Legislation aimed at bringing more transparency to the deliberations of the California Coastal Commission has made it through a major committee, but the bill has been weakened, the author says.
From the LAT's Dan Weikel: "The Assembly Appropriations Committee decided to release a measure by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) from the “suspense file” where pending bills are shelved, at least temporarily, if they cost the state $150,000 or more a year."
"The bill, however, emerged from the committee with five amendments, including one that would — in effect — allow private ex parte communications to take place between developers and coastal commissioners during visits to project sites."
"Another revision would let commissioners continue to have ex partes with elected officials, who are acting in their official capacity."
Meanwhile, PG&E's Aliso Canyon powerplant will be shut down and made inactive by the year 2025.
Rob Nikolewski in L.A. Times reports: "A joint proposal calling for the shutdown of California’s lone remaining nuclear power plant was formally submitted by Pacific Gas & Electric to the California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday."
"A number of environmental organizations and labor unions joined PG&E in the proposal to close both units at the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility near San Luis Osbispo by 2025. The plan would replace Diablo Canyon’s 2,160 megawatts of electricity generation with a combination of renewable sources, energy storage, better energy efficiency and changes to the power grid."
"Today’s action represents a major milestone,” PG&E President Geisha Williams said in an email to the utility’s employees. The proposal was first announced on June 21."
SEE MORE in Environment/Energy: Nuclear fans want California Legislature to vote on Diablo Canyon -- David R. Baker in SF Chronicle; Hollywood mega-projects could be built sooner if Gov. Brown signs measure passed Thursday -- Liam Dillon with L.A. Times
As the legislative session intensifies, lawmakers are faced with a multitude of amendments to various bills that involve legislative whistleblowers, personal taxis, transparency and much more..
Jeremy B. White and Alexei Koseff in Sac Bee write: "A drug pricing transparency measure underwent broad amendments while bills to protect legislative whistleblowers and declare Uber and Lyft cars noncommercial vehicles failed in a key legislative winnowing on Thursday."
"The measures stalled or were amended during a twice-a-year bill culling ceremony in which more contentious bills are halted before they can reach floor votes. Any bill that’s designated as having a cost to California ends up on the Appropriations Committee’s suspense file. Many go no further."
"Some bills advanced in heavily amended form. One intensely lobbied measure aimed to increase transparency on the rapidly rising cost of prescription medications. The original iteration of Senate Bill 1010 mandated that manufacturers notify the state, health insurers and others if they raise the wholesale price of a drug by more than 10 percent in a 12-month period."
SEE MORE related to Legislature: California Legislature kills Fentanyl, whistleblower protection bills -- Ben Bradford with CPR; Bill letting California end Daylight Saving Times clears key committee -- Jeremy B. White with Sacramento Bee
In education news, EdSource took an in-depth look into the basics behind the state's new 'school improvement and accountability' system.
John Fensterwald with EdSource reports: "For the past year, EdSource has followed the development of the new school improvement and accountability system that the State Board of Education is leading. The 10-question primer that follows provides an overview of the work so far and what lies ahead."
"What does a state school accountability system do?"
"Using objective measures of student performance, an accountability system can serve multiple purposes."
A Gov. Brown, $16 billion backed water project has critics and state lawmakers scratching their heads and asking: '"Where are we going to get that kind of money?"
AP's Ellen Knickmeyer reports: "Critics and a state lawmaker say they want more explanations on who's paying for a proposed $16 billion water project backed by Gov. Jerry Brown, after a leading California water district said Brown's administration was offering government funding to finish the planning for the two giant water tunnels."
"Critics said the government funding described by the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District on Thursday could run counter to longstanding state assurances that various local water districts, not California itself, would pay for Brown's vision of digging twin 35-mile-long tunnels to carry water from the Sacramento River south, mainly for Central and Southern California. The $248 million in preliminary spending for the tunnels, which have yet to win regulatory approval, already is the topic of an ongoing federal audit. On Wednesday, state lawmakers ordered a state audit of the tunnels-spending as well."
"On Thursday, state spokeswoman Nancy Vogel said that despite the account of the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District, no money from the state's general fund would be used finishing the current planning phase of the twin tunnels. However, opponents of the tunnels and a taxpayer group were critical Thursday, and Assemblywoman Susan Eggman, one of the state lawmakers behind this week's audit order, asked the state Thursday for clarification."
Medi-Cal, meanwhile, may get oversight and transparency under a legislation targeting the huge program.
Tracy Siepel with Mercury News reports: "Legislation that would require better transparency and tracking of mental health services for foster kids in every California county unanimously passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday."
"Senate Bill 1291, by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, would institute more stringent annual oversight of county Medi-Cal mental health plans' services to foster youth."
"Services may include screenings, assessments, psychiatric hospitalizations, crisis interventions, case management, and psychotropic drugs, among other treatments. But Beall and others believe the data will reveal an over-reliance by counties on psychotropic medications rather than therapy or other services to treat foster youth."
And now for a page from the "Power of Pele" file ...
Some children dream of having a pony growing up. Alison Teal dreamed of swimming near 2,000 degree, lava-infused water.
HuffPo: "Alison Teal is no stranger to extreme adventures."
"She practically grew up traveling the world as a real-life “Tarzan Child” and even won Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid survival challenge all by herself."
"But the survivalist and filmmaker’s latest stunt landed her in hot water. Literally."
And for the person who had the worst week in California, #WorstWeekinCA, we looked no further than Linda Katehi, who was forced to step down as chancellor of UC Davis.
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