CA legislators cross payments, honor colleagues

California legislators are slammed attempting to get by way of lots of of payments earlier than the clock strikes midnight on Saturday.

They nonetheless have greater than 600 payments to contemplate after Tuesday’s classes, in response to lobbyist and legislative observer Chris Micheli.

However they’re not too busy to fete departing colleagues — and so they’re fairly a number of of them. Of the 120 legislators, 34 are both terming out, operating for different places of work or simply stepping apart. (They may be in search of lobbying jobs.)

As CalMatters’ Sameea Kamal stories, the Meeting wrapped up its flooring session early for an intimate reception Tuesday night within the state Capitol basement to say their goodbyes.

Moreover the reception, there have been hours of generally tearful tributes — and needling — throughout flooring classes final week and this week. The exodus is partly attributable to a traditionally massive class of legislators elected in 2012, who are actually hitting the 12-year time period restrict. There was one other “great resignation” in 2022 attributable to redistricting, in addition to time period limits and different political alternatives.

Now, again to the invoice motion:

• Pharmacy struggle: A invoice to rein in pharmacy profit managers, who’re liaisons between medical insurance firms and drug makers, is dealing with robust opposition from main pharmaceutical retailerstogether with CVS Caremark, writes CalMatters well being reporter Kristen Hwang. The invoice, co-sponsored by the California Pharmacists Affiliation, would require these managers to reveal the costs and reductions negotiated with drug firms, and would direct all reductions to be handed onto insurance policy. The writer of the invoice, Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, says firms corresponding to CVS are “overdue for regulation.” However business stakeholders warn the brand new guidelines may improve well being premiums for Californians by $1.7 billion within the first yr and $20 billion over ten years. Learn extra concerning the challenge in Kristen’s story.

• Undocumented college students: CalMatters is holding monitor of the important thing payments heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, together with one invoice to enable undocumented college students to work on campus at public schools. As CalMatters larger schooling reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn explains, attributable to their standing, these college students can’t obtain federal support and loans, shutting them out of funds to pay for tuition, lease and different requirements. A handful of Republicans have voted towards the invoice, and whereas the state’s faculty techniques don’t formally oppose the measure, they’ve raised issues about doubtlessly violating federal legislation, which may jeopardize billions of {dollars} tied up in federal contracts.

• College safety: Jenna additionally reported this week on a proposal to elevate state necessities for public college academics to report back to police if a pupil assaults them. The invoice has been amended to maintain necessary police notification if a pupil assaults or threatens a trainer. However the invoice would nonetheless enable academics to resolve whether or not to contain police if a pupil is utilizing or in possession of medication, and it could decriminalize willful disturbance by college students.

One other invoice awaiting Gov. Newsom’s verdict is a proposal that will make it simpler for cities and counties to arrange tiny houses, which have more and more been utilized in response to the state’s homelessness disaster.

As CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall explains in CalMatters’ invoice trackertiny houses are cheaper and simpler to construct than conventional housing. The invoice by Sen. Josh Beckera Menlo Park Democrat, would exempt tiny houses from some environmental laws. Supporters embrace the mayors of San Jose and San Francisco, a number of Sure In My Yard advocacy teams and the general public coverage nonprofit SPUR.

The invoice has no formal opposition, however an identical effort by Becker died final yr. Teams together with the Nationwide Alliance to Finish Homelessness and the Western Heart on Legislation & Poverty opposed the measure, arguing that it characterised tiny houses as everlasting housing — not non permanent shelter. Becker’s invoice this yr specifies that tiny houses are non permanent housing.

Two different homelessness payments have already been signed into legislation. On Tuesday, Newsom introduced he had signed Meeting Invoice 2835which makes everlasting a provision in a 2022 legislation requiring inns and motels in shelter packages to guard residents. He additionally signed AB 3057which exempts some accent dwelling models from sure environmental guidelines, permitting native governments to approve extra reasonably priced shelter models quicker.

In the meantime, Sacramento’s experimental, city-sanctioned homeless encampment often known as Camp Decision has shut downstories The Sacramento Bee. On Monday, police declared the location a criminal offense scene and cleared away residents. The camp was promoted by metropolis officers as a potential mannequin for offering unhoused residents a “legal” place to remain, however was beleaguered by unsafe circumstances and alleged crime. It’s unclear what the town will do with the location.

As a part of our partnership with PBS SoCal, Marisa and producer Robert Meeks even have a video phase on Marisa’s story about how some cities are cracking down on encampmentsfollowing a latest U.S. Supreme Courtroom ruling and an govt order from Gov. Newsom. Watch it right here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal.