Long Beach doctors appear to have cured an HIV-infected baby of the disease.
Monte Morin reports in the Los Angeles Times: “The newborn girl was initially confirmed to have HIV through blood and spinal fluid tests. However, after six days of treatment with antiretroviral drugs, the virus could no longer be detected, doctors said.”
“The girl, who was born in April and is being referred to as the "Los Angeles baby," remains on three standard HIV medications. Because of this, doctors cannot say for certain yet whether the infant is cured or whether the disease has gone into remission.”
Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed childcare funding falls short millions of dollars, according to the nonpartisan analyst’s report.
Kimberly Beltran reports for the Cabinet Report: “One topic is sure to be this week’s analysis by the LAO of Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed child care and preschool budget – specifically the $935 million the governor’s administration estimates will be needed to fund child care for families enrolled in the CalWORKs program.”
“The LAO said it believes the governor’s calculations are off and that if adopted as proposed will leave funding for the program short by several million dollars.”
State Sen. Ted Gaines, a candidate for state insurance commissioner, is suing California’s healthcare exchange authority for forcing insurance providers to comply with Affordable Care Act provisions.
Juliet Williams reports for the Associated Press: “Covered California violated federal and state laws by telling insurers that wanted to participate in the exchange that they must eliminate plans that fail to meet the higher standards of the federal Affordable Care Act, Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, alleges in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.”
“He claims the agency's board violated the law a second time when it voted last November not to extend those policies after President Barack Obama made that option available.”
State Senate Democrats will propose stricter gift and campaign contribution limits, allowed under the Political Reform Act.
Patrick McGreevy reports for the Los Angeles Times: “The legislation will prohibit elected state officials from accepting many entertainment-related gifts, including spa treatments, golf games and tickets to plays, concerts and sporting events from special interests, Capitol sources said.”
“It will also cut roughly in half the $440 annual limit on gifts to state officials.”
Charles Calderon paid his son Assemblyman Ian Calderon some $40,000 during Chuck’s non-competitive 2010 Assembly campaign.
Ben Baeder reports for the Whittier Daily News: “During his 2010 reelection campaign, former Assemblyman Charles Calderon paid $40,000 to his son for Web-consulting services, but an investigation by this newspaper turned up no evidence of a campaign website or social media presence.”
“Calderon, who termed out of the Assembly in 2012, ran unopposed in the primary for the heavily Democratic 58th Assembly District and coasted to an easy victory over his Republican challenger, Garrett May.”
State Sen. Tom Berryhill is rebutting a court finding he illegally funneled country Republican committee funds to his brother’s 2008 Assembly run.
Jim Miller reports for the Sacramento Bee: “Tom Berryhill, Bill Berryhill, and Republican central committees in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties face a combined $40,000 in fines. The California Fair Political Practices Commission is scheduled to consider Lew's decision April 17.”
“But Wednesday's opposition brief said Lew misinterprets the law as well as contradicts the legal standard applied in last year's case by the Fair Political Practices Commission challenging an Arizona nonprofit organization's donations to California campaigns before the November 2012 election.”
Former Sec. of State Hilary Clinton is creating headlines for remarks she made during a private fundraiser in Long Beach.
Maeve Reston reports for the Los Angeles Times: “Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that she was merely comparing the tactics used by Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Putin — and not equating the men themselves — when she drew a parallel between Hitler’s efforts to resettle Germans in the late 1930s to Putin’s recent moves to issue Russian passports to citizens in Ukraine with ties to Russia.”
California Democrat Party Chair John Burton heeds neutrality on candidates in the two most competitive Democratic primaries: controller and secretary of state.
Jim Miller reports for the Sacramento Bee: “In his e-mail, Burton said he had asked the five in January to not seek the party's endorsement, with mixed success. Pérez and Padilla continue to push for the party's embrace.”
"I thought it was in the best interest of the party not to have fights about endorsements between good Democrats. I still feel that way," Burton wrote.”
Fresno May Ashley Swearengin said she filed papers to run as the Republican candidate for state controller.
John Ellis reports for the Fresno Bee: “She said running for state controller was the next logical step. It is a position, she said, that has the biggest influence over California's business climate and economic development. Those areas were her focus, she said, both as mayor and at the Regional Jobs Initiative.”
The country’s 88-year-old SAT exam is getting a makeover
Larry Gordon reports for the Los Angeles Times: “In a major overhaul of the SAT college entrance exam, students starting in 2016 will no longer be required to write an essay, will not be penalized for wrong answers and will not be able to freely use calculators.”
“The College Board announcement Wednesday shook up a test that is taken by about 1.7 million high school students annually and, though its influence has been waning, remains a major factor in college admission decisions nationally.”
The mysterious Google barge floated away from the Bay and made its way to the Port of Stockton.
Reed Fujii reports for the Stockton Record: "Richard Aschieris said the port has made arrangements, through agents working on behalf of Google, to house the tech company's barge that had been under construction at its previous mooring at Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay."
"We've reached an agreement for them to dock at the Port of Stockton," he said. "I'm absolutely delighted to have this agreement."
