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"content": "\u003cp>Pink hues adorn the horizon as the sun rises on a nondescript parking lot at Long Beach City College. The lot is quiet but not empty, with the same gray asphalt and slightly faded white lines as any other one on campus. But from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., it is much more than a place to park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lot is a designated area for Long Beach City College’s Safe Parking Program, an initiative from the college’s Basic Needs Center that offers safe overnight parking for students and connects them to resources like showers and Wi-Fi. The program was created to address a particular student demographic: homeless students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccleague.org/sites/default/files/images/basic_needs_among_california_community_college_students-final-2023.pdf\">report (PDF)\u003c/a> from the Community College League of California found that 2 out of 3 of the state’s community college students struggle to meet their basic needs and almost 3 out of 5 are housing insecure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help these students, multiple legislative measures have tried to create safe parking options similar to Long Beach City College’s. The most recent effort was \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1818?slug=CA_202320240AB1818\">Assembly Bill 1818\u003c/a>. Introduced by Assemblymember Corey Jackson early this year, the bill would have required the California Community College and California State University systems to create pilot programs to provide safe overnight parking for students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Parking lot homeless programs are a best practice that’s been used throughout the nation; churches have done it, cities have done it, it’s time for colleges to step up and do it too,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill was killed in the appropriations committee on Aug. 16 but would have required the California State University to select five campuses to participate in the pilot program; the California Community College chancellor would have had to select 20. The pilot program would have lasted through 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appropriations committee, which assesses the financial viability of a bill, estimated that establishing pilot programs across the Cal State system would cost around $500,000 as well as an additional $2.25 million in annual costs. For the California Community Colleges, the committee estimated between $91,500 and $112,00 in one-time costs and $10 million to $13 million in annual costs for the duration of the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Mendez, coordinator of Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs Program, oversees the safe parking program and said those estimates sound high, although he acknowledges that costs will vary from campus to campus. Long Beach City College has been able to fund its program for less than the committee’s estimated costs by working collaboratively with other departments and using existing contracts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the bill had garnered support from organizations like the California Faculty Association and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, several community college districts and the California State University system opposed it. Some of their concerns include liability risk and cost. They also argue that providing secure overnight parking is not a permanent solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005505\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005505\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Safe Parking LA parking permit on a car windshield in a ‘safe parking’ lot in Los Angeles, on Feb. 11, 2019. By 2023, the organization was operating 7 ‘safe parking’ lots monitored by security guards in the Los Angeles area, offering a temporary 12-hour safe haven for people who live in their cars or RVs. \u003ccite>(Kyle Grillot/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Letitia Clark, chief communications officer for the South Orange County Community College District, said the district has been investing in programs that support basic needs, including housing, as well as exploring building housing on campus as part of their facilities master plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t want any mandates or anything that would take away from that, and especially with an alternative that we actually don’t think is safe and really provides a good quality of life for our students,” Clark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mendez at Long Beach City College acknowledges that overnight parking is not a housing solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not in the understanding that providing our students a safe place to park is providing them housing,” Mendez said, adding that the program is just one of the many resources available for students facing housing insecurity. However, overnight parking provides an immediate safe space while students are connected to longer-term housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Providing holistic support\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Started in 2021, the program has evolved over the years. The lot is now located next to the college’s campus safety building, which has allowed Long Beach City College to cut down on the nearly $500,000 they spent the first two years hiring an outside security company. Students have access to the bathroom in the campus safety building throughout the night and can access the locker room showers from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the nearby school stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being next to the campus safety building means overnight security officers and parking employees periodically check in on the lot as part of their routine rounds. Mendez said that despite there not being 24/7 surveillance, there haven’t been any safety issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lot has 15 parking spots reserved for safe parking participants from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., although the program can have around 30 folks enrolled at a time. Mendez said they rarely have issues with capacity because students use the resource to varying degrees — some enroll as a backup because they are at risk of losing their housing, others may only need a night or two while they wait to relocate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students in the Safe Parking Program need to be enrolled in the primary terms of fall and spring. However, they can continue using the program during summer and winter without being enrolled during those terms. They must also be independent; service animals are allowed but students can’t be living in their vehicle with family or have dependents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eligibility requirements have evolved as Mendez and his team assess what is realistic and better serves students. Originally, the program required students to have their vehicles registered and an up-to-date license, but now that is something the college assists them with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once enrolled in the program, students receive a welcome packet, sign a liability release form and are connected with a case manager to find long-term housing, whether that be through one of the college’s community partners or elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the 2022–23 academic year, the program had a total of 24 students. Twelve of them found transitional or permanent housing. For fall 2023, 21 students enrolled in the program, two obtained permanent housing and 19 of them continued into spring 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community has also been supportive of the program. Mendez said that since it started, the program has received donations of blankets, gift cards, hygiene kits and other necessities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elliot Stern, the president of Saddleback College, spoke against AB 1818 during a Senate committee hearing, arguing that colleges need to get students out of their cars and into their basic needs centers so their needs can be “addressed holistically.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Long Beach City College, students access the parking program through the basic needs center and its online request form. What began as a COVID-19 emergency aid application has continued to be a useful one-stop-shop application for students seeking help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For all of our basic needs efforts, we always take a wide scope and try to cast the widest net we can,” Mendez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey asks whether students are facing housing insecurity, which could mean they are struggling to pay rent or have to move frequently, or if they are homeless, meaning they don’t have a permanent place to live. If they answer yes to either, the survey then asks if they’re sleeping in their vehicle, couch surfing, staying in hotels or borrowing a room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through this data, the Basic Needs team can directly connect students with specific resources. For students who self-identify as living in their cars, the outreach coordinator then refers them to the Safe Parking Program.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When students aren’t allowed to park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>AB 1818 was inspired by the experiences of students attending campuses without overnight parking. The bill originated as a response to Cal Poly Humboldt evicting students living in their vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Oct. 25, 2023, Cal Poly Humboldt students received a \u003ca href=\"https://mailings.humboldt.edu/general/2023_10_25/index.html\">mass announcement\u003c/a> stating that the university would begin enforcing a parking policy it had previously overlooked and would be evicting students who were found sleeping in their vehicles overnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those students was Caleb Chen, a second-year public sociology graduate student. He applied to Humboldt in late June of last year and knew finding housing would be difficult. After doing some research, he learned about the university’s alternative living community and figured it would be feasible to live out of his van.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chen was in the graduate lounge with a friend when they both got the email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oh, the jig is up,” his friend told him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The eviction announcement said allowing students to sleep in their cars was “unsanitary” and “unsafe” — terminology that not only made students feel dehumanized but also something they considered inaccurate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005507\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005507\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Butterfield standing inside his RV. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brad Butterfield, president of the Alternative Living Club, a school club created by Humboldt students living in their cars to form a community and advocate for establishing a mail service, said the administration brought up similar sanitation concerns when they pitched the idea of a safe parking program on campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t need, nor ever asked for, bathrooms, showers or security,” said Butterfield, a journalism senior. “All we need is a place to park overnight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield lives in an RV, which has a built-in bathroom. He has a membership at a local gym and showers there. For students without RVs, Chen said there still are bathrooms on campus that are open 24/7 and that most undergraduate students shower in the school gym.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really difficult to be pretty much told that you can’t exist,” Butterfield said. “We weren’t causing any harm. We all kept a really low profile.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield said that at the time of the evictions, 25 to 30 students were living in their cars. Some lived in discrete vehicles like SUVs, while others lived in RVs like him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The email announcement stated that campus officers had received calls from members of the community “expressing fear and frustration about the situation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were never any issues between the vehicle dwellers on campus,” Butterfield said. “Not between us as a community and certainly not between us and the campus community at large.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005506\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005506\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Butterfield checks the top of his RV for leaks in Arcata on Aug. 24, 2024. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Butterfield, it was quite the contrary. He said some students had told him they felt safer knowing there were students in the parking lot at night who could call the police if anyone was trying to break into their car — something the group had done in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stigma around homelessness is something that Mendez from Long Beach City College has been fighting since the beginning of the safe parking program. He said the staff have a student-centered approach and are mindful of treating students with dignity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s all of these negative stereotypes about what a homeless person is instead of realizing that these college students are coming here to be successful. They’re coming here to work on their long-term goals and help themselves and their families,” Mendez said. “I think that level of dignity has made the biggest impact beyond the actual connection of housing partners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mischaracterization of homeless students is what ended a 2019 bill that was also advocating for safe parking. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB302\">Assembly Bill 302\u003c/a> was introduced by Assemblymember Marc Berman and would have required community college campuses to allow overnight access to parking, bathroom and shower facilities for students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill made it to the appropriations committee, where it underwent significant amendments that Berman said “watered down the bill” and “treated homeless community college students like pedophiles” by placing restrictions for campuses within a certain distance from elementary schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_12000987,news_11988775,mindshift_64314\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was really unfortunate and damaging in terms of stigmatizing homeless students. And so, because of a lot of those reasons, we decided to stop the bill from moving forward and work on other solutions to the issue,” Berman said. He later drafted Assembly Bill 132, which successfully passed and required every California Community College to establish a basic needs center and hire a basic needs coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, another student tried starting a pilot overnight parking program at his campus. Grayson Peters, now a UCLA alumni, was a founder of UCLA Safe Parking and came across similar arguments from his administration at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said UCLA administrators told him allowing students to live in their cars and park overnight was “fundamentally unsafe.” Peters said that while he agrees with the statement, the alternative can be even more dangerous for students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Students are actively sleeping on unsecured city streets a few blocks over, without the benefit of university guards or university facilities or the student gym nearby to go to the restroom in the middle of the night if they need to,” Peters said. “The status quo is more unsafe than the solution we’re proposing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield and his partner have experienced that risk. After being evicted, they tried to find safe places to park around the city. But Arcata has a 72-hour parking limit, which meant they had to relocate every three days. Butterfield said the Arcata police have harassed them multiple times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like we’re constantly trying to outrun the police because they keep wanting us to move from here to there to here to there,” Butterfield said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal State Humboldt referred students to a safe parking program run by a local nonprofit organization, but that program ended this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stephanie Goldman, the associate director of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, said data shows that a student’s proximity to campus can affect their academic outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Safe parking] is not only giving them a safer option, but an option that is conducive to them reaching their goals,” Goldman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Such was the case for Chen in Humboldt, who, before the eviction, was doing much better academically because the commute time was so short, and he didn’t have to stress about where he would spend the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chen spent the remainder of the semester and the following one at a local public parking lot. He now lives in a studio apartment he can afford because of loans and scholarships and is splitting rent with his partner, who moved up to Humboldt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005511\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005511\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caleb Chen stands in the parking lot where he lived in his van at the California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in Arcata, on Aug. 24, 2024. Due to the high cost of housing and education, some students at the university lived in their vehicles on campus prior to the university, prohibiting them from doing so in the fall of 2023. Chen, a sociology graduate student, said that finding affordable housing near the university is challenging and only possible for him this year after moving in with his partner and receiving a fellowship that can be applied toward rent. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When that announcement happened in November, it was just a wrench into a lot of people’s livelihoods, let alone academic success,” Chen said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jackson said he was disappointed that the bill was “mischaracterized” by the educational systems as encouraging students to live in their cars as opposed to more effective interventions. Moving forward, now that the legislature is on a break until January, Jackson said he will be scheduling a meeting with the Cal State and California Community Colleges chancellors to see if “there’s ways that we can still get this done.” If not, he will be reintroducing the bill next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Senate for the Community Colleges said they will continue to advocate for student basics needs including securing funding for dorms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jetaun Stevens, a senior staff attorney with the nonprofit law firm Public Advocates, said she hopes the bill returns with a greater coalition behind it. She said that while AB 1818 was mostly sponsored by the author, working with advocacy organizations who can co-sponsor the bill would help bring forward student stories and amplify the potential impact of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oftentimes it does take [bills] that are somewhat controversial quite a few times before they make it across the finish line,” Stevens said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Briana Mendez-Padilla is a fellow with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Legislative bills to create safe parking programs for students on California campuses while awaiting housing have failed. Meanwhile, Long Beach City College allows homeless students to park overnight. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Pink hues adorn the horizon as the sun rises on a nondescript parking lot at Long Beach City College. The lot is quiet but not empty, with the same gray asphalt and slightly faded white lines as any other one on campus. But from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., it is much more than a place to park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lot is a designated area for Long Beach City College’s Safe Parking Program, an initiative from the college’s Basic Needs Center that offers safe overnight parking for students and connects them to resources like showers and Wi-Fi. The program was created to address a particular student demographic: homeless students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccleague.org/sites/default/files/images/basic_needs_among_california_community_college_students-final-2023.pdf\">report (PDF)\u003c/a> from the Community College League of California found that 2 out of 3 of the state’s community college students struggle to meet their basic needs and almost 3 out of 5 are housing insecure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help these students, multiple legislative measures have tried to create safe parking options similar to Long Beach City College’s. The most recent effort was \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1818?slug=CA_202320240AB1818\">Assembly Bill 1818\u003c/a>. Introduced by Assemblymember Corey Jackson early this year, the bill would have required the California Community College and California State University systems to create pilot programs to provide safe overnight parking for students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Parking lot homeless programs are a best practice that’s been used throughout the nation; churches have done it, cities have done it, it’s time for colleges to step up and do it too,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill was killed in the appropriations committee on Aug. 16 but would have required the California State University to select five campuses to participate in the pilot program; the California Community College chancellor would have had to select 20. The pilot program would have lasted through 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The appropriations committee, which assesses the financial viability of a bill, estimated that establishing pilot programs across the Cal State system would cost around $500,000 as well as an additional $2.25 million in annual costs. For the California Community Colleges, the committee estimated between $91,500 and $112,00 in one-time costs and $10 million to $13 million in annual costs for the duration of the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Justin Mendez, coordinator of Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs Program, oversees the safe parking program and said those estimates sound high, although he acknowledges that costs will vary from campus to campus. Long Beach City College has been able to fund its program for less than the committee’s estimated costs by working collaboratively with other departments and using existing contracts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the bill had garnered support from organizations like the California Faculty Association and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, several community college districts and the California State University system opposed it. Some of their concerns include liability risk and cost. They also argue that providing secure overnight parking is not a permanent solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005505\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005505\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/021119-LA-SAFE-PARKING-GETTY-CM-01-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Safe Parking LA parking permit on a car windshield in a ‘safe parking’ lot in Los Angeles, on Feb. 11, 2019. By 2023, the organization was operating 7 ‘safe parking’ lots monitored by security guards in the Los Angeles area, offering a temporary 12-hour safe haven for people who live in their cars or RVs. \u003ccite>(Kyle Grillot/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Letitia Clark, chief communications officer for the South Orange County Community College District, said the district has been investing in programs that support basic needs, including housing, as well as exploring building housing on campus as part of their facilities master plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t want any mandates or anything that would take away from that, and especially with an alternative that we actually don’t think is safe and really provides a good quality of life for our students,” Clark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mendez at Long Beach City College acknowledges that overnight parking is not a housing solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not in the understanding that providing our students a safe place to park is providing them housing,” Mendez said, adding that the program is just one of the many resources available for students facing housing insecurity. However, overnight parking provides an immediate safe space while students are connected to longer-term housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Providing holistic support\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Started in 2021, the program has evolved over the years. The lot is now located next to the college’s campus safety building, which has allowed Long Beach City College to cut down on the nearly $500,000 they spent the first two years hiring an outside security company. Students have access to the bathroom in the campus safety building throughout the night and can access the locker room showers from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the nearby school stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being next to the campus safety building means overnight security officers and parking employees periodically check in on the lot as part of their routine rounds. Mendez said that despite there not being 24/7 surveillance, there haven’t been any safety issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lot has 15 parking spots reserved for safe parking participants from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., although the program can have around 30 folks enrolled at a time. Mendez said they rarely have issues with capacity because students use the resource to varying degrees — some enroll as a backup because they are at risk of losing their housing, others may only need a night or two while they wait to relocate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students in the Safe Parking Program need to be enrolled in the primary terms of fall and spring. However, they can continue using the program during summer and winter without being enrolled during those terms. They must also be independent; service animals are allowed but students can’t be living in their vehicle with family or have dependents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eligibility requirements have evolved as Mendez and his team assess what is realistic and better serves students. Originally, the program required students to have their vehicles registered and an up-to-date license, but now that is something the college assists them with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once enrolled in the program, students receive a welcome packet, sign a liability release form and are connected with a case manager to find long-term housing, whether that be through one of the college’s community partners or elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the 2022–23 academic year, the program had a total of 24 students. Twelve of them found transitional or permanent housing. For fall 2023, 21 students enrolled in the program, two obtained permanent housing and 19 of them continued into spring 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community has also been supportive of the program. Mendez said that since it started, the program has received donations of blankets, gift cards, hygiene kits and other necessities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elliot Stern, the president of Saddleback College, spoke against AB 1818 during a Senate committee hearing, arguing that colleges need to get students out of their cars and into their basic needs centers so their needs can be “addressed holistically.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Long Beach City College, students access the parking program through the basic needs center and its online request form. What began as a COVID-19 emergency aid application has continued to be a useful one-stop-shop application for students seeking help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For all of our basic needs efforts, we always take a wide scope and try to cast the widest net we can,” Mendez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey asks whether students are facing housing insecurity, which could mean they are struggling to pay rent or have to move frequently, or if they are homeless, meaning they don’t have a permanent place to live. If they answer yes to either, the survey then asks if they’re sleeping in their vehicle, couch surfing, staying in hotels or borrowing a room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through this data, the Basic Needs team can directly connect students with specific resources. For students who self-identify as living in their cars, the outreach coordinator then refers them to the Safe Parking Program.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When students aren’t allowed to park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>AB 1818 was inspired by the experiences of students attending campuses without overnight parking. The bill originated as a response to Cal Poly Humboldt evicting students living in their vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Oct. 25, 2023, Cal Poly Humboldt students received a \u003ca href=\"https://mailings.humboldt.edu/general/2023_10_25/index.html\">mass announcement\u003c/a> stating that the university would begin enforcing a parking policy it had previously overlooked and would be evicting students who were found sleeping in their vehicles overnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those students was Caleb Chen, a second-year public sociology graduate student. He applied to Humboldt in late June of last year and knew finding housing would be difficult. After doing some research, he learned about the university’s alternative living community and figured it would be feasible to live out of his van.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chen was in the graduate lounge with a friend when they both got the email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oh, the jig is up,” his friend told him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The eviction announcement said allowing students to sleep in their cars was “unsanitary” and “unsafe” — terminology that not only made students feel dehumanized but also something they considered inaccurate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005507\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005507\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_05-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Butterfield standing inside his RV. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brad Butterfield, president of the Alternative Living Club, a school club created by Humboldt students living in their cars to form a community and advocate for establishing a mail service, said the administration brought up similar sanitation concerns when they pitched the idea of a safe parking program on campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t need, nor ever asked for, bathrooms, showers or security,” said Butterfield, a journalism senior. “All we need is a place to park overnight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield lives in an RV, which has a built-in bathroom. He has a membership at a local gym and showers there. For students without RVs, Chen said there still are bathrooms on campus that are open 24/7 and that most undergraduate students shower in the school gym.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really difficult to be pretty much told that you can’t exist,” Butterfield said. “We weren’t causing any harm. We all kept a really low profile.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield said that at the time of the evictions, 25 to 30 students were living in their cars. Some lived in discrete vehicles like SUVs, while others lived in RVs like him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The email announcement stated that campus officers had received calls from members of the community “expressing fear and frustration about the situation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were never any issues between the vehicle dwellers on campus,” Butterfield said. “Not between us as a community and certainly not between us and the campus community at large.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005506\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005506\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_11-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Butterfield checks the top of his RV for leaks in Arcata on Aug. 24, 2024. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Butterfield, it was quite the contrary. He said some students had told him they felt safer knowing there were students in the parking lot at night who could call the police if anyone was trying to break into their car — something the group had done in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stigma around homelessness is something that Mendez from Long Beach City College has been fighting since the beginning of the safe parking program. He said the staff have a student-centered approach and are mindful of treating students with dignity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s all of these negative stereotypes about what a homeless person is instead of realizing that these college students are coming here to be successful. They’re coming here to work on their long-term goals and help themselves and their families,” Mendez said. “I think that level of dignity has made the biggest impact beyond the actual connection of housing partners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mischaracterization of homeless students is what ended a 2019 bill that was also advocating for safe parking. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB302\">Assembly Bill 302\u003c/a> was introduced by Assemblymember Marc Berman and would have required community college campuses to allow overnight access to parking, bathroom and shower facilities for students living in their cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill made it to the appropriations committee, where it underwent significant amendments that Berman said “watered down the bill” and “treated homeless community college students like pedophiles” by placing restrictions for campuses within a certain distance from elementary schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was really unfortunate and damaging in terms of stigmatizing homeless students. And so, because of a lot of those reasons, we decided to stop the bill from moving forward and work on other solutions to the issue,” Berman said. He later drafted Assembly Bill 132, which successfully passed and required every California Community College to establish a basic needs center and hire a basic needs coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, another student tried starting a pilot overnight parking program at his campus. Grayson Peters, now a UCLA alumni, was a founder of UCLA Safe Parking and came across similar arguments from his administration at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said UCLA administrators told him allowing students to live in their cars and park overnight was “fundamentally unsafe.” Peters said that while he agrees with the statement, the alternative can be even more dangerous for students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Students are actively sleeping on unsecured city streets a few blocks over, without the benefit of university guards or university facilities or the student gym nearby to go to the restroom in the middle of the night if they need to,” Peters said. “The status quo is more unsafe than the solution we’re proposing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Butterfield and his partner have experienced that risk. After being evicted, they tried to find safe places to park around the city. But Arcata has a 72-hour parking limit, which meant they had to relocate every three days. Butterfield said the Arcata police have harassed them multiple times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like we’re constantly trying to outrun the police because they keep wanting us to move from here to there to here to there,” Butterfield said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal State Humboldt referred students to a safe parking program run by a local nonprofit organization, but that program ended this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stephanie Goldman, the associate director of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, said data shows that a student’s proximity to campus can affect their academic outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Safe parking] is not only giving them a safer option, but an option that is conducive to them reaching their goals,” Goldman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Such was the case for Chen in Humboldt, who, before the eviction, was doing much better academically because the commute time was so short, and he didn’t have to stress about where he would spend the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chen spent the remainder of the semester and the following one at a local public parking lot. He now lives in a studio apartment he can afford because of loans and scholarships and is splitting rent with his partner, who moved up to Humboldt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005511\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005511\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082424_Safe-Parking_AH_14-copy-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caleb Chen stands in the parking lot where he lived in his van at the California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in Arcata, on Aug. 24, 2024. Due to the high cost of housing and education, some students at the university lived in their vehicles on campus prior to the university, prohibiting them from doing so in the fall of 2023. Chen, a sociology graduate student, said that finding affordable housing near the university is challenging and only possible for him this year after moving in with his partner and receiving a fellowship that can be applied toward rent. \u003ccite>(Alexandra Hootnick for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When that announcement happened in November, it was just a wrench into a lot of people’s livelihoods, let alone academic success,” Chen said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jackson said he was disappointed that the bill was “mischaracterized” by the educational systems as encouraging students to live in their cars as opposed to more effective interventions. Moving forward, now that the legislature is on a break until January, Jackson said he will be scheduling a meeting with the Cal State and California Community Colleges chancellors to see if “there’s ways that we can still get this done.” If not, he will be reintroducing the bill next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Senate for the Community Colleges said they will continue to advocate for student basics needs including securing funding for dorms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jetaun Stevens, a senior staff attorney with the nonprofit law firm Public Advocates, said she hopes the bill returns with a greater coalition behind it. She said that while AB 1818 was mostly sponsored by the author, working with advocacy organizations who can co-sponsor the bill would help bring forward student stories and amplify the potential impact of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oftentimes it does take [bills] that are somewhat controversial quite a few times before they make it across the finish line,” Stevens said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Briana Mendez-Padilla is a fellow with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "tensions-rise-as-california-legislators-keep-bill-negotiations-behind-closed-doors",
"title": "Tensions Rise as California Legislators Keep Bill Negotiations Behind Closed Doors",
