The Republicans' new healthcare bill has special education experts worried about cuts that would affect their vulnerable, special-needs students.
NYT's ERICA L. GREEN: "While House Republicans lined up votes Wednesday for a Thursday showdown over their bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Vickie Glenn sat in her Murphysboro, Ill., office and prayed for it to fail."
"Ms. Glenn, a Medicaid coordinator for Tri-County Special Education, an Illinois cooperative that helps more than 20 school districts deliver special education services to students, was worried about an issue that few in Congress were discussing: how the new American Health Care Act, with its deep cuts to Medicaid, would affect her 2,500 students."
"With all the sweeping changes the Republican bill would impose, little attention has been paid to its potential impact on education. School districts rely on Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor, to provide costly services to millions of students with disabilities across the country. For nearly 30 years, Medicaid has helped school systems cover costs for special education services and equipment, from physical therapists to feeding tubes. The money is also used to provide preventive care, such as vision and hearing screenings, for other Medicaid-eligible children."
READ MORE related to Health: Republican plan to rely on states to replace Obamacare may not work -- LA Time's NOAM N. LEVEY; San Diego scientists find further evidence a club drug could treat depression -- KPBS' DAVID WAGNER; Deep-pocketed health care lobbies line up against Trump -- Politico's ADAM CANCRYN/SARAH KARLIN-SMITH/PAUL DEMKO; Trump, GOP leaders lean on California Republicans to pass health bill -- The Chronicle's CAROLYN LOCHHEAD
The state auditor's report on the UC system's finances prompted a legislative joint hearing, which was stormy enough. But now attention turns to UC President Janet Napolitano's emails.
From the Chronicle's Nanette Asimov: "The office of University of California President Janet Napolitano directed administrators at UC campuses to reveal their confidential responses to a state auditor’s survey, according to emails obtained Wednesday by The Chronicle that call into question the accuracy of Napolitano’s testimony to state lawmakers about why her office interfered with the probe."
"Napolitano testified Tuesday that her staff reviewed responses only after campuses asked for help in understanding complicated survey questions from state Auditor Elaine Howle as part of her audit of the UC president’s office. That audit concluded that Napolitano’s office had accumulated $175 million in secret funds, including $32 million that could have been spent on students."
READ MORE related to Education: Assembly Speaker: 'Not our desire' to strip UC's constitutional independence -- CPR's BEN ADLER; Kevin Johnson's St. Hope charter schools will unionize, teachers group says -- Sacramento Bee's LORETTA KALB; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo receives $110 million, the largest private donation in CSU history -- LA Times' ROSANNA XIA; California's largest charter group pushes its agenda with money and people power -- EdSource's MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN
San Francisco's upcoming mayoral race has a new candidate: Mark Leno.
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "Veteran San Francisco politician Mark Leno is running for mayor in 2019."
“I’m the first in the race,” Leno told The Chronicle Wednesday, a day before a scheduled City Hall news conference at which he will officially announce his candidacy."
"Leno said he wants to tackle the “immediate challenges” facing the city, such as homelessness, the scarcity of housing, traffic congestion and the rapidly escalating cost of living."
READ MORE related to Local: Big Spenders in elections catch the eye of California Attorney General -- CPR's Ben Bradford; Central Valley's Jeff Denham gets new 2018 challenger -- LA Times' SARAH D. WIRE; Joe Bray-Ali fires back at local Democrats over call for him to quit LA Council race -- Daily News' ELIZABETH CHOU; Panel recommends separate neighborhood council or new election for skid row -- LA Times' GALE HOLLAND
Speaking of mayors, LA's Garcetti has revealed his latest budget which has critics wondering if the city plans on clamping down on short-term rentals.
LA Times' EMILY ALPERT REYES: "Worried about homes being operated like hotels, Los Angeles lawmakers have been weighing new regulations that would cap the number of nights Angelenos can rent out their homes for short stays."
"But when Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed his budget, he banked on allowing Airbnb rentals to continue without those kind of restrictions. City officials say the plan assumes the “status quo” on such rentals, which are already sending tens of millions in tax revenue to the city, because new rules have yet to be approved."
"Relying on that money has nonetheless troubled some city lawmakers, neighborhood activists and representatives of the hotel industry, who fear that Los Angeles could face pressure to adopt looser regulations to avoid hurting its bottom line."
