State Assembly approves no-money bail overhaul, sends legislation to Senate.
From Capitol Weekly's JESSICA HICE: "On any given day, thousands of jailed people are awaiting trial, sentencing or hearings in any of California’s 58 counties. Many are in custody because they cannot afford to post bail."
"Legislation to allow people to be free while their case is in the Legislature and its fate will be decided by midnight Aug. 31 when lawmakers adjourn. (UPDATE: On Monday, the bill was approved in the Assembly and sent to the Senate)"
"The California Money Bail Reform Act was introduced in the form of two identical bills authored by Democrats — Senate Bill 10 by Sen. Robert Hertzberg of Van Nuys, and Assembly Bill 42 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Oakland. Bonta’s bill was defeated earlier, leaving Hertzberg’s measure as the principal legislation. The bill has gone through a series of amendments, most recently last week."
READ MORE about bail: California Assembly advances bill to replace bail system -- SOPHIA BOLLAG, AP; Bill to end cash bail passes Assembly amid heavy opposition -- MELODY GUTIERREZ, SF Chronicle; California Assembly approves bail reform over opposition from civil rights groups -- MARISA LAGOS, KQED
'Time for action is now. Interior chief demands plan to pump more California water south
Sacramento Bee's DALE KASLER/RYAN SABALOW: "The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to pump more of Northern California’s water to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, setting up a bruising conflict with state officials and environmentalists."
"Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke last week sent a memo to underlings demanding a plan within 15 days aimed at “maximizing water supply deliveries” to irrigation districts south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta."
"The time for action is now,” he wrote."
Feds target California farm for deadly vehicle crash
FairWarning's ELI WOLFE in Capitol Weekly: "For the second time in recent months, the U.S. Department of Labor has extracted penalties from a California farm business blamed for the deadly crash of a vehicle transporting migrant field workers to their jobs."
"The Labor Department announced this month that Fisher Ranch LLC — a major produce farm near Calexico, close to the Mexican border — has agreed to pay $49,104 for violating the Migrant Seasonal Workers Protection Act. The case stemmed from a March 2017 van crash that killed one laborer and hurt six others."
Fraudulent contractor arrested after attempting to scam elderly Carr Fire victim
Sacramento Bee's ADESUWA AGBONILE: "A Redding man was arrested Monday after posing as a contractor who could repair damage to homes burned by the Carr Fire, according to the Redding Police Department."
"Troy Arleigh Holladay offered a bid for repairs to an elderly woman whose home was affected by the Carr Fire. Part of the terms required a $1,500 cash fee up front — nearly half of the overall repair cost. In addition, officials suspected Holladay, 46, was not a licensed contractor and the bid did not come with a contractor license number."
"On Monday officials found Holladay and detained him after confirming that he was not a contractor. Holladay arrived at the woman’s home under the influence of methamphetamine and some was found in his car. He was arrested and charged for possession of a controlled substance and violating the part of the California’s Business and Professions code that makes it illegal to offer repairs to structures damaged in a natural disaster without a license."
Microsoft uncovers more Russian attacks ahead of midterms
AP's MATT O'BRIEN: "Microsoft has uncovered new hacking attempts by Russia targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections."
"The company said Tuesday that a group tied to the Russian government created fake websites that appeared to spoof two American conservative organizations: the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Three other fake sites were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate."
"Microsoft didn't offer any further description of the fake sites, and the Russian officials dismissed its claims as unfounded."
California lawmakers move to cap prison time for felons, including robbers, murderers
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "California’s approach to crime and punishment is complicated enough that a state watchdog agency once referred to it as a “chaotic labyrinth of laws with no cohesive philosophy or strategy."
"The penal code covers thousands of different offenses, each carrying three terms of varying lengths that may be applied depending on mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Convictions for multiple charges can be served concurrently or consecutively, while hundreds of possible enhancements sometimes add more time to an inmate’s sentence than the underlying crime."
"Lawmakers are moving to change that this month with Senate Bill 1279, which would largely limit the maximum term of imprisonment for felony convictions to twice the length of the base term. California adopted a similar cap in 1976, according to a legislative analysis, but it was ultimately repealed in 1997, after more and more exceptions were added to the law."