Health Care Bus Tour

Seven years of Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare were dashed in a Senate vote last week, but President Donald Trump is still pushing for Senate action on an Obamacare repeal bill. Health care activists are responding with their own actions, including a cross-country bus tour to preserve the Affordable Care Act.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Housing Activists Urge State Rent Control Legislation

Housing activists held a day of action in Pleasant Hill and other California cities. They’re calling for the repeal of a bill restricting local rent control laws. They’re also calling for a moratorium on rent increases. They’re part of a new coalition of more than 50 tenant groups, unions, housing and community organizations that want stronger rent control laws and a moratorium on rent increases.
Christopher Martinez files this report.

Trump Administration Cuts Teen Pregnancy Prevention

While the US Senate debates the fate of Obamacare and the Medicaid program, teen pregnancy prevention providers are facing a separate wave of funding cuts. The Trump administration has quietly eliminated more than $213 million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention services and research, slashing some programs in the middle of their research. Advocates fear it marks a shift from science-based pregnancy prevention in favor of abstinence-only programs.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Governor Brown Signs Climate Bill

Governor Jerry Brown has signed a landmark climate bill to extend California’s cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The new law marks a hard-fought, and controversial, victory for California’s actions on climate change. It comes at a time when the federal government is pulling back on climate action.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Al Gore Discusses Climate Crisis in San Francisco

Former vice-president Al Gore took the stage in San Francisco, talking about climate change, the need for activism, and causes for hope. He spoke at the Commonwealth Club on the release of his new film on climate change, called “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.”
Christopher Martinez reports.

Raging Detweiler Fire Poses Danger to Mountain Residents and Challenges for Firefighters

The Detweiler Fire in the mountains west of Yosemite National Park has grown to nearly 75 thousand acres in just 5 days. Fueled by tall, dry grasses and drought-stricken trees and brush, it has threatened the gold-rush town of Mariposa and spread through the wildlands as well as the populated rural region in the rugged landscape. Some 5000 residents in and around Mariposa were evacuated earlier this week, but today the evacuation order was lifted. So far 58 structures have been destroyed along with 60 minor structures, while another 11 residences have been damaged. Smoke from the fire has inundated Yosemite Valley and has been windblown as far away as Idaho. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.

Heat Wave Triggers Stress for Valley Residents and Workers

While the state legislature debated strategies to combat climate change last week, temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley were rising to near record levels. As Pacifica’s Vic Bedoian reports, heat stress is always a major problem in the Valley during the summer both for people who work outside and for those without air-conditioning at home.

Bill Aims at Ending Juvenile Life Without Parole Sentences

An Assembly spending committee has approved a measure to let juveniles sentenced to life without parole get a parole hearing after they serve 25 years of their sentence. The measure would bring California into compliance with US Supreme Court rulings that declared juvenile life without parole unconstitutional. The United States is the only country in the world that imposes the sentence on children.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Internet Privacy Bill Moving Through State Senate

California lawmakers are pushing back against the Trump administration again, this time, on the issue of internet privacy rules. A state Senate committee has approved a bill to bar internet service providers from using customer’s personal information without their permission. The bill would write into state law earlier federal rules created under the Obama administration that were repealed by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Christopher Martinez reports.

State Sets Limit on Carcinogen 1,2,3-TCP in Drinking Water

Lede / California water officials today approved regulations to limit the level of a chemical experts say is a potent cancer-causing agent in the state’s water supply.The State Water Resources Control Board will limit the level of 1,2,3 TCP, or trichloropropane to five parts per trillion. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.

Cap and Trade Extension Squeaks Through CA Senate

The state Senate has narrowly voted to approve a measure extending California’s cap and trade program to address climate change. The measure drew the bare two-thirds majority it needed to pass, with one Democrat not voting and one Republican voting for the bill.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Lawsuit claims Amazon stiffs supervisors on overtime

A former manager in a recently opened Amazon warehouse in Richmond has filed suit against the online retail giant. The suit alleges that Amazon mis-classified him as a manager, illegally depriving him of overtime pay. Amazon employs more than 340,000 people and brings in a reported $136 Billion a year in revenue. Tom Herriman reports from Richmond.

Jerry Brown Pushes Cap & Trade Extension

California’s cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is set to sunset in 2020. Governor Jerry Brown has been pushing for a measure to extend the program, and he joined legislative leaders to push for an extension in a legislative committee hearing Thursday. The move has split environmental groups, with some environmental justice organizations saying the bill compromises too much and would hurt poor communities of color.
Christopher Martinez files this report.

House Passes Bill to Gut San Joaquin River Restoration and Violate State’s Rights

The House of Representatives this week passed a bill that opponents say would gut restoration of the San Joaquin River and its historic salmon population and remove some of the control the state has over its water resources. Backers of the bill say it would help bring badly needed water to the Central Valley. Vic Bedoian reports

Streamlined Housing Construction Bill Passes Committee Vote

A bill to streamline housing construction has passed out of an Assembly committee, despite opposition from some housing rights advocates who say it could speed luxury housing and lead to more displacements in low-income communities.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Wildfires Rage Throughout California

There are currently more than a dozen wildfires are burning in California. From San Diego county in the south to the Klamath mountains near the Oregon border, they range in size from a few hundred to nearly thirty thousand acres. They’re blazing in the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Range. They are being fought by firefighting crews from Cal Fire and the national forest service with personnel also coming from elsewhere in the nation to assist. Numerous other local and state agencies are involved as well. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.

Bail Reform Bill Moves Forward in Assembly

A bill aimed at limiting the use of cash bail has passed out of an Assembly committee, weeks after a similar bill died on the Assembly floor. Supporters say the bill would end the economic injustice of people languishing in jail because they’re too poor to afford bail. Opponents say the measure threatens public safety.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Federal Judge Boosting Oversight of Oakland Police

Federal court oversight of the Oakland Police Department had appeared to be approaching an end. But now it’s ramping up again, after a scathing report about an officer misconduct investigation. It’s the latest twist in a police sexual misconduct scandal involving an Oakland teenager, and the way Oakland officials dropped the ball on the investigation.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Legislative Committee Considers Climate Change Policies

State lawmakers are looking at California’s efforts to address climate change, as well as related pollutants that affect public health and the economy. A joint Senate and Assembly committee held a hearing on climate change and pollution issues at the state capitol, with a panel of experts from state agencies and environmental groups.
Christopher Martinez reports.

"Sanctuary State" Bill SB54 Passes Latest Hurdle in Legislature

A bill to limit police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement has passed its latest hurdle at the state capitol. Senate Bill 54, the “California Values Act,” is a top priority for immigrant rights advocates. Opponents say it weakens law enforcement by limiting their communication with federal immigration officials.
Christopher Martinez reports.