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Note: My amazing colleague Ben Christopher will be guest hosting the newsletter through June 3. I’ll see you on Monday, June 6 — just in time for California’s primary election!
As news traveled around the country Tuesday of a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school that left at least 22 dead — including 19 children, two teachers and the 18-year-old gunman — California lawmakers were advancing a package of gun control bills, including one sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom that co-opts the structure of Texas’ abortion ban to crack down on illegal firearms.
The striking timing highlighted a shared challenge facing California, Texas and other states: reducing gun deaths, which have ticked up dramatically nationwide amid the pandemic.
But it also served as a launchpad for Newsom — a relentless critic of Texas — and other top Democratic officials to castigate Republicans for refusing to support tougher restrictions on guns.
Democratic legislators invoked the Texas shooting on multiple occasions during a marathon Senate floor session Tuesday: “One more gun death is too many,” said state Sen. Anthony Portantino of Glendale, urging support for the bill inspired by Texas’ abortion ban that would give private Californians the right to sue manufacturers, sellers and distributors of illegal assault weapons, ghost guns and certain other firearms and to collect at least $10,000 in civil damages per weapon.
Following last week’s culling of more than 200 bills in a highly secretive and opaque process, the Assembly and Senate are rushing to pass hundreds of bills ahead of a Friday deadline for proposals to clear the house in which they were introduced.
Here’s a look at other gun proposals moving forward:
And here’s a rundown of other high-profile bills that advanced to the other house:
One last tidbit of Capitol news: In case last week’s warning that California could be heading toward a “fiscal cliff” wasn’t dire enough, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office on Tuesday released a report reiterating its concerns that Newsom’s $301 billion budget proposal “does not include a plan” to address “looming budget problems.”
The coronavirus bottom line: As of Monday, California had 8,853,498 confirmed cases (+0.6% from previous day) and 90,488 deaths (+0.1% from previous day), according to state data now updated just twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. CalMatters is also tracking coronavirus hospitalizations by county.
California has administered 75,916,321 vaccine doses, and 75.3% of eligible Californians are fully vaccinated.
Because rising COVID rates aren’t enough, California on Monday reported its first suspected case of monkeypox in Sacramento County. Although the California Department of Public Health reassured residents that the “risk of monkeypox to the public is currently very low based on the information available,” the suspected case — in an individual who recently returned from a trip to Europe — has nevertheless raised alarm because monkeypox is extremely rare outside of West and Central Africa. So what do we know about California’s suspected case? What are the symptoms of monkeypox, how is it transmitted and treated, and why is it spreading now? CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra and Kristen Hwang answer all of those questions and more in this extremely helpful piece.
From CalMatters water reporter Rachel Becker: California’s businesses and institutions will be barred from irrigating decorative, non-functional lawns with drinkable water and water systems must ramp up their drought responses under a package of rules the state’s water regulators approved Tuesday.
Also Tuesday, California tribes and environmental groups filed a formal petition urging the State Water Resources Control Board to revamp water quality standards and flow requirements for the Bay-Delta, the critical water hub where the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet to flow out into the San Francisco Bay.
Tuesday was a day of worker organizing: Hundreds of nursing home and home care workers marched to the state Capitol in Sacramento and rallied in Los Angeles and Anaheim to draw attention to the industry’s “dangerously low” staffing levels and reinforce their demand for a Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Standards Board. Senate Democrats have proposed allocating $10 million to establish the board — which would allow nursing home workers to help set statewide staffing and wage standards — but advocates want to ensure it’s in the final version of the budget lawmakers must send to Newsom’s desk by June 15. (A similar proposal working its way through the Legislature would permit the state to negotiate wages, hours and work conditions for the entire fast-food industry.)
Also Tuesday, CalMatters political reporter Sameea Kamal writes, Democratic lawmakers gathered outside the Capitol to unveil the latest version of a bill that would allow legislative staff to collectively bargain. The proposal is sponsored by the California Labor Federation, whose incoming leader, Lorena Gonzalez, tried as an assemblymember to pass similar bills in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Assemblymember Ken Cooley, a Democrat from Sacramento and chairperson of the Committee on Public Employment and Retirement, said he has opposed past efforts because the independence of the Legislature means it must be allowed to reorganize themselves as new members cycle in, as well as over concerns about whether “other forces at work inside the Legislature” might derail how members represent their voters. He also cited budget concerns.
However, he said he’s open to learning lessons from the effort by the U.S. Congress. “I personally feel that I will follow very closely what the congress does,” he said.
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: One result of Democrats’ supermajority stranglehold on the state Legislature: ever-increasing secrecy in the legislative process, especially on the state budget.
Don’t cut off California cannabis tax revenue: Cannabis taxes are the only guaranteed revenue stream in the state budget for child care for children from birth to 13 years old, write Jim Keddy of Youth Forward and Mary Ignatius of Parent Voices.
Northern California interior to see high fire danger, heat. // Associated Press
Fatal shooting of rising star Moriah ‘Mo’ Wilson stuns Bay Area cycling world. // San Francisco Chronicle
Woman who killed abuser as a teen seeks Newsom’s pardon. // Los Angeles Times
Former California lawmaker accused of domestic violence sues Rubio sisters. // Sacramento Bee
Tesla loses bid to shunt sex harassment suit into arbitration. // Bloomberg
Second woman alleges sexual abuse in claim against Stockton police officer. // San Francisco Chronicle
Even with COVID rules, California requires payment for Medicaid benefits for people in long-term care. // inewsource
Ford pays $19 million to states including California to settle claims on fuel economy, payload. // Associated Press
California will test digital driver’s licenses. Should you worry about your personal info? // Los Angeles Times
Business that violate disabled citizens’ rights must pay up. Should that include public schools? // San Francisco Chronicle
80 years later, East Bay high school to grant diplomas to Japanese American students incarcerated in WWII camps. // San Francisco Chronicle
Pelosi pushes back on archbishop who denies her Communion. // Associated Press
L.A. council candidate’s brief time in district scrutinized. // Los Angeles Times
Union-backed candidate wins seat on CalPERS board. // Sacramento Bee
California Realtors spend big against Sacramento candidate Caity Maple. // Sacramento Bee
S.F. schools could get $70 million per year more if voters back proposal. // San Francisco Chronicle
S.F. fight over affordable housing: Supervisors want voters to back their new plan over Breed’s big push at ballot. // San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland business tax: Leaders jointly urge voters to overhaul business tax. // Mercury News
San Diego narrows field of contenders battling for sports arena site. // San Diego Union-Tribune
Cameras catch Los Angeles employees throwing away food meant for the homeless. // CBS Los Angeles
Russian-speaking technologists rebuild their lives in a San Francisco home. // New York Times
Climate worries galvanize a new pro-nuclear movement in the U.S. // Washington Post
Activists and residents slam Sacramento for gutting a bill to shut SoCalGas in Aliso Canyon. // Daily News
A voracious moth that ‘skeletonizes’ grapevines was found in a Napa vineyard. // San Francisco Chronicle
Sea otters were once hunted to near extinction. Now scientists might return them to California’s North Coast. // San Francisco Chronicle
Mother raccoon chewed through a California home’s roof to get back to her babies. // San Francisco Chronicle
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