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Presented by Stop AB 257: Jeremy B. White and Lara Korte’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | |  | | By Lara Korte, Jeremy B. White and Sakura Cannestra | Presented by Stop AB 257 | THE BUZZ: California’s air quality regulator today is set to adopt one of the nation’s most ambitious policies for curbing fossil fuel reliance, which could lead to a total transformation of the automobile market. The plan would ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in California, while also requiring that 35 percent of all new passenger cars sold by 2026 have no emissions, a threshold that would increase to 68 percent by 2030, as POLITICO’s Camille Von Kaenel reports. This day has been in the works for a while — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the executive order in 2020 — so you’d be forgiven for forgetting the details. A quick reminder: California has special permission from the feds to set its own air quality standards, and often goes above and beyond the rest of the country. The expected approval from the California Air Resources Board today would put more power behind the governor’s order, and allow the agency to inflict civil penalties for cars sold in violation of the policy. When Newsom introduced the policy two years ago, it was clear he was hoping to use California’s massive economy, the fifth-largest in the world, to force car manufacturers to transition away from fossil fuel vehicles. Since then, carmakers have been mostly supportive and investing in zero-emission vehicles. Toyota said Tuesday that its excited about plans to expand those investments, and is “eager to explore the State’s engagement with these efforts.” Transportation is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States — the second-top carbon dioxide emitter on the planet behind China, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. More than a dozen states are expected to follow California’s lead in adopting zero-emission vehicle mandates. If they do, it would account for nearly a third of the nation’s entire automobile market. That would be a big deal not only for California but for Newsom, who has aimed to take big swings and come out first on progressive policy areas he favors. The agency’s adoption of the rule also comes as the administration is in talks with legislators and environmental advocates over climate policy — including how to transition the state’s electrical grid away from gas-powered plants without compromising reliability. Since we’re talking about ZEV: We should remind you that the governor recently voiced his opposition to Proposition 30, which would raise taxes on Californians making more than $2 million to subsidize electric vehicles and related infrastructure. As Jeremy reported, Newsom last month called the measure a “ cynical scheme ” by ride-hail company Lyft to meet a state EV mandate on the public’s dime. BUENOS DÍAS, good Thursday morning. More than 3.8 million Californians stand to benefit from the Biden administration’s plan, announced yesterday, to cancel a portion of the nation’s student debt. California borrowers tend to owe more than the typical student debtor — an average of $37,084. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up: jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I know initiatives and folks will say anything. Perhaps that initiative will provide a few dollars. I'm not supporting or opposing it, I haven't given it a lot of thought, but it is not a homeless initiative. I know Angelenos can read between the lines and they know better." Newsom on the DraftKings-backed Proposition 27, which would legalize online sports betting and channel some revenue to a state homelessness fund. TWEET OF THE DAY: Digital Content Next CEO @jason_kint on the Attorney General's first enforcement of California’s privacy law: “A massive deal. California is the strongest privacy law in the US as it relates to digital media and the AG is also doubling down on the global privacy control which must be honored under the law as it’s being further clarified in an updated rulemaking.” WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | A message from Stop AB 257: AB 257 imposes a restaurant tax that will lead to higher prices at thousands of local restaurants in California. This bill would hurt our small business owners, their employees, and the communities they serve. Between skyrocketing food and gas prices, working families can’t afford to pay another tax on meals.
Take Action | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | NEW STRATEGIES — “Gavin Newsom, the Ron DeSantis of the Left,” by the Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf: “Many Democrats rightly scoff at Trump-era conservatives who care more about owning the libs than serving their constituents. But Newsom likewise seems to think that, in today’s political environment, the best way to improve his national prospects is to mock and irritate the other side. And for better or worse, he may be correct..” — “ Congressman’s Wife Died After Taking Herbal Remedy Marketed for Diabetes and Weight Loss,” by Kaiser Health News’ Samantha Young: “Lori McClintock, the wife of U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock, died from dehydration due to gastroenteritis — an inflammation of the stomach and intestines — that was caused by “adverse effects of white mulberry leaf ingestion,” according to a report from the Sacramento County coroner that is dated March 10 but was not immediately released to the public.” ROE’S ROLLING LEGACY — California ballot measure to guarantee right to abortion has strong support among voters, poll finds, by POLITICO’s Lara Korte: It’s a reflection of the deep support for abortion rights in California as many other states begin to impose restrictions on the practice following the June 24 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | NO NEWSOM ENDORSEMENT FOR BASS: Rep. Karen Bass has the explicit backing of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton , Nancy Pelosi and a slew of other powerful Democrats, but still can’t seem to get a solid answer from Newsom on whether he supports her in the race for Los Angeles mayor. At a homelessness event on Wednesday, Newsom, standing just feet away from Bass, declined to offer an endorsement, saying he has “great respect” for Bass, and has also known her competitor, billionaire developer Rick Caruso , for “years and years and years. The billionaire real estate developer has put his money behind Republicans and supported anti-abortion politicians before deciding to run as a Democrat this year. "I'm on the ballot as well,” Newsom said. “I've tried to stay out of these Dem-on-Dem races as a rule, and that's not atypical in these contests.” Notably, Newsom’s chief political consultants, at Bearstar Strategies, are running Caruso’s mayoral campaign. And as far as endorsements in Dem-on-Dem races go, Newsom hasn’t seemed to have had a problem with that in the past. Some recent endorsements, to name a few:
- Harris for president in the 2020 race over a wide field of Democrats.
- Clinton twice in the Democratic primaries — 2008 campaign and 2016 campaign.
- Newly-elected Assemblymember Matt Haney over Democrat David Campos in the special election for District 17 earlier this year.
- San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria over Democrat Barbara Bry in 2020.
- Ricardo Lara over Marc Levine in this year’s insurance commissioner primary.
- Assemblymember Buffy Wicks over Democrat Jovanka Beckles in 2018.
- Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia over Democratic Assemblymember Cristina Garcia in this year’s primary for CA-42.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — “Jury orders L.A. County to pay $31 million in Kobe Bryant crash photo sharing case,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Alene Tchekmedyian: “Jurors awarded [Vanessa] Bryant $16 million and [Chris] Chester $15 million for the distress they found the two had already suffered over the photos and would suffer going forward.” — “California could be first state to ban 1-pound propane cylinders used by campers ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Gregory Thomas: “Between 4.5 million and 7 million of the non-refillable propane cylinders are sold in California each year, according to an estimate from the California Product Stewardship Council, the nonprofit local government coalition that is sponsoring SB 1256. “ REACHING HIGHER — “ In College, Dyslexic Students Often Have To Be Their Own Advocates. How Some Found A Path To Success,” by LAist’s Jill Replogle: “Results from the national survey and separate research point to a variety of reasons why students may not report a disability to their college or university, including not considering themselves disabled and not wanting to out themselves as having a disability.” — “ Thanks to Rick Caruso, attacks against California Democrats are coming from inside the house,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli: “That ripple effect can spread. Roughly one out of every three registered Democrats in California lives in the Los Angeles area. Some of the broadcast TV ads featuring grim photos of L.A.’s homeless population are being seen in Orange County, where Democrats are trying to win or hold on to four congressional seats that could determine whether the party maintains control of the House.” STUDENT SUPPORT — “ Why Cal State struggles to graduate Black students — and what could be done,” by CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn, Michaella Huck and Julie Watts: “The Cal State system graduates Black students at lower rates than other groups. Students, scholars and advocates say the reasons are myriad.” DRIVING THE FUTURE — California air agency to ban sales of gasoline-powered cars by 2035, by POLITICO’s Camille Von Kaenel: California has a special ability to set clean car rules under federal law, and typically sets more stringent and far-reaching rules than its federal counterpart. More than a dozen states are expected to adopt the zero emissions vehicle mandate soon, meaning the rule will cover roughly a third of the country’s auto market. — “‘People are really scared’: Why fires at the Bay Area’s largest homeless encampment are so tough to fight,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sarah Ravani: “When Oakland Fire Chief Reginald Freeman responded to a report of a fire at the Wood Street encampment in July, he first noticed the heavy, black smoke that had drifted into the air. The encampment had reported many fires in the months before, but this one was unusual — bringing traffic on the nearby highway to a standstill.” HOUSING HOPES — “ Renters pay big fees every time they apply for apartments. California could change that,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Summer Lin: “The application fees can be burdensome, discouraging some renters from conducting a wide search and adding to the challenge of finding an affordable home.” — “ Klamath district complies with water shutoff after feds threaten funding,” by the Capital Press’ George Plaven: “After initially indicating it would defy the federal government’s order to shut off water to the Klamath Project, the Klamath Irrigation District has closed the A Canal under duress from officials threatening to withhold millions of dollars of drought assistance.” | | | | A message from Stop AB 257:   | | | | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | | — Biden OKs sweeping student loan relief as midterms near, by POLITICO’s Michael Stratford and Eugene Daniels: In a speech at the White House on Wednesday, Biden talked about the rising cost of attending college in the U.S., and the overwhelming burden this places on low- and middle-income Americans. | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | COLD CASE CONTENT — “YouTube divers found the body of Kiely Rodni, and they are part of a new crop of creators taking a more active role in cases,” by Business Insider’s Geoff Weiss: “These are critical questions that have garnered little consensus, especially as true crime becomes more ubiquitous and creators seek an even closer hand in dealing with victims and their families. [Youtuber Kendall] Rae is part of a new crop of true-crime YouTubers who aren't just talking about cases, but actively trying to help solve them.” — “ Pinterest is facing a civil rights investigation in California,” by Protocol’s Issie Lapowsky: “The investigation comes two years after Ozoma and her former Pinterest colleague Aerica Shimizu Banks alleged in a series of viral tweets that they faced discrimination and retaliation at the company.” | | | | INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | MIXTAPE | | RESTING TOO EASY — “Brink’s driver was asleep inside vehicle during multimillion-dollar jewelry heist,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Daniel Miller and Richard Winton. — “California lawmakers aim to strip nonprofit status from groups that participated in Jan. 6 riot,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sophia Bollag. LOOKING UP — “ California billboards seen in LA and SF warn against moving to Texas by invoking mass shooting,” by SFGate’s Andrew Chamings. — “ California man pleads guilty to smuggling 1,700 animals,” by the Associated Press. — “Cal names acting director for swim programs as McKeever probe continues,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Nanette Asimov. — “Sacramento region to test mass notification system Thursday. Here’s what to expect,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Vivienne Aguilar. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) (5-0) … former Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) … Sam Michelman … Lennon Dugan
| | | | A message from Stop AB 257: AB 257 would establish new regulations for counter-service restaurants, creating a tax on working families’ dining choices by forcing menu price increases. This bill will affect tens of thousands of counter service restaurants where customers pay first then eat. It creates a food council of unelected appointees to take the place of legislators and set wages and duplicative and conflicting workplace laws. This extra layer of decision-making will raise costs at these establishments, essentially creating a tax on working families' dining choices by increasing menu prices. Increased costs mean fewer local restaurant openings, slower job growth, fewer employees per shift, decreases in hours and less opportunity for career advancement. It's a lose-lose situation for everyone. Tell your legislator to STOP AB 257. | | | CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this -only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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