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"headTitle": "Tensions Rise as California Legislators Keep Bill Negotiations Behind Closed Doors | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>State Sen. Dave Min admonished a fellow legislator recently for talking about his bill during an open hearing, saying lawmakers were forbidden from negotiating amendments to legislation in public view.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a policy in the Senate … We don’t negotiate amendments from the dais,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258075?t=414&f=f2a10fad31c7f078ebdf598b831e4fa1\">Min told his Democratic colleague, Assemblymember David Alvarez\u003c/a>, this summer. “We are happy to continue discussing this offline, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate — nor is it in the interest of our time — to be negotiating and discussing particular provisions from the dais.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exchange between Alvarez and Min highlights an unwritten rule in the Capitol, one that points to a culture of backroom dealing, where secret negotiations between lobbyists, Capitol staff and legislators are what really decide the fate of laws whose impacts will be felt by millions of Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Senate leaders said Min, a \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/dave-min-165451\">Democrat from Irvine\u003c/a>, overstated the rule since committee chairs can make exceptions and debate amendments in a hearing. However, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/mike-mcguire-93\">Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire\u003c/a> acknowledged to CalMatters that he requested “policy committee chairpersons and bill authors work to secure potential amendments prior to the (public) hearing” in order to improve the quality of legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When verbal, on-the-fly amendments are taken, there is real potential for confusion, misunderstanding and disagreement on definitions,” McGuire said. “We highly encourage robust discussion and debate at policy hearings. This is the people’s house, after all. But we also want to get the amendments right because details matter on these important laws.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly takes a similar approach to amendments, said Cynthia Moreno, a spokesperson for Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaving the process almost entirely up to secret negotiations has critics calling the process little more than a rubber stamp for deals made behind closed doors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/digital-democracy/2024/04/california-democrats-no-votes/\">As CalMatters has reported\u003c/a>, an analysis of every vote cast in the past five years shows that Democrats who control the Legislature vote “no” on average less than 1% of the time, suggesting the fates of most bills are decided before votes are cast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly the kind of conversation that should be taking place in public,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. “The public has a right to understand why lawmakers are making the decisions they’re making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/bill-essayli-165444\">Bill Essayli\u003c/a>, an outspoken Republican from Corona, was even more critical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very hard to figure out if there’s corruption involved when you don’t know who the drafters are and how language gets in a bill,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>How amendments are drafted in private\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The original language in almost all bills that navigate the legislative process — more than 2,500 this year — is usually changed through amendments added in committees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, that can be a high-stakes discussion done in secret between legislators and staff and lobbyists representing powerful interests for or against a bill. When there are political consequences or money is involved, the governor’s office or legislative leaders can also shape legislation behind the scenes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amendments can only be added by an elected legislator, but the amendments produced by negotiations usually have no names attached, and they are often presented to a bill author as a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I calculated, I think, four-and-a-half years since I walked into a committee without having a full agreement with the chair,” state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/scott-wiener-100936\">Scott Wiener\u003c/a> of San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/256931?t=646&f=cc1b9ef01b8995333323007f58740c9d\">said at an Assembly committee hearing last year\u003c/a> where he disagreed with amendments added to his bill. In the past, “I have come into committee with five simple words: … I accept the committee’s amendments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/david-alvarez-112993\">Alvarez, of Chula Vista,\u003c/a> was also protesting amendments to his bill when Min, the committee chair who made the changes, stopped him from talking about it in public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez’s \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2560\">Assembly Bill 2560\u003c/a> would have made it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/08/coastal-commission-bills-die/\">easier to build housing in coastal zones\u003c/a>. After he tried unsuccessfully to defy Min by contacting other committee members about his concerns with the amendments, he pulled the bill from consideration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez \u003ca href=\"https://a80.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240815-assemblymember-alvarez-issues-statement-ab-2560-affordable-housing-coastal\">said in a press release\u003c/a> that amendments added by the committee would have made the bill “ineffective at building more housing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005435\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005435\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg\" alt=\"Men and women in suits and dresses are seated at tables and cover their mouths with their hands.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat from Merced, and Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat from San Diego, talk on the Assembly floor at the State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Alvarez told CalMatters he is used to a more transparent process. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2023/12/california-legislature-new-lawmakers/\">He’s a first-term lawmaker \u003c/a>and a former member of the San Diego City Council, where he said it was normal for members to debate policy changes during public meetings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For those of us who have served in local government … we’re used to that,” he said. “You make motions and change motions all the time as you’re getting ready to make a decision.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Min said a policy limiting amendment negotiations makes sense because it’s better for lawmakers to read and understand the amendments before hashing them out in public hearings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you are trying to negotiate new amendments to the bill from the dais, then we all have to react on the fly,” Min said. “We don’t have the benefit of thinking about these amendments. … We don’t have the benefit of talking to stakeholders about the value of these amendments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He called the private negotiations “very democratic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People negotiating from the dais almost creates an appearance of impropriety,” Min said, “because what are we actually agreeing to?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez wasn’t the only first-year legislator troubled by the culture of secrecy at the Capitol. Calmatters \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2023/12/california-legislature-new-lawmakers/\">interviewed other rookie legislators late last year\u003c/a>. Transparency was one of their biggest complaints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/caroline-menjivar-165436\">Caroline Menjivar\u003c/a>, a Democrat from Van Nuys, pointed to secret negotiations surrounding a proposed tax on medical care providers, where it seemed that only moneyed interest groups were invited to give their opinions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That shocked me a lot,” she said. “I was disgusted by this pay-to-play kind of approach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/damon-connolly-165425\">Damon Connolly\u003c/a>, a Democrat from San Rafael, also was critical of so much of the process happening in secret.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Certainly, from where I stood — and I think a lot of my colleagues would agree — we would love to see the old processes in the Legislature changed around more accountability and transparency,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Are California lawmakers hearing too many bills?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>That so much of the process happens in secret comes down to lawmakers hearing too many bills in too short of a time, said Chris Micheli, an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law and a veteran lobbyist who’s written books about the legislative process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year alone, California’s 120 lawmakers considered 2,522 bills, sending just under half of them to the governor before the 2023–24 session ended Aug. 31, according to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/\">the Digital Democracy database\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rules allow state senators to introduce up to 40 bills per two-year session and Assemblymembers to introduce 50, meaning lawmakers potentially could introduce 5,600 bills every two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The limits can be bypassed, however, such as with a waiver from a respective chamber’s Rules Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nineteen of the 40 senators hit or went over the bill limit this session. In the Assembly, 24 of the 80 lawmakers hit the cap or went over, according to the Digital Democracy database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to moving negotiations into private meetings, Micheli said the heavy flow of legislation also means that public hearings are rushed. Typically, a bill hearing will involve just four witnesses, two in favor and two against. The witnesses are often given two minutes each to speak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The public should care because there are 120 people representing over 39.5 million Californians who are creating nearly 1,000 new laws each and every year,” Micheli said. “And some of those need much more extensive discussion and debate than they are being given in our legislative process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an example, he noted that the Senate’s Judiciary Committee heard 64 bills in a single hearing in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outgoing San Francisco Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/philip-ting-30\">Philip Ting\u003c/a>, the longtime chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, had the most bills of any lawmaker this session at 170, according to Digital Democracy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since many of his bills were related to the budget, he didn’t have to abide by the 50-bill Assembly cap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005434\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005434\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman in suits look at each other in the foreground as a man wearing a suit holds papers at a podium in a large chamber.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Phillip Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco, on the Assembly floor on April 24, 2023. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ting doesn’t think there are too many bills, and he said lawmakers have the capacity to consider even more of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s, frankly, not about the quantity; it’s about the impact,” Ting said. “I don’t even know how many bills I’ve introduced and how many got passed. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters to me … at the end of the day is are we making a difference in 40 million people’s lives?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>30 seconds to debate to California bills\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Others aren’t so sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You won’t be remembered for the number of bills you pass,” Ukiah Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/jim-wood-72\">Jim Wood\u003c/a>, the Assembly’s second in command, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258262?t=1162&f=abe173a812fa8b84d25fbc1372903bd3\">told his colleagues in an August farewell speech.\u003c/a> “Emphasize quality over quantity. We pass too many damn bills. And some of them don’t really mean much, quite frankly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/thomas-umberg-165043\">Tom Umberg\u003c/a> of Santa Ana chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee that heard 64 bills in one hearing this summer. Umberg said committee staff do their best to review them, but there’s only so much they can do, particularly toward the end of the session when changes are made within hours of a vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It often doesn’t do justice to making sure that we create an effective policy,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of Umberg’s colleagues agree that the Legislature hears too many bills, he said. But good luck getting lawmakers to agree to introduce fewer of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I agree with all those legislators that think every other legislator should do fewer bills. And in my case, of course, I don’t think I should do fewer bills,” he said, grinning. “I just think everybody else should do fewer bills.”[aside postID=\"news_12002006,news_12003239,news_12000709\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Umberg introduced 42 bills this session, two over the Senate’s 40-bill limit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The limited public debate on so much legislation frustrates Republicans, whose leaders in the Assembly filed a complaint about debate getting shut down in the final chaotic hours of the session last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the deadline approaching and dozens of bills pending, the Assembly’s leadership limited debate on bills to 30 seconds per person. They refused to recognize Republican lawmakers attempting to speak, \u003ca href=\"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ysjjs94vcs0bjkgl2isc5/Request-to-Investigate-Floor-Actions.pdf?rlkey=5z2fwdk4fgxo406jflb6f084p&e=1&dl=0\">according to the complaint\u003c/a> from Assembly Republican leader \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/james-gallagher-108\">James Gallagher\u003c/a> of Chico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fellow Republican Essayli called secrecy “par for the course” in the Democratic supermajority that he described as a corrupt “oligarchy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005436\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a suit stands at a podium while a man and woman look at each other in the foreground.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Bill Essayli, a Corona Republican, asks for a motion to vote for Senate Bill 14 during an “adjourn-in-memory” portion of the session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 13, 2023. SB 14 would make child trafficking a serious felony. The Assembly Public Safety Committee blocked the bill on Tuesday but shortly passed in a second committee hearing later. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They introduce hundreds — thousands — of bills,” he said. “And they want to give you five minutes for debate and conversation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Snyder, of the First Amendment Coalition, said it’s understandable that some of the complicated process of drafting bills has to take place outside of public view, but lawmakers should have every opportunity to debate, discuss and negotiate changes to them in public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Discouraging them from doing so, he said, “puts an important part of the process behind closed doors, which is not good for the lawmaking process itself, generally, but also not good for democracy, generally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Thomas Gerrity, Sameea Kamal and Hans Poschman, members of the CalMatters Digital Democracy team, contributed to this story\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "A tense exchange this summer between two California Democrats revealed an unwritten policy discouraging lawmakers from negotiating bills in legislative committees. It begs the question: Are lawmakers negotiating bills in secret and then rubber-stamping the decisions in public?",
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"title": "Tensions Rise as California Legislators Keep Bill Negotiations Behind Closed Doors | KQED",
"description": "A tense exchange this summer between two California Democrats revealed an unwritten policy discouraging lawmakers from negotiating bills in legislative committees. It begs the question: Are lawmakers negotiating bills in secret and then rubber-stamping the decisions in public?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>State Sen. Dave Min admonished a fellow legislator recently for talking about his bill during an open hearing, saying lawmakers were forbidden from negotiating amendments to legislation in public view.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a policy in the Senate … We don’t negotiate amendments from the dais,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258075?t=414&f=f2a10fad31c7f078ebdf598b831e4fa1\">Min told his Democratic colleague, Assemblymember David Alvarez\u003c/a>, this summer. “We are happy to continue discussing this offline, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate — nor is it in the interest of our time — to be negotiating and discussing particular provisions from the dais.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exchange between Alvarez and Min highlights an unwritten rule in the Capitol, one that points to a culture of backroom dealing, where secret negotiations between lobbyists, Capitol staff and legislators are what really decide the fate of laws whose impacts will be felt by millions of Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Senate leaders said Min, a \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/dave-min-165451\">Democrat from Irvine\u003c/a>, overstated the rule since committee chairs can make exceptions and debate amendments in a hearing. However, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/mike-mcguire-93\">Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire\u003c/a> acknowledged to CalMatters that he requested “policy committee chairpersons and bill authors work to secure potential amendments prior to the (public) hearing” in order to improve the quality of legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When verbal, on-the-fly amendments are taken, there is real potential for confusion, misunderstanding and disagreement on definitions,” McGuire said. “We highly encourage robust discussion and debate at policy hearings. This is the people’s house, after all. But we also want to get the amendments right because details matter on these important laws.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly takes a similar approach to amendments, said Cynthia Moreno, a spokesperson for Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaving the process almost entirely up to secret negotiations has critics calling the process little more than a rubber stamp for deals made behind closed doors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/digital-democracy/2024/04/california-democrats-no-votes/\">As CalMatters has reported\u003c/a>, an analysis of every vote cast in the past five years shows that Democrats who control the Legislature vote “no” on average less than 1% of the time, suggesting the fates of most bills are decided before votes are cast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly the kind of conversation that should be taking place in public,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. “The public has a right to understand why lawmakers are making the decisions they’re making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/bill-essayli-165444\">Bill Essayli\u003c/a>, an outspoken Republican from Corona, was even more critical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very hard to figure out if there’s corruption involved when you don’t know who the drafters are and how language gets in a bill,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>How amendments are drafted in private\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The original language in almost all bills that navigate the legislative process — more than 2,500 this year — is usually changed through amendments added in committees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, that can be a high-stakes discussion done in secret between legislators and staff and lobbyists representing powerful interests for or against a bill. When there are political consequences or money is involved, the governor’s office or legislative leaders can also shape legislation behind the scenes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amendments can only be added by an elected legislator, but the amendments produced by negotiations usually have no names attached, and they are often presented to a bill author as a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I calculated, I think, four-and-a-half years since I walked into a committee without having a full agreement with the chair,” state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/scott-wiener-100936\">Scott Wiener\u003c/a> of San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/256931?t=646&f=cc1b9ef01b8995333323007f58740c9d\">said at an Assembly committee hearing last year\u003c/a> where he disagreed with amendments added to his bill. In the past, “I have come into committee with five simple words: … I accept the committee’s amendments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/david-alvarez-112993\">Alvarez, of Chula Vista,\u003c/a> was also protesting amendments to his bill when Min, the committee chair who made the changes, stopped him from talking about it in public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez’s \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2560\">Assembly Bill 2560\u003c/a> would have made it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/08/coastal-commission-bills-die/\">easier to build housing in coastal zones\u003c/a>. After he tried unsuccessfully to defy Min by contacting other committee members about his concerns with the amendments, he pulled the bill from consideration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez \u003ca href=\"https://a80.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240815-assemblymember-alvarez-issues-statement-ab-2560-affordable-housing-coastal\">said in a press release\u003c/a> that amendments added by the committee would have made the bill “ineffective at building more housing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005435\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005435\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg\" alt=\"Men and women in suits and dresses are seated at tables and cover their mouths with their hands.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081723_Assembly-Floor-File_SN_CM-05-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat from Merced, and Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat from San Diego, talk on the Assembly floor at the State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Alvarez told CalMatters he is used to a more transparent process. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2023/12/california-legislature-new-lawmakers/\">He’s a first-term lawmaker \u003c/a>and a former member of the San Diego City Council, where he said it was normal for members to debate policy changes during public meetings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For those of us who have served in local government … we’re used to that,” he said. “You make motions and change motions all the time as you’re getting ready to make a decision.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Min said a policy limiting amendment negotiations makes sense because it’s better for lawmakers to read and understand the amendments before hashing them out in public hearings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you are trying to negotiate new amendments to the bill from the dais, then we all have to react on the fly,” Min said. “We don’t have the benefit of thinking about these amendments. … We don’t have the benefit of talking to stakeholders about the value of these amendments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He called the private negotiations “very democratic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People negotiating from the dais almost creates an appearance of impropriety,” Min said, “because what are we actually agreeing to?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez wasn’t the only first-year legislator troubled by the culture of secrecy at the Capitol. Calmatters \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2023/12/california-legislature-new-lawmakers/\">interviewed other rookie legislators late last year\u003c/a>. Transparency was one of their biggest complaints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/caroline-menjivar-165436\">Caroline Menjivar\u003c/a>, a Democrat from Van Nuys, pointed to secret negotiations surrounding a proposed tax on medical care providers, where it seemed that only moneyed interest groups were invited to give their opinions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That shocked me a lot,” she said. “I was disgusted by this pay-to-play kind of approach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/damon-connolly-165425\">Damon Connolly\u003c/a>, a Democrat from San Rafael, also was critical of so much of the process happening in secret.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Certainly, from where I stood — and I think a lot of my colleagues would agree — we would love to see the old processes in the Legislature changed around more accountability and transparency,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Are California lawmakers hearing too many bills?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>That so much of the process happens in secret comes down to lawmakers hearing too many bills in too short of a time, said Chris Micheli, an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law and a veteran lobbyist who’s written books about the legislative process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year alone, California’s 120 lawmakers considered 2,522 bills, sending just under half of them to the governor before the 2023–24 session ended Aug. 31, according to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/\">the Digital Democracy database\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rules allow state senators to introduce up to 40 bills per two-year session and Assemblymembers to introduce 50, meaning lawmakers potentially could introduce 5,600 bills every two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The limits can be bypassed, however, such as with a waiver from a respective chamber’s Rules Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nineteen of the 40 senators hit or went over the bill limit this session. In the Assembly, 24 of the 80 lawmakers hit the cap or went over, according to the Digital Democracy database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to moving negotiations into private meetings, Micheli said the heavy flow of legislation also means that public hearings are rushed. Typically, a bill hearing will involve just four witnesses, two in favor and two against. The witnesses are often given two minutes each to speak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The public should care because there are 120 people representing over 39.5 million Californians who are creating nearly 1,000 new laws each and every year,” Micheli said. “And some of those need much more extensive discussion and debate than they are being given in our legislative process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an example, he noted that the Senate’s Judiciary Committee heard 64 bills in a single hearing in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outgoing San Francisco Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/philip-ting-30\">Philip Ting\u003c/a>, the longtime chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, had the most bills of any lawmaker this session at 170, according to Digital Democracy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since many of his bills were related to the budget, he didn’t have to abide by the 50-bill Assembly cap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005434\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005434\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman in suits look at each other in the foreground as a man wearing a suit holds papers at a podium in a large chamber.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/042423-Assembly-Floor-0424-MG-CM-12-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Phillip Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco, on the Assembly floor on April 24, 2023. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ting doesn’t think there are too many bills, and he said lawmakers have the capacity to consider even more of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s, frankly, not about the quantity; it’s about the impact,” Ting said. “I don’t even know how many bills I’ve introduced and how many got passed. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters to me … at the end of the day is are we making a difference in 40 million people’s lives?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>30 seconds to debate to California bills\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Others aren’t so sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You won’t be remembered for the number of bills you pass,” Ukiah Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/jim-wood-72\">Jim Wood\u003c/a>, the Assembly’s second in command, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258262?t=1162&f=abe173a812fa8b84d25fbc1372903bd3\">told his colleagues in an August farewell speech.\u003c/a> “Emphasize quality over quantity. We pass too many damn bills. And some of them don’t really mean much, quite frankly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/thomas-umberg-165043\">Tom Umberg\u003c/a> of Santa Ana chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee that heard 64 bills in one hearing this summer. Umberg said committee staff do their best to review them, but there’s only so much they can do, particularly toward the end of the session when changes are made within hours of a vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It often doesn’t do justice to making sure that we create an effective policy,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of Umberg’s colleagues agree that the Legislature hears too many bills, he said. But good luck getting lawmakers to agree to introduce fewer of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I agree with all those legislators that think every other legislator should do fewer bills. And in my case, of course, I don’t think I should do fewer bills,” he said, grinning. “I just think everybody else should do fewer bills.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Umberg introduced 42 bills this session, two over the Senate’s 40-bill limit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The limited public debate on so much legislation frustrates Republicans, whose leaders in the Assembly filed a complaint about debate getting shut down in the final chaotic hours of the session last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the deadline approaching and dozens of bills pending, the Assembly’s leadership limited debate on bills to 30 seconds per person. They refused to recognize Republican lawmakers attempting to speak, \u003ca href=\"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ysjjs94vcs0bjkgl2isc5/Request-to-Investigate-Floor-Actions.pdf?rlkey=5z2fwdk4fgxo406jflb6f084p&e=1&dl=0\">according to the complaint\u003c/a> from Assembly Republican leader \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/james-gallagher-108\">James Gallagher\u003c/a> of Chico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fellow Republican Essayli called secrecy “par for the course” in the Democratic supermajority that he described as a corrupt “oligarchy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12005436\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12005436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a suit stands at a podium while a man and woman look at each other in the foreground.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-08-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Bill Essayli, a Corona Republican, asks for a motion to vote for Senate Bill 14 during an “adjourn-in-memory” portion of the session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 13, 2023. SB 14 would make child trafficking a serious felony. The Assembly Public Safety Committee blocked the bill on Tuesday but shortly passed in a second committee hearing later. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They introduce hundreds — thousands — of bills,” he said. “And they want to give you five minutes for debate and conversation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Snyder, of the First Amendment Coalition, said it’s understandable that some of the complicated process of drafting bills has to take place outside of public view, but lawmakers should have every opportunity to debate, discuss and negotiate changes to them in public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Discouraging them from doing so, he said, “puts an important part of the process behind closed doors, which is not good for the lawmaking process itself, generally, but also not good for democracy, generally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Thomas Gerrity, Sameea Kamal and Hans Poschman, members of the CalMatters Digital Democracy team, contributed to this story\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "thousands-in-california-jails-have-the-right-to-vote-heres-why-many-wont",
"title": "Thousands in California Jails Have the Right to Vote. Here’s Why Many Won’t",
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"headTitle": "Thousands in California Jails Have the Right to Vote. Here’s Why Many Won’t | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Ronald Latney used to believe his vote didn’t matter. But after returning to jail this year, he realized the difference it can make — especially locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I try to tell everybody … like, man, we need to vote because our lives depend on this,” he said, mentioning district attorney races and bail policies. “That’s very impactful on me and what I’m going through now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also helps him feel involved in the world, he said: “Sometimes we feel like we’re forgotten about, so to speak, except for our family. But this does definitely make me feel like I’m a part of something.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latney is able to vote with relative ease at a jail in San Bruno, where he’s serving time. But his experience isn’t all that common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California prides itself on making voting easier, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/06/california-voters-access-visually-impaired/\">some groups of voters\u003c/a> still face barriers. That includes many people in county jails, though the state has allowed most of them to vote since 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest data from the California Department of Corrections shows that about \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/174/2024/09/Tpop1d240911.pdf\">92,000 people\u003c/a> are in state prisons, and many are ineligible to vote. But in 2023, another \u003ca href=\"https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/CA.html\">78,000 were in county jails\u003c/a>, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a Massachusetts-based nonpartisan research group and about 60% of them have not been convicted of a crime, so they are eligible to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A disproportionate number of people in jails are Black or Latino and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2021/03/waiting-for-justice/\">sometimes wait years until they go to trial\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most California jails don’t offer in-person voting, and voting by mail can be challenging. People might be registered at one address, but even if mail is being forwarded to their jail, they may get released or transferred elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who have tried to help incarcerated people vote list a host of hurdles that vary by county. Due to lengthy mail screening, some people in jails don’t get voter guides in time. Others don’t get voter guides at all because people in jail can only receive mail under a certain page limit or without staples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voter information is key to the process, advocates say — letting people know if they’re eligible or how to register or vote. However, advocates face their own barriers, such as limits on how often they can visit jails or how long they can stay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state does not track the number of incarcerated people who vote, but some counties have encouraged more participation: Since 2010, nearly 9,200 jail inmates have voted by mail or at in-jail booths in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"more on voting rights\" tag=\"voting-rights\"]Advocates want to build on that program through a bill introduced by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/isaac-bryan-165440\">Isaac Bryan\u003c/a> that would start a \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab544?slug=CA_202320240AB544\">pilot program for in-jail voting\u003c/a> in three counties. The bill passed the Legislature in the session’s final days in late August and awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision by Sept. 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While nearly all Republicans voted against it, the bill has no official opposition on file.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Topo Padilla, a board member of Crime Victims United, said that he did not understand the need for the Legislature to intervene. “I do not believe there’s a sheriff in the state of California that is saying lawful mail cannot be delivered to an inmate,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill, he said, shows him again that Democrats in California “focus more about taking care of people that have been convicted of crimes than they do about victims of crime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for Latney, he believes his vote directly affects his ability to get out of jail — and stay out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He arrived at the law library at the jail, in a visit last week arranged by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, with a red folder that held a write-up of his own experience with state laws and a printed-out opinion piece from former prisoner \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/09/after-prison-vote-first-time/\">Richard Richardson\u003c/a>, whose voting experience resonated with Latney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can honestly say that I made my mistake. … I’m paying my debt to society, and I’m just ready for this to be over with,” he said. “I know that voting can make things like this possible and can help better my circumstances and later on in life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The jail upon a hill\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Melinda Benson, director of Prisoner Legal Services for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, said every eligible person incarcerated in California should have a “meaningful” opportunity to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I say meaningful because it’s not meaningful in a lot of counties. It might be just that they make an announcement that you can reach out to the Department of Elections,” she said. “The rule is that the Department of Elections has to make that opportunity available, but that’s it. That’s really the only guidance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson’s staff of three provides legal services, and also goes cell-by-cell to talk through each person’s eligibility and steps to register. A big push at the San Francisco County Jail involves convincing those incarcerated that they really can vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m a lawyer, and I’m telling them, ‘No, you’re absolutely legally eligible to vote.’ They don’t believe me,” Benson said. “And then when they have the opportunity to do it, it’s pretty moving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/PdQOr/2/\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sheriff’s Office began its voting outreach program in 2003, based on interest in San Francisco’s mayoral race, and worked with the elections office to ensure anyone eligible could fill out absentee ballot forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, the state has gradually expanded eligibility, such as to those on parole. And a 2021 state law that ensures that a mail ballot is sent to everyone registered made the process much easier for Benson’s department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data from four elections in San Francisco from February 2022 to March 2024 show that a third to half of jailed people who requested voter information went on to cast ballots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004891\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004891\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg\" alt=\"A bearded incarcerated man with glasses, in an orange shirt sits at a table in front of a bookcase of legal books.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas Neal of San Francisco speaks about voting while incarcerated in a San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno on Sept. 11, 2024. Neal said that voting, particularly in local elections, is important and it’s something he has done most of his life. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thomas Neal, 45, who is also incarcerated at its San Bruno jail, said voting has always been important to him. He sees it as his civic duty. His experience in San Francisco County jail has been better than in other counties, where he said he had to petition for voting resources to be made available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shouldn’t have to argue about wanting to vote. It’s my right to vote,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Workarounds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A big advantage of the San Francisco program is that the team is in-house. Elsewhere, outside advocacy groups have to go through a myriad of workarounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spread the Vote tries to set up relationships with someone inside the jail — a priest, rabbi or a counselor — who can be a point of contact to answer voting questions. The group aims to boost voter participation by eliminating barriers such as not having an ID card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kat Calvin, executive director of Spread the Vote, said that it takes more than just providing pamphlets to empower those incarcerated to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve tried to work with California jails, and we’re always told, ‘Oh, we’ve got it. We’re so great.’ But then I’ve gotten letters from people who are incarcerated in California jails saying, ‘I’m trying to vote, but they won’t give me a pen. They’ll only give me a pencil,’” she said. “It’s those little things that make it impossible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spread the Vote works in 20 states and creates voting guides geared to those in jail, sent early enough to avoid mail processing delays. Depending on local rules, they might also set up ballot collection boxes in jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The VOICE program in the Alameda County public defender’s office has registered nearly 1,800 people since 2016, mostly at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. It shows prospective voters how to look at downloaded guides for statewide initiatives on their tablets to get around the limits on stapled guides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004889\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004889\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg\" alt=\"A paper guide and two pens. The guide says '5 Facts About Voting With a Criminal History'\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flier made by the San Francisco Department of Elections to inform people who are incarcerated about their voting rights. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Not all advocacy groups find success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Diego, for example, the sheriff’s department denied access to Pillars of the Community, so the advocacy group partnered with the League of Women Voters, which already worked with the jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department said it works closely with the Registrar of Voters and the League of Women Voters to ensure access to voter registration and participation. In the case of the Pillars group, a sheriff’s spokesperson said some volunteers did not get security clearance or didn’t submit requests early enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some volunteers have criminal records, which could prevent them from getting clearance, said Brittany Stonesifer, a voting rights attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.\u003cbr>\n<h2″>Are there solutions in sight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bryan, a Democratic lawmaker from Culver City, the only way to address inconsistent mail voting in county jails — sometimes due to a lack of technical assistance or staff — is to allow voting inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why he introduced \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab544?slug=CA_202320240AB544\">Assembly Bill 544\u003c/a>, which requires the Secretary of State to provide grants to the elections offices in San Benito, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties to set up in-person voting in jails — when the Legislature allocates funding, which might be an uphill battle given the state’s budget crunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It increases public safety, it increases civic awareness, and it produces the best kind of electoral outcomes — where all eligible voters are able to be heard in our democracy,” Bryan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004888\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004888\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg\" alt=\"A young, bald Black man with a beard, wearing a grey suit, speak at a formal hearing.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City) on the Assembly floor at the state Capitol on March 27, 2023. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If Newsom signs the bill, the pilot programs would be for elections in 2026 through 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal is based on the success of the Los Angeles County “\u003ca href=\"https://spsf.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2024-06/ab-544-analysis_0.pdf\">We All Count” campaign\u003c/a>, which set up in-person voting for the March 2020 presidential primary at the Century Regional Detention Facility. More than 90 people cast ballots, but the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the effort. In 2022, the county expanded to a second jail and 40 people cast ballots between the two facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson, of San Francisco Prisoner Legal Services, said any state mandate would be helpful in case future sheriffs aren’t as supportive of voting access. “If there is a law in place, that will be followed, and if there are resources behind it — you know, now we’re talking,” she said. “So you’ve got to not just say that. It has to have some teeth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are other ways the state could help short of in-jail voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ucedrah Osby, president of the Bakersfield chapter of All of Us or None, an advocacy group for the incarcerated, said the state could spend more on voter education. And jails could allow outside groups more access since voting information can have more impact coming from those with connections to the incarcerated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanh Tran, an advocate who served two-and-a-half years of his 10-year sentence in jail, agreed. He said he was focused mostly on surviving each day, and it didn’t even cross his mind that he was still eligible to vote when he was shackled and belly-chained just to walk down the hallway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tran, whose sentence was commuted by Newsom in 2022, said he spent many days in solitary confinement, where he read the news and books on politics. After his release, he worked as a fellow at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, where he helped advocate for Bryan’s bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I knew that I could participate in voting, I would have done it. But the thing is that I wasn’t offered it. I didn’t know it was a thing,” he said. “There were many, many barriers stopping me from even conceiving the thought of voting during my incarceration.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Even though incarcerated Californians in county jails who aren’t serving felony sentences are eligible to vote, most lock-ups don’t make it very easy. A bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk would test in-person voting in jails in three counties.\r\n",
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"title": "Thousands in California Jails Have the Right to Vote. Here’s Why Many Won’t | KQED",
