The place’s the federal assist for Los Angeles County fires?

Within the aftermath of the lethal January Los Angeles County wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to L.A. and Washington, D.C. to foyer President Donald Trump and members of Congress for federal assist.

However three months later, Congress has but to maneuver on Newsom’s $40 billion requestreviews CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff. In the meantime, frustrations from Democratic voters over Trump’s different insurance policies put mounting strain on the governor to push again — although Newsom should nonetheless work with Trump to safe catastrophe reduction.

Newsom met the president throughout a very tense time of their relationship: Trump had repeatedly threatened to withhold federal catastrophe assist; and the state Legislature wrapped up a particular session, known as by Newsom, to earmark funds for potential authorized clashes towards Trump’s administration.

After their conferences, Trump stated an “L.A. fire fix” was coming, and Newsom — in comparison with his self-positioning final fall as an outspoken chief to the Trump resistance — didn’t maintain any press occasions for many of late February. (As an alternative, he grabbed headlines whereas talking with conservative firebrands on his new podcast.)

However within the months that adopted, the Trump administration has tried to enact tariffs that threaten California’s economic system; proposed deep cuts to federal companies and packages; and defied courtroom orders concerning mass deportations — prompting Newsom to both file lawsuits or publicly converse out towards the federal insurance policies.

The governor has had a “tone shift,” stated Bob Salladay, Newsom’s senior communications adviser, as a result of “there has been a policy shift from D.C. that is beyond alarming.”

And what about that assist cash? The Newsom administration is optimistic Congress will approve extra catastrophe assist by this summer time. A bipartisan group, made up of all of California’s congressional delegation, is advocating for the reduction bundle.

As for Newsom, he instructed reporters final week that he’s persevering with to work behind the scenes to take care of his relationship with Trump, however would nonetheless defend the state’s core ideas.

• Newsom: “If you want to make a point, you may want to reconsider. If you want to make a difference, stand tall and firm. And that’s kind of the approach.”

Learn extra right here.

Greater than 2 million Californians are enrolled in Lined California, the state’s medical health insurance market underneath the Inexpensive Care Act. Final 12 months, a few of these enrollees had their private information shared with LinkedIn.

Latest forensic testing by CalMatters’ You are taking apodaca and Colin Lecher revealed that Lined California’s web site has been sending delicate information to the for-profit job recruiting social networking website — and that guests may have had their information tracked for greater than a 12 months.

As guests stuffed out varieties on Lined California’s web site, trackers despatched info to Linkedin. The knowledge included whether or not guests had been blind, pregnant or used a excessive variety of prescription medicines. The trackers additionally monitored whether or not guests stated they had been transgender or potential victims of home abuse.

In a press release, a spokesperson for Lined California confirmed that information was despatched to LinkedIn as a part of an promoting marketing campaign that started in February 2024. Since CalMatters and The Markup’s reporting in regards to the difficulty, nonetheless, most advert trackers have been faraway from the location.

Learn extra right here.

Right now the Senate Transportation Committee is contemplating a invoice that might shorten the size of freight trains in California. Proponents say the invoice would make railways safer, however critics argue the measure may increase the value of products in a state already combating a excessive cost-of-living.

As CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow explains, the invoice by Democratic Sen. Bob Archuleta of Norwalk would cap the utmost size of a freight practice to 7,500 toes, or about 125 60-foot-long rail vehicles. The railway trade employs a number of thousand employees, together with ones represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. The union argues that shorter trains are much less prone to derail. The invoice handed its first committee listening to final week after Democrats within the Senate’s committee on vitality, utilities and communications voted to advance the measure.

The practice trade and a minimum of two dozen different enterprise teams oppose the invoice. They argue that shortening trains may make transporting items dearer since longer trains require fewer engines and crew members to tug. The proposal additionally might not be authorized: The federal authorities wields broad authority over interstate commerce, enabling it to have ultimate say on regulating railroads.

Learn extra right here.