California Gov. Jerry Brown is taking center stage internationally in the fight against global warming.
From the Bee's Christopher Cadelago: "Three months before Donald Trump launched his improbable presidential campaign, one in which he dismissed climate change as a “hoax” and a “very, very expensive form of tax,” Gov. Jerry Brown was touting California’s collaborations with China on air pollution, clean energy and low-carbon development."
“It is a little bold to talk about the China-California partnership as though we were a separate nation, but we are a separate nation,” Brown said of the state, with nearly 40 million residents and the world’s sixth-largest economy. “We’re a state of mind. I include Silicon Valley, I include the environmental activism, the biotech industry, agriculture. This is a place of great investment in innovation.”
"Now, with Trump’s expected withdrawal from the Paris accord to curb climate-warming emissions – an agreement owed largely to the cooperation of the Obama administration and China – the latter is left with no formal governmental structure with which to work."
California may soon become the only state in the country to offer solely pro-choice license plates.
Capitol Weekly's ANNA FRAZIER: "Twenty-eight states currently offer “Choose Life” license plates, but California may be the first state in the country offering solely pro-choice plates."
"State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, proposes specialized pro-choice license plates that would read “California Trusts Women” accompanied by a design. Her bill, SB 309, is sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice California, which advocates on behalf of legal and accessible abortion."
Lawmakers want the mandatory release of one's tax returns to as a condition of appearing on California's presidential ballot, after 2016's campaign trail made a mountain out of the issue.
LA Times' JOHN MYERS: "Legislation to require presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns in order to gain a spot on California's presidential primary ballot won passage in the state Senate on Wednesday, but only after a tense debate that largely centered on President Trump."
"Senate Bill 149 was approved on a strict party-line vote, 27-13. The bill now moves to the state Assembly, and was one of the last bills debated during a marathon session at the state Capitol to consider bills before a Friday deadline for action."
"The bill would require presidential candidates to file copies of their income tax returns with state elections officials for the five most recent taxable years. Failure to do so would mean their name wouldn't appear on California's presidential primary ballot. The legislation was introduced in December, in the wake of Trump's refusal to disclose his tax returns during the 2016 campaign. The president has continued to reject calls for the information."
READ MORE related to Economy: Californians gloomy about future, poll finds -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN; A tax to help LA County's homeless is too high for some cities -- for now -- Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM; LA City Council backs proposed settlement that could reduce DWP rate hikes -- LA Times' DAVID ZAHNISER
Devin Nunes is now leading a 'witch hunt' of his own: identifying the member in the Oama administraiton responsible for the 'unmasking' of Americans.
McClatchy DC:"The embattled head of the House Intelligence Committee Wednesday appeared to have launched an investigation of his own, this one into allegations that senior Obama administration officials improperly “unmasked” the identities of Trump associates captured communicating with foreign officials.Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the chairman of the committee, created a stir in March when he told reporters he’d seen secret documents that backed President Donald Trump’s claims that President Barack Obama had “wiretapped” his offices."
"Nunes, who had been a member of Trump’s transition team, made the allegations just two days after then FBI director James Comey shocked Washington by revealing in a public hearing that his agency had been probing possible collusion of Trump associates with Russian meddling in the 2016 election "
READ MORE related to Local: After another Nunes no-show, Cardboard cutout replaces congressman at Fresno events -- Fresno Bee's MACKENIZE MAYS; DC, Sacramento, Beverly Hills: Here's where the big money in LA's congresional election came from -- LA Times' CHRISTINE MAI-DUC/MALOY MOORE/RYAN MENEZES
California Republicans are so unhappy over the recent gas tax increase that they've put a Democrat on the spit.
LA Times' GEORGE SKELTON: "It’s fitting in this pugnacious, polarized political climate that there are predators pouncing to recall a legislator for simply casting one vote."
"He’s being targeted essentially for doing his job."
"His job, that is, as envisioned by the Founding Fathers when they created a republican form of democracy. Not a direct democracy — not all the time, at least — but a republic where voters elect representatives to make government decisions for them."
Senator Kamala Harris hit the Beltway last year after being elected to the US Senate, but she says her aspirations have never drifted towards the Oval Office.
LA Times' PHIL WILLON: "Despite swirling speculation, California's U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris said she’s not giving “any consideration” to running for president in 2020."
"Harris was appearing at the annual Code Conference hosted by the tech news site Recode in Rancho Palos Verdes on Wednesday night when site co-founder Kara Swisher asked if she had eyes on the White House."
"“I’m not giving that any consideration. I’ve got to stay focused,” said Harris, a Democrat who was elected to the Senate in November after serving as California's attorney general. After she won the seat vacated by former Sen. Barbara Boxer, Harris quickly gained a reputation as a potential presidential candidate in 2020."
READ MORE related to Beltway: Dim view of Trump and his health care/immigration policies -- KQED's SCOTT SHAFER
Almost half of Californians polled have recently expressed distress and fear over having an acquaintance being deported.
Mercury News' CASEY TOLAN: "As President Donald Trump steps up immigration enforcement, half of Californians are worried that someone they know will be deported, a poll released Wednesday found."
"The poll, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, found that 51 percent of Californians and 78 percent of Latinos in California worry about deportation."
"Thirty percent of respondents to the poll said they worry “a lot” and 21 percent said they worry “some” about someone they know getting deported. While the percentages are highest among Latinos and foreign-born Californians, substantial numbers of non-Hispanic white people and those born in the U.S also fear people they know getting deported."
Jerry Brown had a direct message for the water agencies involved with the Delta tunnels project.
Sacramento Bee's DAN MORAIN: "Jerry Brown took an Old English turn from his Latin wisdom in 2012 by declaring: “I want to get s--- done,” a reference to his vision for building two tunnels 30 miles long to move Sacramento River water south from the Delta to the rest of the state."
"And in 2015, addressing California water agencies, he offered pithy advice to naysayers: “Until you put a million hours into it, shut up.” Critics of the $15 billion project were greatly offended."
READ MORE related to Environment: Denouncing Trump's Paris remarks, local leaders vow to double-down on climate aciton with design challenge -- Mercury News' ERIN BALDASSARI; California lawmakers move towards new renewable energy goals -- KQED's GUY MARZORATI; Jerry Brown says states should act if Trump quits climate deal -- The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ; Brown moving 'Heaven and Earth' to get legislature to extend Cap-and-Trade program -- CPR's Ben Adler/Ben Bradford; California governor looks abroad for climate change allies -- AP's JONATHAN J. COOPER
The California Senate says that knowingly exposing others to HIV should no longer be a felony.
LA Times' PATRICK MCGREEVY: "The state Senate on Wednesday voted to no longer make it a felony for someone infected with HIV to knowingly expose others to the disease by having unprotected sex without telling his or her partner about the infection."
"The crime would be downgraded to a misdemeanor, and the bill would also apply to people who donate blood or semen without telling the blood or semen bank that they have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, or have tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, the precursor to AIDS."
"The measure, which next goes to the Assembly for consideration, was introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who said it is unfair to make HIV/AIDS the only communicable disease given such harsh treatment by prosecutors."
READ MORE related to Health: Dialysis Patient Safety Act still moving despite concerns from health care professionals -- Sacramento Bee's HAWKEN MILLER