"description": "Even though incarcerated Californians in county jails who aren’t serving felony sentences are eligible to vote, most lock-ups don’t make it very easy. A bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk would test in-person voting in jails in three counties.\r\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Ronald Latney used to believe his vote didn’t matter. But after returning to jail this year, he realized the difference it can make — especially locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I try to tell everybody … like, man, we need to vote because our lives depend on this,” he said, mentioning district attorney races and bail policies. “That’s very impactful on me and what I’m going through now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also helps him feel involved in the world, he said: “Sometimes we feel like we’re forgotten about, so to speak, except for our family. But this does definitely make me feel like I’m a part of something.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latney is able to vote with relative ease at a jail in San Bruno, where he’s serving time. But his experience isn’t all that common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California prides itself on making voting easier, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/06/california-voters-access-visually-impaired/\">some groups of voters\u003c/a> still face barriers. That includes many people in county jails, though the state has allowed most of them to vote since 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest data from the California Department of Corrections shows that about \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/174/2024/09/Tpop1d240911.pdf\">92,000 people\u003c/a> are in state prisons, and many are ineligible to vote. But in 2023, another \u003ca href=\"https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/CA.html\">78,000 were in county jails\u003c/a>, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a Massachusetts-based nonpartisan research group and about 60% of them have not been convicted of a crime, so they are eligible to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A disproportionate number of people in jails are Black or Latino and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2021/03/waiting-for-justice/\">sometimes wait years until they go to trial\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most California jails don’t offer in-person voting, and voting by mail can be challenging. People might be registered at one address, but even if mail is being forwarded to their jail, they may get released or transferred elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who have tried to help incarcerated people vote list a host of hurdles that vary by county. Due to lengthy mail screening, some people in jails don’t get voter guides in time. Others don’t get voter guides at all because people in jail can only receive mail under a certain page limit or without staples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voter information is key to the process, advocates say — letting people know if they’re eligible or how to register or vote. However, advocates face their own barriers, such as limits on how often they can visit jails or how long they can stay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state does not track the number of incarcerated people who vote, but some counties have encouraged more participation: Since 2010, nearly 9,200 jail inmates have voted by mail or at in-jail booths in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Advocates want to build on that program through a bill introduced by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/isaac-bryan-165440\">Isaac Bryan\u003c/a> that would start a \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab544?slug=CA_202320240AB544\">pilot program for in-jail voting\u003c/a> in three counties. The bill passed the Legislature in the session’s final days in late August and awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision by Sept. 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While nearly all Republicans voted against it, the bill has no official opposition on file.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Topo Padilla, a board member of Crime Victims United, said that he did not understand the need for the Legislature to intervene. “I do not believe there’s a sheriff in the state of California that is saying lawful mail cannot be delivered to an inmate,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill, he said, shows him again that Democrats in California “focus more about taking care of people that have been convicted of crimes than they do about victims of crime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for Latney, he believes his vote directly affects his ability to get out of jail — and stay out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He arrived at the law library at the jail, in a visit last week arranged by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, with a red folder that held a write-up of his own experience with state laws and a printed-out opinion piece from former prisoner \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/09/after-prison-vote-first-time/\">Richard Richardson\u003c/a>, whose voting experience resonated with Latney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can honestly say that I made my mistake. … I’m paying my debt to society, and I’m just ready for this to be over with,” he said. “I know that voting can make things like this possible and can help better my circumstances and later on in life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The jail upon a hill\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Melinda Benson, director of Prisoner Legal Services for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, said every eligible person incarcerated in California should have a “meaningful” opportunity to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I say meaningful because it’s not meaningful in a lot of counties. It might be just that they make an announcement that you can reach out to the Department of Elections,” she said. “The rule is that the Department of Elections has to make that opportunity available, but that’s it. That’s really the only guidance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson’s staff of three provides legal services, and also goes cell-by-cell to talk through each person’s eligibility and steps to register. A big push at the San Francisco County Jail involves convincing those incarcerated that they really can vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m a lawyer, and I’m telling them, ‘No, you’re absolutely legally eligible to vote.’ They don’t believe me,” Benson said. “And then when they have the opportunity to do it, it’s pretty moving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/PdQOr/2/\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sheriff’s Office began its voting outreach program in 2003, based on interest in San Francisco’s mayoral race, and worked with the elections office to ensure anyone eligible could fill out absentee ballot forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, the state has gradually expanded eligibility, such as to those on parole. And a 2021 state law that ensures that a mail ballot is sent to everyone registered made the process much easier for Benson’s department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data from four elections in San Francisco from February 2022 to March 2024 show that a third to half of jailed people who requested voter information went on to cast ballots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004891\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004891\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg\" alt=\"A bearded incarcerated man with glasses, in an orange shirt sits at a table in front of a bookcase of legal books.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-12-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas Neal of San Francisco speaks about voting while incarcerated in a San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno on Sept. 11, 2024. Neal said that voting, particularly in local elections, is important and it’s something he has done most of his life. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thomas Neal, 45, who is also incarcerated at its San Bruno jail, said voting has always been important to him. He sees it as his civic duty. His experience in San Francisco County jail has been better than in other counties, where he said he had to petition for voting resources to be made available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shouldn’t have to argue about wanting to vote. It’s my right to vote,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Workarounds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A big advantage of the San Francisco program is that the team is in-house. Elsewhere, outside advocacy groups have to go through a myriad of workarounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spread the Vote tries to set up relationships with someone inside the jail — a priest, rabbi or a counselor — who can be a point of contact to answer voting questions. The group aims to boost voter participation by eliminating barriers such as not having an ID card.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kat Calvin, executive director of Spread the Vote, said that it takes more than just providing pamphlets to empower those incarcerated to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve tried to work with California jails, and we’re always told, ‘Oh, we’ve got it. We’re so great.’ But then I’ve gotten letters from people who are incarcerated in California jails saying, ‘I’m trying to vote, but they won’t give me a pen. They’ll only give me a pencil,’” she said. “It’s those little things that make it impossible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spread the Vote works in 20 states and creates voting guides geared to those in jail, sent early enough to avoid mail processing delays. Depending on local rules, they might also set up ballot collection boxes in jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The VOICE program in the Alameda County public defender’s office has registered nearly 1,800 people since 2016, mostly at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. It shows prospective voters how to look at downloaded guides for statewide initiatives on their tablets to get around the limits on stapled guides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004889\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004889\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg\" alt=\"A paper guide and two pens. The guide says '5 Facts About Voting With a Criminal History'\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091124_InmateVoting_FM_CM-02-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flier made by the San Francisco Department of Elections to inform people who are incarcerated about their voting rights. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Not all advocacy groups find success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Diego, for example, the sheriff’s department denied access to Pillars of the Community, so the advocacy group partnered with the League of Women Voters, which already worked with the jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department said it works closely with the Registrar of Voters and the League of Women Voters to ensure access to voter registration and participation. In the case of the Pillars group, a sheriff’s spokesperson said some volunteers did not get security clearance or didn’t submit requests early enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some volunteers have criminal records, which could prevent them from getting clearance, said Brittany Stonesifer, a voting rights attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.\u003cbr>\n<h2″>Are there solutions in sight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bryan, a Democratic lawmaker from Culver City, the only way to address inconsistent mail voting in county jails — sometimes due to a lack of technical assistance or staff — is to allow voting inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why he introduced \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab544?slug=CA_202320240AB544\">Assembly Bill 544\u003c/a>, which requires the Secretary of State to provide grants to the elections offices in San Benito, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties to set up in-person voting in jails — when the Legislature allocates funding, which might be an uphill battle given the state’s budget crunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It increases public safety, it increases civic awareness, and it produces the best kind of electoral outcomes — where all eligible voters are able to be heard in our democracy,” Bryan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004888\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004888\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg\" alt=\"A young, bald Black man with a beard, wearing a grey suit, speak at a formal hearing.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01.jpeg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/032723-Isaac-Bryan-MG-CM-01-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City) on the Assembly floor at the state Capitol on March 27, 2023. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If Newsom signs the bill, the pilot programs would be for elections in 2026 through 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal is based on the success of the Los Angeles County “\u003ca href=\"https://spsf.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2024-06/ab-544-analysis_0.pdf\">We All Count” campaign\u003c/a>, which set up in-person voting for the March 2020 presidential primary at the Century Regional Detention Facility. More than 90 people cast ballots, but the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the effort. In 2022, the county expanded to a second jail and 40 people cast ballots between the two facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benson, of San Francisco Prisoner Legal Services, said any state mandate would be helpful in case future sheriffs aren’t as supportive of voting access. “If there is a law in place, that will be followed, and if there are resources behind it — you know, now we’re talking,” she said. “So you’ve got to not just say that. It has to have some teeth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are other ways the state could help short of in-jail voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ucedrah Osby, president of the Bakersfield chapter of All of Us or None, an advocacy group for the incarcerated, said the state could spend more on voter education. And jails could allow outside groups more access since voting information can have more impact coming from those with connections to the incarcerated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanh Tran, an advocate who served two-and-a-half years of his 10-year sentence in jail, agreed. He said he was focused mostly on surviving each day, and it didn’t even cross his mind that he was still eligible to vote when he was shackled and belly-chained just to walk down the hallway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tran, whose sentence was commuted by Newsom in 2022, said he spent many days in solitary confinement, where he read the news and books on politics. After his release, he worked as a fellow at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, where he helped advocate for Bryan’s bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I knew that I could participate in voting, I would have done it. But the thing is that I wasn’t offered it. I didn’t know it was a thing,” he said. “There were many, many barriers stopping me from even conceiving the thought of voting during my incarceration.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Fact-Check Reveals Trump's Inaccurate Claims About California and Kamala Harris",
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"headTitle": "Fact-Check Reveals Trump’s Inaccurate Claims About California and Kamala Harris | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Overlooking the Pacific Ocean from his \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-13/trump-golf-course-rancho-palos-verdes-landslides\">own golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes\u003c/a>, former president Donald Trump praised his California property as one of the most beautiful in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rest of the state, however, is being destroyed by rampant crime, sweeping homelessness and unauthorized immigrants — and it’s spurring a mass exodus, Trump said at a press conference today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state of California is a mess,” said Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot allow Comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” said the former president, who had held a fundraiser in Los Angeles on Thursday night and plans one later today in the Bay Area community of Woodside to cash in on \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/07/kamala-harris-donald-trump-campaign-money-california/\">California’s lucrative trove of donors\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attacking California is something Trump didn’t even do once in his first — and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/meridithmcgraw/status/1834311545729225026\">he says only\u003c/a> — presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Political experts perceived it as a missed opportunity: After all, his allies have for decades decried California as too liberal for the rest of the nation — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-california-record-democrats/\">partly why there has never been a California Democrat elected president\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jury is still out on how much Harris’ California ties could hurt her chance among undecided voters. For most Michigan and Arizona voters who spoke to CalMatters last month, Harris’ record in the White House \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-california-record-democrats/\">mattered more\u003c/a> than her California brand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, who repeatedly mispronounced Harris’s first name, also blamed Harris for federal economic and border policies and insisted he outperformed her \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/presidential-debate-kamala-harris-donald-trump/\">during the debate\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Harris campaign’s rapid response team \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/KamalaHQ\">posted about some of Trump’s statements\u003c/a>, but has not directly responded to what he said about her record or her home state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much of the many, many things Trump said about California and Harris’ record is accurate? Here’s our fact check on some notable claims:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>State of the state\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said\u003c/strong>:\u003cbr>\n“California has the highest inflation, highest taxes, the highest gas prices, the most illegal aliens, the most regulations, the most expensive utilities, and it ranks as the third worst state to start a business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts\u003c/strong>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Inflation\u003c/strong>: Inflation rates fluctuate month to month. Florida had the highest inflation at 4% as of March, while California had the seventh highest, at 3.6%, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/04/09/states-highest-lowest-inflation/73184932007/\">analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics data\u003c/a> by Moody’s Analytics. Even according to U.S. Senate Republicans’ own inflation tracker, as of August, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/california-inflation-report/\">California\u003c/a> ranked 5th for increased monthly inflation costs since January 2021 and had a cumulative inflation rate lower than Florida and \u003ca href=\"https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/state-inflation-tracker\">other states in the West region\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Taxes:\u003c/strong> California does have the highest state sales tax at 7.25%, but \u003ca href=\"https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/2024-sales-taxes/\">ranks 8th\u003c/a> in total state and local sales tax rates this year, according to the Tax Foundation. California’s property tax rate is at 0.75%, \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/property-tax-by-state\">the 34th highest\u003c/a> of all 50 states. The state also has a progressive income tax rate while other states have a flat rate for all.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Gas prices\u003c/strong>: It is true. California does have the highest gas price of all states, at $4.76 a gallon as of today, \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA\">according to the AAA\u003c/a>. The national average is $3.23.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Unauthorized immigrants\u003c/strong>: California is estimated to have the largest population of undocumented immigrants, at \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/\">1.8 million\u003c/a>, based on a Pew Research Center estimate of 2022 Census figures. But California is also the only state where that population decreased from 2019 to 2022, while the populations in Republican-led Florida and Texas grew the most.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Utility rates\u003c/strong>: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a\">As of June\u003c/a>, Hawaii — not California — had the highest electricity rates, averaging 42.4 cents per kilowatt hour for residential customers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, residential customers paid an average of 33.0 cents per kilowatt hour. \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/living/monthly-utility-costs-by-state/#states_with_the_most_expensive_utilities_section\">A Forbes analysis\u003c/a> of monthly utility bills by state ranked Alaska the most expensive, followed by Hawaii, Connecticut, West Virginia and Georgia.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Worst state to start a business\u003c/strong>: It depends which ranking you look at, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-states-to-start-a-business/#state_by_state_ranking_the_best_states_to_start_a_business_section\">according to Forbes\u003c/a>, California is the 37th best state to start a business this year.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Crime in California\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> Trump blamed the “destruction” of San Francisco on Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris. He said murders rose “significantly” and car thefts “went through the roof” while Harris was state attorney general. He argued that Harris was lenient in prosecuting several cases, that she had endorsed defunding the police and that “the police don’t endorse her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Crime stats\u003c/strong>: When Harris was California attorney general between 2011 and 2017, homicide rates fluctuated, with an average of 1,819 homicides — or 4.7 per 100,000 people — each year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://data-openjustice.doj.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Crime%20In%20CA%202022f.pdf\">the state Department of Justice\u003c/a>. Vehicle thefts ebbed and flowed, averaging 164,000 or 424.9 per 100,000 people. Both rates were far lower than during the 1990s.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Leniency\u003c/strong>: Despite claims she’s soft on crime, Harris has a mixed record. As a local prosecutor, Harris \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-prosecutor-california-san-francisco/\">did not pursue the death penalty against a cop killer\u003c/a> — a case Trump used during the press conference to justify his claim. But years later, Harris prosecuted a woman with mental illness for assaulting police officers. As California’s attorney general, Harris defended \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-prosecutor-california-san-francisco/\">the state’s death penalty\u003c/a> even though she personally opposed it. Harris remained neutral on various ballot measures about reducing penalties for low-level offenses and \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/29/kamala-harris-california-criminal-justice-00171490\">allowing earlier release for more offenders\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Defund the police\u003c/strong>: It is true that Harris \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/jul/30/donald-trump/fact-checking-trumps-false-statement-that-kamala-h/\">expressed support for redirecting some money\u003c/a> and “reimagining” public safety during her 2020 presidential campaign, weeks after George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, sparking waves of protests against law enforcement. “This whole movement is about rightly saying, we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities,” she said at the time. After President Joe Biden tapped her as his running mate, however, she denounced the “defund” movement.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Police endorsements\u003c/strong>: \u003ca href=\"https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4865127-law-enforcement-endorse-kamala-harris/\">More than 100 law enforcement officials\u003c/a> — including sheriffs, former and current police chiefs and FBI agents — endorsed Harris last week.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004813\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Several people are seating facing a split screen showing a man and woman.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People watch the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at KQED headquarters in San Francisco on Sept. 10, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>Immigration and the border\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> He lambasted Harris for supporting “sanctuary cities” for undocumented immigrants while she was San Francisco’s district attorney, claiming she shielded “illegal aliens” who committed murders and refused to deport them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sanctuary city policy\u003c/strong>: The San Francisco city ordinance — which prevented officials from handing over unauthorized migrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement even if they committed a felony — \u003ca href=\"https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trumps-false-and-misleading-claims-about-harris-record-on-crime/\">dates to 1985\u003c/a>. It was originally aimed at protecting asylum seekers from El Salvador and Guatemala, but was extended in 1989 to cover all immigrants. Harris — who was district attorney from 2004 to 2011 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/kfile-kamala-harris-undocumented-juveniles/index.html\">supported changing the policy\u003c/a> to report undocumented immigrants arrested on suspicion of a felony in 2008.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Prosecuting unauthorized immigrants\u003c/strong>: Trump said Harris offered sanctuary in 2008 to Edwin Ramos, a Salvadoran migrant who was charged with three counts of murder and who had prior convictions for assault and attempted robbery. Similarly, Trump mentioned the case of Rony Aguilera, a Honduran immigrant who murdered a 14-year-old boy in 2008. It is true city officials did not turn him over to federal agents at the time — under the sanctuary city policy that Harris helped change that year. Ramos was \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/SF-killer-Edwin-Ramos-sentenced-in-triple-slaying-3625545.php\">sentenced to life in prison in 2014\u003c/a>, and Aguilera was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/s-f-gang-member-sentenced-in-teen-s-slaying-4847595.php\">in 2013\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Homelessness\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> “After Kamala Harris and Gavin Newscum took charge of San Francisco, homelessness increased by over 200%.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong> Homelessness has grown in California, but not by that much. From 2007 to 2023, the number of people experiencing homelessness grew \u003ca href=\"https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2023-AHAR-Part-1.pdf\">by 30.5%\u003c/a>, according to a report to Congress. In San Francisco, the point-in-time count of homeless people this year reached the lowest level since 2015, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news/new-data-san-francisco-street-homelessness-hits-10-year-low\">according to the city\u003c/a>. Nearly 186,000 Californians live on the streets or homeless shelters, up 8% from 2022, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/09/pit-count-analysis-2024/\">according to a new CalMatters analysis\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://shou.senate.ca.gov/sites/shou.senate.ca.gov/files/Homelessness%20in%20CA%202023%20Numbers%20-%201.2024.pdf\">As of last year\u003c/a>, California accounted for nearly 30% of the nation’s homeless population and roughly half of the unsheltered population. [aside postID=\"forum_2010101907043,news_12000992,news_12004347\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>California exodus\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said\u003c/strong>: He claimed the state has the most number of people leaving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts: \u003c/strong>It is true that California \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/population-trends-return-to-pre-pandemic-norms.html\">shed the most people\u003c/a> last year — 75,423, according to the Census Bureau. But it’s not just a California problem: \u003ca href=\"https://www.newsweek.com/population-map-reveals-states-growing-shrinking-1893641#:~:text=The%20states%20that%20lost%20the,same%20reasons%2C%22%20Poston%20said.\">New York\u003c/a> lost the most population between 2020 and 2022, losing 2.6% of its population, according to Census data. The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/02/california-population-exodus-housing/\">reasons for California’s shrinking population\u003c/a> are complicated: Some died, some moved to other states due to the high cost of living, and some left the country altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify California’s crime rates.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Donald Trump didn’t attack California or Kamala Harris’s home-state record during their presidential debate. He didn’t miss his chance on a fundraising visit, blasting the state on crime, homelessness and more.",
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"title": "Fact-Check Reveals Trump's Inaccurate Claims About California and Kamala Harris | KQED",
"description": "Donald Trump didn’t attack California or Kamala Harris’s home-state record during their presidential debate. He didn’t miss his chance on a fundraising visit, blasting the state on crime, homelessness and more.",
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"headline": "Fact-Check Reveals Trump's Inaccurate Claims About California and Kamala Harris",
"datePublished": "2024-09-15T15:30:42-07:00",
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"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/yue-yu\">Yue Stella Yu, \u003c/a>CalMatters",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Overlooking the Pacific Ocean from his \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-13/trump-golf-course-rancho-palos-verdes-landslides\">own golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes\u003c/a>, former president Donald Trump praised his California property as one of the most beautiful in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rest of the state, however, is being destroyed by rampant crime, sweeping homelessness and unauthorized immigrants — and it’s spurring a mass exodus, Trump said at a press conference today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state of California is a mess,” said Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot allow Comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” said the former president, who had held a fundraiser in Los Angeles on Thursday night and plans one later today in the Bay Area community of Woodside to cash in on \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/07/kamala-harris-donald-trump-campaign-money-california/\">California’s lucrative trove of donors\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attacking California is something Trump didn’t even do once in his first — and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/meridithmcgraw/status/1834311545729225026\">he says only\u003c/a> — presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Political experts perceived it as a missed opportunity: After all, his allies have for decades decried California as too liberal for the rest of the nation — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-california-record-democrats/\">partly why there has never been a California Democrat elected president\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jury is still out on how much Harris’ California ties could hurt her chance among undecided voters. For most Michigan and Arizona voters who spoke to CalMatters last month, Harris’ record in the White House \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-california-record-democrats/\">mattered more\u003c/a> than her California brand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, who repeatedly mispronounced Harris’s first name, also blamed Harris for federal economic and border policies and insisted he outperformed her \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/presidential-debate-kamala-harris-donald-trump/\">during the debate\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Harris campaign’s rapid response team \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/KamalaHQ\">posted about some of Trump’s statements\u003c/a>, but has not directly responded to what he said about her record or her home state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much of the many, many things Trump said about California and Harris’ record is accurate? Here’s our fact check on some notable claims:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>State of the state\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said\u003c/strong>:\u003cbr>\n“California has the highest inflation, highest taxes, the highest gas prices, the most illegal aliens, the most regulations, the most expensive utilities, and it ranks as the third worst state to start a business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts\u003c/strong>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Inflation\u003c/strong>: Inflation rates fluctuate month to month. Florida had the highest inflation at 4% as of March, while California had the seventh highest, at 3.6%, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/04/09/states-highest-lowest-inflation/73184932007/\">analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics data\u003c/a> by Moody’s Analytics. Even according to U.S. Senate Republicans’ own inflation tracker, as of August, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/california-inflation-report/\">California\u003c/a> ranked 5th for increased monthly inflation costs since January 2021 and had a cumulative inflation rate lower than Florida and \u003ca href=\"https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/state-inflation-tracker\">other states in the West region\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Taxes:\u003c/strong> California does have the highest state sales tax at 7.25%, but \u003ca href=\"https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/2024-sales-taxes/\">ranks 8th\u003c/a> in total state and local sales tax rates this year, according to the Tax Foundation. California’s property tax rate is at 0.75%, \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/property-tax-by-state\">the 34th highest\u003c/a> of all 50 states. The state also has a progressive income tax rate while other states have a flat rate for all.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Gas prices\u003c/strong>: It is true. California does have the highest gas price of all states, at $4.76 a gallon as of today, \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA\">according to the AAA\u003c/a>. The national average is $3.23.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Unauthorized immigrants\u003c/strong>: California is estimated to have the largest population of undocumented immigrants, at \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/\">1.8 million\u003c/a>, based on a Pew Research Center estimate of 2022 Census figures. But California is also the only state where that population decreased from 2019 to 2022, while the populations in Republican-led Florida and Texas grew the most.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Utility rates\u003c/strong>: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a\">As of June\u003c/a>, Hawaii — not California — had the highest electricity rates, averaging 42.4 cents per kilowatt hour for residential customers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, residential customers paid an average of 33.0 cents per kilowatt hour. \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/living/monthly-utility-costs-by-state/#states_with_the_most_expensive_utilities_section\">A Forbes analysis\u003c/a> of monthly utility bills by state ranked Alaska the most expensive, followed by Hawaii, Connecticut, West Virginia and Georgia.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Worst state to start a business\u003c/strong>: It depends which ranking you look at, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-states-to-start-a-business/#state_by_state_ranking_the_best_states_to_start_a_business_section\">according to Forbes\u003c/a>, California is the 37th best state to start a business this year.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Crime in California\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> Trump blamed the “destruction” of San Francisco on Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris. He said murders rose “significantly” and car thefts “went through the roof” while Harris was state attorney general. He argued that Harris was lenient in prosecuting several cases, that she had endorsed defunding the police and that “the police don’t endorse her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Crime stats\u003c/strong>: When Harris was California attorney general between 2011 and 2017, homicide rates fluctuated, with an average of 1,819 homicides — or 4.7 per 100,000 people — each year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://data-openjustice.doj.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Crime%20In%20CA%202022f.pdf\">the state Department of Justice\u003c/a>. Vehicle thefts ebbed and flowed, averaging 164,000 or 424.9 per 100,000 people. Both rates were far lower than during the 1990s.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Leniency\u003c/strong>: Despite claims she’s soft on crime, Harris has a mixed record. As a local prosecutor, Harris \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-prosecutor-california-san-francisco/\">did not pursue the death penalty against a cop killer\u003c/a> — a case Trump used during the press conference to justify his claim. But years later, Harris prosecuted a woman with mental illness for assaulting police officers. As California’s attorney general, Harris defended \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/08/kamala-harris-prosecutor-california-san-francisco/\">the state’s death penalty\u003c/a> even though she personally opposed it. Harris remained neutral on various ballot measures about reducing penalties for low-level offenses and \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/29/kamala-harris-california-criminal-justice-00171490\">allowing earlier release for more offenders\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Defund the police\u003c/strong>: It is true that Harris \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/jul/30/donald-trump/fact-checking-trumps-false-statement-that-kamala-h/\">expressed support for redirecting some money\u003c/a> and “reimagining” public safety during her 2020 presidential campaign, weeks after George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, sparking waves of protests against law enforcement. “This whole movement is about rightly saying, we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities,” she said at the time. After President Joe Biden tapped her as his running mate, however, she denounced the “defund” movement.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Police endorsements\u003c/strong>: \u003ca href=\"https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4865127-law-enforcement-endorse-kamala-harris/\">More than 100 law enforcement officials\u003c/a> — including sheriffs, former and current police chiefs and FBI agents — endorsed Harris last week.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12004813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12004813\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Several people are seating facing a split screen showing a man and woman.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/091024_PresidentialDebate_FM_CM-04-scaled-1-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People watch the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at KQED headquarters in San Francisco on Sept. 10, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>Immigration and the border\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> He lambasted Harris for supporting “sanctuary cities” for undocumented immigrants while she was San Francisco’s district attorney, claiming she shielded “illegal aliens” who committed murders and refused to deport them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sanctuary city policy\u003c/strong>: The San Francisco city ordinance — which prevented officials from handing over unauthorized migrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement even if they committed a felony — \u003ca href=\"https://www.factcheck.org/2024/08/trumps-false-and-misleading-claims-about-harris-record-on-crime/\">dates to 1985\u003c/a>. It was originally aimed at protecting asylum seekers from El Salvador and Guatemala, but was extended in 1989 to cover all immigrants. Harris — who was district attorney from 2004 to 2011 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/kfile-kamala-harris-undocumented-juveniles/index.html\">supported changing the policy\u003c/a> to report undocumented immigrants arrested on suspicion of a felony in 2008.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Prosecuting unauthorized immigrants\u003c/strong>: Trump said Harris offered sanctuary in 2008 to Edwin Ramos, a Salvadoran migrant who was charged with three counts of murder and who had prior convictions for assault and attempted robbery. Similarly, Trump mentioned the case of Rony Aguilera, a Honduran immigrant who murdered a 14-year-old boy in 2008. It is true city officials did not turn him over to federal agents at the time — under the sanctuary city policy that Harris helped change that year. Ramos was \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/SF-killer-Edwin-Ramos-sentenced-in-triple-slaying-3625545.php\">sentenced to life in prison in 2014\u003c/a>, and Aguilera was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/s-f-gang-member-sentenced-in-teen-s-slaying-4847595.php\">in 2013\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Homelessness\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said:\u003c/strong> “After Kamala Harris and Gavin Newscum took charge of San Francisco, homelessness increased by over 200%.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts:\u003c/strong> Homelessness has grown in California, but not by that much. From 2007 to 2023, the number of people experiencing homelessness grew \u003ca href=\"https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2023-AHAR-Part-1.pdf\">by 30.5%\u003c/a>, according to a report to Congress. In San Francisco, the point-in-time count of homeless people this year reached the lowest level since 2015, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news/new-data-san-francisco-street-homelessness-hits-10-year-low\">according to the city\u003c/a>. Nearly 186,000 Californians live on the streets or homeless shelters, up 8% from 2022, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/09/pit-count-analysis-2024/\">according to a new CalMatters analysis\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://shou.senate.ca.gov/sites/shou.senate.ca.gov/files/Homelessness%20in%20CA%202023%20Numbers%20-%201.2024.pdf\">As of last year\u003c/a>, California accounted for nearly 30% of the nation’s homeless population and roughly half of the unsheltered population. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>California exodus\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump said\u003c/strong>: He claimed the state has the most number of people leaving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Facts: \u003c/strong>It is true that California \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/population-trends-return-to-pre-pandemic-norms.html\">shed the most people\u003c/a> last year — 75,423, according to the Census Bureau. But it’s not just a California problem: \u003ca href=\"https://www.newsweek.com/population-map-reveals-states-growing-shrinking-1893641#:~:text=The%20states%20that%20lost%20the,same%20reasons%2C%22%20Poston%20said.\">New York\u003c/a> lost the most population between 2020 and 2022, losing 2.6% of its population, according to Census data. The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/02/california-population-exodus-housing/\">reasons for California’s shrinking population\u003c/a> are complicated: Some died, some moved to other states due to the high cost of living, and some left the country altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify California’s crime rates.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "californias-rural-communities-struggle-for-clean-drinking-water-amid-contamination-crisis",
"title": "California's Rural Communities Struggle for Clean Drinking Water Amid Contamination Crisis",
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"headTitle": "California’s Rural Communities Struggle for Clean Drinking Water Amid Contamination Crisis | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In a major milestone, state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2024/pr20240722-safer-5-year-event.pdf\">announced in July that nearly a million more Californians\u003c/a> now have safe drinking water than five years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, across the state, the problem remains severe: More than \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">735,000 people are still served by the nearly 400 water systems\u003c/a> that fail to meet state requirements for safe and reliable drinking water. Latino farm communities struggling with poverty and pollution \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/needs/2024/2024-needs-assessment.pdf\">are especially hard-hit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About three-quarters of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">failing systems in California\u003c/a> have violated \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/ccr/mcls_epa_vs_dwp.pdf\">state or federal standards for contaminants\u003c/a> that are linked to serious health problems, such as cancer and effects on developing babies, according to a CalMatters analysis of state data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the most pervasive contaminants are arsenic, nitrate and a chemical called 1,2,3-trichloropropane, or 1,2,3-TCP. Combined, elevated levels of these chemicals contaminate more than 220 failing systems serving nearly half a million people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unsafe drinking water is a chronic, insidious and sometimes hidden problem in a state where attention is more often focused on shortages than the quality of the water. The failing systems are clustered in rural farm areas that have experienced decades of groundwater contamination. Many residents are afraid to drink tap water or even bathe their children in it, relying on bottled water instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is morally outrageous that we can’t provide the level of basic human rights that people need and that it’s primarily low-income communities of color who are facing these disparate impacts,” said Kyle Jones, policy and legal director with the Community Water Center, a nonprofit group. “While the state’s made a lot of good progress … more needs to be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/w55cl/20/\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twelve years ago, California became the first state to recognize \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/hr2w/\">clean, safe, affordable and accessible drinking water as a human right\u003c/a>. In 2019, Legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB200\">a law\u003c/a> that gave rise to the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/sustainable_water_solutions/safer.html\">Safe and Affordable Funding program.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, about 98% of Californians are served by water systems that meet state standards, and over \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2024/pr20240722-safer-5-year-event.pdf\">$1 billion in state grants have helped disadvantaged communities\u003c/a> tackle drinking water problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But despite all the systems that have been removed from the state’s failing list, about 600 others serving 1.6 million people are \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">at risk of failure,\u003c/a> and more than 400 others serving another 1.6 million are deemed “potentially at risk.”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have continuing degradation of groundwater from all our human activities — farming, industry, drought itself with our climate change,” said Darrin Polhemus, deputy director of the State Water Resources Control Board and head of its Division of Drinking Water. “We’re seeing the dawn of a new age where treatment is required on almost all our groundwater sources, and these small communities are not prepared for what that means.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ensuring safe and reliable drinking water for all Californians will \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/needs/2024/2024-needs-assessment.pdf\">cost about $16 billion, according to a recent state analysis\u003c/a>. However, the state water board projects that it has only $2 billion available for grants in communities and $1.5 billion for loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suppliers that violate drinking water standards are required to notify residents and reduce their exposure, often by treating or blending water supplies. State regulators are pushing for long-term fixes, like consolidating some smaller suppliers with bigger systems nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state auditor lambasted California water officials two years ago for “\u003ca href=\"https://information.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-118/index.html\">a lack of urgency,\u003c/a>” pointing to lengthy funding timelines and other problems. But \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2024/06/california-drinking-water-failing-systems/\">infrastructure takes time\u003c/a> and advanced planning, which is a struggle for smaller water systems, state officials say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Violations “can be resolved in a matter of days, or it can take years,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/docs/2023/annual-compliance-report-2023.pdf\">according to a 2023 water board report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some water providers, such as in the town of Lamont in Kern County, are poised to fix their water problems with \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr021323-lamont.pdf\">millions of dollars in state funding\u003c/a>. Other, smaller communities, like Allensworth in Tulare County and San Lucas on the Central Coast, have been waiting for clean water for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, rural residents are left to weigh the risks flowing through their taps for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re pretty much playing Russian Roulette,” said Tequita Jefferson, a longtime resident of Pixley, where the \u003ca href=\"https://pixleypud.specialdistrict.org/files/e060ed1f4/123+TCP+2024+Quater+2.pdf\">water system has elevated levels of the chemical 1,2,3-TCP\u003c/a>, which has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">linked to cancer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It scares me. All of it scares me,” Jefferson said. “And then no one thinks about it. Here, we’re in a rural community, and people have a tendency to overlook us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>In this small town, pesticide residue is the culprit\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In the San Joaquin Valley community of Pixley, home to about 3,800 people, the jobs are rooted in agriculture — and so are the water problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Widespread use of soil fumigants \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">starting in the 1950s\u003c/a> contaminated Central Valley groundwater with 1,2,3-TCP, which is an impurity in those fumigants and is also used as an industrial solvent. Though the fumigants were pulled \u003ca href=\"https://rbwaterlaw.com/tcp-litigation/\">from the market or reformulated\u003c/a> in California \u003ca href=\"https://digital.sandiego.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1198&context=crlr\">by the 1990s\u003c/a>, elevated levels continue to taint the water in wells throughout \u003ca href=\"https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/271800/1-s2.0-S0048969719X00145/1-s2.0-S0048969719314317/am.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEPX%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJGMEQCIAq8BCN1SIlQc%2FH%2BCav5Uss9VWF3VxslAZeOwNXe71sDAiAIKCNIQBXcdFEdBN2hotfzrOgGafbCKROe86FKZ8Oyliq8BQjt%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAUaDDA1OTAwMzU0Njg2NSIMvoEiTR3%2BejzigkCEKpAFxEjdOKL56DXlUVbOtjqfPDQSA%2F5l13XCiqUzR0raPHWODqNP3rwQWvx2dtqbhXtvcnkMReuAbllXAGQA9FugUlhLfmN%2BPYCJ6fqaaBx7yjAWu7vJyxoPtYadQpgC1YHGfc1nlgAvibyYvWivWx76njmTM%2FXpzRVrQTl7a%2FahqPQGtxI3B02vmuSmpKA%2FjMz85EfHmOjUbzgkx6XpLIa%2BmM0t6Mk1whVrsu%2Fldsogq7XaO%2Fh1csm%2FW3WyO9BgxBsELjf5fvH3TNp4ZtYBvJfEE5Dx7FXOE30%2BSvv2o1ei8X6Fj31vTlIRIYT99Ku98yIScnRQLeC30kUPMpXwUkqeErc1FGbaKL7WgL6Piqkp5ofVGy5R5zkcHDR38PrhatYdbDk9s4f5RyfTje9AkTlUAV4yIadvt0DQxOFSMpQ5E6iyWvxUf5NihqB11EJxTANF3hndKL7Uqsqwzd%2BYUxwFZm3Pwg3BDQ%2BSsPtHjMfTwe7gmzB3KSAMRTfVCwg6r8qZ6n1s7vhg714%2BouNYbUasgRYcF4jEGGEqtH%2FmkZ3NDFf6DK1B9p1tIwpCnkWRFFJJfWdzDxCvn6PIpJ4OoqTLTe5h2zAn0aur4kJxC9BBSjOLGvDgdyjADnzVrKgMTd0Cq%2Bto4Asb6qFi5JiUh%2FwnVzBgvX%2BPWoNP2KYkmxgrqJ4TC4aYtQKDLbPqe66pyBIxZ4hkMwQIDV0SLqZXSzE94fVhR7jiWQyWNGgHASFbWTr%2BuqzJAmX6%2BBLpNIG0cFZuU3cWnPcwTYxSIGyKDiMltnHBJKiGn%2Fbuz9G1vgXfxmipWEs1%2F2zPPfwBZCeee5jJYM9BpkPatzZzZ4eXNogQk0pJu%2FwZopHhlTHH3Ot7MqUwgof9tQY6sgFhnET1naPVN03CLAu5xeodO1jc%2BSNSQT8zr8iGKI0tgiwBEKWSd%2B6evCEkh%2Bwq4gwhna1anZpqr5sA882qSpVn0c3nfJX6uhyqQqXSU1vdkQGOYkynX%2Bh6PyAWty5fLR6Dwgc%2BJe22oBDuJyoZg3lYAmraUPjWbMQO8ZquMiFVcyLgi%2FcKxbscIaaEO6cPcWRDAh%2FpXGiNoFpqtauVUk3pdsu2BDPZLLWPRoisRC2hR%2Fqz&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240816T133350Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYYPKLKU5J%2F20240816%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=48a487247d845e02581dd879c8c76c8a4b24023605a1d08576b500dffe253e66&hash=b1fdd300fa31e21ecb13e4ed333823ef2ffbd60a01762d1a11b6a3b12f6d9ec3&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S0048969719314317&tid=pdf-499f6c17-6bc4-401a-b80d-f25c1cb118b9&sid=2a0f6eef29aba64a5f8a4ec8568fba479b56gxrqa&type=client\">the San Joaquin Valley\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the absence of federal standards, state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.slenvironment.com/blog/1-2-3-tcp-in-drinking-water-strategies-for-groundwater-remediation\">set the most stringent drinking water limits\u003c/a> for the chemical in the country in 2017.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chemical has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp57.pdf\">linked to cancers in animal studies\u003c/a>. People can be exposed to 1,2,3-TCP by drinking it, cooking with it and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">breathing in vapor\u003c/a> from household water use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christina Velazquez, who has lived in Pixley for 44 years and had her own brush with cancer, estimates that she spends at least $30 per month to buy filters and water bottles on top of her water and sewer bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003794\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003794\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a green and black shirt points to dishes in a kitchen sink.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christina Velazquez runs the water at the highest pressure it can go in the kitchen of her home in Pixley on Sept. 4, 2024. Velazquez doesn’t let her family drink the water due to tainted water in the local wells. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s what I make my grandkids drink — I won’t let them drink the water from the faucet,” Velasquez said. “We shouldn’t have to buy water when we’re already paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003793\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003793\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg\" alt=\"Water filters sit on a kitchen counter.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christina Velazquez shows the different filters she uses to clean her water in the kitchen of her home in Pixley on Sept. 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pixley received $11.5 million from pesticide manufacturers in 2021 to settle a lawsuit about the contamination, according to attorney Chad Lew, counsel for the Pixley Public Utility District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://pixleypud.specialdistrict.org/seat-1-david-g-terrel-jr-vice-president\">David Terrel,\u003c/a> a teacher and vice president of the district’s board, said there still isn’t enough funding to fix the contamination problem. “If we could handle it on our own, we would be doing that,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pixley is holding out hope for a construction grant from the state. The district has received about $750,000 for planning and technical assistance, as well as for installing filtered-water vending machines, according to a state database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sZ2i2/12/\" width=\"800\" height=\"850\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other water systems also have \u003ca href=\"https://rbwaterlaw.com/tcp-litigation/\">won large payouts from pesticide manufacturers\u003c/a>. Fresno, for instance, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article290692809.html\">received $230 million in a recent case\u003c/a>. But Polhemus, with the state’s Division of Drinking Water, said these settlements are rarely enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re still pretty broken when it comes to corporate responsibility for wide-scale pollution,” Polhemus said. The money will “last for a decade or two, but what about the third and fourth and fifth decade, when they’re still dealing with that contaminant?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Lamont, about an hour south of Pixley near Bakersfield, the failure of one well \u003ca href=\"https://www.lpud.org/about-us\">forced more than 18,200\u003c/a> people to rely more heavily on a well contaminated with elevated levels of 1,2,3-TCP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lamont Public Utility District General Manager Scott Taylor said a fix is already in the works, thanks to a new well built with state funds. Another \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr021323-lamont.pdf\">$25.4 million grant from the water board \u003c/a>will help Lamont install three new wells to provide water to Lamont and a smaller arsenic-plagued system nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the state help, what would we have done? Honestly, I don’t have a clue. And I’m glad I don’t have to find out,” Taylor said. “We don’t have $30 million laying around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>In Allensworth, arsenic is a decadeslong problem\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Just 20 minutes away from Pixley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/campaigns/allensworth.html\">in Allensworth\u003c/a>, Sherry Hunter keeps catching herself running the tap to brush her teeth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tiny Tulare County community of about 530 people, \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/Allensworth_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0601010\">93% of them Latino\u003c/a>, has struggled with arsenic leaching \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/5views/5views2h7.htm\">into its wells for decades\u003c/a>, one of which still \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/docs/2024/allensworth-slides.pdf\">regularly exceeds state health limits\u003c/a>. And the crisis keeps worsening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003796\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003796\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a gray shirt holds a tool to water a plant in a living room.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sherry Hunter waters her plants in her living room in Allensworth on Sept.4, 2024. The community of Allensworth has been dealing with an ongoing issue of arsenic leaking into its wells, one of which consistently exceeds state health limits. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Drinking arsenic-contaminated water over a long period of time \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/arsenic\">can cause cancers\u003c/a> and has been linked with fetal deaths and \u003ca href=\"https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?phsid=18&toxid=3\">malformations in test animals,\u003c/a> as well as harm to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221499961400304X\">developing brains of babies and young children\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arsenic is found naturally in rocks and soils throughout California, though it is worsened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04475-3#:~:text=Arsenic%20has%20been%20transported%20to,for%20millions%20of%20years14.\">groundwater over-pumping to irrigate farm fields\u003c/a> in the San Joaquin Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Allensworth Community Services District, where Hunter serves as president, has tried to reduce the contamination by blending in water from a less tainted well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in July, both wells failed because of suspected electrical issues, according to the nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises. Though the more contaminated well was brought back online, it, too, began sputtering out in August — leaving residents with either arsenic-contaminated water or no water at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmworkers living in Allensworth found themselves unable to shower after long days in the heat, Hunter said. “It’s a horrible feeling … We don’t have rich people that live in Allensworth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Communities of \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/Allensworth_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0601010\">color like Allensworth\u003c/a> are \u003ca href=\"https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-11-84#Sec18\">more likely to be served by water systems that violate state and federal limits for the contaminant\u003c/a>, according to UC Berkeley researchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003795\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003795\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg\" alt=\"Cases of bottle water on the floor next to a black chair and curtains in a room.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cases of water Sherry Hunter collects in her home in Allensworth on Sept.4, 2024. The community of Allensworth has been dealing with an ongoing issue of arsenic leaking into its wells, one of which consistently exceeds state health limits. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The town has been working for years to install a new well. But efforts have lagged for over a decade — delayed by logistics including land purchases tied up in probate and lengthy \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2020069009/5\">environmental permitting,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_201720180sb495\">including for impacts\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://www.fws.gov/species/tipton-kangaroo-rat-dipodomys-nitratoides-nitratoides\">endangered\u003c/a> and other \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fully-Protected\">protected species\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Allensworth has been piloting alternative water sources \u003ca href=\"https://source.co/pages/allensworth%5D\">as a test site for hydropanels designed to extract freshwater from the atmosphere\u003c/a> and for \u003ca href=\"https://news.berkeley.edu/2022/09/21/bringing-arsenic-safe-drinking-water-to-rural-california/\">lower-cost treatment technology out of UC Berkeley.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the end of August, Allensworth had qualified for emergency state water board funding through Self-Help Enterprises to repair the wells and investigate the source of the electrical issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hunter said she’s excited to know that help is on the way, but she’s frustrated with how long it’s taking to bring reliably clean water to her community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It wouldn’t have happened in none of the other little cities around here,” Hunter said. “People of color are always put on the back burner. Latinos and Blacks, we’re always sitting on the back of the bus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Nitrate spikes in a Monterey County town’s wells\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Two hours toward the coast, in the agricultural Monterey County community of San Lucas, Virginia Sandoval mixes formula with bottled water for her 2-month-old twin granddaughters. She’s afraid to even bathe the babies, born prematurely, in the tap water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For over a decade, the \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/San_Lucas_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0668140\">largely Latino town of about 300 residents\u003c/a> has struggled with nitrate contamination in its well, which is located on nearby farmland. The contaminant \u003ca href=\"https://ucanr.edu/sites/groundwaternitrate/files/138956.pdf\">leaches into water supplies from crop fertilizer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/nitrate/fact_sheet_nitrate_may2014_update.pdf\">consumed\u003c/a> in high enough quantities, nitrate has been linked to \u003ca href=\"https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/nitrate-nitrite/health_effects.html\">cancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP8205\">pregnancy complications\u003c/a> and can reduce \u003ca href=\"https://ucanr.edu/sites/groundwaternitrate/files/138956.pdf\">the capacity of a baby’s blood\u003c/a> to carry oxygen, leading to a sometimes deadly condition known as “blue baby syndrome.” Nitrate is \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/nitrate/fact_sheet_nitrate_may2014_update.pdf\">not absorbed through the skin\u003c/a>, and the California Department of Public Health said babies can be bathed in nitrate-contaminated water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Lucas’ water system is designated as failing because of nitrate levels that wax and wane, according to Andrew Altevogt, an assistant deputy director of the State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the levels \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/improvements-draft-engineering-report.pdf\">have averaged well below\u003c/a> the federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/estimated-nitrate-concentrations-groundwater-used-drinking\">health standard for the past decade\u003c/a>, they have occasionally spiked to double the state’s limit, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/improvements-draft-engineering-report.pdf\">a recent engineering report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nitrate’s an acute contaminant, so if it does happen, it’s an immediate concern,” Altevogt said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The water system has also been plagued with other contaminants that affect taste, odor and color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/dlcwo/12/\" width=\"1000\" height=\"280\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, residents have relied on bottled water \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2013/pr042513.pdf\">mandated by regional regulators \u003c/a>and provided by the farmer where the well is located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The supplies often don’t last the week for Sandoval. She regularly drives the 20-mile round trip to King City to purchase more bottles — a cost of more than $20 per week, she estimates, on top of her monthly water bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very stressful to be thinking every morning … ‘Do I have water or do I not have water?’ What am I going to do?’” Sandoval said in Spanish. “I even had to look for coins, pennies, so that I can go pick up water.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nitrate is a pervasive problem in the Central Coast, \u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">where 90% of drinking water is pumped from the ground\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2018/may/item8/item8_stfrpt.pdf\">farms discharge nitrogen waste\u003c/a> at a rate “approximately an order of magnitude greater” than what scientists consider “protective of water quality,” according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2018/may/item8/item8_stfrpt.pdf\">the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/regulatory_information.html\">regional water regulators\u003c/a> issued \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/ag_order4/2021/ao4_order.pdf\">an order\u003c/a> setting limits on the amount of fertilizer applied to crops. But two years later, state officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/public_notices/petitions/water_quality/docs/2023/wqo2023-0081.pdf\">overturned them,\u003c/a> saying that an expert panel needed to evaluate whether there was enough data to support the restrictions, according to a statement from the state water board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You really can’t grow a lot of these crops without fertilizer,” said Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau. “We can’t artificially reduce that overnight and continue to produce the food items that are important to our nation’s dinner tables.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community and conservation \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/San%20Jerardo%20et%20al%20v%20SWRCB_Filed%20stamped-103023.pdf\">organizations sued\u003c/a> both the state and regional regulators. Another coalition, including San Lucas community members, filed a \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/articles/racial-discrimination-complaint-names-ca-state-water-board-partly-blame-fertilizer\">racial discrimination \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/3.18.24_CRLA-Title-VI-Complaint-Central%20Coast.pdf\">complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The groups say the state board’s rollback of the fertilizer limits “disproportionately harmed Latinx communities and other communities of color,” which are \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/3.18.24_EXHIBITS_Central-Coast-Title-VI-Complaint.pdf\">4.4 times more likely to have groundwater contamination\u003c/a> above the state limits. [aside postID=\"news_11992044,news_11982531,news_12002387\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, residents are still waiting for reliably clean water. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13695/636112571895700000\">decade-old plan\u003c/a> to connect San Lucas with King City’s water \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13685/636112571865400000\">supply via an 8-mile pipeline\u003c/a> stalled after state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13689/636112571876970000\">said the long pipeline would be too expensive\u003c/a> and urged the county to find a new groundwater source instead, according to correspondence posted by Monterey County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, eight years and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/feasibility-study-technical-memo.pdf\">a state-funded study later\u003c/a>, state, county, regional and water district officials are \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/meeting-flyer.pdf\">once again weighing their options\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We sit here today counting years. It’s mind-blowing,” Monterey County Supervisor \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/board-of-supervisors/district-3-chris-lopez\">Chris Lopez said\u003c/a>. “I feel like we’ve failed (residents) as a society so much, without being able to give them the clean drinking water that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Data journalist Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Drinking water contamination is a chronic, insidious threat in California’s rural communities. Some have been waiting for clean water for years.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In a major milestone, state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2024/pr20240722-safer-5-year-event.pdf\">announced in July that nearly a million more Californians\u003c/a> now have safe drinking water than five years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, across the state, the problem remains severe: More than \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">735,000 people are still served by the nearly 400 water systems\u003c/a> that fail to meet state requirements for safe and reliable drinking water. Latino farm communities struggling with poverty and pollution \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/needs/2024/2024-needs-assessment.pdf\">are especially hard-hit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About three-quarters of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">failing systems in California\u003c/a> have violated \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/ccr/mcls_epa_vs_dwp.pdf\">state or federal standards for contaminants\u003c/a> that are linked to serious health problems, such as cancer and effects on developing babies, according to a CalMatters analysis of state data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the most pervasive contaminants are arsenic, nitrate and a chemical called 1,2,3-trichloropropane, or 1,2,3-TCP. Combined, elevated levels of these chemicals contaminate more than 220 failing systems serving nearly half a million people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unsafe drinking water is a chronic, insidious and sometimes hidden problem in a state where attention is more often focused on shortages than the quality of the water. The failing systems are clustered in rural farm areas that have experienced decades of groundwater contamination. Many residents are afraid to drink tap water or even bathe their children in it, relying on bottled water instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is morally outrageous that we can’t provide the level of basic human rights that people need and that it’s primarily low-income communities of color who are facing these disparate impacts,” said Kyle Jones, policy and legal director with the Community Water Center, a nonprofit group. “While the state’s made a lot of good progress … more needs to be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/w55cl/20/\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twelve years ago, California became the first state to recognize \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/hr2w/\">clean, safe, affordable and accessible drinking water as a human right\u003c/a>. In 2019, Legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB200\">a law\u003c/a> that gave rise to the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/sustainable_water_solutions/safer.html\">Safe and Affordable Funding program.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, about 98% of Californians are served by water systems that meet state standards, and over \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2024/pr20240722-safer-5-year-event.pdf\">$1 billion in state grants have helped disadvantaged communities\u003c/a> tackle drinking water problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But despite all the systems that have been removed from the state’s failing list, about 600 others serving 1.6 million people are \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/saferdashboard.html\">at risk of failure,\u003c/a> and more than 400 others serving another 1.6 million are deemed “potentially at risk.”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have continuing degradation of groundwater from all our human activities — farming, industry, drought itself with our climate change,” said Darrin Polhemus, deputy director of the State Water Resources Control Board and head of its Division of Drinking Water. “We’re seeing the dawn of a new age where treatment is required on almost all our groundwater sources, and these small communities are not prepared for what that means.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ensuring safe and reliable drinking water for all Californians will \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/needs/2024/2024-needs-assessment.pdf\">cost about $16 billion, according to a recent state analysis\u003c/a>. However, the state water board projects that it has only $2 billion available for grants in communities and $1.5 billion for loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suppliers that violate drinking water standards are required to notify residents and reduce their exposure, often by treating or blending water supplies. State regulators are pushing for long-term fixes, like consolidating some smaller suppliers with bigger systems nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state auditor lambasted California water officials two years ago for “\u003ca href=\"https://information.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-118/index.html\">a lack of urgency,\u003c/a>” pointing to lengthy funding timelines and other problems. But \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2024/06/california-drinking-water-failing-systems/\">infrastructure takes time\u003c/a> and advanced planning, which is a struggle for smaller water systems, state officials say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Violations “can be resolved in a matter of days, or it can take years,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/docs/2023/annual-compliance-report-2023.pdf\">according to a 2023 water board report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some water providers, such as in the town of Lamont in Kern County, are poised to fix their water problems with \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr021323-lamont.pdf\">millions of dollars in state funding\u003c/a>. Other, smaller communities, like Allensworth in Tulare County and San Lucas on the Central Coast, have been waiting for clean water for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, rural residents are left to weigh the risks flowing through their taps for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re pretty much playing Russian Roulette,” said Tequita Jefferson, a longtime resident of Pixley, where the \u003ca href=\"https://pixleypud.specialdistrict.org/files/e060ed1f4/123+TCP+2024+Quater+2.pdf\">water system has elevated levels of the chemical 1,2,3-TCP\u003c/a>, which has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">linked to cancer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It scares me. All of it scares me,” Jefferson said. “And then no one thinks about it. Here, we’re in a rural community, and people have a tendency to overlook us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>In this small town, pesticide residue is the culprit\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In the San Joaquin Valley community of Pixley, home to about 3,800 people, the jobs are rooted in agriculture — and so are the water problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Widespread use of soil fumigants \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">starting in the 1950s\u003c/a> contaminated Central Valley groundwater with 1,2,3-TCP, which is an impurity in those fumigants and is also used as an industrial solvent. Though the fumigants were pulled \u003ca href=\"https://rbwaterlaw.com/tcp-litigation/\">from the market or reformulated\u003c/a> in California \u003ca href=\"https://digital.sandiego.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1198&context=crlr\">by the 1990s\u003c/a>, elevated levels continue to taint the water in wells throughout \u003ca href=\"https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/271800/1-s2.0-S0048969719X00145/1-s2.0-S0048969719314317/am.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEPX%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJGMEQCIAq8BCN1SIlQc%2FH%2BCav5Uss9VWF3VxslAZeOwNXe71sDAiAIKCNIQBXcdFEdBN2hotfzrOgGafbCKROe86FKZ8Oyliq8BQjt%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAUaDDA1OTAwMzU0Njg2NSIMvoEiTR3%2BejzigkCEKpAFxEjdOKL56DXlUVbOtjqfPDQSA%2F5l13XCiqUzR0raPHWODqNP3rwQWvx2dtqbhXtvcnkMReuAbllXAGQA9FugUlhLfmN%2BPYCJ6fqaaBx7yjAWu7vJyxoPtYadQpgC1YHGfc1nlgAvibyYvWivWx76njmTM%2FXpzRVrQTl7a%2FahqPQGtxI3B02vmuSmpKA%2FjMz85EfHmOjUbzgkx6XpLIa%2BmM0t6Mk1whVrsu%2Fldsogq7XaO%2Fh1csm%2FW3WyO9BgxBsELjf5fvH3TNp4ZtYBvJfEE5Dx7FXOE30%2BSvv2o1ei8X6Fj31vTlIRIYT99Ku98yIScnRQLeC30kUPMpXwUkqeErc1FGbaKL7WgL6Piqkp5ofVGy5R5zkcHDR38PrhatYdbDk9s4f5RyfTje9AkTlUAV4yIadvt0DQxOFSMpQ5E6iyWvxUf5NihqB11EJxTANF3hndKL7Uqsqwzd%2BYUxwFZm3Pwg3BDQ%2BSsPtHjMfTwe7gmzB3KSAMRTfVCwg6r8qZ6n1s7vhg714%2BouNYbUasgRYcF4jEGGEqtH%2FmkZ3NDFf6DK1B9p1tIwpCnkWRFFJJfWdzDxCvn6PIpJ4OoqTLTe5h2zAn0aur4kJxC9BBSjOLGvDgdyjADnzVrKgMTd0Cq%2Bto4Asb6qFi5JiUh%2FwnVzBgvX%2BPWoNP2KYkmxgrqJ4TC4aYtQKDLbPqe66pyBIxZ4hkMwQIDV0SLqZXSzE94fVhR7jiWQyWNGgHASFbWTr%2BuqzJAmX6%2BBLpNIG0cFZuU3cWnPcwTYxSIGyKDiMltnHBJKiGn%2Fbuz9G1vgXfxmipWEs1%2F2zPPfwBZCeee5jJYM9BpkPatzZzZ4eXNogQk0pJu%2FwZopHhlTHH3Ot7MqUwgof9tQY6sgFhnET1naPVN03CLAu5xeodO1jc%2BSNSQT8zr8iGKI0tgiwBEKWSd%2B6evCEkh%2Bwq4gwhna1anZpqr5sA882qSpVn0c3nfJX6uhyqQqXSU1vdkQGOYkynX%2Bh6PyAWty5fLR6Dwgc%2BJe22oBDuJyoZg3lYAmraUPjWbMQO8ZquMiFVcyLgi%2FcKxbscIaaEO6cPcWRDAh%2FpXGiNoFpqtauVUk3pdsu2BDPZLLWPRoisRC2hR%2Fqz&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240816T133350Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYYPKLKU5J%2F20240816%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=48a487247d845e02581dd879c8c76c8a4b24023605a1d08576b500dffe253e66&hash=b1fdd300fa31e21ecb13e4ed333823ef2ffbd60a01762d1a11b6a3b12f6d9ec3&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S0048969719314317&tid=pdf-499f6c17-6bc4-401a-b80d-f25c1cb118b9&sid=2a0f6eef29aba64a5f8a4ec8568fba479b56gxrqa&type=client\">the San Joaquin Valley\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the absence of federal standards, state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.slenvironment.com/blog/1-2-3-tcp-in-drinking-water-strategies-for-groundwater-remediation\">set the most stringent drinking water limits\u003c/a> for the chemical in the country in 2017.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chemical has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp57.pdf\">linked to cancers in animal studies\u003c/a>. People can be exposed to 1,2,3-TCP by drinking it, cooking with it and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/123tcp_factsheet_2022.pdf\">breathing in vapor\u003c/a> from household water use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christina Velazquez, who has lived in Pixley for 44 years and had her own brush with cancer, estimates that she spends at least $30 per month to buy filters and water bottles on top of her water and sewer bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003794\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003794\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a green and black shirt points to dishes in a kitchen sink.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_04-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christina Velazquez runs the water at the highest pressure it can go in the kitchen of her home in Pixley on Sept. 4, 2024. Velazquez doesn’t let her family drink the water due to tainted water in the local wells. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s what I make my grandkids drink — I won’t let them drink the water from the faucet,” Velasquez said. “We shouldn’t have to buy water when we’re already paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003793\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003793\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg\" alt=\"Water filters sit on a kitchen counter.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christina Velazquez shows the different filters she uses to clean her water in the kitchen of her home in Pixley on Sept. 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pixley received $11.5 million from pesticide manufacturers in 2021 to settle a lawsuit about the contamination, according to attorney Chad Lew, counsel for the Pixley Public Utility District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://pixleypud.specialdistrict.org/seat-1-david-g-terrel-jr-vice-president\">David Terrel,\u003c/a> a teacher and vice president of the district’s board, said there still isn’t enough funding to fix the contamination problem. “If we could handle it on our own, we would be doing that,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pixley is holding out hope for a construction grant from the state. The district has received about $750,000 for planning and technical assistance, as well as for installing filtered-water vending machines, according to a state database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sZ2i2/12/\" width=\"800\" height=\"850\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other water systems also have \u003ca href=\"https://rbwaterlaw.com/tcp-litigation/\">won large payouts from pesticide manufacturers\u003c/a>. Fresno, for instance, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article290692809.html\">received $230 million in a recent case\u003c/a>. But Polhemus, with the state’s Division of Drinking Water, said these settlements are rarely enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re still pretty broken when it comes to corporate responsibility for wide-scale pollution,” Polhemus said. The money will “last for a decade or two, but what about the third and fourth and fifth decade, when they’re still dealing with that contaminant?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Lamont, about an hour south of Pixley near Bakersfield, the failure of one well \u003ca href=\"https://www.lpud.org/about-us\">forced more than 18,200\u003c/a> people to rely more heavily on a well contaminated with elevated levels of 1,2,3-TCP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lamont Public Utility District General Manager Scott Taylor said a fix is already in the works, thanks to a new well built with state funds. Another \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr021323-lamont.pdf\">$25.4 million grant from the water board \u003c/a>will help Lamont install three new wells to provide water to Lamont and a smaller arsenic-plagued system nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the state help, what would we have done? Honestly, I don’t have a clue. And I’m glad I don’t have to find out,” Taylor said. “We don’t have $30 million laying around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>In Allensworth, arsenic is a decadeslong problem\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Just 20 minutes away from Pixley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/campaigns/allensworth.html\">in Allensworth\u003c/a>, Sherry Hunter keeps catching herself running the tap to brush her teeth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tiny Tulare County community of about 530 people, \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/Allensworth_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0601010\">93% of them Latino\u003c/a>, has struggled with arsenic leaching \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/5views/5views2h7.htm\">into its wells for decades\u003c/a>, one of which still \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/docs/2024/allensworth-slides.pdf\">regularly exceeds state health limits\u003c/a>. And the crisis keeps worsening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003796\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003796\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a gray shirt holds a tool to water a plant in a living room.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_15-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sherry Hunter waters her plants in her living room in Allensworth on Sept.4, 2024. The community of Allensworth has been dealing with an ongoing issue of arsenic leaking into its wells, one of which consistently exceeds state health limits. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Drinking arsenic-contaminated water over a long period of time \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/arsenic\">can cause cancers\u003c/a> and has been linked with fetal deaths and \u003ca href=\"https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?phsid=18&toxid=3\">malformations in test animals,\u003c/a> as well as harm to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221499961400304X\">developing brains of babies and young children\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arsenic is found naturally in rocks and soils throughout California, though it is worsened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04475-3#:~:text=Arsenic%20has%20been%20transported%20to,for%20millions%20of%20years14.\">groundwater over-pumping to irrigate farm fields\u003c/a> in the San Joaquin Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Allensworth Community Services District, where Hunter serves as president, has tried to reduce the contamination by blending in water from a less tainted well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in July, both wells failed because of suspected electrical issues, according to the nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises. Though the more contaminated well was brought back online, it, too, began sputtering out in August — leaving residents with either arsenic-contaminated water or no water at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farmworkers living in Allensworth found themselves unable to shower after long days in the heat, Hunter said. “It’s a horrible feeling … We don’t have rich people that live in Allensworth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Communities of \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/Allensworth_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0601010\">color like Allensworth\u003c/a> are \u003ca href=\"https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-11-84#Sec18\">more likely to be served by water systems that violate state and federal limits for the contaminant\u003c/a>, according to UC Berkeley researchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003795\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003795\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg\" alt=\"Cases of bottle water on the floor next to a black chair and curtains in a room.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/090424_Water-Quality-LV_11-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cases of water Sherry Hunter collects in her home in Allensworth on Sept.4, 2024. The community of Allensworth has been dealing with an ongoing issue of arsenic leaking into its wells, one of which consistently exceeds state health limits. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The town has been working for years to install a new well. But efforts have lagged for over a decade — delayed by logistics including land purchases tied up in probate and lengthy \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2020069009/5\">environmental permitting,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_201720180sb495\">including for impacts\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://www.fws.gov/species/tipton-kangaroo-rat-dipodomys-nitratoides-nitratoides\">endangered\u003c/a> and other \u003ca href=\"https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fully-Protected\">protected species\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Allensworth has been piloting alternative water sources \u003ca href=\"https://source.co/pages/allensworth%5D\">as a test site for hydropanels designed to extract freshwater from the atmosphere\u003c/a> and for \u003ca href=\"https://news.berkeley.edu/2022/09/21/bringing-arsenic-safe-drinking-water-to-rural-california/\">lower-cost treatment technology out of UC Berkeley.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the end of August, Allensworth had qualified for emergency state water board funding through Self-Help Enterprises to repair the wells and investigate the source of the electrical issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hunter said she’s excited to know that help is on the way, but she’s frustrated with how long it’s taking to bring reliably clean water to her community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It wouldn’t have happened in none of the other little cities around here,” Hunter said. “People of color are always put on the back burner. Latinos and Blacks, we’re always sitting on the back of the bus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Nitrate spikes in a Monterey County town’s wells\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Two hours toward the coast, in the agricultural Monterey County community of San Lucas, Virginia Sandoval mixes formula with bottled water for her 2-month-old twin granddaughters. She’s afraid to even bathe the babies, born prematurely, in the tap water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For over a decade, the \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/profile/San_Lucas_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0668140\">largely Latino town of about 300 residents\u003c/a> has struggled with nitrate contamination in its well, which is located on nearby farmland. The contaminant \u003ca href=\"https://ucanr.edu/sites/groundwaternitrate/files/138956.pdf\">leaches into water supplies from crop fertilizer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/nitrate/fact_sheet_nitrate_may2014_update.pdf\">consumed\u003c/a> in high enough quantities, nitrate has been linked to \u003ca href=\"https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/nitrate-nitrite/health_effects.html\">cancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP8205\">pregnancy complications\u003c/a> and can reduce \u003ca href=\"https://ucanr.edu/sites/groundwaternitrate/files/138956.pdf\">the capacity of a baby’s blood\u003c/a> to carry oxygen, leading to a sometimes deadly condition known as “blue baby syndrome.” Nitrate is \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/nitrate/fact_sheet_nitrate_may2014_update.pdf\">not absorbed through the skin\u003c/a>, and the California Department of Public Health said babies can be bathed in nitrate-contaminated water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Lucas’ water system is designated as failing because of nitrate levels that wax and wane, according to Andrew Altevogt, an assistant deputy director of the State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the levels \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/improvements-draft-engineering-report.pdf\">have averaged well below\u003c/a> the federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/estimated-nitrate-concentrations-groundwater-used-drinking\">health standard for the past decade\u003c/a>, they have occasionally spiked to double the state’s limit, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/improvements-draft-engineering-report.pdf\">a recent engineering report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nitrate’s an acute contaminant, so if it does happen, it’s an immediate concern,” Altevogt said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The water system has also been plagued with other contaminants that affect taste, odor and color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/dlcwo/12/\" width=\"1000\" height=\"280\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, residents have relied on bottled water \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2013/pr042513.pdf\">mandated by regional regulators \u003c/a>and provided by the farmer where the well is located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The supplies often don’t last the week for Sandoval. She regularly drives the 20-mile round trip to King City to purchase more bottles — a cost of more than $20 per week, she estimates, on top of her monthly water bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very stressful to be thinking every morning … ‘Do I have water or do I not have water?’ What am I going to do?’” Sandoval said in Spanish. “I even had to look for coins, pennies, so that I can go pick up water.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nitrate is a pervasive problem in the Central Coast, \u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">where 90% of drinking water is pumped from the ground\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2018/may/item8/item8_stfrpt.pdf\">farms discharge nitrogen waste\u003c/a> at a rate “approximately an order of magnitude greater” than what scientists consider “protective of water quality,” according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2018/may/item8/item8_stfrpt.pdf\">the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/regulatory_information.html\">regional water regulators\u003c/a> issued \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/water_issues/programs/ilp/docs/ag_order4/2021/ao4_order.pdf\">an order\u003c/a> setting limits on the amount of fertilizer applied to crops. But two years later, state officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/public_notices/petitions/water_quality/docs/2023/wqo2023-0081.pdf\">overturned them,\u003c/a> saying that an expert panel needed to evaluate whether there was enough data to support the restrictions, according to a statement from the state water board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You really can’t grow a lot of these crops without fertilizer,” said Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau. “We can’t artificially reduce that overnight and continue to produce the food items that are important to our nation’s dinner tables.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community and conservation \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/San%20Jerardo%20et%20al%20v%20SWRCB_Filed%20stamped-103023.pdf\">organizations sued\u003c/a> both the state and regional regulators. Another coalition, including San Lucas community members, filed a \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/articles/racial-discrimination-complaint-names-ca-state-water-board-partly-blame-fertilizer\">racial discrimination \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/3.18.24_CRLA-Title-VI-Complaint-Central%20Coast.pdf\">complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The groups say the state board’s rollback of the fertilizer limits “disproportionately harmed Latinx communities and other communities of color,” which are \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/3.18.24_EXHIBITS_Central-Coast-Title-VI-Complaint.pdf\">4.4 times more likely to have groundwater contamination\u003c/a> above the state limits. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, residents are still waiting for reliably clean water. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13695/636112571895700000\">decade-old plan\u003c/a> to connect San Lucas with King City’s water \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13685/636112571865400000\">supply via an 8-mile pipeline\u003c/a> stalled after state regulators \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13689/636112571876970000\">said the long pipeline would be too expensive\u003c/a> and urged the county to find a new groundwater source instead, according to correspondence posted by Monterey County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, eight years and \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/feasibility-study-technical-memo.pdf\">a state-funded study later\u003c/a>, state, county, regional and water district officials are \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/districts/docs/sanlucas/meeting-flyer.pdf\">once again weighing their options\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We sit here today counting years. It’s mind-blowing,” Monterey County Supervisor \u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/board-of-supervisors/district-3-chris-lopez\">Chris Lopez said\u003c/a>. “I feel like we’ve failed (residents) as a society so much, without being able to give them the clean drinking water that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Data journalist Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "rising-hate-crimes-deepen-divide-between-hindus-and-sikhs-in-california",
