California Democratic Party to pick a new leader after a year of tumult
From the LAT's CHRISTINE MAI-DUC: "More than a dozen presidential hopefuls and their supporters will descend on San Francisco this weekend as the California Democratic Party meets for its first statewide convention of the 2020 campaign."
"But for many party activists, the focus of the convention will be on another race closer to home. Months after the resignation of party Chairman Eric Bauman following sexual misconduct allegations, delegates will choose a new state leader who will be tasked with rehabilitating the organization’s internal culture, preparing Democrats for California’s March presidential primary and defending more than a dozen newly flipped congressional and legislative seats next year."
"There is little daylight between the positions of the race’s three front-runners on many key issues for the Democratic Party. Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Rusty Hicks and state party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall have each expressed support for “Medicare for all” and the Green New Deal. Other candidates include attorney Lenore Albert, privacy activist Mike Katz-Lacabe, retired college professor Rita Ramirez and businessman Mike Saifie."
Democrats descend on Bay Area armed with tech criticism
The Chronicle's TAL KOPAN: "Top presidential hopefuls are gathering in Big Tech’s backyard this weekend, and many are armed with heavy criticism of the titans that have come to dominate the Bay Area."
"But while bashing social media and internet giants may play well with the base and reflect a growing disillusionment with the industry, the calls to “break up Facebook” are thus far more about bandwagon jumping than substance, several critics and supporters of more regulation say."
Tech money keeps flowing to Democrats taking aim at Silicon Valley
The Chronicle's TAL KOPAN: "Democratic presidential candidates’ talk of cracking down on tech isn’t dampening their fundraising in Silicon Valley."
"Candidates including Sens. Cory Booker, Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, have held fundraisers in the Bay Area, where some of the biggest donors are tied to tech. Former Vice President Joe Biden reportedly is on his way this summer."
Proposal to cap charter school growth all but dies in Assembly
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "A proposal to cap the number of California charter schools went into a deep freeze in the state Assembly on Thursday, a sign of the difficult fight teachers unions face as they push to stop the growth of the alternatives to traditional public schools."
"AB1506 would have created a statewide ceiling on charter schools at the number in operation as of Jan. 1, 2020."
Californians dodge another tax increase as lawmaker pulls bill opposed by tire dealers
Sacramento Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "A proposal to raise the California tire change fee, which critics called a tax that would hit lower-income residents hardest, has been pulled at the request of its sponsor."
"Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, requested that Assembly Bill 755 be shelved on Wednesday."
"We are in the first year of a two year legislative session, and we need more time to work with stakeholders so that we can successfully navigate it through the legislative process and ultimately deliver a solution that many cities need to mitigate stormwater contamination,” Holden said in a statement."
Regulators approve PG&E wildfire plan, statewide power shutoff rules
The Chronicle's J.D. MORRIS: "Regulators approved Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s first annual, state-mandated wildfire prevention plan Thursday as they also signed off on new standards for one of the utility’s primary strategies: turning off power lines during dangerously dry and windy weather."
"The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously in favor of the utility’s plan and statewide guidelines for power shutoffs despite concerns from disabled people about how more intentional outages, which PG&E is poised to increase dramatically this year, could affect them."
Legislation prompted by huge SF General bills passes Assembly
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "Legislation to prohibit California hospitals from sticking patients with huge emergency room bills that their insurers won’t cover has cleared a crucial hurdle in the state Capitol."
"Lawmakers in the Assembly voted 48-9 on Thursday to approve AB1611, which would prohibit hospitals from “balance billing” patients if their insurance won’t cover the full cost for care."
Charity promised to help feed the hungry. State suit said it misled donors
Sacramento Bee's PANCHALAY CHALERMKRAIVUTH: "California Attorney General Xavier Becerra this week sued the charity Aid for Starving Children for deceptive solicitations that earned its administrators $6.2 million between 2011 and 2018."
"The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, contends the Sonoma County-based charity used only a small fraction of its overall revenues for its stated goal of combating starvation internationally."
"According to the lawsuit, about 93 percent of the money it claimed to raise from 2011 to 2018 came in the form in “gifts-in-kind,” mostly drugs donated by pharmaceutical companies that were incorrectly valued at U.S. list prices rather than the prices in the countries where the drugs were actually used."
Lawmakers move UC wage bill
Sacramento Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "The University of California would be required to pay its employees on a regular payday under a measure moving through the California Legislature in response to the university system’s ongoing payroll problems."
"Senate Bill 698, sponsored by Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, would mandate that employees paid monthly receive their wages no later than five days after the close of monthly payroll, while those employees paid on a frequent basis would get their wages according to a regular pay schedule."
