Will Gavin Newsom support Republican bill that bars funding for violent undocumented immigrants?
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GOP LAWMAKER FOLLOWS NEWSOM’S LEAD, INTRODUCES BILL TO LIMIT CALIFORNIA SANCTUARY LAW
California Gov. Gavin Newsom opened the door, and now Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, R-Corona, is walking through it.
In signing SBX1-2, one of a pair of “Trump-proofing” bills intended to fund the state’s ongoing battle with President Donald Trump, the governor was clear to specify that the bill only applied to safeguarding the civil rights of non-violent undocumented immigrants.
“None of the funding in this bill is intended to be used for immigration-related legal services for noncitizens convicted of serious or violent felonies,” Newsom wrote in his signing statement.
He wrote that should further clarification become necessary, lawmakers should pass additional legislation to do so.
Saying she heard the message loud and clear, Castillo in a statement last week announced that she is introducing a bill that would specifically ban California tax dollars from being spent on providing a legal defense for undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records.
She previously had unsuccessfully attempted to amend SBX1-2 to include that language, but was shut down by the Assembly Democratic supermajority.
Castillo said she urges Newsom to “keep his word” and sign her bill, should it make it to his desk.
BILL PROVIDES FUNDING MECHANISM FOR PROP 36 REQUIREMENT
California voters overwhelmingly backed Proposition 36 last November, restoring felony penalties for certain drug- and theft-related offenses and mandating drug treatment for offenders.
That last part was essentially an unfunded mandate, causing no small amount of heartburn among Newsom and state lawmakers.
Now, State Sen. Thomas Umberg, D-Santa Ana, has introduced legislation to address it.
SB 38 would make drug and collaborative courts eligible for competitive grants administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Umberg cited the strong voter support for Prop. 36 in his decision to introduce the bill.
“The voters have spoken loud and clear. It’s our job now to make sure that Proposition 36 is given the support it needs to succeed,” he said in a statement..
The bill is sponsored by the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), and also would allow public entitites to apply for that grant funding.
“We know firsthand that highly incentivized drug treatment, when paired with supervision and accountability, delivers effective results,” said CPOC President Steven Jackson in a statement.
The bill will be heard in committee later this spring.
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
- Vice President JD Vance, via X.
“Americans understand the principle of checks and balances. The judiciary is a check on unlawful action by the executive and legislative branches of government. Generals, prosecutors, and all public officials are subject to checks and balances. No one is above the law.”
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 16 other state attorneys general, in a statement responding to the vice president’s post.
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