Lawmakers settle on a budget + Climate protests + Thurmond endorses flavored tobacco ban
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS VOTE ON A BUDGET
Via Lindsey Holden...
California legislators passed their version of the state budget Monday — but negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom continue as major aspects of the spending plan remain unresolved.
Members of the Assembly and Senate approved the budget legislative leaders announced about two weeks ago. Lawmakers passed the bills two days ahead of their June 15 deadline, which ensures they’ll get paid.
Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, still need to work out differences between their budget and Newsom’s revised plan from May.
And they need to accomplish this before the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.
Inflation and gas price relief plans remain the biggest sticking point. Newsom and legislative leadership disagree on who gets money, how much they get and how it should be distributed.
Newsom wants to give $400 to all vehicle owners, with a cap of $800 for two cars. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) would contract with a third-party vendor to help distribute the funds using debit cards.
Atkins and Rendon favor giving $200 to all taxpayers earning $125,000 or less per year — $250,000 for joint filers.
Their plan would also provide an additional $200 for each dependent, plus funding for needy residents who don’t pay income taxes.
Legislators propose distributing the money through the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) the same agency that administered California’s Golden State Stimulus program.
An Assembly Budget Committee hearing showed legislators and Newsom are still committed to their respective plans. While some lawmakers said they feel their plan is more equitable, a Department of Finance staffer said Newsom’s plan will reach more Californians.
After lawmakers approved their budget, Newsom expressed his concerns about several aspects of their spending plan, including the inflation relief package.
“While today is an important step forward, there is more work to be done,” said Anthony York, Newsom’s senior advisor for communications. “Gov. Newsom would like to see more immediate, direct relief to help millions more families with rising gas, groceries and rent prices. The governor’s plan includes an additional $3.5 billion beyond what legislative leaders have proposed to help millions more people meet everyday costs.”
CLIMATE PROTESTS SET AT CAPITOL
Activists from a trio of environmental groups are set to protest at the Capitol and on the American River near Newsom’s home on Tuesday, demanding that state officials crack down on polluters in the oil and gas industry.
Protesters will perform street theater in front of the headquarters of Western States Petroleum Association, the oldest oil lobbying group in the nation, then march to the steps of the Capitol. In the evening, activists will kayak on the American River near Newsom’s Fair Oaks residence, according to Aimee Dewing, spokeswoman for the Last Chance Alliance, which along with Extinction Rebellion and 350 Sacramento is carrying out the protest.
Specifically, activists are calling on Newsom to halt issuance of new oil and gas permits, and institute a 3,200-foot buffer between communities and oil wells.
The march to the Capitol will begin at noon at 14th and L Streets. The “kayaktivist” action will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Sunrise Recreation Area in Rancho Cordova.
THURMOND ENDORSES ANTI-FLAVORED TOBACCO REFERENDUM
November is ballot initiative season, and one of the big fights will be a referendum on a 2020 law, SB 793, that banned the sale of flavored tobacco products in the state, including menthol cigarettes.
Proponents of retaining the law on Monday announced the endorsement of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
“The last thing students need to face when they go to school is the pressure and temptation to try using tobacco,” Thurmond said in a statement. “Tobacco companies will use every dirty, deceptive trick in their playbook so they can keep hooking kids on nicotine for massive profit. It’s time for California to stand up to Big Tobacco and say yes — we will vote in November to get rid of candy-flavored e-cigarettes and minty-menthol cigarettes for good.”
Thurmond joined the leaders of the California Teachers Association, California Federation of Teachers and the California School Boards Association in condemning the campaign against the ban.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Been getting lots of check-ins about the death threat we received yesterday. I truly appreciate it. I receive lots of death threats & have for years. They’re mostly about our civil rights work for LGBTQ people & people with HIV. I’ll keep fighting, death threats notwithstanding.”
- Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, via Twitter.
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