California lawmakers have a long, controversial day ahead. Here’s why
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
BACK IN ACTION
State legislators are back in Sacramento for what will surely be a busy and controversial day. The future of transgender athletes will be debated Tuesday. But so too will other measures that will have national interest:
Assembly Bill 4 would require Covered California, the state’s health care exchange, to market its plan to undocumented residents by 2028. It would also delete a requirement that Covered California needs to apply for a federal waiver to allow people not in the country legally to receive benefits.
The measure is sure to face controversy in the Capitol. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has asked for more than $6.2 billion to help support the state’s Medi-Cal program, which is facing financial issues after certain undocumented adults became eligible for coverage in 2024.
If Assembly Bill 56 passes as is, social media platforms will have to have “black box” warnings on them. The measure would also require the alerts to appear if a person uses it for more than three total hours during a day. The measure has deep-pocketed opponents who have lobbied legislators hard in recent years over social media-related bills. So, too, does Assembly Bill 2, which would make social media companies liable for financial penalties if their platforms do not “exercise ordinary care or skill toward a child.” Both are opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce and Technet, a major trade association, whose members include Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram.
Senate Bill 405 would repeal a law that currently prevents local governments in the state from requiring a person to show identification to vote. The bill is likely to get a frosty reception. But there is added pressure on the issue. Assembly Republicans are trying to gather support for a 2026 ballot measure that would require voters to show identification. President Donald Trump also recently signed an executive order calling for major changes to elections. Debate over the bill could be a preview of what’s to come.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 would repeal the Legislature’s past efforts to call for changes to the U.S. Constitution. The most recent came in 2023, at the urging of Newsom, who wanted to amend the nation’s gun laws. The Legislature has at least six other pending applications to change the Constitution, according to a staff analysis of the latest resolution. Supporters say those outstanding requests, as well as others, could backfire if a constitutional convention were to occur as it could lead to broader changes.
A CALL TO CONGRESS
Via David Lightman ...
Thirty-one California mayors Monday joined dozens of other city leaders from around the country to urge Congress to use its upcoming tax bill to help promote affordable housing and fight child poverty.
Washington lawmakers are hoping to unveil a tax and budget plan later this week and vote on the package before leaving for an Easter-Passover recess April 11. That vote would set guidelines for any tax or budget changes; final votes would not come until later this year.
But this week’s action is expected to formally start the process, so 225 city officials from both parties sent a letter to Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress reminding them that the country’s metropolitan areas are home to most of the nation’s jobs and economic growth.
Among those signing the letter were Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero.
In the letter, released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the nation’s city leaders listed six specific areas where their constituents could benefit:
–Tax credits for housing. The mayors mentioned expanding credits for low-income housing, converting vacant commercial property and expanding the credit for historic properties.
–Strong funding for the Community Development Block Grant program, which helps pay for housing rehabilitation and other community-based improvements.
–Support for tax-exempt municipal bonds, including private activity bonds, which the letter called “the main financing tool of locally funded, essential infrastructure, including transportation, water and wastewater facilities, along with housing, schools, and hospitals, to name a few.”
–Continuation of certain energy credits. These breaks help support local government energy efficiency and conservation projects to lower energy bills.
–Expansion of the Child Tax Credit. The credit was increased during the Covid-19 pandemic and is credited for helping reduce child poverty. Most families in the state can now claim a $2,000 credit from their federal income tax for each qualifying child. During the pandemic, the break was as much as $3,600 per child.
–Keep Medicaid benefits intact. “Medicaid is the principal source of health care funding for countless seniors in nursing homes in cities and rural America alike; and is a major source of health care for the nation’s children,” the letter said.
The House budget bill includes big cuts in programs overseen by the legislative committee that writes legislation regarding Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Let our message, the gospel of life, shake this building to its very foundations!”
- John Gerardi, executive director of Right to Life of Central California, during an anti-abortion rally at the Capitol Monday.
Best of The Bee:
How could potential cuts and changes in Medi-Cal affect Californians?, via David Lightman
Police chief tells CA lawmakers to ‘wake up’ after felon kills Marysville officer, via Jake Goodrick
This California law was supposed to stop gasoline price gouging. Has it?, via Nicole Nixon
Gavin Newsom calls Democratic brand ‘toxic’ on Bill Maher show, via Lia Russell
Planning to tailgate at an A’s home game? Learn the rules & parking lot restrictions, via Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
