Newsom still mum on the celebrity food fight over PFAS on pans
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
FOREVER CHEMICALS IN FOOD?
The debate has electrified the celebrities, chefs and celebrity chefs of America: Rachel Ray and David Chang on one side, Andrew Zimmern and actor Mark Ruffalo on the other.
All that’s left is for Gov. Gavin Newsom to weigh in: should California ban the sale of cookware coated in PFAs (forever chemicals that make them nonstick)? A bill on his desk, SB 682, would do just that.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS, are extremely durable, withstanding heat, water, and oil. It’s what makes them a great non-stick agent on pans, and what allows them to stick around forever, building up in humans, animals and the environment. A U.S. EPA study of peer-reviewed research found they may lead to reproductive and developmental effects and certain cancers.
Both sides of the debate get into the chemistry of PFAS, with opponents arguing that recent changes to the chemicals make them more safe. Opponents also say that many chefs rely on the nonstick pans, and that extra butter and oil used for carbon-steel and cast-iron pans will have more of a health impact than PFAS.
Many of the celebrity chefs weighing in on the debate either endorse or directly sell cookware with PFAS.
Supporters say the chemicals are a huge problem, and states should be doing all they can to phase them out. California’s bill would prohibit the sale of PFAS on cookware beginning in 2030.
CALIFORNIA OPPOSES DEFENSE BILL
Via David Lightman in Washington D.C.
While the Senate passed its big defense bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, California’s senators voted no.
Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff joined other Democratic senators representing states where President Donald Trump deployed troops to fight crime and help find undocumented immigrants.
“When our troops raised their right hands and took their oaths, they signed up to defend this country and our Constitution. They didn’t sign up to aid a wannabe dictator’s campaign to intimidate Americans in their own neighborhoods from exercising their rights to free speech and protest — the very rights our servicemembers swore to protect,” said a statement from the senators.
“We cannot support authorizing this Administration to continue its egregious and unconstitutional abuse of our servicemembers, with Donald Trump treating them like political props by deploying them domestically without any legitimate reason or request from state and local officials.”
The statement was released by California’s senators and Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon and Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. Trump has sent military forces to their states recently.
The mammoth defense bill spells out Pentagon policy in the months and years ahead. The House passed its version last month and lawmakers will now craft a version that will be voted on by both chambers later this year.
The Senate vote to approve the defense bill was 77 to 20.
SOME NEW GOLDEN STATE MASCOTS
Via William Melhado
Move out of the way California grizzly bears, the Golden State has a new mascot: the giant garter snake.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the federally threatened reptile as California’s state snake last week as part of his flurry of bill signings that will wrap up Monday. The governor also designated the bigberry manzanita as the official state shrub.
“Our state symbols celebrate California’s uniqueness, especially our distinctive ecosystems. California is a global biodiversity hotspot, with both the highest total number of species and the highest number of endemic species in the United States — including our new state shrub and snake,” Newsom said in a statement announcing the state symbols.
State Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, proposed the legislation nominating the giant garter snake as the state snake to raise awareness about the species’ important role in California ecosystems.
“Found in wetlands across our state, the giant garter snake keeps our environment and agriculture in balance,” Niello said in a Friday statement. “Recognizing it as our official state snake is more than just a symbol and highlights its important role in sustaining healthy wetlands and farms.”
In the last century, the giant garter snake’s population has declined by more than 90%, the governor’s announcement declared. The snakes feature yellow stripes that run the length of their bodies, which can grow up to five feet.
Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, authored the bill to designate the bigberry manzanita, which is native to California, as the state shrub. The shrub produces “urn-shaped white flowers” in the spring and can live for up to 100 years, according to native plant society Calscape.
With an ability to rapidly regenerate and germinate seeds after fires, the shrub is well adapted to wildfire-prone areas, the governor’s announcement said. Additionally, the shrub’s root system helps prevent mud and landslides in wildfire burn scars. Fire adaptability for the win!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The anticipation is we’re going to see additional actions by this president all across the United States... This is, dare I say, a constitutional crisis.”
— Gov. Gavin Newsom, reflecting on the mobilization of federal troops to Portland and Chicago, in an X post on the Democratic Party’s ”‘rapid response page.”
Best of the Bee
- Gavin Newsom signs California housing bill. Why is it so controversial? via Stephen Hobbs
- Kevin Kiley opposes Speaker Mike Johnson, says House should be in DC via David Lightman
- Gov. Newsom wants to get more people into California’s CARE Court via Kate Wolffe
This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 4:55 AM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the positions of supporters and opponents of Senate Bill 682, which would ban PFAS in cookware.
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