ARTICLE
The November election brought us a new Congress as the House of Representatives turned Democratic blue. The US Senate remains in the hands of the Republicans. Whether we see any significant legislative achievements and compromise with the new Congress and the White House is yet to be seen. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, back in Sacramento, the California Legislature convened as lawmakers kicked off a new two-year session Monday. The day was mostly ceremonial but a few eager legislators began putting bills across the desk, giving an early indication of some key policy fights that will shape 2019. Some of the early legislation reflects policy priorities Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom championed on the campaign trail—calling for more housing, health care and early childhood education. (Newsom will be sworn in on Jan. 7, 2019.) It’s too soon to say how these legislative proposals will fare - a long road of compromises often separates a bill’s introduction from the gubernatorial signature that turns it into a law. Here are a few themes emerging in this first day of legislative action: Disaster California’s recent wildfires are clearly on the legislators’ mind. Both chambers opened with a moment of silence for victims of the Camp and Woolsey fires. Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood, who represents Santa Rosa - and who, as a forensic dentist, has been helping to identify remains in the Camp Fire - introduced legislation to hasten, broaden, subsidize and better codify local fire preparedness. As last session’s hard-fought wildfire bill demonstrated, though, the costs and liabilities associated with wildfires can politically be a hard sell. Critics of Pacific Gas & Electric, whose equipment has been linked to many of last year’s fires, have been adamant in their demand that the state not give the massive utility a bailout. Housing Lawmakers introduced several bills aimed at alleviating the state’s housing crisis on the first day of the legislative session, including twin efforts to revive a controversial funding source for affordable housing. Assembly member David Chiu, (D- San Francisco) reintroduced a bill that would revive and reform redevelopment agencies across the state. Eliminated by Gov. Brown in 2011 to close the state’s yawning budget deficit, redevelopment agencies provided about $1 billion annually for the construction and preservation of low-income housing. The state senate unveiled their own version of “Redevelopment 2.0” on Monday. Senator Jim Beall (D- San Jose) and Sen. Mike McGuire (D- Marin) announced they will be introducing a series of bills in the coming weeks to ease the state’s housing crisis, although the specifics of their redevelopment bill or other pieces of legislation were not yet made public. Senator Scott Wiener (D- San Francisco) plans to reintroduce his controversial bill that would allow taller, denser buildings around public transit, a measure that was widely admired and summarily trounced last year. Pre-school If there is a sure bet this legislative session, the expansion of early childhood education is at the top of the list. Gov. Brown was not a strong advocate for early education. He was wary of putting the state on the financial hook for an obligation as long-term and expensive as, say, universal preschool. Democrats have come to the table well-armed. Earlier this year, a Stanford-led team of academicians issued a massive study recommending that California spend much more on pre-K education. And Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom has been pushing early childhood education for years. Gig Economy A major source of conversation at the end of the last session was a state court decision that threw a monkey wrench into a legal pillar of the gig economy. The so-called “Dynamex Ruling” makes it harder for employers to classify workers as independent contractors. Cheered by organized labor, it impacted workers from Uber drivers to businesses to emergency room doctors, and sent lobbyists scrambling for relief, or at least clarification on what this all means to small businesses. On Monday, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) said she will introduce a bill to put statutory requirements around the ruling. Business interests will try to limit the requirements. This issue has the potential to put a significant divide as it hits on competing goods from across the political spectrum—jobs, tech, small business, fair pay—this is one of those vexing issues that could challenge even a Legislature that has a super majority of Democrats who can pass legislation without input from the minority. Not since the 1880s has California seen such a one-sided legislature. What are the priorities of our local state legislators, Senator Bill Monning and Assembly member Mark Stone? Next week, we will reach out to our state legislators to get an update on their 2019 priorities. Stay tuned.
The November election brought us a new Congress as the House of Representatives turned Democratic blue. The US Senate remains in the hands of the Republicans. Whether we see any significant legislative achievements and compromise with the new Congress and the White House is yet to be seen. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, back in Sacramento, the California Legislature convened as lawmakers kicked off a new two-year session Monday. The day was mostly ceremonial but a few eager legislators began putting bills across the desk, giving an early indication of some key policy fights that will shape 2019.
Some of the early legislation reflects policy priorities Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom championed on the campaign trail—calling for more housing, health care and early childhood education. (Newsom will be sworn in on Jan. 7, 2019.)
It’s too soon to say how these legislative proposals will fare - a long road of compromises often separates a bill’s introduction from the gubernatorial signature that turns it into a law. Here are a few themes emerging in this first day of legislative action:
Disaster California’s recent wildfires are clearly on the legislators’ mind. Both chambers opened with a moment of silence for victims of the Camp and Woolsey fires.
Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood, who represents Santa Rosa - and who, as a forensic dentist, has been helping to identify remains in the Camp Fire - introduced legislation to hasten, broaden, subsidize and better codify local fire preparedness. As last session’s hard-fought wildfire bill demonstrated, though, the costs and liabilities associated with wildfires can politically be a hard sell.
Critics of Pacific Gas & Electric, whose equipment has been linked to many of last year’s fires, have been adamant in their demand that the state not give the massive utility a bailout.
Housing Lawmakers introduced several bills aimed at alleviating the state’s housing crisis on the first day of the legislative session, including twin efforts to revive a controversial funding source for affordable housing.
Assembly member David Chiu, (D- San Francisco) reintroduced a bill that would revive and reform redevelopment agencies across the state. Eliminated by Gov. Brown in 2011 to close the state’s yawning budget deficit, redevelopment agencies provided about $1 billion annually for the construction and preservation of low-income housing.
The state senate unveiled their own version of “Redevelopment 2.0” on Monday. Senator Jim Beall (D- San Jose) and Sen. Mike McGuire (D- Marin) announced they will be introducing a series of bills in the coming weeks to ease the state’s housing crisis, although the specifics of their redevelopment bill or other pieces of legislation were not yet made public.
Senator Scott Wiener (D- San Francisco) plans to reintroduce his controversial bill that would allow taller, denser buildings around public transit, a measure that was widely admired and summarily trounced last year.
Pre-school If there is a sure bet this legislative session, the expansion of early childhood education is at the top of the list. Gov. Brown was not a strong advocate for early education. He was wary of putting the state on the financial hook for an obligation as long-term and expensive as, say, universal preschool. Democrats have come to the table well-armed. Earlier this year, a Stanford-led team of academicians issued a massive study recommending that California spend much more on pre-K education. And Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom has been pushing early childhood education for years.
Gig Economy A major source of conversation at the end of the last session was a state court decision that threw a monkey wrench into a legal pillar of the gig economy. The so-called “Dynamex Ruling” makes it harder for employers to classify workers as independent contractors. Cheered by organized labor, it impacted workers from Uber drivers to businesses to emergency room doctors, and sent lobbyists scrambling for relief, or at least clarification on what this all means to small businesses.
On Monday, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) said she will introduce a bill to put statutory requirements around the ruling. Business interests will try to limit the requirements. This issue has the potential to put a significant divide as it hits on competing goods from across the political spectrum—jobs, tech, small business, fair pay—this is one of those vexing issues that could challenge even a Legislature that has a super majority of Democrats who can pass legislation without input from the minority. Not since the 1880s has California seen such a one-sided legislature.
What are the priorities of our local state legislators, Senator Bill Monning and Assembly member Mark Stone? Next week, we will reach out to our state legislators to get an update on their 2019 priorities. Stay tuned.