PG&E could pay dearly for North Bay fires, even if it followed rules
The Chronicle's DAVID R. BAKER: "The lethal wildfires in the North Bay could exact a heavy cost on Pacific Gas and Electric Co., even if the utility did nothing wrong."
"State investigators are trying to determine whether PG&E’s power lines and poles — some of which came crashing down in a windstorm the night the fires began — sparked the flames. The first lawsuit from burned-out homeowners accusing PG&E of negligence was filed a little more than a week after the fires began."
READ MORE to Wine County Fires: Electric utilities that cause wildfires should eat the costs, lawmakers say -- Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA
Rent control may roil 2018 ballot
Capitol Weekly's CHUCK MCFADDEN: "So far, most of the sound and fury in California politics has revolved around candidates. But there are increasing signs that ballot initiatives may trigger additional uproar in 2018."
"The latest November filing is an effort to remove a 20-year barrier to local rent control, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act."
"Costa-Hawkins, passed in 1995, restricts the ability of local governments to impose rent control. Sponsors of the repeal initiative have dubbed their measure the “Affordable Housing Act.” The measure, if final approval is given to circulate petitions, needs 385,880 valid signatures of voters collected within a six-month window to qualify for the ballot."
Culture of 'fear' stops women from reporting harassment at California's Capitol
Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA/ALEXEI KOSEFF: "It’s been 12 years since Lisa Kaplan largely “disappeared” from the Capitol community. Yet she’s still terrified to tell her story."
"Kaplan, now a 42-year-old attorney with a private practice and a trustee for the Natomas Unified School District, says she dealt with harassment and inappropriate advances from men during several years at California’s Capitol. She eventually blew the whistle, she said, when a boss refused to give her a raise she expected and asked why she wouldn’t date him."
"The complaint and Kaplan’s career went nowhere."
Pelosi endorses Feinstein in California Senate race
AP: "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi endorsed Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Monday, calling her fellow San Francisco Democrat "a strong voice and a staunch advocate for the people of California."
"Pelosi said Feinstein is uniquely positioned to defend the state against what Pelosi called President Donald Trump's "constant attacks" on health care, immigration and voting rights."
"Kevin De Leon, president pro tem of the California state Senate, is among several Democrats running against Feinstein, pressing for fiercer resistance to Trump."
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly brushes aside Trump aide charges, endorses new Clinton inquiry
LA Times' CATHLEEN DECKER: "White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly on Monday brushed aside charges leveled at three Trumpcampaign aides as part of the special counsel’s investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, but endorsed a new independent prosecutor to delve into a 2010 uranium company deal that has become a rallying cry for opponents of Hillary Clinton."
"Kelly, speaking on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” claimed that all of the activities involving former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, his chief aide Richard W. Gates III and a foreign policy advisor, George Papadopoulos, occurred “long before they ever met Donald Trump or had any association with the campaign.”
"In fact, the investigation, being directed by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, covered the period in which all three served under Trump."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: White House pushes a two-front defense: Blaming indicted aides and Hillary Clinton -- LA Times' CATHLEEN DECKER; Democrats see more news about Russian probe as good news -- The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI; Russia says they see nothing amiss -- AP; Shock & awe? Charges suggest Mueller won't be gentle going forward -- McClatchy DC's GREG GORDON/PETER STONE/KEVIN HALL
California's 'sanctuary state' law could be blocked by voters
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "Opponents of California’s recently approved “sanctuary state” measure have launched an effort to overturn the law."
"Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced Monday that a referendum on Senate Bill 54, the controversial law limiting state and local police agencies’ ability to work with federal immigration authorities, has been cleared to gather signatures."
"Introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León in late 2016, shortly after the election of President Donald Trump, SB 54 aims to prevent California police resources from being “commandeered” by the Trump administration as it ramps up deportations."
Who are California's transgender adults? New study finds some surprises
The Chronicle's KEVIN FAGAN: "Transgender adults in California have about the same poverty and education levels as people who identify as the gender they were assigned at birth, but they are more likely to be white and to be struggling with suicidal impulses, according to a new UCLA study."
"The report, which is being released Tuesday as part of UCLA’s annual California Health Interview Survey, found that there are an estimated 92,000 transgender adults in California, or 0.35 percent of the state’s over-18 population.
UCLA billed the study as the most comprehensive survey of transgender demographics ever conducted in California. In at least one respect, researchers said, its conclusions were not surprising: The finding that 22 percent of transgender people have attempted suicide, compared with 4 percent for adults who identify with their birth-assigned gender, was similar to reports in earlier studies."