California Attorney General Kamala Harris has moved to rehear a federal appeals court ruling on the state’s concealed weapons law.
Bob Egelko reports in SF Gate: “Harris, on behalf of the state, asked the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for permission to intervene in the case, involving a lawsuit against the San Diego County sheriff over gun permit restrictions that are imposed by most of the state's urban counties, including San Francisco. She also asked the full appeals court to order a new hearing before an 11-judge panel.”
"Local law enforcement must be able to use their discretion to determine who can carry a concealed weapon," Harris said in a statement. "I will do everything possible to restore law enforcement's authority to protect public safety."
Speaking of courts, a Fresno appellate court ruled it’s ok if drivers are on their cell phone if they are using their map app.
Pablo Lopez reports in the Fresno Bee: “The Fifth District Court of Appeal unanimously concluded that the state Vehicle Code applies to listening and talking and texting on a cellphone while driving -- not looking at a map application.”
“Because it is a published decision, courts throughout California can rely on its definition of the law, said Fresno attorney Scott M. Reddie, who represented Spriggs in the appellate court.”
Meanwhile, to nobody's surprise except the editor of the Gov. Jerry Brown casually announced on Twitter that he filed reelection papers.
David Siders reports in the Sacramento Bee: “It was the safest of political pronouncements – and a reprise of his campaign four years ago – when Gov. Jerry Brown announced Thursday he will run for re-election.”
“In a tweet and in a letter on his campaign website, Brown offered no sweeping agenda for a historic fourth term. Instead, the Democratic governor cheered California’s improving budget outlook and cast himself as its steward.”
Brown also wants to allocate more of the state’s green house gas reduction program revenues to the bullet train project.
Chris Megerian reports in the Los Angeles Times: “The measure would annually direct one-third of cap-and-trade revenue to the massive construction effort starting in 2015. The money is generated by polluters who pay for the right to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”
Further sale of bonds funding the bullet train would be blocked under a circulating initiative.
Eric Young reports in the San Francisco Business Times: “Under the proposal, any segment of the bullet train already under construction could move forward. That means the California High-Speed Rail Authority could proceed with building the first segment of the rail system in the Central Valley so that it could be compared to competing transportation technologies.”
“The ballot measure is backed by Nick Garzilli, CEO of ET3, a company that wants to build a network of vacuum-powered tubes that could transport people and goods at high speed. He said his proposal is more efficient and environmentally-friendly than the bullet train plan.”
Two high-ranking individuals in the department that oversees Brown’s labor relations and employee-management are stepping down.
Jon Ortiz reports in the Sacramento Bee: “Gov. Jerry Brown’s vision of a reorganized, more efficient government has stalled, according to a new state report issued Thursday, because of ineffective leadership at the California Department of Human Resource”
“The unflattering assessment came one day after an internal CalHR email announced that Director Julie Chapman would retire, effective today, and that Chief Deputy Director Howard Schwartz is leaving for his former civil-service job.”
The state’s supermajority of Democrats killed a Republican effort to expel convicted Sen. Rod Wright.
Laurel Rosenhall reports in the Sacramento Bee: “Sen. Steve Knight, a Republican from Palmdale, introduced a resolution to expel Wright from the Senate because a jury found him guilty of eight felonies last month for lying about living in the district he represents.”
"This will be precedent setting," Knight said as debate on his measure was being quashed on a 21-13, mostly party-line vote.”
"We have gone past any time period where someone has been convicted of a felony and not resigned."
Congressional lawmakers are using the drought to leverage federal focus on water storage investment.
Michael Doyle McClatchy D.C.: “The Republican-controlled House, on a largely party line vote, previously passed a California drought bill that included authorizations for the same projects, but explicitly ruled out federal funding.”
“The new House bills, by contrast, leave open the possibility for the standard federal cost-sharing, long a part of western water infrastructure.”
If you’re using less electricity, PG&E thinks you should pay more.
George Avalos reports in the San Jose Mercury News: “PG&E on Friday is expected to file a proposal to dramatically restructure electricity rates for residential users in a way certain to increase the amount low-usage customers pay each month.”
“The proposal, unveiled Thursday, will be subject to months of debate and hearings before the full five-member state Public Utilities Commission makes a final decision, likely near the end of this year.”
