California’s Groundwater Basins Draft Plans to Become Sustainable

In 2014 Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the State Groundwater Management Act, changing forever how farms, businesses, cities and residents will pump water in the future. The ultimate goal is to conserve the state’s overdrafted groundwater basins and keep them from becoming depleted. California is the last state in the American West to draft a plan managing groundwater. Over the past two years groundwater users in each of the state’s 515 groundwater basins have been busy forming local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to implement the law. That goal being accomplished, the Department of Water Resources is now overseeing that process while providing financial and technical support to local agencies. Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.

Treasurer Chiang Says CA Has Money to End Rape Kit Backlog

State treasurer and gubernatorial candidate John Chiang says California has enough money to end a back-log of un-tested rape kits sitting in evidence lockers at police departments across the state. He joined women’s rights activists at the state capitol to announce a petition drive to end the back-log.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Trump's Travel Ban

The US Supreme Court heard just over an hour of oral arguments over President Donald Trump’s travel ban. The case, Trump v Hawaii, is a law-suit over Trump’s third version of a ban on travel from mainly Muslim-majority countries. Plaintiffs say the ban is unconstitutional and illegal because it discriminates based on religion and nationality… and because it would give the President power that belongs to Congress. The Administration says it’s about national security.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Bill Aims to Rein In Military Equipment for Police

An Assembly committee has approved a bill that supporters say takes a step toward de-militarizing local police and sheriffs. Assembly Bill 3131 would require local government approval before police or sheriff’s departments acquire federal surplus military equipment like tanks, military firearms, and drones.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Tenant Activists Submit Petitions for Costa - Hawkins Repeal Initiative

Tenants’ rights advocates say they’ve gathered enough signatures for a November initiative to roll back state limits on rent control. They say it would close a loop-hole that favors corporate landlords over renters.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Supreme Court About to Hear Trump v Hawaii Travel Ban Arguments

Next week the US Supreme Court will hear arguments in a law suit challenging President Donald Trump’s travel ban barring admission to the US from mainly Muslim-majority countries, and suspending refugee admissions. Legal experts opposed to the travel ban held a briefing call to discuss some of the legal questions the case raises, including issues of religious and national origin discrimination, and limits on presidential power.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Bill Would Bar Forced Arbitration for Workers

A state lawmaker wants to end the practice of forcing workers to sign arbitration agreements that prevent them from suing over sexual harassment, discrimination, and other workplace violations. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher says her measure is needed in order to give victims access to justice and to hold violators accountable.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Police Abuse Right - To - Know Bill Moves Forward

A bill to make public police abuse records is moving forward in the state legislature, with a vote in the Senate Public Safety Committee. Berkeley Senator Nancy Skinner’s Senate Bill 1421 would allow public access to records of investigations and findings about police abuse, use of force incidents, sexual assault or work-related dishonesty like perjury or filing false police reports.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Bill Would Block Federal Offshore Oil Drilling in CA

A state senate committee has approved a bill aimed at blocking oil pipelines and other infrastructure that could support off-shore oil drilling in federal waters off the California coast. Democratic Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson says her bill pushes back against the Trump Administration’s plans to ramp up oil drilling in federal waters.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Pompeo Questioned at Confirmation Hearing

CIA director Mike Pompeo appeared at a senate confirmation hearing Thursday. Republicans seemed positive, but Democrats raised questions about Pompeo’s past statements that have led critics to blast him as a hawk with negative beliefs about Muslims and the LGBT community. Many Democrats fear Trump is creating a “war cabinet.”
Christopher Martinez reports.

Trump Appeals Order Blocking Attack on Sanctuary Cities

The Trump administration is asking a federal court to reverse a court order that blocked Trump’s Executive Order targeting sanctuary cities. Last year a federal judge blocked the order to with-hold certain federal funds from cities and counties that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. The appeal was heard by 3 judge panel of the 9th Circuit appeals court in San Francisco.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Bill Aims to Regulate Health Care Prices

A Democratic Assemblymember has introduced a bill to rein in skyrocketing health care costs. Democrat Ash Khalra’s measure would create an independent commission to set reasonable health care prices, building on models like Medicare and systems in other countries that set health care rates. The bill comes as California’s Attorney General seeks to intervene in a Texas lawsuit in order to defend against a legal challenge to Obamacare.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Trump Sending National Guard to Border

President Donald Trump is planning to send two to four thousand National Guard troops to the border with Mexico. He says they’ll stay there until his proposed border wall is built. The plan is still vague on key details, but it’s already triggered opposition from immigrant rights activists, as well as some California leaders.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Latino Caucus Unveils Top Priorities

The California Latino Legislative Caucus has announced its priority bills for the current legislative session. The 20 bills include measures on issues ranging from help for Dreamers to health care, farm worker housing, and sexual harassment prevention for janitorial workers.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Bill Would Change CAlifornia's Police Deadly Force Standard

Some Democratic lawmakers want to put stricter limits on when police can use deadly force. Assemblymembers Shirley Weber and Kevin McCarty are introducing a bill they say will make encounters with police less deadly, noting that half of the people shot and killed by police last year were unarmed.
Christopher Martinez reports.

Scott Pruitt Announces Clean Car Standard Rollback

A battle is brewing between California and the Trump administration over auto emission standards. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has announced plans to roll back federal standards, saying the Obama administration set standards that are “too high.” It’s the beginning of a process that is already getting push-back from environmental groups, as well as California officials that want to protect California’s stronger auto emission standards.
Christopher Martinez reports.