CA120: Voter registration: The 2018 spike is not what it seems
Capitol Weekly's PAUL MITCHELL: "Earlier this year, the state established a new system that could fundamentally change the relationship between Californians and their voter registration."
"In a series of changes—most notably the way that voter sign-ups are done at the Department of Motor Vehicles—California has entered an era of nearly automatic voter registration."
"This system is already having an impact on our state voter file. The most recent county-level records from Political Data Inc. show a spike in registrations that is on pace to be greater than any prior gubernatorial election cycle."
California's war against Trump is costing taxpayers millions
Sacramento Bee's ANGELA HART: "California’s war against the Trump Administration is costing state taxpayers millions for lawyers and other costs connected to nearly four dozen lawsuits."
"Costs to fight the federal government in court have more than tripled since President Donald Trump took office, according to data provided to The Sacramento Bee by the California Department of Justice."ssssc
"California has filed 44 lawsuits against the Trump administration in the past 21 months, with major battles on health care, immigration and energy policy. The federal government, meanwhile, has filed three suits against California. The price tag for the California vs. Trump war was $9.2 million for the 2017-2018 fiscal year ending June 30, up from $2.8 million the previous year — which included six months of the president’s first year in office."
Will a landslide on the Eel River cause California's next dam disaster?
Water Deeply's SCOTT GREACEN: "PACIFIC GAS & Electric Co. (PG&E) wants to sell its two dams on California’s upper Eel River as soon as possible. Part of a diversion scheme called the Potter Valley Project, the utility wants to get the dams off its balance sheet so badly it is moving to auction them off right in the middle of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing process. Scott Dam will be 102 years old, and Cape Horn 112 years old, when their current federal license expires in 2022."
"Wouldn’t it make sense to be sure the dams are actually safe before PG&E auctions them off, or before FERC grants a new 50-year license?"
"A new study commissioned by my group, Friends of the Eel River, shows there are risks associated with the Eel River dams nobody has troubled to analyze before. In this case, a landslide hanging just above Scott Dam presents “a significant geological hazard” to the dam itself thanks to the earthquakes that are likely in this area. This assessment adds to the portfolio of threats from the nearby Bartlett Springs fault complex."
Pets, pot and privacy: 10 new California laws that could affect you
Sacramento Bee's BRYAN ANDERSON/ALEXEI KOSEFF: "California Gov. Jerry Brown has finished acting on all the bills on his desk, signing 1,016 of the 1,217 that came his way in 2018. Here are 10 that could have an affect on you:"
"Doctor Disclosure: Senate Bill 1148 (Richard Pan, D-Sacramento)
When medical providers in California are disciplined for ethical violations like gross negligence, substance abuse, inappropriate prescribing or sexual misconduct, they can be placed on probation. It allows them to continue practicing for a period under restricted conditions. Starting in July 2019, your physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, acupuncturists, chiropractors and osteopathic and naturopathic doctors will have to inform you if they are on probation before they can treat you."
California lawmakers wrote 1,016 new laws this year. Here's some of what did and didn't make it
LA Times's JOHN MYERS: "California’s Legislature revved into high gear when it came to writing laws in 2018, sending the most bills to the governor’s desk in more than a decade."
"In all, Gov. Jerry Brown weighed in on 1,217 pieces of legislation passed by the state Senate and Assembly. He signed 1,016 into law, and most will take effect on Jan. 1."
"Some of the new laws are momentous, others minuscule. Taken together, they are a grab bag of limitations and expectations on the personal and professional lives of Californians. Few residents will agree with all of them; some might not pass legal muster. And of those Brown vetoed, some are expected to be reintroduced when a new governor takes office in January."
Discrimination complaint against LA councilman was 'mishandled,' personnel official says
LA Times's DAVID ZAHNISER: "Five months ago, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled a new website for reporting discrimination and harassment at City Hall, saying officials need to respond “quickly and efficiently” to such complaints."
"MyVoiceLA, the website, received a discrimination complaint against City Councilman Jose Huizar on June 20, according to the city’s personnel department. But city officials allowed nearly three months to pass before informing Council President Herb Wesson, who then called for a special five-member committee to investigate."
It's expensive to be a tenant in California. Will Prop 10's rent control expansion help?
LA TImes's LIAM DILLON: "In less than five weeks, California voters will decide on Proposition 10, a ballot initiative that would allow cities and counties across the state to expand rent control."
"Supporters of the measure say it will offer relief for tenants during a time of unprecedented housing affordability problems in California. Opponents contend it will stymie housing construction — the levels are already low — and further increase costs."
"Here’s a rundown of some of the difficulties renters face and how Proposition 10 would affect them and broader affordability issues."
California DMV warns customers about private websites charging unecessary fees
McClatchy's JARED GILMOUR: "California’s Department of Motor Vehicles cautioned the public Tuesday about unofficial websites that are asking customers to pay unnecessary fees for DMV-related services."
"The department said in a news release that the sites — which aren’t government-affiliated — charge fees to make DMV appointments, finish electronic driver license and ID card applications and more."
"The DMV advised Californians to only use the DMV’s official website, www.dmv.ca.gov, and said that there are “no additional fees to complete the electronic application or any online services."
LA Times's JIM PUZZNGHERA/DON LEE: "Negotiators from the U.S. focused much of their effort in reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement on provisions affecting auto manufacturing, touting the final deal with Canada and Mexico as a boon to domestic carmakers and their employees."
"Once approved, this will be a new dawn for the American auto industry and for the American autoworker,” President Trump declared in announcing the accord on Monday. His chief trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, singled out the new auto rules, saying they are “really going to bring back jobs to America."
Is PG&E going too far in cutting trees for safety? A Sacramento group says yes
Sacramento Bee's TONY BIZJZAK: "Criticized for its role in several catastrophic California wildfires, state utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric is on a mission to clear trees near power lines that could topple and hit lines causing fires."
"But is the giant utility going too far? A group of Sacramentans is saying yes."
"Some members of the Save the American River Association and the American River Parkway Coalition and others are fighting to stop PG&E from cutting down what they estimate could be 100 cottonwood and oak trees near a major electricity transmission line that runs through the parkway near Discovery Park."
Members of California white supremacist group arrested in connection with Charlottesville
LA Times's JENNY JARVIE/BRITTNY MEJIA: "Four California men who allegedly shared white supremacist views and trained together on boxing and street-fighting techniques were arrested by federal authorities Tuesday on charges that they traveled to Virginia with the intent to incite a riot and commit violence at last year's deadly far-right rallies in Charlottesville."
"Benjamin Drake Daley, 25, and Thomas Walter Gillen, 34, both of Redondo Beach and Michael Paul Miselis, 29, of Lawndale were charged and appeared in federal court in Los Angeles, where they were ordered held without bail. The fourth, Cole Evan White, 24, of Clayton, appeared in federal court in San Francisco. His status was not clear."
"The four are all members of the so-called Rise Above Movement, a white supremacist group based in Southern California that espouses anti-Semitism, promotes "clean living" and meets regularly in public parks to train in physical fitness, including boxing and other street-fighting techniques, according to the affidavit."
READ MORE related to White Supremacy: Suburban California white supremacsists at center of Charlottesville hate conspiracy case -- LA Times's JENNY JARVIE/BRITTNY MEJIA/JACLYN COSGROVE/ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN
UC leaders get same 3 percent raises as workers -- adds up to a lot more
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "University of California workers fought for and won a 3 percent raise this year."
"At the same time, the University of California Board of Regents just authorized 3 percent pay raises for UC’s top brass systemwide, retroactive to July 1 in most cases."
"And while 3 percent may not seem like much for those on the lower end of the ladder, up top it means big bucks."
Amidst teacher shortage, new funds help districts train more bilingual teachers
EdSource's ASHLEY HOPKINSON: "As some districts in California struggle to expand their bilingual programs under a new state law, more than a dozen school districts and county offices of education have received state funding to increase the number of bilingual teachers — an effort that has been hindered by an ongoing teacher shortage."
"California’s new law went into effect July 1, 2017 as a result of Proposition 58, approved by voters in November 2016. The law effectively repealed Prop. 227, the English-only initiative that had been in place since 1998. The new law allows more schools to create bilingual or dual-immersion programs, in which English learners are in classes with native English speakers learning to speak another language. Prop. 227 required that all English learners be taught in English-only classrooms unless a parent signed a waiver allowing entry to a bilingual program."
"To help meet demand for more bilingual teachers, the state awarded $5 million in grants to four school districts and four county offices of education. Some of the districts and county offices are lead agencies for several other districts and offices that applied for the funding as a group. The grant program will provide professional development to both prospective bilingual teachers and credentialed bilingual teachers seeking to update their skills."
FBI investigation of Kavanaugh leads to fresh acrimony as McConnell pushes for vote
LA Times's CHRIS MEGERIAN/SARAH D WIRE: "The FBI investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual assault generated new schisms among Republicans on Tuesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed for a vote on the nomination this week."
"The White House decision to order a one-week FBI investigation, after several Republican senators threatened to withhold support for the embattled nominee, was intended to restore confidence in a confirmation process that has been scrambled by multiple allegations of Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct and heavy drinking decades ago."