"title": "Rising Hate Crimes Deepen Divide Between Hindus and Sikhs in California",
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"headTitle": "Rising Hate Crimes Deepen Divide Between Hindus and Sikhs in California | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a morning just days before the New Year, Kiran Thakkar received a worrying phone call. A friend had found anti-India graffiti overnight on the Newark Hindu temple he co-founded. Someone sprayed \u003ca href=\"https://indicanews.com/swaminarayan-temple-in-newark-defaced-with-anti-modi-khalistan-graffiti/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">phrases disparaging\u003c/a> India’s prime minister and hailing a secessionist movement for the country’s Sikh minority\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Support rushed in from Indian American community leaders and politicians. But Thakkar and the rest of the quaint suburban temple’s board had little disagreement about how to move forward. They didn’t want to make a fuss. They painted over the vandalism within the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t want to politicize,” said Thakkar, who’s called the Bay Area home for more than a decade. “So we were clear from day one that, yes, it was a hate crime or fringe incident, and let’s just move on from there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Newark Shri Swaminarayan Temple was one of three California Hindu houses of worship desecrated in 2023, when a record eight anti-Hindu hate crimes were reported in California, according to data \u003ca href=\"https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/data#:~:text=Hate%20Crime,CSV%2C%205.9%20MB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">released by the Department of Justice \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lakeconews.com/news/79035-state-attorney-general-releases-2023-hate-crime-report\">in June\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003634\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003634\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white dress shirt clasps his hands in a prayer pose inside a Hindu temple.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiran Thakkar, a volunteer at SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple at the Newark temple on July 31, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Separately, California is collecting more anecdotal reports of hate incidents through a new civil rights hotline that’s intended to connect people with resources that could help them. A disproportionate number of incidents involving Hindus were reported in its first year, according to state data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Hindus aren’t the only ones in California’s Indian community who are seeing a rise in hate crimes and bias against them. Sikhs, members of the ethno-religious minority whose separatist slogans appeared on the Newark temple, reported six hate crimes against them — the highest number since the state justice department began displaying that data in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many Sikhs are on edge because of several recent high-profile attacks across the nation. The \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/sikh-leader-killed-canada-india-court-nijjar-7611e393e50324e1337637ec986fdec3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slaying of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar \u003c/a>in June 2023, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+pannu+foiled&oq=new+york+pannu+foiled&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigAdIBCDIzNThqMGo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">subsequent foiled plot in New York\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBRqx3U2K0\">an August shooting outside Sacramento\u003c/a> have revived fears among Sikh activists that they’re being targeted by India for \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/world/what-is-khalistan-movement-why-is-it-fuelling-india-canada-rift-2023-09-19/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">their advocacy in North America\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential for escalation has left Thakkar, a key figure in the local Hindu community who moved from India to the Bay Area in 2012, feeling a responsibility to avoid stoking tensions. While there were a few devotees who expressed fear after the attack, by and large, he said, his temple members were ready to move on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have not personally experienced anything,” he says when asked if he’s ever faced discrimination in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Hindus are not willing to forget the temple vandalism. Instead, they’ve \u003ca href=\"https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/HAF/Campaigns/117408/Respond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">petitioned the Legislature\u003c/a> to recognize that Hindu Californians are the subject of “pro-Khalistan extremism.” That’s a reference to the name of an independent state that some Sikhs want to carve out of India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also opposed two bills in the California Legislature over the past year that they believed would have discriminated against them. One would have explicitly prohibited \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/06/caste-discrimination-california/\">caste discrimination\u003c/a> in California, and the other would have \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2024/08/transnational-repression-caste-discrimination/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">named India as a sponsor\u003c/a> of international political repression. Neither proposal became law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003630\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd wearing blue t-shirts celebrate outside.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd celebrates after SB 403 passes at the Assembly Judiciary Hearing at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 5, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Nearly all documented anti-Hindu hate in California comes from pro-Khalistan activists who employ violence and harassment to advocate for an independent theocracy in India,” wrote the Hindu American Foundation in a letter opposing the political repression bill, citing the temple vandalizations as an example of such harassment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National and local groups for Sikhs supported both measures and have \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sikhcoalition/reel/C-qOOjwI7SH/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">roundly\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-03-08/khalistan-sikh-india-stockton#:~:text=California%20Sikhs%20are%20driving%20a,nation%20in%20India's%20Punjab%20state.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disputed\u003c/a> that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/09/28/1201733505/india-sikh-separatism-khalistan-canada-crisis-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">characterization of the modern separatist movement\u003c/a>. They had hoped the Legislature would stand with them, given Sikhs’ over-a-century-long presence in California, and some \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/10/india-the-disinfo-lab-discredit-critics/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">felt the hand of India’s government in the opposition\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003632\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg\" alt='A crowd of people hold up various colorful signs with messages like \"Vote Yes\" and \"Clean Water for California.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Proponents and opponents of SB 403 battle for a spot to get their voices heard outside the state Capitol in Sacramento before the Assembly Judiciary Hearing on July 5, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’re using these broad terms, like Hindu Americans, to justify killing a bill against transnational repression,” said Karam Singh, advocacy director for the California Sikh Youth Alliance, which supported both bills. “I think most Americans of all stripes would be clearly in favor of having protections for Californians to not be intimidated, harassed and targeted by a foreign government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 id=\"h-is-anti-hindu-animus-on-the-rise-in-california\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is anti-Hindu animus on the rise in California?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>California is especially equipped to track incidents of hate and bias because of the hotline that Gov. Gavin Newsom launched in 2023. The so-called “CA vs. Hate” hotline reported receiving over 2,000 calls in its first year, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2024/05/2024.05-CA-vs-Hate-Factsheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">May 2024 report from the California Department of Civil Rights\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During that period, hotline researchers \u003ca href=\"https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2024/05/2024.05-CA-vs-Hate-Factsheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said they\u003c/a> documented \u003ca href=\"https://religionnews.com/2024/05/24/as-hate-crimes-grow-religious-minorities-look-to-fbi-to-increase-reporting/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">24 acts of verified anti-Hindu bias\u003c/a>, around 23% of all acts of religious hate that investigators verified. Nearly 37% were anti-Jewish and 15% were anti-Muslim. No anti-Sikh figures were listed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The numbers jolted \u003ca href=\"https://religionnews.com/2024/05/24/as-hate-crimes-grow-religious-minorities-look-to-fbi-to-increase-reporting/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California Hindus\u003c/a> across the political spectrum. Extremist and hate-motivated acts are not new for Sikh and Muslim Americans, who have endured decades of \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/combating-post-911-discriminatory-backlash-6\">hate crimes in the United States since 9/11\u003c/a>. There have \u003ca href=\"https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/usahate/usa1102-04.htm#P448_75143:~:text=and%20Hindu%20temples%20were%20also%20objects%20of%20backlash%20violence\">been isolated\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/indian-man-pushed-to-death-at-a-new-york-subway-to-be-cremated-today-508947\">cases\u003c/a>, but Hindu Americans have largely not been disproportionate targets of such crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pushpita Prasad, a spokeswoman for the \u003ca href=\"https://cohna.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coalition of Hindus of North America\u003c/a>, is no fan of the state’s civil rights department. The department holds \u003ca href=\"https://www.cavshate.org/about#:~:text=California%20vs%20Hate%20Contracted%20Partners\">anti-hate partnerships\u003c/a> with major Sikh, Jewish and Muslim organizations, but no Hindu groups. Her organization opposed last year’s caste bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she called the hotline data “one more validation” of the “experience of Hinduphobia.” Her group encouraged Hindus to use the hotline during debates over the caste discrimination bill, she said. They also told people to use it after temple vandalizations in Newark and Hayward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Anti-India issues are constantly conflated with Hinduism,” she told CalMatters. More non-Hindus are becoming aware of \u003ca href=\"https://theconversation.com/one-issue-proved-key-to-the-oppositions-stunning-success-in-indias-election-caste-politics-231588\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">caste and Indian politics\u003c/a>, and “there’s a double standard in play that we all subscribe to, and some of us push back, but most of us don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Analysts with the state offered few details on the anti-Hindu incidents. They are not necessarily criminal acts; some of the incidents could allege workplace discrimination or other kids of bias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not sure there is too much more I can add on the specific questions regarding anti-Hindu acts,” Arvind Krishnamurthy, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley, wrote in an email. “Any data on reports to CA vs Hate should not be used to make generalizations about the extent of any particular kind of hate across California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five Indian American lawmakers, meanwhile, have cautiously attempted to address the fears of both communities. None are Sikh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March, they requested a briefing from \u003ca href=\"https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/krishnamoorthi.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2024.03.29%20KRISHN_DOJ_Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the federal justice department\u003c/a> concerning attacks on Hindu temples and anti-Hindu hate. They also, in December, called federal prosecutors’ allegations of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-charges-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-us-citizen-new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">foiled plot against\u003c/a> a Sikh activist in New York “\u003ca href=\"http://khanna.house.gov/media/press-releases/indian-american-members-congress-release-statement-following-administration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deeply concerning\u003c/a>” and welcomed an India-led investigation into the matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was slammed as “\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/sikh_coalition/status/1735749931573330055\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">insufficient to ensure accountability\u003c/a>” by a major Sikh civil rights group, which wants \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/TNR-Hearing-Statement-The-Sikh-Coalition.pdf\">an independent review\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There needs to be other actors,” said Sangay Mishra, an associate professor of political science at Drew University who studies South Asian Americans. “Not necessarily government agencies, but other kinds of nonprofit or civil rights groups who are willing to invest in this and make sense of what’s happening so that it doesn’t become such a deeply partisan, polarizing issue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/02/us-senate-race-ro-khanna-barbara-lee/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rep. Ro Khanna\u003c/a>, who signed onto both letters and represents Newark in Congress, declined an interview request and did not respond to written questions. He condemned the vandalism \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/RoKhanna/status/1738594801514123496\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">at the time on social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 id=\"h-anti-hindu-incidents-are-taken-very-seriously-authorities-say\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anti-Hindu incidents are ‘taken very seriously,’ authorities say\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Thakkar said elected officials did everything right at the Newark temple. He never had to call a hotline from the state to get help from the local community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The State Department’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/us-condemns-vandalism-of-hindu-temple-in-california-2479789-2023-12-23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://a24.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240119-assemblymember-lee-responds-attacks-against-hindu-temples\">three \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Ash_Kalra/status/1738654649253863791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California \u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Ash_Kalra/status/1738654649253863791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">state\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SenAishaWahab/status/1748398875197768122\"> lawmakers\u003c/a> denounced the incident. Local authorities said they moved swiftly to provide the house of worship with the resources necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The temple vandalisms were taken very seriously,” wrote Newark Police Capt. Jolice Macias, in a statement. A similar vandalism took place at a Hindu temple in Hayward a few weeks later, and investigators combed through security footage from nearby businesses for leads. Officials from the FBI and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/readout-justice-departments-civil-rights-divisions-meeting-muslim-arab-sikh-south-asian-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Justice\u003c/a> were in attendance. “Every possible investigative lead was followed up on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003636\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg\" alt=\"A decorated run, statue and ornate designs on a wall in a room. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark on July 31, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the bills that some Hindu groups opposed would have given law enforcement agencies more training on how to combat and respond to incidents of foreign governments harassing American citizens, a trend that is known as transnational repression. Some Hindu leaders opposed it because it listed India alongside Russia, Iran and China as states of particular concern for law enforcement. It died in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/california-laws-legislature-suspense-file/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Senate Appropriations Committee in August\u003c/a> amid the opposition and a price tag of over $600,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003635\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003635\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg\" alt=\"A Ring camera device outside a door.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Ring camera outside one of the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple doors in Newark on July 31, 2024. After a vandalism incident in 2023, the temple community installed additional cameras around the property. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In opposition letters to Assembly Bill 3027, the transnational repression bill, the \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/HinduAmerican/status/1824224292722315679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hindu American Foundation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LpX5D2U4yp7TWrEjcIBL_-JmvZuZQ8_L/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coalition of Hindus of North America\u003c/a> argued that the legislation would usurp federal law and give police officers further leeway to ignore acts of violence from the separatist movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill’s author, Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Democrat from Bakersfield, is the Legislature’s only Sikh. She has said that California is a safe haven for immigrants that should take more steps to make good on that promise. She has also \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/world/some-us-sikhs-fear-modi-government-is-threatening-surveilling-doxxing-them-2024-08-12/\">reported threats and intimidation\u003c/a> at her office, similar to Sen. Aisha Wahab, the Democrat from Hayward who sponsored \u003ca href=\"https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/news/death-threats-recalls-and-discrimination-sen-aisha-wahab-isnt-here-waste-any-time\">the caste discrimination bill last year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003637\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003637\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a business suit looks off camera with a woman's head in the foreground.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Delano Democrat on the Assembly Floor during session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But it hasn’t always been clear from where the threats and violence are coming. In fact, the graffiti on the Newark temple \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@suminderpal_singh/bhindrawala-vs-bhindranwale-what-is-in-the-name-5329606f6152\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misspelled the name\u003c/a> of an \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/topic/Khalistan\">infamous Sikh leader\u003c/a> from India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One Sikh media group \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhpa.com/anti-sikh-hate-crimes-breakout-across-usa/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggested in October\u003c/a> that a man who stormed a Fremont gurdwara and tore down \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sikh/comments/17dhoho/update_from_gurdwara_sahib_fremont/\">a poster devoted to Nijjar\u003c/a> was an “Indian nationalist extremist” and Hindu. In fact, his family \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sikh/comments/17c2zo5/extremist_attack_at_fremont_gurdwara_sahib/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told the house of worship\u003c/a> he was experiencing mental health issues. And in June, federal authorities \u003ca href=\"https://indiacurrents.com/justice-department-muslim-sikh-south-asian-hindu-hate-crimes/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charged a Hindu man from Dallas\u003c/a> for sending threats to a Sikh nonprofit group about separatist activism while often using anti-Muslim language.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The citizens themselves are in some sense all victims of this phenomenon, whether Sikh, Muslim or Hindu or any other religious tradition,” said Nirvikar Singh, co-author of “\u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/book/34828\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Other One Percent: Indians in America\u003c/a>,” and a professor of economics at UC Santa Cruz. “Democracy allows us to work through differences in nonviolent and equalizing ways, but we’re seeing a lot of disruption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tensions in politics or online, though, are far less palpable on the ground in California. The Bay Area defacings did not spark direct or immediate protest. Rallies led by Sikh separatists in California have, by and large, avoided counter-protests and violent clashes. That’s a contrast from \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=gaza+violent+clash+protest+calfiornia+&sca_esv=c9a915b7e2353e00&sca_upv=1&ei=TKTYZumfMLjGkPIP7M3YyAI&ved=0ahUKEwjp9ZKI86mIAxU4I0QIHewmFikQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=gaza+violent+clash+protest+calfiornia+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiJmdhemEgdmlvbGVudCBjbGFzaCBwcm90ZXN0IGNhbGZpb3JuaWEgMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRgKGKsCSKUIUPEBWJoHcAF4AJABAJgBYKAB0QeqAQIxMrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCDKAC3AfCAgUQIRigAcICBRAhGKsCwgIFECEYnwXCAgQQIRgKmAMAiAYBkgcEMTEuMaAH2jw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">demonstrations over the war in Gaza\u003c/a> after Oct. 7, which saw a subsequent spike in Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes. [aside postID=\"news_12001384,news_11999847,news_11985061\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thakkar, nowadays, is less concerned with the temple vandalism and can often be seen preparing the temple for dozens of attendees to come pray and eat on weekends. Just a quick drive away from Newark, local Sikh leaders came from a Fremont house of worship and helped paint over the graffiti, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, he’s planning on applying for the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://ktla.com/news/california/76-million-to-help-bolster-security-at-california-houses-of-worship-non-profits/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">next round of security funding for vulnerable houses of worship\u003c/a>. The only other remnants of the attack are the new security cameras all around the perimeter and splotches of off-white paint covering the front sign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We informed the regular devotees that we have taken some measures. We are careful,” he recalls. “We are working with the police department to get immediate attention if anything were to happen again. So we are safe, secure, and you shouldn’t be worried.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The vandalization of three California Hindu temples escalated fears about hate crimes against Indian Americans. Meanwhile, Sikhs are on edge from attacks against separatist leaders in North America.",
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"title": "Rising Hate Crimes Deepen Divide Between Hindus and Sikhs in California | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a morning just days before the New Year, Kiran Thakkar received a worrying phone call. A friend had found anti-India graffiti overnight on the Newark Hindu temple he co-founded. Someone sprayed \u003ca href=\"https://indicanews.com/swaminarayan-temple-in-newark-defaced-with-anti-modi-khalistan-graffiti/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">phrases disparaging\u003c/a> India’s prime minister and hailing a secessionist movement for the country’s Sikh minority\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Support rushed in from Indian American community leaders and politicians. But Thakkar and the rest of the quaint suburban temple’s board had little disagreement about how to move forward. They didn’t want to make a fuss. They painted over the vandalism within the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t want to politicize,” said Thakkar, who’s called the Bay Area home for more than a decade. “So we were clear from day one that, yes, it was a hate crime or fringe incident, and let’s just move on from there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Newark Shri Swaminarayan Temple was one of three California Hindu houses of worship desecrated in 2023, when a record eight anti-Hindu hate crimes were reported in California, according to data \u003ca href=\"https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/data#:~:text=Hate%20Crime,CSV%2C%205.9%20MB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">released by the Department of Justice \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lakeconews.com/news/79035-state-attorney-general-releases-2023-hate-crime-report\">in June\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003634\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003634\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white dress shirt clasps his hands in a prayer pose inside a Hindu temple.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_13-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiran Thakkar, a volunteer at SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple at the Newark temple on July 31, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Separately, California is collecting more anecdotal reports of hate incidents through a new civil rights hotline that’s intended to connect people with resources that could help them. A disproportionate number of incidents involving Hindus were reported in its first year, according to state data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Hindus aren’t the only ones in California’s Indian community who are seeing a rise in hate crimes and bias against them. Sikhs, members of the ethno-religious minority whose separatist slogans appeared on the Newark temple, reported six hate crimes against them — the highest number since the state justice department began displaying that data in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many Sikhs are on edge because of several recent high-profile attacks across the nation. The \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/sikh-leader-killed-canada-india-court-nijjar-7611e393e50324e1337637ec986fdec3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slaying of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar \u003c/a>in June 2023, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+pannu+foiled&oq=new+york+pannu+foiled&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigAdIBCDIzNThqMGo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">subsequent foiled plot in New York\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBRqx3U2K0\">an August shooting outside Sacramento\u003c/a> have revived fears among Sikh activists that they’re being targeted by India for \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/world/what-is-khalistan-movement-why-is-it-fuelling-india-canada-rift-2023-09-19/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">their advocacy in North America\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential for escalation has left Thakkar, a key figure in the local Hindu community who moved from India to the Bay Area in 2012, feeling a responsibility to avoid stoking tensions. While there were a few devotees who expressed fear after the attack, by and large, he said, his temple members were ready to move on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have not personally experienced anything,” he says when asked if he’s ever faced discrimination in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Hindus are not willing to forget the temple vandalism. Instead, they’ve \u003ca href=\"https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/HAF/Campaigns/117408/Respond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">petitioned the Legislature\u003c/a> to recognize that Hindu Californians are the subject of “pro-Khalistan extremism.” That’s a reference to the name of an independent state that some Sikhs want to carve out of India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also opposed two bills in the California Legislature over the past year that they believed would have discriminated against them. One would have explicitly prohibited \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/06/caste-discrimination-california/\">caste discrimination\u003c/a> in California, and the other would have \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2024/08/transnational-repression-caste-discrimination/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">named India as a sponsor\u003c/a> of international political repression. Neither proposal became law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003630\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd wearing blue t-shirts celebrate outside.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_15-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd celebrates after SB 403 passes at the Assembly Judiciary Hearing at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 5, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Nearly all documented anti-Hindu hate in California comes from pro-Khalistan activists who employ violence and harassment to advocate for an independent theocracy in India,” wrote the Hindu American Foundation in a letter opposing the political repression bill, citing the temple vandalizations as an example of such harassment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National and local groups for Sikhs supported both measures and have \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sikhcoalition/reel/C-qOOjwI7SH/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">roundly\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-03-08/khalistan-sikh-india-stockton#:~:text=California%20Sikhs%20are%20driving%20a,nation%20in%20India's%20Punjab%20state.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disputed\u003c/a> that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/09/28/1201733505/india-sikh-separatism-khalistan-canada-crisis-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">characterization of the modern separatist movement\u003c/a>. They had hoped the Legislature would stand with them, given Sikhs’ over-a-century-long presence in California, and some \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/10/india-the-disinfo-lab-discredit-critics/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">felt the hand of India’s government in the opposition\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003632\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg\" alt='A crowd of people hold up various colorful signs with messages like \"Vote Yes\" and \"Clean Water for California.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/070523_SB-403-Caste_SN_CM_28-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Proponents and opponents of SB 403 battle for a spot to get their voices heard outside the state Capitol in Sacramento before the Assembly Judiciary Hearing on July 5, 2023. \u003ccite>(Semantha Norris/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’re using these broad terms, like Hindu Americans, to justify killing a bill against transnational repression,” said Karam Singh, advocacy director for the California Sikh Youth Alliance, which supported both bills. “I think most Americans of all stripes would be clearly in favor of having protections for Californians to not be intimidated, harassed and targeted by a foreign government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 id=\"h-is-anti-hindu-animus-on-the-rise-in-california\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is anti-Hindu animus on the rise in California?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>California is especially equipped to track incidents of hate and bias because of the hotline that Gov. Gavin Newsom launched in 2023. The so-called “CA vs. Hate” hotline reported receiving over 2,000 calls in its first year, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2024/05/2024.05-CA-vs-Hate-Factsheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">May 2024 report from the California Department of Civil Rights\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During that period, hotline researchers \u003ca href=\"https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2024/05/2024.05-CA-vs-Hate-Factsheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said they\u003c/a> documented \u003ca href=\"https://religionnews.com/2024/05/24/as-hate-crimes-grow-religious-minorities-look-to-fbi-to-increase-reporting/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">24 acts of verified anti-Hindu bias\u003c/a>, around 23% of all acts of religious hate that investigators verified. Nearly 37% were anti-Jewish and 15% were anti-Muslim. No anti-Sikh figures were listed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The numbers jolted \u003ca href=\"https://religionnews.com/2024/05/24/as-hate-crimes-grow-religious-minorities-look-to-fbi-to-increase-reporting/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California Hindus\u003c/a> across the political spectrum. Extremist and hate-motivated acts are not new for Sikh and Muslim Americans, who have endured decades of \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/combating-post-911-discriminatory-backlash-6\">hate crimes in the United States since 9/11\u003c/a>. There have \u003ca href=\"https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/usahate/usa1102-04.htm#P448_75143:~:text=and%20Hindu%20temples%20were%20also%20objects%20of%20backlash%20violence\">been isolated\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/indian-man-pushed-to-death-at-a-new-york-subway-to-be-cremated-today-508947\">cases\u003c/a>, but Hindu Americans have largely not been disproportionate targets of such crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pushpita Prasad, a spokeswoman for the \u003ca href=\"https://cohna.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coalition of Hindus of North America\u003c/a>, is no fan of the state’s civil rights department. The department holds \u003ca href=\"https://www.cavshate.org/about#:~:text=California%20vs%20Hate%20Contracted%20Partners\">anti-hate partnerships\u003c/a> with major Sikh, Jewish and Muslim organizations, but no Hindu groups. Her organization opposed last year’s caste bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she called the hotline data “one more validation” of the “experience of Hinduphobia.” Her group encouraged Hindus to use the hotline during debates over the caste discrimination bill, she said. They also told people to use it after temple vandalizations in Newark and Hayward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Anti-India issues are constantly conflated with Hinduism,” she told CalMatters. More non-Hindus are becoming aware of \u003ca href=\"https://theconversation.com/one-issue-proved-key-to-the-oppositions-stunning-success-in-indias-election-caste-politics-231588\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">caste and Indian politics\u003c/a>, and “there’s a double standard in play that we all subscribe to, and some of us push back, but most of us don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Analysts with the state offered few details on the anti-Hindu incidents. They are not necessarily criminal acts; some of the incidents could allege workplace discrimination or other kids of bias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not sure there is too much more I can add on the specific questions regarding anti-Hindu acts,” Arvind Krishnamurthy, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley, wrote in an email. “Any data on reports to CA vs Hate should not be used to make generalizations about the extent of any particular kind of hate across California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five Indian American lawmakers, meanwhile, have cautiously attempted to address the fears of both communities. None are Sikh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March, they requested a briefing from \u003ca href=\"https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/krishnamoorthi.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2024.03.29%20KRISHN_DOJ_Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the federal justice department\u003c/a> concerning attacks on Hindu temples and anti-Hindu hate. They also, in December, called federal prosecutors’ allegations of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-charges-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-us-citizen-new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">foiled plot against\u003c/a> a Sikh activist in New York “\u003ca href=\"http://khanna.house.gov/media/press-releases/indian-american-members-congress-release-statement-following-administration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deeply concerning\u003c/a>” and welcomed an India-led investigation into the matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was slammed as “\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/sikh_coalition/status/1735749931573330055\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">insufficient to ensure accountability\u003c/a>” by a major Sikh civil rights group, which wants \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/TNR-Hearing-Statement-The-Sikh-Coalition.pdf\">an independent review\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There needs to be other actors,” said Sangay Mishra, an associate professor of political science at Drew University who studies South Asian Americans. “Not necessarily government agencies, but other kinds of nonprofit or civil rights groups who are willing to invest in this and make sense of what’s happening so that it doesn’t become such a deeply partisan, polarizing issue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/02/us-senate-race-ro-khanna-barbara-lee/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rep. Ro Khanna\u003c/a>, who signed onto both letters and represents Newark in Congress, declined an interview request and did not respond to written questions. He condemned the vandalism \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/RoKhanna/status/1738594801514123496\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">at the time on social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 id=\"h-anti-hindu-incidents-are-taken-very-seriously-authorities-say\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anti-Hindu incidents are ‘taken very seriously,’ authorities say\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Thakkar said elected officials did everything right at the Newark temple. He never had to call a hotline from the state to get help from the local community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The State Department’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/us-condemns-vandalism-of-hindu-temple-in-california-2479789-2023-12-23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://a24.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240119-assemblymember-lee-responds-attacks-against-hindu-temples\">three \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Ash_Kalra/status/1738654649253863791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California \u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Ash_Kalra/status/1738654649253863791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">state\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SenAishaWahab/status/1748398875197768122\"> lawmakers\u003c/a> denounced the incident. Local authorities said they moved swiftly to provide the house of worship with the resources necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The temple vandalisms were taken very seriously,” wrote Newark Police Capt. Jolice Macias, in a statement. A similar vandalism took place at a Hindu temple in Hayward a few weeks later, and investigators combed through security footage from nearby businesses for leads. Officials from the FBI and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/readout-justice-departments-civil-rights-divisions-meeting-muslim-arab-sikh-south-asian-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Department of Justice\u003c/a> were in attendance. “Every possible investigative lead was followed up on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003636\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg\" alt=\"A decorated run, statue and ornate designs on a wall in a room. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM-17-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark on July 31, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the bills that some Hindu groups opposed would have given law enforcement agencies more training on how to combat and respond to incidents of foreign governments harassing American citizens, a trend that is known as transnational repression. Some Hindu leaders opposed it because it listed India alongside Russia, Iran and China as states of particular concern for law enforcement. It died in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/california-laws-legislature-suspense-file/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Senate Appropriations Committee in August\u003c/a> amid the opposition and a price tag of over $600,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003635\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003635\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg\" alt=\"A Ring camera device outside a door.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/073124_TransnationalHate_FM_CM_15-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Ring camera outside one of the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple doors in Newark on July 31, 2024. After a vandalism incident in 2023, the temple community installed additional cameras around the property. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In opposition letters to Assembly Bill 3027, the transnational repression bill, the \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/HinduAmerican/status/1824224292722315679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hindu American Foundation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LpX5D2U4yp7TWrEjcIBL_-JmvZuZQ8_L/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coalition of Hindus of North America\u003c/a> argued that the legislation would usurp federal law and give police officers further leeway to ignore acts of violence from the separatist movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill’s author, Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Democrat from Bakersfield, is the Legislature’s only Sikh. She has said that California is a safe haven for immigrants that should take more steps to make good on that promise. She has also \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/world/some-us-sikhs-fear-modi-government-is-threatening-surveilling-doxxing-them-2024-08-12/\">reported threats and intimidation\u003c/a> at her office, similar to Sen. Aisha Wahab, the Democrat from Hayward who sponsored \u003ca href=\"https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/news/death-threats-recalls-and-discrimination-sen-aisha-wahab-isnt-here-waste-any-time\">the caste discrimination bill last year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003637\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003637\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a business suit looks off camera with a woman's head in the foreground.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/07132023-Assembly-Floor-Session-RL-CM-16-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Delano Democrat on the Assembly Floor during session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But it hasn’t always been clear from where the threats and violence are coming. In fact, the graffiti on the Newark temple \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@suminderpal_singh/bhindrawala-vs-bhindranwale-what-is-in-the-name-5329606f6152\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misspelled the name\u003c/a> of an \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/topic/Khalistan\">infamous Sikh leader\u003c/a> from India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One Sikh media group \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhpa.com/anti-sikh-hate-crimes-breakout-across-usa/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggested in October\u003c/a> that a man who stormed a Fremont gurdwara and tore down \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sikh/comments/17dhoho/update_from_gurdwara_sahib_fremont/\">a poster devoted to Nijjar\u003c/a> was an “Indian nationalist extremist” and Hindu. In fact, his family \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sikh/comments/17c2zo5/extremist_attack_at_fremont_gurdwara_sahib/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told the house of worship\u003c/a> he was experiencing mental health issues. And in June, federal authorities \u003ca href=\"https://indiacurrents.com/justice-department-muslim-sikh-south-asian-hindu-hate-crimes/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charged a Hindu man from Dallas\u003c/a> for sending threats to a Sikh nonprofit group about separatist activism while often using anti-Muslim language.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The citizens themselves are in some sense all victims of this phenomenon, whether Sikh, Muslim or Hindu or any other religious tradition,” said Nirvikar Singh, co-author of “\u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/book/34828\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Other One Percent: Indians in America\u003c/a>,” and a professor of economics at UC Santa Cruz. “Democracy allows us to work through differences in nonviolent and equalizing ways, but we’re seeing a lot of disruption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tensions in politics or online, though, are far less palpable on the ground in California. The Bay Area defacings did not spark direct or immediate protest. Rallies led by Sikh separatists in California have, by and large, avoided counter-protests and violent clashes. That’s a contrast from \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=gaza+violent+clash+protest+calfiornia+&sca_esv=c9a915b7e2353e00&sca_upv=1&ei=TKTYZumfMLjGkPIP7M3YyAI&ved=0ahUKEwjp9ZKI86mIAxU4I0QIHewmFikQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=gaza+violent+clash+protest+calfiornia+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiJmdhemEgdmlvbGVudCBjbGFzaCBwcm90ZXN0IGNhbGZpb3JuaWEgMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRigARgKMgcQIRgKGKsCSKUIUPEBWJoHcAF4AJABAJgBYKAB0QeqAQIxMrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCDKAC3AfCAgUQIRigAcICBRAhGKsCwgIFECEYnwXCAgQQIRgKmAMAiAYBkgcEMTEuMaAH2jw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">demonstrations over the war in Gaza\u003c/a> after Oct. 7, which saw a subsequent spike in Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thakkar, nowadays, is less concerned with the temple vandalism and can often be seen preparing the temple for dozens of attendees to come pray and eat on weekends. Just a quick drive away from Newark, local Sikh leaders came from a Fremont house of worship and helped paint over the graffiti, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, he’s planning on applying for the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://ktla.com/news/california/76-million-to-help-bolster-security-at-california-houses-of-worship-non-profits/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">next round of security funding for vulnerable houses of worship\u003c/a>. The only other remnants of the attack are the new security cameras all around the perimeter and splotches of off-white paint covering the front sign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We informed the regular devotees that we have taken some measures. We are careful,” he recalls. “We are working with the police department to get immediate attention if anything were to happen again. So we are safe, secure, and you shouldn’t be worried.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>California legislators just sent Gov. Gavin Newsom more than a dozen bills regulating artificial intelligence, testing for threats to critical infrastructure, curbing the use of algorithms on children, limiting the use of deepfakes, and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But people in and around the AI industry say the proposed laws fail to stop some of the most worrisome harms of the technology, like discrimination by businesses and government entities. At the same time, the observers say, whether passed bills get vetoed or signed into law may depend heavily on industry pressure, in particular \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-regulation-showdown/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accusations that the state is regulating itself out of competitiveness in a hot field\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Debates over the bills, and decisions by the governor on whether to sign each of them, are particularly important because California is at the epicenter of AI development, with many legislators \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11983391/meet-the-o-c-state-senator-guiding-californias-ai-regulations\">making pledges\u003c/a> this year to regulate the technology and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/05/ca-eu-ai-regulation/\">put the state at the forefront\u003c/a> of protecting people from AI around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without question, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-safety-bill-california-legislature/\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a> got more attention than any other AI regulation bill this year — and after it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-safety-bill-california-legislature/\">passed both chambers\u003c/a> of the legislature by wide margins, industry and consumer advocates are closely watching to see whether Newsom signs it into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Introduced by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill addresses huge potential threats posed by AI, requiring developers of advanced AI models to test them for their ability to enable attacks on digital and physical infrastructure and help non-experts make chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear weapons. It also protects whistleblowers who want to report such threats from inside tech companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what if the most concerning harms from AI are commonplace rather than apocalyptic? That’s the view of people like Alex Hanna, head of research at Distributed AI Research, a nonprofit organization created by former Google ethical AI researchers based in California. Hanna said 1047 shows how California lawmakers focused too much on existential risk and not enough on preventing specific forms of discrimination. She would much rather lawmakers consider banning the use of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/face-recognition-technology-california/\">facial recognition in criminal investigations\u003c/a> since that application of AI has already been shown to lead to racial discrimination. She would also like to see government standards around potentially discriminatory technology adopted by contractors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think 1047 got the most noise for God knows what reason but they’re certainly not leading the world or trying to match what Europe has in this legislation,” she said of California’s legislators.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Bill against AI discrimination is stripped\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>One bill that did address discriminatory AI was gutted and then shelved this year. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2930?slug=CA_202320240AB2930\">Assembly Bill 2930\u003c/a> would have required AI developers perform impact assessments and submit them to the Civil Rights Department and would have made use of discriminatory AI illegal and subject to a $25,000 fine for each violation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original bill sought to make use of discriminatory AI illegal in key sectors of the economy including housing, finance, insurance, and health care. But author Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a San Ramon Democrat, yanked it after the Senate Appropriations Committee limited the bill to assessing AI in employment. That sort of discrimination is already expected to be curbed by rules that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/workplace-ai-regulation-proposal/\">the California Civil Rights Department\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/03/california-ai-rules-business/\">California Privacy Protection Agency are drafting\u003c/a>. Bauer-Kahan told CalMatters she plans to put forward a stronger bill next year, adding, “We have strong anti-discrimination protections but under these systems we need more information.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Wiener’s bill, Bauer-Kahan’s was subject to lobbying by opponents in the tech industry, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI, which hired its first lobbyist ever in Sacramento this spring. Unlike Wiener’s bill, it also attracted opposition from nearly 100 companies from a wide range of industries, including Blue Shield of California, dating app company Bumble, biotech company Genentech, and pharmaceutical company Pfizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The failure of the AI discrimination bill is one reason there are still “gaping holes” in California’s AI regulation, according to Samantha Gordon, chief program officer at TechEquity, which lobbied in favor of the bill. Gordon, who co-organized a working group on AI with privacy, labor, and human rights groups, believes the state still needs legislation to address “ discrimination, disclosure, transparency, and which use cases deserve a ban because they have demonstrated an ability to harm people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Gordon said, the passage of Wiener’s bill marked important progress, as did the passage of \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb892\">Senate Bill 892,\u003c/a> which sets the standards for contracts government agencies sign for AI services. Doing so, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jtprP4tJEU&list=PL7ZZjNmMAwA2WXXJekM3qe8zKBQLGx1ya&index=2\">author and Chula Vista Democratic Sen. Steve Padilla told CalMatters earlier this year\u003c/a>, leverages the government’s buying power to encourage safer and more ethical AI services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some experts criticized Wiener’s bill for what it failed to do, the tech industry has gone after it for what it does. The measure’s testing requirements and associated enforcement mechanisms will kneecap fast-moving tech companies and create a chilling effect on code sharing that inhibits innovation, big tech companies like Google and Meta have said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the industry’s power in California, this criticism is the proverbial elephant in the room, said Joep Meindertsma, CEO of Pause.ai. Pause.ai is a proponent of regulating AI, endorsing Wiener’s bill and even organizing protests at the offices of California-based companies including Meta and OpenAI. So Meindertsma was happy to see so many regulatory bills clear the legislature this year. But he worries they will be undermined by the tension between a desire to regulate AI and a desire to win the race — among not jut companies but entire countries — to have the best AI. Regulators in California and elsewhere, he said, want to have it both ways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The market dynamic between countries that are trying to stay ahead of the competition, trying to avoid regulating their companies too much over fear of slowing down while the others keep racing, that dynamic is the issue that I feel is the most toxic in the entire situation,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are already signs that industry pressure could prevail, at least against Wiener’s bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several Democratic members of California’s Congressional delegation have called on Newsom to veto the bill. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, has also come out against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, Newsom seems to have leaned into AI, raising questions over how much appetite he has to regulate it. The governor showed great interest in using AI to solve problems in the state of California, signing an agreement with AI powerhouse Nvidia last month, launching an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/02/cdtfa-generative-ai/\">AI for tax advice pilot program in February\u003c/a>, and on Thursday introducing an AI solution aimed at connecting homeless people with services. When asked directly about Wiener’s bill in May, Newsom equivocated, saying that lawmakers must strike a balance between responding to calls for regulation and overdoing it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The sleeper hits of this year’s AI legislation\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Some bills that were more targeted — and significantly less publicized — than Wiener’s 1047 did find success in the legislature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb942?slug=CA_202320240SB942\">SB 942,\u003c/a> would require companies to supply AI detection tools at no charge to the public so they can tell the difference between AI and reality. It was introduced by Democratic Sen. Josh Becker of Menlo Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb896\">SB 896\u003c/a> by Democratic Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa would force government agencies to assess the risk of using generative AI and disclose when the technology is used.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other AI bills passed this legislative session are designed to protect children, including one that \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1831\">makes it a crime to create child pornography with generative AI\u003c/a> and another that requires the makers of social media apps to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb976\">turn off algorithmic curation of content\u003c/a> to users under age 18 unless they get permission from a parent or guardian. Children would instead by default see a chronological stream of recent posts from accounts they follow. The bill also limits notifications from social media apps during school hours and between midnight and 6 am.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A trio of bills passed last week aim to protect voters from deceptive audio, imagery, and video known as deepfakes. One bill \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2839?slug=CA_202320240AB2839\">goes after individuals\u003c/a> who create or publish deceptive content made with AI and allows a judge to order an injunction requiring them to either take down the content or pay damages.\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2655?slug=CA_202320240AB2655\"> Another bill \u003c/a>requires large online platforms such as Facebook to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2655?slug=CA_202320240AB2655\">remove or label deepfakes within 72 hours\u003c/a> of a user reporting it, while yet another \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2355?slug=CA_202320240AB2355\">requires political campaigns to disclose use of AI in advertising\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also on Newsom’s desk are bills that would require creatives to get \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1836\">permission before using the likeness of a dead person\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2602\">prohibit use of digital replicas\u003c/a> in some instances. Both of those bills were supported by the actors union SAG-AFTRA.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Which bills didn’t pass\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In lawmaking what fails to pass, like Bauer-Kahan’s anti AI discrimination bill, is often just as important as what advances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Case in point: \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab3211\">AB 3211\u003c/a>, which would have required AI makers to label AI-generated content. It sputtered out despite support from companies including Adobe, Microsoft, and OpenAI. In a statement\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/BuffyWicks/status/1831095971566248441\"> shared in social media on Tuesday\u003c/a>, bill author Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Oakland said it’s unfortunate that the California Senate did not take up her bill that “was model policy for the rest of the nation.” She said she plans to reintroduce it next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The labeling bill and Bauer-Kahan’s bill are two of three measures flagged as key by European Union officials who advised California lawmakers behind the scenes to adopt AI regulation in line with the EU’s AI Act, which took five years to create and went into effect this spring. Gerard de Graaf, director of the San Francisco EU office, visited the California Legislature to visit with authors of AB 3211, AB 2930, and SB 1047 in pursuit of the goal of aligning regulation between Sacramento and Brussels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/05/ca-eu-ai-regulation/\">interview with CalMatters this spring\u003c/a>, de Graaf said those three laws would accomplish the majority of what the AI Act seeks to do. This week, de Graaf had high praise for his California counterparts, saying he thinks state lawmakers did some serious work to pass so many different AI regulation bills, that they’re at the top of their game, and that they succeeded in being a world leader in AI regulation this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This requires a thorough understanding and that’s not present in many legislatures around the world and in that sense California is a leader,” he said. “The fact that California achieved as much as it did in a year is not an insignificant feat and this will presumably continue.” [aside postID=\"news_12000310,news_11987803,news_11998121\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite advising lawmakers about two bills that failed to pass the possibility of Senate Bill 1047 facing a veto, de Graaf said he sees convergence with EU AI policy in the passage of a bill that requires AI developers to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2013\">disclose information about datasets used to train AI models\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fact that the bill meant to protect citizens from discriminatory AI didn’t pass is a really disappointing reflection of the power of tech capital in California politics, said UC Irvine School of Law professor Veena Dubal, whose \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/dubal/\">research\u003c/a> has dealt with technology and marginalized workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really feels like our legislature has been captured by tech companies who by their very structure don’t have the interest of the public at the forefront of their own advocacy or decision making, because they’re profit making machines,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She thinks events of the past legislative session show that California will not be a leader in regulating generative AI because the power of tech companies is too unwieldy, but she does see signs of promise in bills passed to protect kids from AI. She’s encouraged by digital replica bills supported by SAG-AFTRA passed, a reflection of worker strikes in 2022, and that lawmakers made clear that using generative AI to make child pornography and curate content for kids without parental consent should be illegal. What’s more challenging it seems is passing laws that require any degree of accountability. It shouldn’t be debatable whether people deserve protections from civil rights violations, and she wants lawmakers to label other uses of AI unacceptable, like using AI to evaluate people in the workplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that those laws (protecting kids) passed isn’t surprising, and my hope is that their passage paves a way for stopping or banning use of AI or automated decisionmaking in other areas of our lives in which it is clearly already wrecking harm,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California legislators just sent Gov. Gavin Newsom more than a dozen bills regulating artificial intelligence, testing for threats to critical infrastructure, curbing the use of algorithms on children, limiting the use of deepfakes, and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But people in and around the AI industry say the proposed laws fail to stop some of the most worrisome harms of the technology, like discrimination by businesses and government entities. At the same time, the observers say, whether passed bills get vetoed or signed into law may depend heavily on industry pressure, in particular \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-regulation-showdown/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accusations that the state is regulating itself out of competitiveness in a hot field\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Debates over the bills, and decisions by the governor on whether to sign each of them, are particularly important because California is at the epicenter of AI development, with many legislators \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11983391/meet-the-o-c-state-senator-guiding-californias-ai-regulations\">making pledges\u003c/a> this year to regulate the technology and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/05/ca-eu-ai-regulation/\">put the state at the forefront\u003c/a> of protecting people from AI around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without question, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-safety-bill-california-legislature/\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a> got more attention than any other AI regulation bill this year — and after it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/08/ai-safety-bill-california-legislature/\">passed both chambers\u003c/a> of the legislature by wide margins, industry and consumer advocates are closely watching to see whether Newsom signs it into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Introduced by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill addresses huge potential threats posed by AI, requiring developers of advanced AI models to test them for their ability to enable attacks on digital and physical infrastructure and help non-experts make chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear weapons. It also protects whistleblowers who want to report such threats from inside tech companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what if the most concerning harms from AI are commonplace rather than apocalyptic? That’s the view of people like Alex Hanna, head of research at Distributed AI Research, a nonprofit organization created by former Google ethical AI researchers based in California. Hanna said 1047 shows how California lawmakers focused too much on existential risk and not enough on preventing specific forms of discrimination. She would much rather lawmakers consider banning the use of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/face-recognition-technology-california/\">facial recognition in criminal investigations\u003c/a> since that application of AI has already been shown to lead to racial discrimination. She would also like to see government standards around potentially discriminatory technology adopted by contractors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think 1047 got the most noise for God knows what reason but they’re certainly not leading the world or trying to match what Europe has in this legislation,” she said of California’s legislators.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Bill against AI discrimination is stripped\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>One bill that did address discriminatory AI was gutted and then shelved this year. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2930?slug=CA_202320240AB2930\">Assembly Bill 2930\u003c/a> would have required AI developers perform impact assessments and submit them to the Civil Rights Department and would have made use of discriminatory AI illegal and subject to a $25,000 fine for each violation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original bill sought to make use of discriminatory AI illegal in key sectors of the economy including housing, finance, insurance, and health care. But author Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a San Ramon Democrat, yanked it after the Senate Appropriations Committee limited the bill to assessing AI in employment. That sort of discrimination is already expected to be curbed by rules that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/workplace-ai-regulation-proposal/\">the California Civil Rights Department\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/03/california-ai-rules-business/\">California Privacy Protection Agency are drafting\u003c/a>. Bauer-Kahan told CalMatters she plans to put forward a stronger bill next year, adding, “We have strong anti-discrimination protections but under these systems we need more information.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Wiener’s bill, Bauer-Kahan’s was subject to lobbying by opponents in the tech industry, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI, which hired its first lobbyist ever in Sacramento this spring. Unlike Wiener’s bill, it also attracted opposition from nearly 100 companies from a wide range of industries, including Blue Shield of California, dating app company Bumble, biotech company Genentech, and pharmaceutical company Pfizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The failure of the AI discrimination bill is one reason there are still “gaping holes” in California’s AI regulation, according to Samantha Gordon, chief program officer at TechEquity, which lobbied in favor of the bill. Gordon, who co-organized a working group on AI with privacy, labor, and human rights groups, believes the state still needs legislation to address “ discrimination, disclosure, transparency, and which use cases deserve a ban because they have demonstrated an ability to harm people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Gordon said, the passage of Wiener’s bill marked important progress, as did the passage of \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb892\">Senate Bill 892,\u003c/a> which sets the standards for contracts government agencies sign for AI services. Doing so, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jtprP4tJEU&list=PL7ZZjNmMAwA2WXXJekM3qe8zKBQLGx1ya&index=2\">author and Chula Vista Democratic Sen. Steve Padilla told CalMatters earlier this year\u003c/a>, leverages the government’s buying power to encourage safer and more ethical AI services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some experts criticized Wiener’s bill for what it failed to do, the tech industry has gone after it for what it does. The measure’s testing requirements and associated enforcement mechanisms will kneecap fast-moving tech companies and create a chilling effect on code sharing that inhibits innovation, big tech companies like Google and Meta have said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the industry’s power in California, this criticism is the proverbial elephant in the room, said Joep Meindertsma, CEO of Pause.ai. Pause.ai is a proponent of regulating AI, endorsing Wiener’s bill and even organizing protests at the offices of California-based companies including Meta and OpenAI. So Meindertsma was happy to see so many regulatory bills clear the legislature this year. But he worries they will be undermined by the tension between a desire to regulate AI and a desire to win the race — among not jut companies but entire countries — to have the best AI. Regulators in California and elsewhere, he said, want to have it both ways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The market dynamic between countries that are trying to stay ahead of the competition, trying to avoid regulating their companies too much over fear of slowing down while the others keep racing, that dynamic is the issue that I feel is the most toxic in the entire situation,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are already signs that industry pressure could prevail, at least against Wiener’s bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several Democratic members of California’s Congressional delegation have called on Newsom to veto the bill. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, has also come out against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, Newsom seems to have leaned into AI, raising questions over how much appetite he has to regulate it. The governor showed great interest in using AI to solve problems in the state of California, signing an agreement with AI powerhouse Nvidia last month, launching an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/02/cdtfa-generative-ai/\">AI for tax advice pilot program in February\u003c/a>, and on Thursday introducing an AI solution aimed at connecting homeless people with services. When asked directly about Wiener’s bill in May, Newsom equivocated, saying that lawmakers must strike a balance between responding to calls for regulation and overdoing it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The sleeper hits of this year’s AI legislation\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Some bills that were more targeted — and significantly less publicized — than Wiener’s 1047 did find success in the legislature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb942?slug=CA_202320240SB942\">SB 942,\u003c/a> would require companies to supply AI detection tools at no charge to the public so they can tell the difference between AI and reality. It was introduced by Democratic Sen. Josh Becker of Menlo Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb896\">SB 896\u003c/a> by Democratic Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa would force government agencies to assess the risk of using generative AI and disclose when the technology is used.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other AI bills passed this legislative session are designed to protect children, including one that \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1831\">makes it a crime to create child pornography with generative AI\u003c/a> and another that requires the makers of social media apps to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb976\">turn off algorithmic curation of content\u003c/a> to users under age 18 unless they get permission from a parent or guardian. Children would instead by default see a chronological stream of recent posts from accounts they follow. The bill also limits notifications from social media apps during school hours and between midnight and 6 am.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A trio of bills passed last week aim to protect voters from deceptive audio, imagery, and video known as deepfakes. One bill \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2839?slug=CA_202320240AB2839\">goes after individuals\u003c/a> who create or publish deceptive content made with AI and allows a judge to order an injunction requiring them to either take down the content or pay damages.\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2655?slug=CA_202320240AB2655\"> Another bill \u003c/a>requires large online platforms such as Facebook to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2655?slug=CA_202320240AB2655\">remove or label deepfakes within 72 hours\u003c/a> of a user reporting it, while yet another \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2355?slug=CA_202320240AB2355\">requires political campaigns to disclose use of AI in advertising\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also on Newsom’s desk are bills that would require creatives to get \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1836\">permission before using the likeness of a dead person\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2602\">prohibit use of digital replicas\u003c/a> in some instances. Both of those bills were supported by the actors union SAG-AFTRA.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Which bills didn’t pass\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In lawmaking what fails to pass, like Bauer-Kahan’s anti AI discrimination bill, is often just as important as what advances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Case in point: \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab3211\">AB 3211\u003c/a>, which would have required AI makers to label AI-generated content. It sputtered out despite support from companies including Adobe, Microsoft, and OpenAI. In a statement\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/BuffyWicks/status/1831095971566248441\"> shared in social media on Tuesday\u003c/a>, bill author Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Oakland said it’s unfortunate that the California Senate did not take up her bill that “was model policy for the rest of the nation.” She said she plans to reintroduce it next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The labeling bill and Bauer-Kahan’s bill are two of three measures flagged as key by European Union officials who advised California lawmakers behind the scenes to adopt AI regulation in line with the EU’s AI Act, which took five years to create and went into effect this spring. Gerard de Graaf, director of the San Francisco EU office, visited the California Legislature to visit with authors of AB 3211, AB 2930, and SB 1047 in pursuit of the goal of aligning regulation between Sacramento and Brussels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/05/ca-eu-ai-regulation/\">interview with CalMatters this spring\u003c/a>, de Graaf said those three laws would accomplish the majority of what the AI Act seeks to do. This week, de Graaf had high praise for his California counterparts, saying he thinks state lawmakers did some serious work to pass so many different AI regulation bills, that they’re at the top of their game, and that they succeeded in being a world leader in AI regulation this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This requires a thorough understanding and that’s not present in many legislatures around the world and in that sense California is a leader,” he said. “The fact that California achieved as much as it did in a year is not an insignificant feat and this will presumably continue.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite advising lawmakers about two bills that failed to pass the possibility of Senate Bill 1047 facing a veto, de Graaf said he sees convergence with EU AI policy in the passage of a bill that requires AI developers to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2013\">disclose information about datasets used to train AI models\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fact that the bill meant to protect citizens from discriminatory AI didn’t pass is a really disappointing reflection of the power of tech capital in California politics, said UC Irvine School of Law professor Veena Dubal, whose \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/dubal/\">research\u003c/a> has dealt with technology and marginalized workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really feels like our legislature has been captured by tech companies who by their very structure don’t have the interest of the public at the forefront of their own advocacy or decision making, because they’re profit making machines,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She thinks events of the past legislative session show that California will not be a leader in regulating generative AI because the power of tech companies is too unwieldy, but she does see signs of promise in bills passed to protect kids from AI. She’s encouraged by digital replica bills supported by SAG-AFTRA passed, a reflection of worker strikes in 2022, and that lawmakers made clear that using generative AI to make child pornography and curate content for kids without parental consent should be illegal. What’s more challenging it seems is passing laws that require any degree of accountability. It shouldn’t be debatable whether people deserve protections from civil rights violations, and she wants lawmakers to label other uses of AI unacceptable, like using AI to evaluate people in the workplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that those laws (protecting kids) passed isn’t surprising, and my hope is that their passage paves a way for stopping or banning use of AI or automated decisionmaking in other areas of our lives in which it is clearly already wrecking harm,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Report Gives California Schools a ‘D’ on Data Transparency",
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"content": "\u003cp>California has a wealth of data about K-12 public schools — test scores, attendance rates, who’s headed to college and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding it is another story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information about the state’s 5.8 million students and their schools is spread across at least five websites, each outfitted with dozens of filters, drop-down menus and color-coded graphics. That scattered approach to data transparency prevents parents from truly understanding how their children’s schools are faring — and taking action to improve them, according to a report released Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have a PhD in education policy and I can barely navigate these sites,” said Morgan Polikoff, a USC professor who worked on the report. “How do we expect a typical parent to access this information and make sense of it?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report, published by the Center for Reinventing Public Education at Arizona State University, gave California a “D” for \u003ca href=\"https://crpe.org/transparent-state-report-card-grades-2024/\">school data transparency\u003c/a>, compared to other states. Researchers looked at how states present test scores in math, social studies, reading and science, as well as absenteeism and graduation rates and English learner progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://public-edsight.ct.gov/overview/next-generation-accountability-dashboard?language=en_US\">Connecticut\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mischooldata.org/dashboard/\">Michigan\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tdepublicschools.ondemand.sas.com/\">Tennessee\u003c/a> were among the states that received A’s for their easy-to-navigate data portals. California ranked alongside Arkansas, West Virginia and Arizona, among others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dissecting the school data dashboard\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The state’s primary data source for parents is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/\">California School Dashboard\u003c/a>. The Department of Education consults with data experts, including the \u003ca href=\"https://dataqualitycampaign.org/resources/flagship-resources/show-me-the-data-2023/\">Data Quality Campaign\u003c/a>’s “Show Me the Data” report, when it updates the information, said Elizabeth Sanders, spokesperson for the department. The state often makes adjustments based on advice from experts and parents, she said, and is continually seeking to improve its data portals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanders was unaware of the methods Polikoff and his colleagues used to critique California’s data transparency, but “Show Me the Data” also dinged California for not showing year-over-year growth data. In fact, California is one of only four states nationwide that doesn’t show any growth data at all (the others are Kansas, Kentucky and Washington, D.C.).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always remain open to the feedback and needs of our families, and we look forward to understanding more,” Sanders said. [aside label=\"Education Stories\" tag=\"california-schools\"]The education department unveiled the California School Dashboard in 2016–17 on the heels of the state’s shift to a revised funding formula that was meant to steer \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/03/school-finance/\">more money to underprivileged students\u003c/a>. It was meant to paint a more nuanced picture of schools’ performance, beyond just test scores. The dashboard measures academic achievement alongside chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, suspension rates, college and career readiness and English learner progress, broken down by 13 student groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools are assigned colors based on their performance, but sometimes those colors can be misleading. For example, one school might rank as orange, the second-lowest color, if it’s made progress even though its scores remain very low. Another school might rank as red, the lowest color, if it’s shown little progress but has higher scores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, for example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/01612590125161/2023#english-language-arts-card\">Castlemont High School\u003c/a> In Oakland earned an orange ranking in English even though its scores were 223 points below the state standard. Just a few miles away, \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/01612590137943/2023#english-language-arts-card\">Skyline High\u003c/a> rated a lower color — red — even though its scores were only 123 points below the standard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers said the dashboard is unnecessarily opaque and cumbersome. While Polikoff generally supports showing a school’s performance in relation to the state standard, he also believes parents should have easy access to the test scores in a way they can understand. In addition, the dashboard should present year-over-year trends. Currently, users must collect the numbers themselves and make their own graphs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other organizations have also criticized California’s dashboard. EdTrust-West, an Oakland-based education research nonprofit, has said the confusing data prevents parents at low-performing schools from advocating for their children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The dashboard portrays performance data using colors that in many instances suggest that schools and districts are adequately supporting their students to succeed. This is not the case in far too many California schools, and it’s especially true for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/06/discrimination-lawsuit/\">students of color and multilingual learners\u003c/a>,” said Natalie Wheatfall-Lum, EdTrust-West’s director of TK–12 policy. “Families can’t be effective partners if we don’t give them a clear picture of what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Student data system ‘feels like a smokescreen’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has other portals for student data, including \u003ca href=\"https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/\">Data Quest\u003c/a>, an exhaustive database of the student population; the \u003ca href=\"https://sarconline.org/public/findASarc\">School Accountability Report Card\u003c/a>, which shows information about specific schools such as how many teachers are credentialed, whether textbooks are current or if the school needs repairs; and the \u003ca href=\"https://caaspp-elpac.ets.org/caaspp/\">California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress\u003c/a>, a breakdown of Smarter Balanced standardized test scores. The \u003ca href=\"https://calschls.org/\">California Healthy Kids Survey\u003c/a> looks at topics like substance use, bullying and parent involvement at the state, county and district levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This can be frustrating for parents trying to get a snapshot of their child’s school. Knowing where to find specific details — and putting them in context — can take hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like a smokescreen,” said Crystal Trull, a parent of three children in San Diego Unified. “Parents don’t understand what the data means, which makes it difficult to get a sense of a particular school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Adding to the confusion, Trull said, the state changes assessments every few years, making it almost impossible to gauge long-term trends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A boy writes on his desk at a Morgan Hill schools. \u003ccite>(Francesca Segre/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Students are the ones ultimately harmed, she said. Parents might not have all the available information when evaluating a school, and their children risk falling behind. “By the time parents realize their children don’t actually have the skills they need, it could be too late,” she said. “And that’s the real tragedy here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://rossier.usc.edu/news-insights/news/reality-covid-19-learning-loss\">Research\u003c/a> backs that up. In a previous study, Polikoff and his colleagues at USC found a disconnect between parent concerns and policy analysis of the state of schools, particularly post-pandemic. An \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/02/learning-loss/\">avalanche of research\u003c/a> showed steep learning declines stemming from school closures, yet many parents seemed unfazed, Polikoff said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Experts raise all these alarm bells but parents don’t seem that concerned or even aware there’s a crisis,” Polikoff said. “So we decided to find out why. The lack of accessible data is likely one significant reason.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason is grade inflation, researchers found. If students are mostly getting A’s and B’s, parents are less inclined to pay attention to standardized test scores or alarming reports from policy experts, Polikoff said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Parents tend to think schools have their kids’ best interests in mind, and kids are resilient,” Polikoff said. “That can be true, but it can also mean that parents don’t always have a realistic idea of what’s actually happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Better measures of student success?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At Irvine Unified, parent Jim Leung said he’d like to see the dashboard show specific test scores, not whether students are “meeting standards,” a metric that he says is not well defined. He’d also like more information about college readiness, social-emotional growth and life skills — topics that provide a far more accurate picture of how well schools are preparing students for the future, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most students in Irvine already meet or exceed the standards, so the dashboard isn’t really helpful,” said Leung, father of a high school sophomore. “Parents want to go beyond the minimum. We want to know how well our schools are really preparing students for college and career and life in general.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of that information — such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-source-school\">University of California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tableau.calstate.edu/views/Application_withsystemwide/AppAdmitEnroll?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3Arender=true&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Aorigin=viz_share_link\">California State University\u003c/a> admission numbers by high school — is available elsewhere online, but can be hard to locate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know the information is out there,” Leung said. “But there’s so much data, and parents are busy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/carolyn-jones/\">Carolyn Jones\u003c/a>, CalMatters",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California has a wealth of data about K-12 public schools — test scores, attendance rates, who’s headed to college and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding it is another story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information about the state’s 5.8 million students and their schools is spread across at least five websites, each outfitted with dozens of filters, drop-down menus and color-coded graphics. That scattered approach to data transparency prevents parents from truly understanding how their children’s schools are faring — and taking action to improve them, according to a report released Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have a PhD in education policy and I can barely navigate these sites,” said Morgan Polikoff, a USC professor who worked on the report. “How do we expect a typical parent to access this information and make sense of it?