California Policy and Politics Thursday

Judge skeptical on ICE agents wearing masks in case that could have national implications -- A federal judge Wednesday heard arguments in the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging California’s new law prohibiting ICE agents and other police officers from wearing masks on duty. The judge asked how ICE agents operated without masks in years past, and questioned why California peace officers were exempted from the law. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

‘They’re escalating’: A Q&A with Rob Bonta on Trump’s immigration crackdown -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sued the Trump administration more than 50 times. One recent victory ended a National Guard deployment in Los Angeles. Nigel Duara Calmatters -- 01/15/26

With tensions high, San Jose enacts ‘ICE-free zones’ on city-owned property -- The new policy prohibits city garages, parking lots and public spaces from being used for staging, operations bases and processing. Devan Patel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/15/26

‘No reasonable explanation’ for Homeland Security officer shooting Santa Ana protester in the face, blinding an eye, expert says -- A Department of Homeland Security officer’s decision to shoot a protester directly in the face with a less than lethal projectile from point blank range — blinding the demonstrator’s left eye — goes directly against how law enforcement should be trained to use such weaponry, a veteran police expert said on Wednesday. Sean Emery, Sydney Barragan in the Orange County Register$ -- 01/15/26

California, L.A. brace for Trump’s new threats to cut funds over immigration stance -- California officials pointed out that courts have repeatedly sided against the president on this matter. Sanctuary policies generally do not block federal authorities from carrying out immigration actions, but restrict how local resources can be used. Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

San Jose latest city to face questions whether federal authorities are accessing police license plate camera data -- Department denies wrongdoing and said searches ‘were not related to immigration enforcement.’ Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/15/26

 

L.A. unions push new tax on companies with ‘overpaid’ CEOs -- A group of Los Angeles labor unions is proposing a ballot measure they say would combat income inequality in the city by raising taxes on companies whose chief executive officers make at least 50 times more than their median-paid employee. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

Newsom rejects Louisiana effort to extradite abortion doctor -- The decision highlights a widening legal standoff between Republican-led states with near-total abortion bans and states like California protecting providers offering abortion care. Newsom vowed California will not allow “extremist politicians from other states” to punish doctors for providing abortion care. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Rachel Bluth Politico -- 01/15/26

California watchdog says Newsom budget plan sidesteps ‘alarming’ deficits ahead -- The report published Monday warns of rising spending commitments in the proposed budget, which counts on a $42 billion windfall from high-income taxpayers’ stock market returns to balance the books this year — a volatile revenue source that could evaporate in a financial downturn. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/15/26

Newsom plans no new journalism funding despite $175 million funding deal with Google -- Gov. Gavin Newsom included no new funding for local journalism in his budget proposal last week, walking back an August 2024 deal with Google to commit $175 million over five years to help the diminishing industry. Yue Stella Yu Calmatters -- 01/15/26

The fight over how to pay for Medi-Cal puts pressure on Newsom to raise taxes -- Newsom has already vowed to tank a proposed ballot initiative that would impose a 5% wealth tax on the state’s billionaires to bolster Medi-Cal. Progressive lawmakers and their allies in labor and health seem hopeful that Newsom could support a different long-shot funding idea. Maya C. Miller and Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 01/15/26

A Trump culture warrior enters the race for California attorney general -- Michael Gates, a conservative attorney who had a rocky departure from a top position in President Donald Trump’s Justice Department last fall, launched his run Wednesday, promising to fix a state that he said is “broken.” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

This assemblymember announces run to finish LaMalfa’s term in Congress -- Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, opened his campaign touting the support of LaMalfa’s widow, Jill LaMalfa, and her family. Andrew Graham and Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/15/26

 

Kaiser affiliates to pay $556 million in Medicare fraud scheme -- The settlement puts an end to claims that affiliates of Kaiser Permanente — the Oakland-based healthcare giant — violated federal law by pressuring doctors to add certain diagnoses to patients’ medical records after visits had already happened, according to the Justice Department. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Kelly Cloonan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/15/26

Mayor Lurie rolls out new affordability push. Here’s his first move -- To kick off the initiative, Lurie said San Francisco will expand free and subsidized early child care by raising the income thresholds that determine which families qualify for those programs. The city will do so using unspent money from a tax voters passed years ago to fund the child care expansion. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/15/26

Water

California’s plan to build largest reservoir in decades faces new snag -- As California moves closer to construction of its largest reservoir in nearly 50 years, a union’s concerns about an out-of-state company building the water project are adding a late-stage complication. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/15/26

New research warns of major threats to Sacramento’s water supply -- Warming temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns will reshape the American, Bear and Cosumnes river watersheds, intensifying snowpack loss and placing greater strain on California’s water supply, a two-year study has found. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/15/26

California’s Delta waters are in poor ecological health, scientists warn -- California’s biggest rivers converge in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the waterways and wetlands forming an ecosystem where fresh water meets salt water from San Francisco Bay, and where native fish historically flourished. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

Workplace

How Altadena businesses are trying to recover from the Eaton Fire -- A year after the Eaton Fire, some small business owners in Altadena are striving to rebuild, in some cases while also grappling with being displaced from homes that burned down or were severely damaged. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 01/15/26

The California wine industry might finally hit bottom next year -- The ongoing wine industry crisis, which has seen sales drop precipitously every year since their peak in 2021 and has battered every corner of the industry, will end — but not for a couple more years, according to a new report. Jess Lander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/15/26

Climate

The Earth keeps getting hotter, and Americans’ trust in science is on a down trend -- A Pew Research poll reveals partisan division over U.S. scientific leadership, with Democrats far more concerned about losing ground than Republicans. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

Homeless

‘Blindsided’: Residents of this Bay Area city say officials hid plan to build tiny cabins for homeless -- Mason and other longtime residents of the Rafael Meadows neighborhood say the project, which was approved and paid for by Marin County, was announced well before they could absorb what was about to happen. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/15/26

Education

How did LAUSD students measure up to district goals? The wins, shortfalls and 2026 plan -- Los Angeles Unified students have scored notable improvements but are falling short of nearly all goals in the district’s four-year strategic plan. Third-grade reading and math show gains — but not as much as targeted. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

Also

Walters: Homelessness crisis remains one of Newsom’s biggest political liabilities -- While delivering his final State of the State address and proposing his final state budget last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom clearly sought to neutralize an issue that has haunted his political career for more than two decades and could torpedo his hopes of becoming president: homelessness. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 01/15/26

Highway 1 in Big Sur reopens after three-year closure -- In a milestone affecting one of the most scenic drives in the United States, Caltrans crews have finished clearing a massive landslide blocking Highway 1 in Big Sur. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Grace Toohey, Myung J. Chun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

California surfer escapes shark attack that shreds his board and wet suit, drives to the hospital -- About 10 minutes after surfer Tommy Civik entered the water in Mendocino County, he was slammed by a force from below so hard that it was “like getting hit by a car.” Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/15/26

POTUS 47

Renaming Defense Department Could Cost Taxpayers $125 Million -- A report released by the Congressional Budget Office estimated the amount of money that would be spent on new signs and letterhead, should Congress approve a change. John Ismay in the New York Times$ -- 01/15/26

How Trump’s economy is really doing right now -- While it’s not soaring, inflation has been tough to bring down during Trump’s first year back in the White House. And even though consumers continue to spend and businesses keep investing, there aren’t a lot of jobs available. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 01/15/26

Trump is making China – not America – great again, global survey suggests -- A year after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, a global survey suggests much of the world believes his nation-first, “Make America Great Again” approach is instead helping to make China great again. Jon Henley The Guardian -- 01/15/26