"It won unanimous approval in the state Senate and now moves to the Assembly. A UC system spokeswoman said that the university president’s office has been tracking the bill closely “and is in discussions with (Sen. Leyva) on the bill."
Landlords win, renters take a hit. Just one tenant protection bill survives in California Assembly
Sacramento Bee's HANNAH WILEY: "Landlords and realtor groups earned a win in the California Capitol this week after lawmakers shelved a bill to restrict evictions and amended another to limit caps on rent."
"The Assembly adjourned on Thursday without taking up Assembly Bill 1481, which would have established a “just cause” eviction law in California, prohibiting landlords from evicting tenants unless they violate the terms of their lease or fail to pay rent. On Wednesday, the chamber narrowly passed Assembly Bill 1482, which caps “egregious” rent increases."
"Assemblymen Rob Bonta of Alameda, Tim Grayson of Concord and David Chiu of San Francisco significantly changed their measures in an attempt to win over opposition."
Resident doctors say UC Davis Health has agreed to bargain with their union
Sacramento Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON: "UC Davis Health has agreed to negotiate with the Committee of Interns and Residentson pay and working conditions for the academic health system’s roughly 800 residents and fellows, union officials and UCD Health told The Bee on Thursday."
"We are now preparing to meet with the union to begin the bargaining process,” UCD officials said in a statement released Thursday. “We look forward to working with the union collegially and productively in the coming months."
"The union, a unit of Service Employees International Union, announced in March that it had enough signatures to qualify to collectively bargain on behalf of physician trainees at UCD Health, and in mid-May, the California Public Employment Relations Boardcertified that CIR had collected enough signatures to represent the fellows and residents."
READ MORE related to Health: Self-employed in California often go without health insurance. Can Newsom help? -- USC CHJC's SAMMY CAIOLA/YESENIA AMARO
In effort to lure air travelers onto BART, airport may pay for new cop patrol
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "BART officials have a new proposal to lure riders back on the trains that serve San Francisco International Airport: add a second full-time police officer to patrol the station, and let the airport pay for it."
"Representatives of both agencies met Thursday afternoon in San Francisco to discuss the idea, one of several proposed strategies to fix a galling image problem at the airport’s BART station. Frustrated with the increased visibility of homelessness, the high number of fare cheats and the steady exodus of riders to Uber and Lyft, BART and the airport have drafted an agreement to tackle these issues together."
Rep. Matsui honors husband at courthouse event
Sacramento Bee's MEGHAN BOBROWSKY: "To Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, there was “no prouder place” for her husband to leave his mark than the Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse."
"It’s a fitting tribute to my late husband who was committed to Sacramento and equal justice under the law,” she told a room of more than 100 people at the courthouse’s 20th anniversary celebration Thursday night."
"The courthouse was unveiled in 1999 with 16 floors, 32 courtrooms and a 300-car parking garage, according to a handout from the event. It was not originally named after the late congressman, however. In 2005, it was dedicated to former Rep. Matsui after he died."
An East Bay deputy was accused of pocketing drugs from suspects. But the case never went to prosecutors
The Chronicle's MATTHIAS GAFNI: "An Alameda County sheriff’s deputy was fired in 2015 after being accused of pocketing prescription pills he confiscated from suspects at crime scenes, but he was never charged criminally even though his fellow officers suspected he had a drug problem, newly released documents show."
"Internal affairs investigators concluded that former Deputy Donald Couch broke the law. But the Sheriff’s Office did not submit the case to the Alameda County district attorney’s office for review, both agencies said this week."
'Octo-champs': National Spelling Bee ends with 8 tied for title
AP: "The Scripps National Spelling Bee was broken Thursday night, brought to its knees by eight spellers who were too poised, too prepared and too savvy for any word thrown their way."
"Faced with a dwindling word list and a group of spellers that showed no weakness, Scripps gave up and declared them co-champions, the most extraordinary ending in the 94-year history of the competition."\
"The eight co-champions spelled the final 47 words correctly in their historic walk-off victory, going through five consecutive perfect rounds."
Trump says he will impose escalating tariffs on Mexico to stop migrant surge
LA Times's MOLLY O'TOOLE/DON LEE/MARGOT ROOSEVELT: "President Trump said Thursday that he will impose escalating tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico until authorities in Mexico stop migrants from crossing its territory and entering the U.S. illegally, a move that would cause economic upheaval in California and beyond."
"The surprise announcement immediately threw into doubt the fate of one of Trump’s top economic priorities: passage of the revised North American Free Trade Agreement."
"Trump said his administration will impose a 5% tariff on Mexican imports on June 10, but that will be doubled to 10% on July 1 unless the migration crisis “is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico, to be determined in our sole discretion and judgment."
