO of Squaw Valley ski holdings, said this is part of the resort’s mission to run entirely on renewable energy by the year’s end. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 2/7/18

Hotel Workers In Sacramento County Could Soon Have Panic Buttons -- Sacramento County's Board of Supervisors is discussing a measure aimed at protecting hotel workers from sexual harassment and assault. The measure would require hotels and motels to provide housekeepers with panic buttons to alert security if they encounter sexual harassment. Sally Schilling Capital Public Radio Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Facebook boycott: Jim Carrey urges users to delete their accounts and dump stock -- Comedian Jim Carrey is giving Facebook a big thumbs down after the social network revealed that it sold political ads to Russian-linked accounts between 2015 and 2017. Carrey said Tuesday that he is deleting his Facebook page and dumping the tech firm’s stock, and urged others to do the same. Queenie Wong in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/7/18

Thor Tosses a Hammer Into the Electric Truck Derby -- California’s ambitious goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions are revving up the market for electric vehicles. And it’s not just cars anymore. Craig Miller KQED -- 2/7/18

Homeless  

After blunder, San Diego adopts safeguards against scooping homeless people into city garbage trucks -- San Diego officials have completed an investigation into the near-death of a homeless person who was scooped into a city garbage truck by mistake last December and issued new rules to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Housing  

Santa Ana considers rent control as housing costs rise -- Santa Ana is looking at whether to become the first city in Orange County to implement rent control on apartments and houses. The city council is scheduled to start the discussion Tuesday night with a presentation from experts on the issue. Jill Replogle KPCC -- 2/7/18

Mayor of Cupertino, home of Apple, says housing situation 'not dire,' critics disagree -- In his State of the City address last week Cupertino Mayor Darcy Paul acknowledged his city, home to the sprawling Apple Inc. headquarters, "should be focused a bit more on housing at this point" but "the circumstances are not dire." Michelle Robertson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/7/18

Education 

Search firm must give L.A. Unified a mostly free do-over in hunt for schools chief -- The unexpected departure of Los Angeles schools Supt. Michelle King — after less than two years on the job — has triggered a rarely used clause in the contract of an executive search firm: its warranty. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

A college education: Is it worth it? -- From housing to college, Californians are complaining about affordability. In a recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, 56 percent of adults say college affordability is a big problem and 62 percent believe current funding for public colleges and universities is not enough. Nik Bonovich Capitol Weekly -- 2/7/18

Governor wants California school districts to give more detail on use of state funds in budgets -- In an effort to make it easier to see how school districts in California are spending their funds to improve education outcomes, Gov. Jerry Brown wants to require school districts to publish in their annual budgets a summary of the funds they plan to spend on low-income children, English learners and other high-needs students. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 2/7/18

Flu outbreak closes East Sacramento elementary school -- St. Mary School in East Sacramento closed Tuesday after 40 kids came into the office with fever or other flu symptoms, according to Diocese of Sacramento officials. Monday, 11 faculty and staff members were also absent because they weren’t feeling well, said Kevin Eckery, spokesman for the Diocese of Sacramento. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/7/18

Also . . . 

Coffee in California may soon come with a spoonful of cancer warnings -- “I’ll have the double espresso with human carcinogen.” Okay, Starbucks will probably develop more subtle language if a California judge decides that coffee shops, convenience stores and other places that sell hot caffeinated beverages have violated a state law that requires businesses to provide “clear and reasonable warning” about chemicals known to cause cancer. Tim Carman in the Washington Post$ -- 2/7/18

Body of Palmdale triple murder suspect found decomposing in truck in desert -- Authorities on Tuesday identified a man whose body was found in the bed of a pickup over the weekend as the suspect in the slayings of three people and their three dogs in Palmdale last month. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Police Commission says off-duty officer violated LAPD rules when he fired gun during clash with Anaheim teens -- Siding with Chief Charlie Beck, the commission found that Officer Kevin Ferguson's tactics were out of policy, along with his decision to draw his gun and fire it. Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Walgreens changes restroom policy after customer says a Hollywood store discriminated against her -- The Walgreens drugstore chain has adopted a companywide policy that allows people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity after a customer said she was discriminated against at a Hollywood store. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

POTUS 45  

Trump’s ‘marching orders’ to the Pentagon: Plan a grand military parade -- President Trump’s vision of soldiers marching and tanks rolling down the boulevards of Washington is moving closer to reality in the Pentagon and White House, where officials say they have begun to plan a grand military parade later this year showcasing the might of America’s armed forces. Greg Jaffe and Philip Rucker in the Washington Post$ -- 2/7/18

Beltway 

'It will be an intraparty war' -- Nancy Pelosi is betting everything on taking back the House in November, and most Democrats are confident they’ll pull it off. But what happens if they fail? A stealthy discussion is already underway within the Democratic Caucus, particularly among members whose only experience in Congress is in the minority. Heather Caygle and John Bresnahan Politico -- 2/7/18

Changes to Capitol Hill sexual harassment policy would put victims first, Rep. Jackie Speier says -- Speier (D-Hillsborough) and House Administration Committee members wrote the legislation that would simplify the current convoluted sexual harassment reporting process. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/7/18