READ MORE related to Economy: A new kind of LA coffee house welcomes pot smokers -- LA Times' ROBIN ABCARIAN; California plans for collecting taxes on spaceflight -- The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA; Bill would block California landlords from threatening tenants with deportation -- SCPR's JOSIE HUANG; $84,000 a year now qualifies as low income in high-cost Orange County -- OC Register's JEFF COLLINS; Most homes in California and nationwide are still worth less than before the recession -- LA Times' ANDREW KHOURI; Why this company's scanning technology is a smugglers' nightmare -- Union-Tribune's MIKE FREEMAN; Study shines light on one particular effect of rising minimum wages in Bay Area -- KQED's SAM HARNETT; Congress votes to block California's retirement savings plan for private-sector workers -- Mercury News' KATY MURPHY
A court has ruled that airlines may now be sued for fees when customer's bags are late.
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "Airlines that charge baggage fees can be sued for refunds for failing to deliver a passenger’s bags when the plane lands, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday."
"Individual damages would be modest — in this case, a $15 recovery sought by a US Airways passenger whose bag was delivered a day late — but would be multiplied in class actions on behalf of other customers."
California AG Xavier Becerra talks about his first 100 days in office.
LA Times' PATRICK MCGREEVY: "In his first 100 days in office, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has filed a flood of legal briefs challenging Trump administration orders on immigration, the environment and other issues, and he said Wednesday he expects much of his future to be taken up by fighting new attacks on the state’s policies."
"Becerra told reporters during an appearance to mark the completion of 100 days in office that he will also pursue other priorities, including a crackdown on nonprofit groups that scam consumers or improperly spend their money on political campaigns."
"I am tired of seeing people abuse the not-for-profit status for their own benefit or for someone’s benefit except for those they say they are trying to help when they ask you for charitable contributions,” Becerra said. He condemned "veterans organizations that are out there doing anything but helping veterans, or those folks who say give them 15 bucks and they will help you get your Social Security checks in the mail."
Trump's anti-environment policy platform has prompted officials to protect California's coast from the federal government.
LA Times' GEORGE SKELTON: "President Trump was the clincher: He wants more offshore oil drilling, so forget it. California is right to put up the barricades."
"This guy just can’t be trusted. He shows no respect for history or the truth. No way should California place its beautiful beaches in his soiled hands."
"One of this president’s latest head-shakers, after all, was to claim in a newspaper interview that Andrew Jackson “was really angry” about the Civil War. “He said, ‘There’s no reason for this."
READ MORE related to Environment: 'We are very very sorry.' State water officials face frustrated Oroville crowd -- Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW; Don't scrap Paris deal on global warming, Gov. Jerry Brown and other Democrats write in letter to Trump -- LA Times' CHRIS MEGERIAN
Victims and family members of the 2015's San Bernardino terror attack is bringing a lawsuit against social media giants for allegedly aiding terrorism.
LA Times' MATT HAMILTON: "Relatives of the victims of the San Bernardino terrorist attack filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Twitter, Google and Facebook, accusing the tech giants of knowingly supporting Islamic State and its extremist agenda."
"The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California contends the three companies have allowed Islamic State to build an outsize online presence and propagate its extremist beliefs, drawing recruits and promoting attacks such as the Dec. 2, 2015, shooting at the Inland Regional Center."
"The attack by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, left 14 people dead, including Sierra Clayborn, Tin Nguyen and Nicholas Thalasinos, whose family members filed the suit. Twenty-two others were injured in the shooting."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: Sheriff whistleblower who testified in federal obstruction case gets $1.275 million in settlement -- LA Times' RICHARD WINTON; Man wins $620,000 verdict against Long Beach police in brutality lawsuit -- LA Times' JAMES QUEALLY; Feds: Safety culture needs to change at Torrance refinery -- Daily Breeze's NICK GREEN; Federal agency probing Torrance refinery blast faces possible extinction -- Daily Breeze's NICK GREEN; Jurors excluded 'because of the color of their skin,' Sacramento judge finds -- Sacramento Bee's ANDY FURILLO; Man convicted in 1985 murder of LAPD detective granted parole, outraging police union -- Daily News' RYAN CARTER; New SF policy could let city agencies launch drones -- The Chronicle's BENNY EVANGELISTA
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