Kamala Harris can’t escape her CA file

Speaker after speaker on the Democratic Nationwide Conference has praised Kamala Harris’ file in California. And when the vp delivers the largest speech of her life tonight, she’ll possible lean into her dwelling state accomplishments, though some voters might nonetheless be skittish about her California-ness.

CalMatters has been that file — her time as a prosecutor, her fundraising ties to the state and the methods California has formed her political profession. 

The most recent: CalMatters well being reporter Kristen Hwang takes a deep dive into Harris’ stance on abortionwhich political consultants say is a successful concern for Democrats.

Lengthy earlier than the U.S. Supreme Court docket overturned federal protections for abortion in 2022, Harris was a staunch supporter of reproductive rights. As California lawyer common, she oversaw a 2016 investigation of anti-abortion activist David Daleiden, which led to felony expenses filed by Harris’ successor.

Harris additionally backed a invoice to control disaster being pregnant facilities. The measure directed these facilities to put up details about public packages that supplied complete household planning providers, together with abortion. Although the measure was signed into legislation, the nation’s excessive courtroom dominated it violated the First Modification and overturned it.

Learn extra about Harris’ file on abortion rights in Kristen’s story.

From Sac to Chicago: California legislators arrived late Tuesday and early Wednesday to the Democratic conference — some slightly bleary-eyed, however energized, reviews CalMatters’ Sameea Kamal.

The 21 lawmakers missed the primary couple of nights on legislative enterprise as they close to the tip of their session, however made it in time to listen to Harris’ acceptance speech.

Right here’s what they’re amped up about this week: 

• Van Nuys Sen. Caroline Menjivar is happy to attend caucus conferences: “I want to connect with other leaders across the United States. I introduced ‘Make polluters pay’ this year. I had to shelve it. But Vermont passed it, New York, I think, is about to pass it, so I want to hear from delegates in other states, what did they do over on that that we can do in California?” 

• Los Angeles Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas on the speeches, which she watched on the airport: “It just set the tone for what’s at stake and what we deserve and why we have to come together and be here to elect this slate. This is an amazing, historic moment, and such a proud moment for California.”

• Pasadena Assemblymember Chris Holdenon how the conference helps him symbolize constituents: “Vice President Harris, what she believes in, are the things that I fight for every day in Sacramento … I come from a district where the values line up accordingly, whether it’s fighting for the working men and women, trying to make sure that they are getting paid and respected on their job, environment, health insurance, everything that California does.”

A invoice that sought to make massive on-line platforms pay for information content material has been scrapped by its creator after 18 months of effort, writes CalMatters Capitol reporter Jeanne Kuang.

As a substitute on Wednesday, Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Oakland, together with Gov. Gavin Newsom, introduced a deal between the state, information retailers and the tech firms that strongly opposed the measure.

The deal guarantees $175 million to native information retailers over the subsequent 5 years. The cash will come from the state and Google, and shall be administered by the UC Berkeley Faculty of Journalism. Along with $105 million for native newsrooms, Google will put $12.5 million a yr into a synthetic intelligence “accelerator” program to assist companies, nonprofits and researchers. 

• Wicksin a press release: “This partnership represents a cross-sector commitment to supporting a free and vibrant press, empowering local news outlets up and down the state to continue in their essential work.”

However unions representing media employees blasted the deal, arguing it doesn’t go far sufficient to help the beleaguered information business. They accused publishers and lawmakers of caving to Google’s calls for.

• Matt Pearcepresident of the Media Guild of the West: “Google won, a monopoly won. … I don’t know of any journalist that asked for this.”

The invoice required tech firms to pay media retailers an annual charge or enter arbitration for scraping or linking their tales. Along with working a marketing campaign blitz towards the proposal, Google briefly eliminated hyperlinks to California information web sites from its search leads to protest and warned that it’d cease funding nonprofit newsrooms nationwide.

Be taught extra in regards to the journalism deal in Jeanne’s story.

(Be aware: CalMatters CEO Neil Chase was concerned within the deal as a board member for Native Impartial On-line Information Publishers. His views don’t essentially mirror these of the group, newsroom or its employees.)

In different legislative information: CalMatters Inland Empire reporter Deborah Brennan explores a invoice to spice up electrical automotive manufacturing and infrastructure in Riverside County. The proposal by Assemblymember Corey Jackson would create an “opportunity zone” to increase coaching and education schemes for EV automotive mechanics, technicians and engineers. 

Supporters of the invoice say it might enhance the area’s financial system and create good jobs, however the greatest beneficiary at first might be luxurious EV maker Karma Automotive. The corporate has an meeting plant in Moreno Valley, which the zone is prone to embrace. Learn extra about the EV invoice in Deborah’s story.

With lower than three months till Election Day, CalMatters dives into all of the statewide poll measures voters will weigh in on. 

Our newest protection: Proposition 2a $10 billion bond to pay for varsity facility repairs. A lot of the cash, $8.5 billion, would go in direction of new building and modernization of Ok-12 colleges, whereas $1.5 billion would go to group faculties. 

In contrast to many different states, California doesn’t have everlasting funding for varsity repairs. Prop. 2 proponents say the cash is desperately wanted, particularly since 38% of scholars attend colleges that don’t meet the state’s minimal security requirements. Decrease-income districts specifically have bother elevating bond cash for repairs, and sometimes depend on state bonds. 

However opponents say the cash for varsity repairs ought to come out of the state’s common finances, not from taxpayers.

Be taught extra about Prop. 2 from CalMatters Ok-12 schooling reporter Carolyn Jones in our one-minute video. And take a quiz from CalMatters knowledge reporter Erica Yee to see the way you would possibly vote. 

There’s one other $10 billion bond on the poll: Prop. 4 to fund local weather and environmental tasks. Backed by environmental teams, Cal Fireplace firefighters and the California Labor Federation, the measure would put aside $3.8 billion for water tasks, together with enhancing water high quality and drought and flood safety. The remaining would go in direction of wildfire and forest packages, addressing rising sea ranges, clear power tasks and extra.

Prop. 4 opponents, who embrace Republican legislative leaders, argue that “bonds are the most expensive way for the government to pay for things.” In line with the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Workplacetaxpayers might spend $16 billion over 40 years repaying the bond. 

To seek out out extra, watch a video explainer from CalMatters local weather reporter Alejandro Lazo. And take the quiz from Erica. 

Extra methods to study poll props: CalMatters politics intern Jenna Peterson and engagement supervisor Anna Almendrala produced a TikTok and an Instagram reel on Prop. 3 on same-sex marriage. They earlier did TikTok and Insta posts on Prop. 32which might enhance the state minimal wage.

Coachella Valley residents breathe a number of the worst air within the nation. CalMatters’ Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and producer Robert Meeks have a video section on Alejandra’s story on the area’s wrestle with hazardous air high quality as a part of our partnership with PBS SoCal. Watch it right here. 

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