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Presented by Consumer Action for a Strong Economy: Jeremy B. White and Lara Korte’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Lara Korte and Sejal Govindarao | | | THE BUZZ: One year after the fall of Roe v Wade, California has cemented its role as an abortion bastion. Just ask Gov. Gavin Newsom. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision 364 days ago didn't exactly transform or upend the politics of a resolutely pro-abortion state. A consistent three-quarters of voters had already said for decades that they wanted to see federal abortion rights upheld. Instead, SCOTUS wrought a doubling-down that sharpened contrasts between California and abortion-restricting red states — a widening gulf that Newsom has constantly invoked and expanded. California’s post-Dobbs political landscape hasn't uniformly benefited Democratic candidates. Republicans prevailed in a cluster of House races where Democratic candidates highlighted abortion, demonstrating both the potency of economic concerns and the limits of running on abortion in a state where Dobbs had not imperiled access for most voters. A constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights was not a Trump-magnitude midterm turnout booster. But Newsom, lawmakers and voters still significantly fortified the state's abortion laws and funding. The constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly with the help of millions of dollars from Newsom and political heavyweights. Lawmakers sent Newsom bills barring prosecution for pregnancy loss, preventing California law enforcement from collaborating with out-of-state abortion investigations and letting nurse practitioners perform abortions without a doctor’s supervision. The budget set aside millions of dollars for an influx of out-of-state abortion seekers. Through it all, few have been more aggressive than Newsom in forcing the issue and inserting California into state-level standoffs. In the months after decrying national Democrats' anemic response, he bought billboards in red states advertising California as an abortion haven, moved to cut off Walgreens for succumbing to Republican pressure on abortion medication (The outcome was more complicated.) and responded to a Texas law authorizing payouts to people who sue abortion providers by pushing a California version for guns, hoping to force a legal reckoning. Abortion access may be settled law in the state Newsom leads, but he always has an eye on the bigger picture. The governor has raised money for President Joe Biden and his own PAC by lambasting Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on abortion restrictions. When a Texas judge blocked approval of an abortion drug, Newsom let his donors know California was stockpiling pills — and asked for $20 to “fight back everywhere rights are under attack.” Now we’re headed into a campaign cycle where Biden will emphasize abortion rights. With Newsom serving as a prominent Biden surrogate, you can count on hearing more about the importance of making America’s abortion laws more like California’s and less like Florida’s. BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. The budget clock is striking 11: We’re in the final window for a deal to be in print so that lawmakers can send it to Newsom by Tuesday. Lawmakers continue to negotiate with the administration over the governor’s infrastructure-accelerating bill package. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up at jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte.
| | | | A message from Consumer Action for a Strong Economy: The Biden administration is waking up to the alarming issue of illegal Chinese-made flavored disposable vapes. Now is the time to strengthen our resolve, redouble our efforts, and eradicate these illegal products from American store shelves. The health and safety of our youth depends on it. Join us in urging the FDA to finish the job to protect minors from the risks posed by illegal Chinese-made flavored disposable vapes. Learn more. | | | WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Over 75 percent of this legislative body — Republican and Democrat — have served under the leadership exclusively of Speaker Rendon up to today, meaning this era of empowered chairs is all we have experienced.” Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes delivers a resolution to rename Room 317 the Speaker Anthony Rendon Conference Room in honor of the outgoing, long-serving leader. CROWDSOURCING: Californians: Have you asked Sens. Dianne Feinstein or Alex Padilla for help recently? Send us your receipts.
| | | | LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today. | | | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | — "She lost her home. She doesn’t want to lose her city council seat," by CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff: “An Ojai City Councilmember moved out of her district after losing her home and is in danger of losing her seat. She and her supporters say it’s a dramatic demonstration of California’s affordable housing crisis.” — "Newsom faces Democratic budget resistance over water tunnel to Southern California," by POLITICO’s Lara Korte and Wes Venteicher: “Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing resistance from fellow Democrats over provisions in his proposed budget that would ease the path of a long and fiercely disputed tunnel to transfer water to Southern California, a lawmaker involved in the talks said Thursday.”
| | | | A message from Consumer Action for a Strong Economy:   | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — "California Supreme Court repeals decades of rulings shielding police from lawsuits," by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Bob Egelko: “The state Supreme Court on Thursday broadened Californians’ right to seek damages for abusive conduct by police, overturning decades of rulings that shielded police and the agencies that employed them from liability for any actions officers took during investigations.” — "Fentanyl has made her a ‘frequent flyer’ at S.F. hospitals. After every visit, she winds up back on the streets," by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Heather Knight: “Fentanyl has an ironclad grip on Jessica Didia’s life. She organizes her days around smoking the drug from sheets of foil and shoplifting to pay for it, and she continues this routine despite surviving, by her estimate, more than 100 overdoses.” — "Advocates call for 911 changes. Police have mixed feelings." by California Healthline's Molly Castle Work: “A mountain of evidence shows police often fail to respond properly to people experiencing a mental health crisis. It can lead to avoidable deaths and criminalization of mental illness, especially among people of color.” — "San Francisco ramping up drug arrest policy, mayor says," by The San Francisco Standard’s Josh Koehn: “Mayor London Breed announced the policy change by the District Attorney’s Office in a conversation Wednesday evening at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Brooke Jenkins, whom the mayor appointed district attorney last summer, previously said that the city would force people into the drug court after five arrests, and then dropped that number to three in December.” — "California is getting a new Assembly speaker. Is he an unlikely leader or a calculating one?" by The Sacramento Bee’s Lindsey Holden, Mathew Miranda and Stephen Hobbs: “Robert Rivas tells anyone who will listen that his rise from farmworker housing on the rural Central Coast to Assembly speaker is wholly unexpected, the California Dream become reality.”
| | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | | — "Meta to pull plug on news sharing in Canada," by POLITICO’s Kyle Duggan: “Social media company Meta warned Canada weeks ago it would end the sharing of news content on those platforms for some users as a test, which it would expand across the country if the Liberal government did not revise its controversial online news legislation.” — "Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg agree to fight in a cage match," by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Aidin Vaziri: “Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, two of the Bay Area’s and the world’s highest-profile tech billionaires, have agreed to fight each other in a cage match.” — "Australia to Elon Musk: Explain how you’re dealing with hate on Twitter," by The Washington Post’s Frances Vinall: “Australia has ordered Twitter to explain what it is doing to tackle online hate, saying there had been a sharp increase in “toxicity and hate” since Elon Musk took over the company last year.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO 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 | | — "A White House replica lists in California," by The Wall Street Journal’s E.B. Solomont — "Fresno County sheriff’s captain demoted after sexual comments to students about porn, boobs," by The Fresno Bee's Yesenia Amaro
| | BIRTHDAYS | | Meta’s Amber Moon … Ryan Rogers Woodbury
| | | | A message from Consumer Action for a Strong Economy: Recently, the FDA has taken steps to control and enforce the laws on illegal, foreign-made disposable vapes in kid-friendly flavors, including issuing a Red Alert allowing for the seizure of these products at ports of entry and sending warning letters to several foreign vape manufacturers.
The recent actions taken by the FDA and the Biden administration against these foreign manufacturers are promising first steps. However, words alone won’t suffice. We need the FDA and the Biden administration to go the distance and fully protect American youth from the dangers posed by illegal Chinese-made disposable vapes, especially those enticingly flavored for kids.
Together, we can ensure a safer future for our children and our communities. Tell the FDA to "Finish the Job" and get illegal foreign disposable vapes in kid-friendly flavors off store shelves. Learn more. | | | 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 | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