Democratic Group Targets All-G.O.P. States to Attack Gerrymandering -- A Democratic group backed by former President Barack Obama intends to pour millions of dollars into an eclectic array of elections in a dozen states, in an effort to block Republicans from single-handedly drawing congressional maps after 2020, officials leading the group said. Alexander Burns in the New York Times$ -- 2/7/18

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

Los Angeles Times owner will sell paper, ending a long-troubled relationship -- The Chicago-based owner of the Los Angeles Times is expected to announce it is selling the newspaper, according to people familiar with the company’s plans, in a surprise move that likely spells the end of its long-troubled relationship with Southern California’s leading news outlet. Paul Farhi in the Washington Post$ Meg James and James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

California’s first judicial recall in 86 years to appear on Santa Clara County ballot -- Santa Clara County supervisors Tuesday ordered the recall of Judge Aaron Persky to be placed on the June 5 ballot, setting the stage for voters in California to decide whether to oust a sitting judge for only the fourth time in more than a century. Tracey Kaplan in the San Jose Mercury$ Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/6/18

Tied to Trump, these two California Republican congressmen lag in poll -- Majorities of likely voters in the districts of Republican Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Steve Knight of Lancaster aren’t happy with Trump and are disinclined to vote for their representative’s re-election. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/6/18

Killer who committed massacre in Isla Vista was part of alt-right, new research shows -- Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old who killed six students in the college town of Isla Vista in 2014, was the first "alt-right killer" to strike in recent years, according to a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Ben Poston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

Thousands barred from owning guns in CA still have them -- Authorities have seized more than two dozen guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from a California man, nearly five months after a judge signed an order prohibiting him from possessing firearms. Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 2/6/18

Is California ready for a Proposition 13 overhaul? -- A new ballot initiative that takes aim at how commercial properties are taxed under California’s Proposition 13 could raise $6 to $10 billion more each year for schools and and other programs and services, according to a new analysis by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/6/18

Republican John Cox's effort to create 12,000 'neighborhood' lawmakers in California fails to make the ballot -- The proposal’s backer, Republican businessman and candidate for governor John Cox, spent six years trying to get his “Neighborhood Legislature” plan in front of voters. State elections officials announced that the latest campaign fell short by 25,501 valid voter signatures. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

California joins other states to sue Trump administration over suspension of clean water rule -- California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said the lawsuit alleges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers acted without authority in suspending the rule, did not provide a rational explanation and did not provide required notice and opportunity for public comment. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

What’s the chance for a ‘normal’ rain year now? Grim, if history is a gauge -- A review of more than 100 years of rainfall records of major cities in California — including San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Redding and Fresno — shows that none have ever finished the rainy season with normal rainfall totals after ending January with the amount of rain they’ve had so far this winter. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/6/18

President Trump plans to nominate Beverly Hills tax attorney for IRS commissioner -- President Donald Trump plans to nominate California tax attorney Charles "Chuck" Rettig to head the Internal Revenue Service as it implements the nation's tax code revamp, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. Saleha Mohsin and Justin Sink in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

U.S. appeals court refuses to scuttle $25-million Trump University settlement -- A federal appeals court refused Tuesday to derail a $25-million Trump University settlement to allow a former student to take the president to trial. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided unanimously that a district judge acted appropriately when he approved the settlement, reached days after Donald Trump was elected president. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

Knight: San Francisco safe injection sites expected to be first in nation, open around July 1 -- San Francisco is on track to open its first two safe injection sites this July, a milestone that will likely make the city the first in the country to embrace the controversial model of allowing drug users to shoot up under supervision. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/6/18

Bay Area rents likely to stay sky high -- Rates for one- and two-bedroom apartments in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose last year stayed among the highest in the nation, according to new market reports. Scarce rentals and a robust local economy marked by steady tech hiring drove up Santa Clara County prices 3.2 percent from a year ago, according to real estate data firm Yardi Matrix. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/6/18

It's Ronald Reagan Day, California governor declares -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared Feb. 6 Ronald Reagan Day in honor of the 107th anniversary of the former U.S. president and governor’s birth. Brown said Californians should recognize Reagan’s diplomatic achievements with the former Soviet Union and the economic recovery that occurred during his presidency in the 1980s. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18

Trump immigration plan could keep whites in U.S. majority for up to five more years -- The plan, released by the White House last month, would scale back a program that allows people residing in the United States to sponsor family members living abroad for green cards, and would eliminate the “diversity visa program” that benefits immigrants in countries with historically low levels of migration to the United States. Together, the changes would disproportionately affect immigrants from Latin America and Africa. Jeff Stein and Andrew Van Dam in the Washington Post$ -- 2/6/18

Most Americans want DREAMers to stay — and the wall to go, NPR poll finds -- Two-thirds of Americans say people brought to the United States as children and now residing in the country illegally should be granted legal status — and a majority are against building a wall along the border with Mexico, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll. Domenico Montanaro NPR -- 2/6/18

‘Shut It Down’: Trump Threatens Government Shutdown Over Border Security -- President Trump revived his threat on Tuesday to shut down the federal government if Congress cannot agree to a spending deal that tightens the nation’s immigration laws. Thomas Kaplan and Mark Landler in the New York Times$ -- 2/6/18

The Nunes memo made this congressman a national name. But his California district cares about water, not Russia -- At Old Salle Cafe, near the northern outskirts of this deeply conservative farming city, Archie Harrison said he did not know much about his congressman, Devin Nunes, nor did he need to know more. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/6/18