Stephon Clark-inspired bill to limit police killings in California shelved for the year
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "It was an effort to address police shootings that disproportionately affect minority communities. The measure was introduced in the wake of the March shooting of Stephon Clark in south Sacramento, who was killed after being chased into his grandmother’s backyard. Police said they thought Clark had a gun, but later determined he was holding a cellphone."
"It was an effort to address police shootings that disproportionately affect minority communities. The measure was introduced in the wake of the March shooting of Stephon Clark in south Sacramento, who was killed after being chased into his grandmother’s backyard. Police said they thought Clark had a gun, but later determined he was holding a cellphone."
Bill aimed at increasing affordable housing for students passes in California State Legislature
Daily Californian's MARIAM ZAGUB: "SB 1227 — which was issued by California state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and which aims to increase affordable student housing — was passed by the California State Legislature on Tuesday, according to a press release."
"According to SB 1227, developers building housing that is entirely for students will be able to qualify for a “density bonus,” provided that 20 percent of the units are used for lower-income students."
"SB 1227 will encourage the construction of more housing and more affordable housing for college students up and down the state,” Skinner said in a press release. “Students deserve to focus on learning instead of worrying about whether they have a place to live."
Rev up building approval process, mayor to tell city departments
The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA: "San Francisco has 900 housing units stuck in the approval pipeline, and Mayor London Breed plans to do something about that Thursday."
"Breed is set to hand down an executive order to dramatically accelerate the city’s process for assessing and approving accessory dwelling units — starting with clearing the big backlog mired in various stages of review."
"As the city struggles to build more housing in the midst of a punishing shortage and soaring real estate costs, ADUs — apartments converted from basements, garages and other spaces — are seen as an important and creative way to grow the city’s housing stock."
California lawmakers vote to raise the age for buying long guns from 18 to 21
LA Times's PATRICK MCGREEVY: "Alarmed by a string of mass shootings by young people, California lawmakers on Wednesday sent the governor a bill that would raise the minimum age for buying long guns in the state from 18 to 21."
"Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) said his bill would address concerns raised by incidents including the February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., in which a 19-year-old is accused of using an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle to kill 17 students and school employees."
“The two most deadly recent school tragedies have been perpetrated by people under 21 with long guns,” Portantino told his colleagues before the Senate approved the bill and sent it to the governor."
OP-ED: California's energy future: Are we ready for 100?
PATRICK HAYES in Cpitol Weekly: "Imagine a California powered solely by renewable energy – it may be within reach as the California Legislature considers Senate Bill 100, which would put the state on the path towards 100% fossil-fuel free electricity by 2045. On Tuesday, the bill passed the state Assembly, and it now heads to the state Senate for a final vote before reaching Gov. Brown’s desk by the end of the week. The likely passage of SB 100 has sparked a statewide debate arozzzZZund one question: Are we ready for 100?"
"To get ready for 100, we need the energy infrastructure to get us there, but we also must establish forward-thinking policies to protect public and environmental health as we develop and operate this new energy infrastructure – it’s a priority that often gets left out of the debate."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: California's plan to rely entirely on clean energy by 2045 heads to the governor's desk -- LA Times; Trump donor buys California power plant, asks feds to change energy market -- The Chronicle's DAVID R BAKER
Democratic 'victory fund' gives Garcetti national attention
LA Times's DAKOTA SMITH: "Trav Robertson, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, likes to tell people about Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s generosity."
"Earlier this year, Garcetti's political action committee donated $100,000 to help the mayor’s ideological brethren pay for a field campaign to register African American voters in that state."
Assembly OKs expanded conservatorship bill for mentally ill SF homeless
The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ: "The state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday sought by San Francisco officials to expand conservatorship rules so they can have more control over who can be involuntarily held for mental-health treatment."
"The bill now heads to the state Senate, which has already approved a similar version. If passed there, SB1045 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would head to Gov. Jerry Brown."
"The bill would allow the Boards of Supervisors in San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles counties to create five-year pilot programs that expand conservatorship rules."
Adults on scooters could ride helmet-free under bill sent to Gov. Brown's desk
The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ: As San Francisco prepares for the return of electric scooters, Gov. Jerry Brown will decide whether the motorized two-wheelers should be able to go faster and if helmets should be optional for adults."
"AB2989 by Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon (San Joaquin County), passed the state Assembly 73-0 on Wednesday and now heads to Brown, who will have until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it. Brown has not weighed in on the bill, which is backed by one of the leading scooter rental companies, Bird."
"Currently, anyone operating a motorized scooter in California is required to wear a helmet, regardless of age. That same helmet requirement does not apply to adults riding a motorized bicycle, supporters of the bill said.
Trump's SCOTUS pick signals skepticism over GOP's latest bid to repeal Obamacare
LA Times's JENNIFER HABERKORN: "If Republicans are hoping Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will help them knock down Obamacare in the courts, they might be in for a disappointment."
"Kavanaugh has signaled in private meetings with Senate Democrats that he is skeptical of some of the legal claims being asserted in the latest GOP-led effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act."
