At the Capitol: Classic cars, immigrant action and tough-on-crime bills

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

WHAT’S UP AT THE CAPITOL THIS WEEK? (A LOT!)

We’re a week into April, which means Capitol lobbying season is in full swing and the Capitol steps are stage just about every day to lawmakers promoting their bills.

Some of those lawmakers are taking a more exciting tack than others.

State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, will bring attention to her proposed Leno’s Law with a classic car cruise at the Capitol Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m., before giving a press conference at 11:30 a.m. with classic car connoisseur Jay Leno himself.

Leno’s Law would ease smog test requirements on cars built more than 35 years ago. The bill has bipartisan support, and Senate Transportation Committee Chair state Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, is a co-author.

In a slightly less sexy display of political showmanship, state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, and state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, will gather at the Capitol Monday morning alongside San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan to bring attention to the issue of interim housing — or a lack of it — in California’s cities.

The Democratic lawmakers will promote two bills they say will help cities get unsheltered people off the streets and into interim housing — by making sure California counties fork over half of the costs of doing so.

“Our ask is that counties do their fair share and have skin in the game and if anything, incentivize cities to do the right thing,” Mahan told Politico Playbook’s Lindsey Holden last week. “If nobody’s going to help with funding the human services, why should a city take it upon itself to go do the right thing and expand its shelter service?”

On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., before Grove’s car show, Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, D-San Diego, will strike a more serious tone.

Alongside San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan and more than 50 victims and victims’ advocates, Jones will highlight his “No Early Release for Rapists” law. SB 286, or Mary-Bella’s Law, will close a loophole in California’s Elderly Parole Program that allows certain inmates over the age of 50 early release if they are considered low-risk. Jones’ law will put into writing that “rapists, child molesters, and murderers” can’t benefit from the program.

Lawmakers can also expect visits from the California Immigrant Policy Center, whose annual Immigrant Day of Action kicks off Tuesday morning. This year, the “day of action” will actually span two days: Tuesday, the group will hold a press conference with community members and elected officials, and Wednesday, they will meet with lawmakers to advocate for their causes.

Also on Wednesday: members of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. to announce the caucus’ priorities.

Capitol staffers can expect crowded halls and visits from SEIU, Smart Justice California, the California Medical Association and even the California Pest Management Association — all of whom have planned Capitol events this week.

BONTA’S LATEST LEGAL MOVE

Via Kate Wolffe ...

Scientists across the country have had their research grants terminated because they don’t meet the “program goals or agency priorities” of the Trump administration.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta wants to do something about that. In his latest legal action against the Trump administration, Bonta joined up with 16 other AGs from across the country to try to force the restoration of canceled grant funding and prevent the administration from messing with the grant-application process.

Bonta’s office says the hostile atmosphere is causing California universities to limit biomedical research and delay the hiring of new staff and students who depend on NIH funding.

In 2024, UC Davis was awarded $276 million from the National Institute for Health, and $43 million from the National Science Foundation. The university recently launched a ‘From Labs to Lives’ initiative to illustrate the real-world impact of federal research funding.

“In their unlawful withholding and terminating of medical and public health research grants, the Trump Administration is upending not only the critical work being done today, but the promise of progress for future generations,” Bonta said in a press release accompanying the Friday filing.

The office argues the administration “does not have the authority to unilaterally decline spending congressionally appropriated funds.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I stand with Ben Shapiro. God help me.”

- Sacramento political consultant Jason Kinney on X, about the conservative commentator saying Trump’s tariffs are “one of the biggest tax increases on American consumers in the history of America.”

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• How you pay to park in Sacramento is changing. Why are coin slots being blocked? via Ariane Lange

• Gavin Newsom wants California exempted from foreign tariffs. Can he do that? via Lia Russell and David Lightman

This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 4:55 AM.