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report, published by the Center for Reinventing Public Education at Arizona State University, gave California a “D” for \u003ca href=\"https://crpe.org/transparent-state-report-card-grades-2024/\">school data transparency\u003c/a>, compared to other states. Researchers looked at how states present test scores in math, social studies, reading and science, as well as absenteeism and graduation rates and English learner progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://public-edsight.ct.gov/overview/next-generation-accountability-dashboard?language=en_US\">Connecticut\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mischooldata.org/dashboard/\">Michigan\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tdepublicschools.ondemand.sas.com/\">Tennessee\u003c/a> were among the states that received A’s for their easy-to-navigate data portals. California ranked alongside Arkansas, West Virginia and Arizona, among others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dissecting the school data dashboard\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The state’s primary data source for parents is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/\">California School Dashboard\u003c/a>. The Department of Education consults with data experts, including the \u003ca href=\"https://dataqualitycampaign.org/resources/flagship-resources/show-me-the-data-2023/\">Data Quality Campaign\u003c/a>’s “Show Me the Data” report, when it updates the information, said Elizabeth Sanders, spokesperson for the department. The state often makes adjustments based on advice from experts and parents, she said, and is continually seeking to improve its data portals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanders was unaware of the methods Polikoff and his colleagues used to critique California’s data transparency, but “Show Me the Data” also dinged California for not showing year-over-year growth data. In fact, California is one of only four states nationwide that doesn’t show any growth data at all (the others are Kansas, Kentucky and Washington, D.C.).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always remain open to the feedback and needs of our families, and we look forward to understanding more,” Sanders said. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The education department unveiled the California School Dashboard in 2016–17 on the heels of the state’s shift to a revised funding formula that was meant to steer \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/03/school-finance/\">more money to underprivileged students\u003c/a>. It was meant to paint a more nuanced picture of schools’ performance, beyond just test scores. The dashboard measures academic achievement alongside chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, suspension rates, college and career readiness and English learner progress, broken down by 13 student groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools are assigned colors based on their performance, but sometimes those colors can be misleading. For example, one school might rank as orange, the second-lowest color, if it’s made progress even though its scores remain very low. Another school might rank as red, the lowest color, if it’s shown little progress but has higher scores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, for example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/01612590125161/2023#english-language-arts-card\">Castlemont High School\u003c/a> In Oakland earned an orange ranking in English even though its scores were 223 points below the state standard. Just a few miles away, \u003ca href=\"https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/01612590137943/2023#english-language-arts-card\">Skyline High\u003c/a> rated a lower color — red — even though its scores were only 123 points below the standard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers said the dashboard is unnecessarily opaque and cumbersome. While Polikoff generally supports showing a school’s performance in relation to the state standard, he also believes parents should have easy access to the test scores in a way they can understand. In addition, the dashboard should present year-over-year trends. Currently, users must collect the numbers themselves and make their own graphs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other organizations have also criticized California’s dashboard. EdTrust-West, an Oakland-based education research nonprofit, has said the confusing data prevents parents at low-performing schools from advocating for their children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The dashboard portrays performance data using colors that in many instances suggest that schools and districts are adequately supporting their students to succeed. This is not the case in far too many California schools, and it’s especially true for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/06/discrimination-lawsuit/\">students of color and multilingual learners\u003c/a>,” said Natalie Wheatfall-Lum, EdTrust-West’s director of TK–12 policy. “Families can’t be effective partners if we don’t give them a clear picture of what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Student data system ‘feels like a smokescreen’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has other portals for student data, including \u003ca href=\"https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/\">Data Quest\u003c/a>, an exhaustive database of the student population; the \u003ca href=\"https://sarconline.org/public/findASarc\">School Accountability Report Card\u003c/a>, which shows information about specific schools such as how many teachers are credentialed, whether textbooks are current or if the school needs repairs; and the \u003ca href=\"https://caaspp-elpac.ets.org/caaspp/\">California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress\u003c/a>, a breakdown of Smarter Balanced standardized test scores. The \u003ca href=\"https://calschls.org/\">California Healthy Kids Survey\u003c/a> looks at topics like substance use, bullying and parent involvement at the state, county and district levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This can be frustrating for parents trying to get a snapshot of their child’s school. Knowing where to find specific details — and putting them in context — can take hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like a smokescreen,” said Crystal Trull, a parent of three children in San Diego Unified. “Parents don’t understand what the data means, which makes it difficult to get a sense of a particular school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Adding to the confusion, Trull said, the state changes assessments every few years, making it almost impossible to gauge long-term trends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/IMG_2615_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A boy writes on his desk at a Morgan Hill schools. \u003ccite>(Francesca Segre/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Students are the ones ultimately harmed, she said. Parents might not have all the available information when evaluating a school, and their children risk falling behind. “By the time parents realize their children don’t actually have the skills they need, it could be too late,” she said. “And that’s the real tragedy here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://rossier.usc.edu/news-insights/news/reality-covid-19-learning-loss\">Research\u003c/a> backs that up. In a previous study, Polikoff and his colleagues at USC found a disconnect between parent concerns and policy analysis of the state of schools, particularly post-pandemic. An \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/02/learning-loss/\">avalanche of research\u003c/a> showed steep learning declines stemming from school closures, yet many parents seemed unfazed, Polikoff said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Experts raise all these alarm bells but parents don’t seem that concerned or even aware there’s a crisis,” Polikoff said. “So we decided to find out why. The lack of accessible data is likely one significant reason.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason is grade inflation, researchers found. If students are mostly getting A’s and B’s, parents are less inclined to pay attention to standardized test scores or alarming reports from policy experts, Polikoff said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Parents tend to think schools have their kids’ best interests in mind, and kids are resilient,” Polikoff said. “That can be true, but it can also mean that parents don’t always have a realistic idea of what’s actually happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Better measures of student success?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At Irvine Unified, parent Jim Leung said he’d like to see the dashboard show specific test scores, not whether students are “meeting standards,” a metric that he says is not well defined. He’d also like more information about college readiness, social-emotional growth and life skills — topics that provide a far more accurate picture of how well schools are preparing students for the future, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most students in Irvine already meet or exceed the standards, so the dashboard isn’t really helpful,” said Leung, father of a high school sophomore. “Parents want to go beyond the minimum. We want to know how well our schools are really preparing students for college and career and life in general.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of that information — such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-source-school\">University of California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tableau.calstate.edu/views/Application_withsystemwide/AppAdmitEnroll?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3Arender=true&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Aorigin=viz_share_link\">California State University\u003c/a> admission numbers by high school — is available elsewhere online, but can be hard to locate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know the information is out there,” Leung said. “But there’s so much data, and parents are busy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "danger-looms-as-california-cities-face-extreme-heat-is-death-valley-the-new-norm",
"title": "These California Cities Will Face the Most Extreme Heat Danger as Climate Changes",
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"headTitle": "These California Cities Will Face the Most Extreme Heat Danger as Climate Changes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a recent sunny afternoon in Lancaster, Cassandra Hughes looked for a place to cool down. She set up a lawn chair in the shade at the edge of a park and spent the afternoon with a coloring book, listening to hip-hop music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reaching a high of 97 degrees, this August day was pleasant by Lancaster standards — a breeze offered temporary relief. But just the week before, during a brutal heat wave, the high hit 109. For Hughes, the Mojave Desert city has been a dramatic change from the mild weather in El Segundo, the coastal city where she lived before moving in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hughes, a retired nurse, is among the Californians who are moving inland in search of affordable housing and more space. But it comes at a price: dangerous heat driven by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/category/environment/climate-change/\">climate change\u003c/a>, accompanied by sky-high electric bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A CalMatters analysis shows that many California cities with the biggest recent population booms are the same places that will experience the most high heat days — a potentially deadly confluence. The combination of a growing population and rising extreme heat \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2024/07/extreme-heat-report-insurance/\">will put more people at risk of illnesses\u003c/a> and pose a challenge for unprepared local officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As greenhouse gases warm the planet, more people around the globe are experiencing intensifying heat waves and higher temperatures. An international panel of climate scientists recently reported that it is “\u003ca href=\"https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/\">virtually certain\u003c/a>” that “there has been increases in the intensity and duration of heat waves and in the number of heat wave days at the global scale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters identified the California communities most at risk — the top 1% of the state’s more than 8,000 census tracts that have grown by more than 500 people in recent years and are expected to experience the most intensifying heat under climate change projections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The results: Lancaster and Palmdale in Los Angeles County; Apple Valley, Victorville and Hesperia in San Bernardino County; Lake Elsinore and Murrieta in Riverside County; and the Central Valley cities of Visalia, Fresno, Clovis and Tulare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By 2050, neighborhoods in those 11 inland cities are expected to experience 25 or more high heat days every year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-heat/\">data from researchers\u003c/a> at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Colorado Boulder and UC Berkeley. A high heat day is when an area’s maximum temperature exceeds the top 2% of its historic high — in other words, temperatures that soar above some of the highest levels ever recorded there this century. (The projections were based on an intermediate scenario for future planet-warming emissions.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of these places facing this dangerous combination of worsening heat waves and growing populations are low-income Latino communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are seeing much more rapid warming of inland areas that were already hotter to begin with,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s an extreme contrast between the people who live within 5 to 10 miles of the beach and people who live as little as 20 miles inland,” he said. “It’s these inland areas where we see people who…are killed by this extreme heat or whose lives are at least made miserable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://calmatters-graphics-heat-housing.netlify.app/heat-days-lookup?initialWidth=780&childId=pym_0&parentTitle=More%20extreme%20heat%20%2B%20more%20people%20%3D%20danger%20in%20these%20CA%20cities%20-%20CalMatters&parentUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org%2Fenvironment%2Fclimate-change%2F2024%2F09%2Fcalifornia-extreme-heat-population-growth-inland-communities%2F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While temperatures are projected to rise across the state, neighborhoods along the coast will remain much more temperate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Long Beach, for instance, are not projected to experience significantly more high heat days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco will average six days a year in the 2050s, exceeding 87 degrees, compared to four days in the 2020s. In contrast, Visalia will jump from 17 days exceeding 103 degrees to 32 — more than a full month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the growing inland populations, the cooler coastal counties — where more than two-thirds of Californians now live — are expected to lose about 1.3 million residents by 2050, according to the California Department of Finance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures can be deadly, triggering heat strokes and \u003ca href=\"https://hms.harvard.edu/news/climate-change-fueled-weather-events-linked-worsened-heart-health#:~:text=Certain%20types%20of%20extreme%20weather,increased%20risk%20of%20heart%20disease.\">heart attacks\u003c/a> and exacerbating \u003ca href=\"https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/subtopics/climate-change-and-asthma/\">asthma\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10039694/\">diabetes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidney.org/press-room/new-study-heat-waves-climate-change-pushing-kidney-patients-to-er\">kidney failure\u003c/a> and other illnesses, even some \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/priorities/climate-infectious-disease.html\">infectious diseases\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a pink shirt and sun glasses sits in a folding chair with a board in her lap.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassandra Hughes sits on a folding chair alongside her car in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In California, \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/180-climate-change/upload/Impacts-of-extreme-heat-to-California-s-people-infrastructure-and-economy-by-California-Department-of-Insurance-June-2024.pdf\">extreme heat contributed to\u003c/a> more than 5,000 hospitalizations and almost 10,600 emergency department visits over the past decade — and the health effects “fall disproportionately on already overburdened” Black people, Latinos and Native Americans, according to a recent state report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City and county officials must grapple with how to protect residents who already are struggling to stay cool and pay their electric bills. Despite the warnings, many local governments have failed to respond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_201520160sb379\">A 2015 state law \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB379\">required municipalities\u003c/a> to update their general plans, safety plans or hazard mitigation plans to include steps countering the effects of climate change, such as cooling roofs and pavement or urban greening projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But only about half of California’s 540 cities and counties had complied with new plans as of last year, according to the environmental nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.climateresolve.org/ounce-of-prevention/\">Climate Resolve\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The California dream or a hellish reality?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>An exodus from California’s coastal regions is a\u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/whos-leaving-california-and-whos-moving-in/\"> decadeslong trend\u003c/a>, said Eric McGhee, a policy director who researches California demographic changes at the Public Policy Institute of California. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/how-has-remote-work-affected-migration-around-the-state/\">moving away from the coasts,\u003c/a> especially the Los Angeles region and Bay Area, to elsewhere in California and other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 104,000 people moved from the Bay Area to the Sacramento area, the Inland Empire and the San Joaquin Valley in 2021 and 2022 and about 95,000 moved from Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange County to those same inland regions, according to data collected from the \u003ca href=\"https://usa.ipums.org/usa/\">Census\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McGhee said most people moving inland are \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/californias-population-shifts-may-lead-to-new-income-divides/\">low-income and middle-income Californians \u003c/a>looking to expand their families, find cheaper housing and live comfortably — and they’re willing to sacrifice other privileges, like cool weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is “becoming more expensive, more exclusive in the places that are least likely to experience extreme heat,” Swain said. As a result, he said, “the people who are most at risk of extreme heat” — those with limited financial resources — “are precisely the people experiencing extreme heat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/scZs5/10/\" width=\"1100\" height=\"600\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Bernardino County city of \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/victorville-ca?redirect=true#demographics\">Victorville\u003c/a> — which is 55% Hispanic and has median incomes far below the state average — is among California’s fastest-growing areas, adding more than 12,500 new residents between 2018 and 2022. Nearby Apple Valley and Hesperia grew by about 3,000 and 6,000 people, respectively, while Lancaster, Palmdale and Visalia added between about 10,000 and 12,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Victorville on an August day that reached 97 degrees, Eduardo Ceja wiped sweat from his forehead as he worked at Superior Grocers store, retrieving shopping carts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work is often grueling in this Mojave Desert town. He sometimes drinks five bottles of water to stay hydrated as he works, with the concrete parking lot radiating the heat back onto his skin. When he’s done pushing carts, he recovers in the air-conditioned store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ceja, 20, moved to nearby Apple Valley about a year ago, around the same time the new grocery store opened. He used to sleep on his parents’ couch in the San Gabriel Valley town of Covina, east of Los Angeles, which is often more than 10 degrees cooler than Apple Valley on summer days. But he wanted a place to himself at a low cost, so now he pays $400 a month for a bedroom in his brother’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since he moved here, he’s observed many businesses, including his own employer, expanding or opening in Apple Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I notice a lot of people from L.A. are coming here,” he said. It makes sense to him. “Out here, the apartments have more space.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a black shirt stands outside by a tree.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apple Valley Mayor Scott Nassif on Aug. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/apple-valley-ca/#demographics\">Apple Valley\u003c/a> Mayor Scott Nassif has seen his desert town grow and get hotter over his lifetime. When he moved to the area in 1959, only a few thousand people lived there. Now it’s home to more than 75,000 people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif remembers only a few days that would reach above 100 degrees and multiple snowstorms in the winter. Now, snowstorms are rare, and weeklong heat waves above 110 degrees are commonplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extreme heat “is noticeable,” he said. “I don’t think there was a day under 100 in July.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif attributes the town’s growing population to its good schools, a semi-rural lifestyle and affordable housing for families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the high desert town of Hesperia, growth is evident. Banners advertising “New homes!” are posted throughout the town, luring potential buyers to tract home communities. Residents are cautiously eyeing a new development, called the Silverwood Community, that has recently broken ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The massive, 9,000-plus acre development is authorized for more than 15,000 new homes, according to its website. A video on its website coaxes potential buyers: “True believers know the California dream is within reach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of a residential area and surrounding dry land.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of the Silverwood project, a community development under construction, in Hesperia on Aug. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/hesperia-ca#demographics\">Hesperia\u003c/a>, which is almost two-thirds Hispanic and also has median incomes far below the state average, is anticipating continued growth as housing costs soar in other parts of California. Its planning includes rezoning some areas to allow for higher-density housing, which could bring more affordable housing, said Ryan Leonard, Hesperia’s principal planner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If people are willing to make a commute to San Bernardino, Riverside or Ontario — a 45-minute to an hour commute — they can afford to buy a home here when they might not be able to afford that same home down the hill,” Leonard said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Summer electric bills soar to $500 or more\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In the California towns at most risk of intensifying heat, people are already saddled with big power bills because of their reliance on air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For instance, households in Lancaster, Palmdale and Apple Valley pay on average $200 to $259 a month for electricity, compared to a $177 average in Southern California Edison’s service area, according to California Public Utilities Commission data as of May 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summer months, average power use in these communities nearly triples compared to spring months, so some people’s bills can climb above $500.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And their bills are likely to grow as climate change intensifies heat waves and \u003ca href=\"https://www.publicadvocates.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cal-advocates-website/files/press-room/reports-and-analyses/240722-public-advocates-office-q2-2024-electric-rates-report.pdf#page=5\">utility rates rise\u003c/a>: Californians are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/05/californians-electricity-rates/\">paying about twice as much\u003c/a> for electricity than a decade ago. The state’s rates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/electricity-price-rate-pge-19429422.php\">among the highest in the nation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diane Carlson moved to \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/palmdale-ca#demographics\">Palmdale\u003c/a>, north of Los Angeles, 30 years ago. The housing was much cheaper, and she wanted to move where her children could attend school near where they live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the years, she’s felt the temperatures in Palmdale rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlson said her electric bill during the summers used to average about $500, a significant chunk of her household budget. About four years ago, though, she had solar panels installed on their home, which cut her bill in half.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t not run the air conditioner all day, even if you run it low,” she said. “You wouldn’t survive otherwise. The heat is too oppressive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With multiple days in the summer reaching at least 115 degrees, Carlson is conscious that there may be a future where Palmdale isn’t livable for her anymore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Will it get as hot as Death Valley?” she wondered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, reached \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-03/death-valley-sets-another-record-for-july-august-also-expected-to-be-above-average\">record temperatures\u003c/a> in July, averaging 108.5 degrees; the high was 121.9, tying a 1917 record. In comparison, Palmdale by 2050 is projected to have 25 days where the maximum temperature exceeds 105, up from nine days in the 2010s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlson said she’d consider moving to the East Coast, where she’s originally from. But she’d face hurricanes rather than the heat. It all comes down to making a decision: “Which negatives are you willing to deal with?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003217\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003217\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg\" alt=\"A man rides a bicycle past a house with a tent, table, several products and a woman standing in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A street vendor sells fans and mini pools in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hughes, who lives in subsidized housing in \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/lancaster-ca\">Lancaster\u003c/a>, said surviving the heat means constantly checking the weather forecast and strategically cooling her home to keep electricity costs low. “I have air conditioning, a swamp cooler and two fans,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a day when the temperature doesn’t reach triple digits, the air conditioner might stay off; she opens the windows and turns on the fans instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003216\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003216\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg\" alt=\"An infrared thermometer showing 137.3 degrees on the display.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An infrared thermometer showing street surface temperature reaching 137 degrees in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Local leaders say they know more must be done to protect their residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lancaster opens cooling centers in libraries for residents who need respite from the heat. During heat waves, residents ride buses for free, and city programs provide water and other resources to homeless people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Is it adequate? Of course, it’s not adequate,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said. “If you’ve got people who don’t read or don’t get a newspaper sitting in a sweltering apartment, the information is not getting to them, and we know it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parris said air conditioning is necessary for families to stay cool in the hot desert summers, but with utility costs so high, it’s becoming a luxury.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg\" alt=\"A wire sculpture of a woman holding a leaf.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wire sculpture on a light pole in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With that in mind, he said the city is prioritizing hydrogen energy, which could lower electric bills in the long term. A new housing tract will be powered by solar panels and batteries that store power, backed up by hydrogen fuel cells, which will be cheaper than if the homes drew energy entirely from the grid, said Jason Caudle, head of Lancaster Energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif, the Apple Valley mayor, said his town helps residents finance costly rooftop solar panels that can cut their power bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Educating our public on how to save on their electric bills is a big thing because you can’t live up here without air conditioning,” Nassif said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Cooling centers aren’t enough to protect people\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>On a Saturday morning in Visalia, as temperatures climbed to 99 degrees, Maribel Jimenez brought her 2-year-old son to an indoor playground to beat the heat. She sat at a kid-sized table with her son, Mateo, as he played with toy screws and blocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez, 33, has lived in \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/visalia-ca/\">Visalia\u003c/a> her whole life. She grew up on a dairy farm and remembers playing outdoors for hours in the summers. But things have changed. She can’t imagine letting her son play outdoors under the scorching sun. She worries he’s not getting the outdoor playtime he should be getting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s definitely gotten much hotter,” Jimenez said. “You can’t even have your kids outside. We want to take him out to the playground, but it’s too hot. By the time it cools down in the evening, it’s his bedtime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other times, she and her family go to the mall for walks or anywhere where there’s air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as he’s out, he’s happy,” she said. “We try our best to protect him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003223\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003223\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman sit next to a small child by a fishing pond.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maribel Jimenez and Oscar Olmedo play with their son Mateo in the fishing pond at the ImagineU Children’s Museum in Visalia on Aug. 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The effects of extreme heat on the body can happen quickly and can affect people of all ages and health conditions. Once symptoms of heat stroke begin — increased heart rate and a change in mental status — cooling off within 30 minutes is crucial to survival, said Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many municipalities react to extreme heat by following state or county rules, which often involve opening cooling centers in public places when temperatures rise above a certain level for multiple days in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You want people to be in a space where your body can control its core temperature,” Aragón said. “It’s safer to be in an air-conditioned place (that) cools your body down. That’s what cooling centers are for. I tell people, go to the supermarket, go to the library, go to a cooling center, go and just let your body cool down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But community advocates say cooling centers are ineffective because they’re underused. Many people are unaware of them, and others have no transportation to reach them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think everyone is used to that being the answer for what we do when it gets extremely hot,” said Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve. “We need to expand our imagination to figure out other ways of taking care of people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Victorville has complied with the 2015 state law requiring plans to handle climate change, and Hesperia is in the process of updating its plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Los Angeles County is an example of a local government that has gone above and beyond to comply, Parfrey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county has updated its emergency preparedness plans and is in the early phases of developing a heat-specific plan for unincorporated areas, which will include urban greening and changes to the built environment to make neighborhoods cooler, said Ali Frazzini, policy director at the county’s Chief Sustainability office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003224\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003224\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg\" alt=\"A water park playground area filled with adults and children.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Families playing at the water park area of Adventure Park in Visalia on Aug. 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not just about preventing deaths and other terrible outcomes of heat waves, although that’s extremely important,” Frazzini said. “It’s really about having livable communities where kids can play outside, and street vendors can run their businesses without risk of overexposure.”[aside postID=\"news_11999014,science_1994107,news_11878134\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parfrey said the state plays a role, but “they’re not in charge of the roads or building codes or where you put a water fountain or how you build a local park. All of that has to be done at a local level.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, the Newsom administration issued an Extreme Heat Action Plan outlining state steps to make California more resilient to extreme heat. That includes funding new community resilience centers where people can cool down as well as find resources or shelter during other emergencies, such as wildfires. It’s a model that some community advocates prefer over traditional cooling centers that are underutilized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has granted almost $98 million for 24 projects so far, said Anna Jane Jones, who leads the development of the centers for the state’s Strategic Growth Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Visalia, Jimenez said her family doesn’t have many options for cool spaces where her young son can be entertained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At home, the family uses the air conditioner sparingly and keeps the blinds closed. During a heat wave, their power bill can climb to $250. If the bills were lower, she’d use the air conditioner all the time. “We have to do what we have to do,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez and her husband have thought twice about expanding their family and have floated the idea of moving somewhere else, but many of the affordable options, like Texas or Arizona, are even hotter than Visalia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Global warming is a thing, and the heat isn’t getting any better anytime soon,” she said. “Everybody’s paying the price.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.",
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"title": "These California Cities Will Face the Most Extreme Heat Danger as Climate Changes | KQED",
"description": "Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.",
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"headline": "These California Cities Will Face the Most Extreme Heat Danger as Climate Changes",
"datePublished": "2024-09-06T07:30:02-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-10T13:34:55-07:00",
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"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/alejandra-reyesvelarde\">Alejandra Reyes-Velarde\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/arfa-momin\">Arfa Momin, \u003c/a>CalMatters",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a recent sunny afternoon in Lancaster, Cassandra Hughes looked for a place to cool down. She set up a lawn chair in the shade at the edge of a park and spent the afternoon with a coloring book, listening to hip-hop music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reaching a high of 97 degrees, this August day was pleasant by Lancaster standards — a breeze offered temporary relief. But just the week before, during a brutal heat wave, the high hit 109. For Hughes, the Mojave Desert city has been a dramatic change from the mild weather in El Segundo, the coastal city where she lived before moving in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hughes, a retired nurse, is among the Californians who are moving inland in search of affordable housing and more space. But it comes at a price: dangerous heat driven by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/category/environment/climate-change/\">climate change\u003c/a>, accompanied by sky-high electric bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A CalMatters analysis shows that many California cities with the biggest recent population booms are the same places that will experience the most high heat days — a potentially deadly confluence. The combination of a growing population and rising extreme heat \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2024/07/extreme-heat-report-insurance/\">will put more people at risk of illnesses\u003c/a> and pose a challenge for unprepared local officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As greenhouse gases warm the planet, more people around the globe are experiencing intensifying heat waves and higher temperatures. An international panel of climate scientists recently reported that it is “\u003ca href=\"https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/\">virtually certain\u003c/a>” that “there has been increases in the intensity and duration of heat waves and in the number of heat wave days at the global scale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters identified the California communities most at risk — the top 1% of the state’s more than 8,000 census tracts that have grown by more than 500 people in recent years and are expected to experience the most intensifying heat under climate change projections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The results: Lancaster and Palmdale in Los Angeles County; Apple Valley, Victorville and Hesperia in San Bernardino County; Lake Elsinore and Murrieta in Riverside County; and the Central Valley cities of Visalia, Fresno, Clovis and Tulare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By 2050, neighborhoods in those 11 inland cities are expected to experience 25 or more high heat days every year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-heat/\">data from researchers\u003c/a> at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Colorado Boulder and UC Berkeley. A high heat day is when an area’s maximum temperature exceeds the top 2% of its historic high — in other words, temperatures that soar above some of the highest levels ever recorded there this century. (The projections were based on an intermediate scenario for future planet-warming emissions.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of these places facing this dangerous combination of worsening heat waves and growing populations are low-income Latino communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are seeing much more rapid warming of inland areas that were already hotter to begin with,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s an extreme contrast between the people who live within 5 to 10 miles of the beach and people who live as little as 20 miles inland,” he said. “It’s these inland areas where we see people who…are killed by this extreme heat or whose lives are at least made miserable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://calmatters-graphics-heat-housing.netlify.app/heat-days-lookup?initialWidth=780&childId=pym_0&parentTitle=More%20extreme%20heat%20%2B%20more%20people%20%3D%20danger%20in%20these%20CA%20cities%20-%20CalMatters&parentUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org%2Fenvironment%2Fclimate-change%2F2024%2F09%2Fcalifornia-extreme-heat-population-growth-inland-communities%2F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While temperatures are projected to rise across the state, neighborhoods along the coast will remain much more temperate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Long Beach, for instance, are not projected to experience significantly more high heat days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco will average six days a year in the 2050s, exceeding 87 degrees, compared to four days in the 2020s. In contrast, Visalia will jump from 17 days exceeding 103 degrees to 32 — more than a full month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the growing inland populations, the cooler coastal counties — where more than two-thirds of Californians now live — are expected to lose about 1.3 million residents by 2050, according to the California Department of Finance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures can be deadly, triggering heat strokes and \u003ca href=\"https://hms.harvard.edu/news/climate-change-fueled-weather-events-linked-worsened-heart-health#:~:text=Certain%20types%20of%20extreme%20weather,increased%20risk%20of%20heart%20disease.\">heart attacks\u003c/a> and exacerbating \u003ca href=\"https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/subtopics/climate-change-and-asthma/\">asthma\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10039694/\">diabetes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidney.org/press-room/new-study-heat-waves-climate-change-pushing-kidney-patients-to-er\">kidney failure\u003c/a> and other illnesses, even some \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/priorities/climate-infectious-disease.html\">infectious diseases\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman wearing a pink shirt and sun glasses sits in a folding chair with a board in her lap.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-76-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassandra Hughes sits on a folding chair alongside her car in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In California, \u003ca href=\"https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/180-climate-change/upload/Impacts-of-extreme-heat-to-California-s-people-infrastructure-and-economy-by-California-Department-of-Insurance-June-2024.pdf\">extreme heat contributed to\u003c/a> more than 5,000 hospitalizations and almost 10,600 emergency department visits over the past decade — and the health effects “fall disproportionately on already overburdened” Black people, Latinos and Native Americans, according to a recent state report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City and county officials must grapple with how to protect residents who already are struggling to stay cool and pay their electric bills. Despite the warnings, many local governments have failed to respond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_201520160sb379\">A 2015 state law \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB379\">required municipalities\u003c/a> to update their general plans, safety plans or hazard mitigation plans to include steps countering the effects of climate change, such as cooling roofs and pavement or urban greening projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But only about half of California’s 540 cities and counties had complied with new plans as of last year, according to the environmental nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.climateresolve.org/ounce-of-prevention/\">Climate Resolve\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The California dream or a hellish reality?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>An exodus from California’s coastal regions is a\u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/whos-leaving-california-and-whos-moving-in/\"> decadeslong trend\u003c/a>, said Eric McGhee, a policy director who researches California demographic changes at the Public Policy Institute of California. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/how-has-remote-work-affected-migration-around-the-state/\">moving away from the coasts,\u003c/a> especially the Los Angeles region and Bay Area, to elsewhere in California and other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 104,000 people moved from the Bay Area to the Sacramento area, the Inland Empire and the San Joaquin Valley in 2021 and 2022 and about 95,000 moved from Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange County to those same inland regions, according to data collected from the \u003ca href=\"https://usa.ipums.org/usa/\">Census\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McGhee said most people moving inland are \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/californias-population-shifts-may-lead-to-new-income-divides/\">low-income and middle-income Californians \u003c/a>looking to expand their families, find cheaper housing and live comfortably — and they’re willing to sacrifice other privileges, like cool weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is “becoming more expensive, more exclusive in the places that are least likely to experience extreme heat,” Swain said. As a result, he said, “the people who are most at risk of extreme heat” — those with limited financial resources — “are precisely the people experiencing extreme heat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/scZs5/10/\" width=\"1100\" height=\"600\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Bernardino County city of \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/victorville-ca?redirect=true#demographics\">Victorville\u003c/a> — which is 55% Hispanic and has median incomes far below the state average — is among California’s fastest-growing areas, adding more than 12,500 new residents between 2018 and 2022. Nearby Apple Valley and Hesperia grew by about 3,000 and 6,000 people, respectively, while Lancaster, Palmdale and Visalia added between about 10,000 and 12,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Victorville on an August day that reached 97 degrees, Eduardo Ceja wiped sweat from his forehead as he worked at Superior Grocers store, retrieving shopping carts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work is often grueling in this Mojave Desert town. He sometimes drinks five bottles of water to stay hydrated as he works, with the concrete parking lot radiating the heat back onto his skin. When he’s done pushing carts, he recovers in the air-conditioned store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ceja, 20, moved to nearby Apple Valley about a year ago, around the same time the new grocery store opened. He used to sleep on his parents’ couch in the San Gabriel Valley town of Covina, east of Los Angeles, which is often more than 10 degrees cooler than Apple Valley on summer days. But he wanted a place to himself at a low cost, so now he pays $400 a month for a bedroom in his brother’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since he moved here, he’s observed many businesses, including his own employer, expanding or opening in Apple Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I notice a lot of people from L.A. are coming here,” he said. It makes sense to him. “Out here, the apartments have more space.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a black shirt stands outside by a tree.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM-50-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apple Valley Mayor Scott Nassif on Aug. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/apple-valley-ca/#demographics\">Apple Valley\u003c/a> Mayor Scott Nassif has seen his desert town grow and get hotter over his lifetime. When he moved to the area in 1959, only a few thousand people lived there. Now it’s home to more than 75,000 people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif remembers only a few days that would reach above 100 degrees and multiple snowstorms in the winter. Now, snowstorms are rare, and weeklong heat waves above 110 degrees are commonplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extreme heat “is noticeable,” he said. “I don’t think there was a day under 100 in July.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif attributes the town’s growing population to its good schools, a semi-rural lifestyle and affordable housing for families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the high desert town of Hesperia, growth is evident. Banners advertising “New homes!” are posted throughout the town, luring potential buyers to tract home communities. Residents are cautiously eyeing a new development, called the Silverwood Community, that has recently broken ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The massive, 9,000-plus acre development is authorized for more than 15,000 new homes, according to its website. A video on its website coaxes potential buyers: “True believers know the California dream is within reach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of a residential area and surrounding dry land.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081624_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_70-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of the Silverwood project, a community development under construction, in Hesperia on Aug. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/hesperia-ca#demographics\">Hesperia\u003c/a>, which is almost two-thirds Hispanic and also has median incomes far below the state average, is anticipating continued growth as housing costs soar in other parts of California. Its planning includes rezoning some areas to allow for higher-density housing, which could bring more affordable housing, said Ryan Leonard, Hesperia’s principal planner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If people are willing to make a commute to San Bernardino, Riverside or Ontario — a 45-minute to an hour commute — they can afford to buy a home here when they might not be able to afford that same home down the hill,” Leonard said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Summer electric bills soar to $500 or more\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In the California towns at most risk of intensifying heat, people are already saddled with big power bills because of their reliance on air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For instance, households in Lancaster, Palmdale and Apple Valley pay on average $200 to $259 a month for electricity, compared to a $177 average in Southern California Edison’s service area, according to California Public Utilities Commission data as of May 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In summer months, average power use in these communities nearly triples compared to spring months, so some people’s bills can climb above $500.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And their bills are likely to grow as climate change intensifies heat waves and \u003ca href=\"https://www.publicadvocates.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cal-advocates-website/files/press-room/reports-and-analyses/240722-public-advocates-office-q2-2024-electric-rates-report.pdf#page=5\">utility rates rise\u003c/a>: Californians are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/05/californians-electricity-rates/\">paying about twice as much\u003c/a> for electricity than a decade ago. The state’s rates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/electricity-price-rate-pge-19429422.php\">among the highest in the nation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Diane Carlson moved to \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/palmdale-ca#demographics\">Palmdale\u003c/a>, north of Los Angeles, 30 years ago. The housing was much cheaper, and she wanted to move where her children could attend school near where they live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the years, she’s felt the temperatures in Palmdale rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlson said her electric bill during the summers used to average about $500, a significant chunk of her household budget. About four years ago, though, she had solar panels installed on their home, which cut her bill in half.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t not run the air conditioner all day, even if you run it low,” she said. “You wouldn’t survive otherwise. The heat is too oppressive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With multiple days in the summer reaching at least 115 degrees, Carlson is conscious that there may be a future where Palmdale isn’t livable for her anymore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Will it get as hot as Death Valley?” she wondered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, reached \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-03/death-valley-sets-another-record-for-july-august-also-expected-to-be-above-average\">record temperatures\u003c/a> in July, averaging 108.5 degrees; the high was 121.9, tying a 1917 record. In comparison, Palmdale by 2050 is projected to have 25 days where the maximum temperature exceeds 105, up from nine days in the 2010s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carlson said she’d consider moving to the East Coast, where she’s originally from. But she’d face hurricanes rather than the heat. It all comes down to making a decision: “Which negatives are you willing to deal with?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003217\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003217\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg\" alt=\"A man rides a bicycle past a house with a tent, table, several products and a woman standing in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_23-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A street vendor sells fans and mini pools in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hughes, who lives in subsidized housing in \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/lancaster-ca\">Lancaster\u003c/a>, said surviving the heat means constantly checking the weather forecast and strategically cooling her home to keep electricity costs low. “I have air conditioning, a swamp cooler and two fans,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a day when the temperature doesn’t reach triple digits, the air conditioner might stay off; she opens the windows and turns on the fans instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003216\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003216\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg\" alt=\"An infrared thermometer showing 137.3 degrees on the display.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_14-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An infrared thermometer showing street surface temperature reaching 137 degrees in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Local leaders say they know more must be done to protect their residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lancaster opens cooling centers in libraries for residents who need respite from the heat. During heat waves, residents ride buses for free, and city programs provide water and other resources to homeless people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Is it adequate? Of course, it’s not adequate,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said. “If you’ve got people who don’t read or don’t get a newspaper sitting in a sweltering apartment, the information is not getting to them, and we know it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parris said air conditioning is necessary for families to stay cool in the hot desert summers, but with utility costs so high, it’s becoming a luxury.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg\" alt=\"A wire sculpture of a woman holding a leaf.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081524_CA-Projected-Heat_TS_CM_45-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wire sculpture on a light pole in Lancaster on Aug. 15, 2024. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With that in mind, he said the city is prioritizing hydrogen energy, which could lower electric bills in the long term. A new housing tract will be powered by solar panels and batteries that store power, backed up by hydrogen fuel cells, which will be cheaper than if the homes drew energy entirely from the grid, said Jason Caudle, head of Lancaster Energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nassif, the Apple Valley mayor, said his town helps residents finance costly rooftop solar panels that can cut their power bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Educating our public on how to save on their electric bills is a big thing because you can’t live up here without air conditioning,” Nassif said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Cooling centers aren’t enough to protect people\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>On a Saturday morning in Visalia, as temperatures climbed to 99 degrees, Maribel Jimenez brought her 2-year-old son to an indoor playground to beat the heat. She sat at a kid-sized table with her son, Mateo, as he played with toy screws and blocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez, 33, has lived in \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/visalia-ca/\">Visalia\u003c/a> her whole life. She grew up on a dairy farm and remembers playing outdoors for hours in the summers. But things have changed. She can’t imagine letting her son play outdoors under the scorching sun. She worries he’s not getting the outdoor playtime he should be getting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s definitely gotten much hotter,” Jimenez said. “You can’t even have your kids outside. We want to take him out to the playground, but it’s too hot. By the time it cools down in the evening, it’s his bedtime.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other times, she and her family go to the mall for walks or anywhere where there’s air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as he’s out, he’s happy,” she said. “We try our best to protect him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003223\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003223\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman sit next to a small child by a fishing pond.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_01-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maribel Jimenez and Oscar Olmedo play with their son Mateo in the fishing pond at the ImagineU Children’s Museum in Visalia on Aug. 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The effects of extreme heat on the body can happen quickly and can affect people of all ages and health conditions. Once symptoms of heat stroke begin — increased heart rate and a change in mental status — cooling off within 30 minutes is crucial to survival, said Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many municipalities react to extreme heat by following state or county rules, which often involve opening cooling centers in public places when temperatures rise above a certain level for multiple days in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You want people to be in a space where your body can control its core temperature,” Aragón said. “It’s safer to be in an air-conditioned place (that) cools your body down. That’s what cooling centers are for. I tell people, go to the supermarket, go to the library, go to a cooling center, go and just let your body cool down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But community advocates say cooling centers are ineffective because they’re underused. Many people are unaware of them, and others have no transportation to reach them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think everyone is used to that being the answer for what we do when it gets extremely hot,” said Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve. “We need to expand our imagination to figure out other ways of taking care of people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Victorville has complied with the 2015 state law requiring plans to handle climate change, and Hesperia is in the process of updating its plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Los Angeles County is an example of a local government that has gone above and beyond to comply, Parfrey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county has updated its emergency preparedness plans and is in the early phases of developing a heat-specific plan for unincorporated areas, which will include urban greening and changes to the built environment to make neighborhoods cooler, said Ali Frazzini, policy director at the county’s Chief Sustainability office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003224\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003224\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg\" alt=\"A water park playground area filled with adults and children.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/081724-Visalia-Heat-LV_CM_06-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Families playing at the water park area of Adventure Park in Visalia on Aug. 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not just about preventing deaths and other terrible outcomes of heat waves, although that’s extremely important,” Frazzini said. “It’s really about having livable communities where kids can play outside, and street vendors can run their businesses without risk of overexposure.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parfrey said the state plays a role, but “they’re not in charge of the roads or building codes or where you put a water fountain or how you build a local park. All of that has to be done at a local level.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, the Newsom administration issued an Extreme Heat Action Plan outlining state steps to make California more resilient to extreme heat. That includes funding new community resilience centers where people can cool down as well as find resources or shelter during other emergencies, such as wildfires. It’s a model that some community advocates prefer over traditional cooling centers that are underutilized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has granted almost $98 million for 24 projects so far, said Anna Jane Jones, who leads the development of the centers for the state’s Strategic Growth Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Visalia, Jimenez said her family doesn’t have many options for cool spaces where her young son can be entertained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At home, the family uses the air conditioner sparingly and keeps the blinds closed. During a heat wave, their power bill can climb to $250. If the bills were lower, she’d use the air conditioner all the time. “We have to do what we have to do,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez and her husband have thought twice about expanding their family and have floated the idea of moving somewhere else, but many of the affordable options, like Texas or Arizona, are even hotter than Visalia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Global warming is a thing, and the heat isn’t getting any better anytime soon,” she said. “Everybody’s paying the price.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-will-california-health-care-change-under-trump-or-harris-heres-what-their-records-show",
"title": "How Will California Health Care Change Under Trump or Harris? Here’s What Their Records Show",
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"headTitle": "How Will California Health Care Change Under Trump or Harris? Here’s What Their Records Show | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Donald Trump and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/Kamala-Harris/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kamala Harris\u003c/a> stand far apart on most issues, and health care is no exception. The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/election-2024/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">November election\u003c/a> carries major implications for Californians’ access to health care and the cost they pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While neither candidate has put forth a comprehensive \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/health-care/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">health care\u003c/a> agenda, both have track records from their respective time in the White House or previous posts that offer a glimpse on where they might stand on key health issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cost of health care is a top concern for Californians and voters across the nation, millions of whom are saddled with medical debt or take less medication than prescribed because of the cost. While both candidates have acknowledged that health costs are a major burden to Americans, the difference will be in how they go about providing relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How the next president goes about strengthening — or chipping away — at the Affordable Care Act and abortion rights will also directly affect voters’ lives. Below are examples of both candidates’ records on key health issues and what they’ve promised to voters so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The future of the Affordable Care Act\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> Trump, as president, tried and failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the signature legislative achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama. As recently as last year, Trump \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-doubles-saying-obamacare-sucks-must-replaced-rcna126978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vowed to try again if he’s reelected\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea of overhauling the health law would be a much harder sell today than in Trump’s presidency, some experts say, because the law is generally more popular. Some Republicans who opposed the law in the past have come to accept that it is here to stay or have moved on to other issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nowadays, Trump says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/us/politics/trump-biden-affordable-care-act.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wants to “improve” the Affordable Care Act\u003c/a> and make it “less expensive.” He hasn’t offered any details as to what that would entail, but experts say any changes would likely come in the form of chipping away at certain provisions of the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, as president, made one major change to the Affordable Care Act: He signed a tax cut law that also eliminated a penalty levied on people without health insurance. The idea behind this provision of the Affordable Care Act was that a penalty, charged when people filed their income taxes, would encourage people to sign up for health insurance. And getting more people insured, especially the young and healthy, drives down the cost of coverage for everyone. Today, uninsured \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/03/california-health-insurance-penalty/\">Californians still pay a penalty\u003c/a> of up to $850 per adult because Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted a state version of this mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS.\u003c/strong> During \u003ca href=\"https://kamalaharris.medium.com/my-plan-for-medicare-for-all-7730370dd421\">her 2019 presidential campaign\u003c/a>, Harris promoted a version of Medicare for All, a government-run single-payer system. Today, health policy experts expect Harris to continue the current administration’s efforts to promote and build on the Affordable Care Act rather than move the country toward a new system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some California lawmakers are still interested in exploring a single-payer-like health care system. Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb770\">Newsom signed a law\u003c/a> directing the state to map out the next \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/07/single-payer-health-care/\">steps in creating a “unified financing” system\u003c/a> that would cover all Californians. Getting anywhere near this goal will require federal permission and resources, which are more likely to happen under a Harris administration, experts involved in these discussions say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A Harris presidency, I think, is going to view a waiver application from the state of California favorably,” said Gerald Kominski, a senior fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, who has served as a consultant to a state commission exploring this issue. “It’s not to say that it will sail through…getting a waiver to pool federal and state funding is still going to be a challenge, but I think her administration is going to find a way to work with California to make it happen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More people than ever, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/where-aca-marketplace-enrollment-is-growing-the-fastest-and-why/\">21 million\u003c/a>, signed up for health insurance under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/affordable-care-act/\">Affordable Care Act \u003c/a>exchanges in 2024. Marketplace officials across the country say that’s in part because of the increased premium subsidies made available under the COVID-19 relief laws known as the American Rescue Plan and later the Inflation Reduction Act. That enhanced financial aid is currently set to expire at the end of 2025. About 90% of enrollees in Covered California receive financial assistance. The odds of continuing that enhanced aid are better under a Harris administration, experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The cost of health care\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS.\u003c/strong> As attorney general of California, Harris went after large health companies by moving to restrict mergers and investigate anti-competitive behaviors that research shows can drive up the cost of care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She launched an investigation into several California health systems, examining their market power and their influence on prices. That investigation led her successor, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, to file a lawsuit against Sutter Health, a nonprofit hospital and clinic system in Northern California. In the lawsuit, Becerra accused Sutter of using its market power to drive up prices in Northern California. In 2019, \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/california-ag-details-historic-settlement-agreement-in-sutter-health-antitrust-case/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sutter settled the case for $575 million\u003c/a>, although it did not admit wrongdoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris has also taken a leading role in the current administration’s efforts to address the medical debt that burdens millions of families. In June, she proposed rules to remove medical debt from credit reports. California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/08/medical-debt-credit-score/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have a similar proposal\u003c/a> currently sitting on Newsom’s desk. About 4 in 10 Californians report having some type of medical debt, according to the California Health Care Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among Harris’ campaign promises: “Work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans.” While she hasn’t said how exactly she plans to do this, her work with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper may offer a preview: Starting next year, North Carolina will roll out a program that incentivizes hospitals to forgive patients’ medical debt in exchange for additional Medicaid dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> Perhaps some of Trump’s most significant contributions to reining in health care costs came in the form of price transparency rules. He signed an executive order that led to requirements for hospitals to disclose prices for common services on their websites. And in 2020, Trump signed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/no-surprises-understand-your-rights-against-surprise-medical-bills\">No Surprises Act\u003c/a>, a law designed to protect consumers against surprise medical bills when receiving care from out-of-network providers. This often happens when people receive emergency care and are not in a position to choose their providers. Surprise medical bills\u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/health-costs/press-release/a-polling-surprise-americans-rank-unexpected-medical-bills-at-top-of-family-budget-worries/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> tend to rank among the public’s top concerns\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration greenlit some major health care mergers, but it did so with certain conditions signaling some caution in approving such deals. One example — CVS Health’s $69 billion acquisition of insurance giant Aetna, one of the biggest health mergers of all time. Aetna and CVS Health were competitors in the sale of Medicare drug plans. As a condition to approve the merger, Trump’s Department of Justice required that Aetna sell part of its Medicare drug business to another company as a way to preserve competition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That one was really contentious, and it took a long time, but we definitely didn’t see a rubber stamp,” said Rachel Nuzum, senior vice president of policy at The Commonwealth Fund. “There was an acknowledgment that the size and scope of these mergers could be problematic for consumers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Abortion in the 2024 election\u003c/h3>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003015\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003015\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of people on the street march holding pink signs above their heads.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pro-abortion rights supporters marched in protest of a Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe vs. Wade in Sacramento on June 25, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> No other health issue has received as much attention this election cycle as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/abortion\">abortion and reproductive health\u003c/a>. In California, Democrats have tried to cement abortion rights into state law, and this is often the first issue they use to go after Trump. That’s because the Supreme Court justices he appointed made the difference in overturning the 1973 ruling that had protected abortion rights, Roe v. Wade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has given inconsistent messages about abortion rights. Earlier this year, Trump made headlines for suggesting that if he were reelected, he’d support \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-ban-15-weeks-91a9e0ce87d11dff0fa761f327bd0566\">a national ban on abortion\u003c/a> at 15 weeks of pregnancy. A few weeks later, he changed his tune, saying abortion \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/08/trump-says-abortion-is-up-to-the-states-declines-to-endorse-national-limit-00151022\">should be left up to the states\u003c/a>. He has indicated that he would not ban mail delivery of medication abortion pills and has said he wants insurance \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-08-29/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work\">to cover the cost of in vitro fertilization treatment, or IVF\u003c/a>, “because we want more babies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS. \u003c/strong>Harris has leaned heavily into\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/abortion-in-california-laws/\"> abortion and reproductive rights\u003c/a>, an issue she has remained consistent on throughout her career. She is often the voice and face for reproductive health in Biden’s administration and has expressed support for restoring abortion access through federal law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As vice president, she launched a nationwide tour to promote reproductive rights with events across the country. It included a visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic, reportedly\u003ca href=\"https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/tipsheets/the-quickie-kamala-harris-makes-history-as-first-vice-president-to-tour-a-planned-parenthood-health-center\"> the first ever such visit\u003c/a> by a sitting VP or president.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general in California, Harris sponsored state law that aimed to regulate crisis pregnancy centers. These are often religiously affiliated and known for trying to prevent women from getting abortions. The law required these centers to display a notice letting people know that comprehensive family planning services, including contraception and abortion, were available through state programs. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually overturned that law.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>How they’d curb prescription drug prices\u003c/h3>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003013\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003013\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg\" alt=\"A view of various medications in a pharmacy with a person wearing a lab coat in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shelves full of prescription medication at La Clinic pharmacy in Oakland on Sept. 26, 2019. \u003ccite>(Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP. \u003c/strong>Trump often takes credit for lowering the price of insulin for millions of Americans — \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/jul/12/donald-trump/trump-wrong-in-claiming-full-credit-for-lowering-i/\">but that’s not totally accurate\u003c/a>. What his administration did was establish a temporary program known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/part-d-savings-model\">Part D Senior Savings Model\u003c/a>. This program reduced copayments for insulin to $35 a month for about 800,000 seniors on certain Medicare plans. It lasted two years, expiring at the end of 2023. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/the-facts-about-the-35-insulin-copay-cap-in-medicare/\">The Biden administration went further\u003c/a> in the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a provision that capped insulin copay prices at $35 a month for about 3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries.[aside postID=\"news_12001799,news_11997351,news_12002132\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump also took the first steps to allow states \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/health/drug-prices-imports-canada.html\">to import prescription drugs from Canada\u003c/a> as a way to increase competition and lower drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry and \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/canada-says-bulk-importation-not-an-effective-solution-high-drug-prices-us-2024-01-08/\">the Canadian government heavily opposed this move\u003c/a>. This idea came to fruition earlier this year when the FDA approved Florida’s plan to import prescription drugs to treat HIV/AIDS, mental illness and prostate cancer. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that importing medications from Canada will \u003ca href=\"https://www.flgov.com/2024/01/05/florida-becomes-first-in-the-nation-to-have-canadian-drug-importation-program-approved-by-fda/\">save the state about $180 million\u003c/a> in year one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS. \u003c/strong>In addition to expanding insulin copay caps to more seniors, Biden-Harris’ Inflation Reduction Act also directed the agency to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for certain high-cost drugs covered under Medicare. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/files/document/fact-sheet-medicare-selected-drug-negotiation-list-ipay-2026.pdf\">10 drugs in the first round of negotiations\u003c/a> included medications to treat diabetes, heart failure, blood clots and rheumatoid arthritis. The negotiations resulted in discounts between 38% to 79%. The new negotiated prices are set to go into effect in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Inflation Reduction Act — for which Harris likes to remind voters she cast the tie-breaking vote — also caps the total annual out-of-pocket drug spending for people on Medicare. This means that starting in 2025, seniors will pay no more than $2,000 a year for all their medications. About 3.2 million Medicare beneficiaries are expected to reach this limit in 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://states.aarp.org/california/new-aarp-report-impact-of-historic-medicare-rx-out-of-pocket-spending-cap-on-california-seniors\">including 271,000 in California\u003c/a>, according to recent estimates from the AARP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris has said she wants to expand these cost-saving efforts to everyone, not just seniors. \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/press.kamalaharris.com/vice-president-harris-lays-out-agenda-to-lower-costs-for-american-families\">She has also pledged\u003c/a> to go after drug companies and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/08/pharmacy-benefit-manager/\">pharmaceutical middlemen\u003c/a> that thwart competition and drive up costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Kamala Harris investigated the market power of huge California health care companies. Donald Trump compelled hospitals to disclose prices. Here’s a look at their 2024 priorities on health.",
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"title": "How Will California Health Care Change Under Trump or Harris? Here’s What Their Records Show | KQED",
"description": "Kamala Harris investigated the market power of huge California health care companies. Donald Trump compelled hospitals to disclose prices. Here’s a look at their 2024 priorities on health.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Donald Trump and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/Kamala-Harris/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kamala Harris\u003c/a> stand far apart on most issues, and health care is no exception. The \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/election-2024/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">November election\u003c/a> carries major implications for Californians’ access to health care and the cost they pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While neither candidate has put forth a comprehensive \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/health-care/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">health care\u003c/a> agenda, both have track records from their respective time in the White House or previous posts that offer a glimpse on where they might stand on key health issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cost of health care is a top concern for Californians and voters across the nation, millions of whom are saddled with medical debt or take less medication than prescribed because of the cost. While both candidates have acknowledged that health costs are a major burden to Americans, the difference will be in how they go about providing relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How the next president goes about strengthening — or chipping away — at the Affordable Care Act and abortion rights will also directly affect voters’ lives. Below are examples of both candidates’ records on key health issues and what they’ve promised to voters so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The future of the Affordable Care Act\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> Trump, as president, tried and failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the signature legislative achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama. As recently as last year, Trump \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-doubles-saying-obamacare-sucks-must-replaced-rcna126978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vowed to try again if he’s reelected\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea of overhauling the health law would be a much harder sell today than in Trump’s presidency, some experts say, because the law is generally more popular. Some Republicans who opposed the law in the past have come to accept that it is here to stay or have moved on to other issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nowadays, Trump says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/us/politics/trump-biden-affordable-care-act.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wants to “improve” the Affordable Care Act\u003c/a> and make it “less expensive.” He hasn’t offered any details as to what that would entail, but experts say any changes would likely come in the form of chipping away at certain provisions of the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, as president, made one major change to the Affordable Care Act: He signed a tax cut law that also eliminated a penalty levied on people without health insurance. The idea behind this provision of the Affordable Care Act was that a penalty, charged when people filed their income taxes, would encourage people to sign up for health insurance. And getting more people insured, especially the young and healthy, drives down the cost of coverage for everyone. Today, uninsured \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/03/california-health-insurance-penalty/\">Californians still pay a penalty\u003c/a> of up to $850 per adult because Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted a state version of this mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS.\u003c/strong> During \u003ca href=\"https://kamalaharris.medium.com/my-plan-for-medicare-for-all-7730370dd421\">her 2019 presidential campaign\u003c/a>, Harris promoted a version of Medicare for All, a government-run single-payer system. Today, health policy experts expect Harris to continue the current administration’s efforts to promote and build on the Affordable Care Act rather than move the country toward a new system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some California lawmakers are still interested in exploring a single-payer-like health care system. Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb770\">Newsom signed a law\u003c/a> directing the state to map out the next \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/07/single-payer-health-care/\">steps in creating a “unified financing” system\u003c/a> that would cover all Californians. Getting anywhere near this goal will require federal permission and resources, which are more likely to happen under a Harris administration, experts involved in these discussions say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A Harris presidency, I think, is going to view a waiver application from the state of California favorably,” said Gerald Kominski, a senior fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, who has served as a consultant to a state commission exploring this issue. “It’s not to say that it will sail through…getting a waiver to pool federal and state funding is still going to be a challenge, but I think her administration is going to find a way to work with California to make it happen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More people than ever, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/where-aca-marketplace-enrollment-is-growing-the-fastest-and-why/\">21 million\u003c/a>, signed up for health insurance under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/affordable-care-act/\">Affordable Care Act \u003c/a>exchanges in 2024. Marketplace officials across the country say that’s in part because of the increased premium subsidies made available under the COVID-19 relief laws known as the American Rescue Plan and later the Inflation Reduction Act. That enhanced financial aid is currently set to expire at the end of 2025. About 90% of enrollees in Covered California receive financial assistance. The odds of continuing that enhanced aid are better under a Harris administration, experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The cost of health care\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS.\u003c/strong> As attorney general of California, Harris went after large health companies by moving to restrict mergers and investigate anti-competitive behaviors that research shows can drive up the cost of care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She launched an investigation into several California health systems, examining their market power and their influence on prices. That investigation led her successor, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, to file a lawsuit against Sutter Health, a nonprofit hospital and clinic system in Northern California. In the lawsuit, Becerra accused Sutter of using its market power to drive up prices in Northern California. In 2019, \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/california-ag-details-historic-settlement-agreement-in-sutter-health-antitrust-case/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sutter settled the case for $575 million\u003c/a>, although it did not admit wrongdoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris has also taken a leading role in the current administration’s efforts to address the medical debt that burdens millions of families. In June, she proposed rules to remove medical debt from credit reports. California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/08/medical-debt-credit-score/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have a similar proposal\u003c/a> currently sitting on Newsom’s desk. About 4 in 10 Californians report having some type of medical debt, according to the California Health Care Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among Harris’ campaign promises: “Work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans.” While she hasn’t said how exactly she plans to do this, her work with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper may offer a preview: Starting next year, North Carolina will roll out a program that incentivizes hospitals to forgive patients’ medical debt in exchange for additional Medicaid dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> Perhaps some of Trump’s most significant contributions to reining in health care costs came in the form of price transparency rules. He signed an executive order that led to requirements for hospitals to disclose prices for common services on their websites. And in 2020, Trump signed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/no-surprises-understand-your-rights-against-surprise-medical-bills\">No Surprises Act\u003c/a>, a law designed to protect consumers against surprise medical bills when receiving care from out-of-network providers. This often happens when people receive emergency care and are not in a position to choose their providers. Surprise medical bills\u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/health-costs/press-release/a-polling-surprise-americans-rank-unexpected-medical-bills-at-top-of-family-budget-worries/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> tend to rank among the public’s top concerns\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration greenlit some major health care mergers, but it did so with certain conditions signaling some caution in approving such deals. One example — CVS Health’s $69 billion acquisition of insurance giant Aetna, one of the biggest health mergers of all time. Aetna and CVS Health were competitors in the sale of Medicare drug plans. As a condition to approve the merger, Trump’s Department of Justice required that Aetna sell part of its Medicare drug business to another company as a way to preserve competition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That one was really contentious, and it took a long time, but we definitely didn’t see a rubber stamp,” said Rachel Nuzum, senior vice president of policy at The Commonwealth Fund. “There was an acknowledgment that the size and scope of these mergers could be problematic for consumers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Abortion in the 2024 election\u003c/h3>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003015\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003015\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd of people on the street march holding pink signs above their heads.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Roe-Wade-Abortion-Protest-MG-07-CM-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pro-abortion rights supporters marched in protest of a Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe vs. Wade in Sacramento on June 25, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP.\u003c/strong> No other health issue has received as much attention this election cycle as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/abortion\">abortion and reproductive health\u003c/a>. In California, Democrats have tried to cement abortion rights into state law, and this is often the first issue they use to go after Trump. That’s because the Supreme Court justices he appointed made the difference in overturning the 1973 ruling that had protected abortion rights, Roe v. Wade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has given inconsistent messages about abortion rights. Earlier this year, Trump made headlines for suggesting that if he were reelected, he’d support \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-ban-15-weeks-91a9e0ce87d11dff0fa761f327bd0566\">a national ban on abortion\u003c/a> at 15 weeks of pregnancy. A few weeks later, he changed his tune, saying abortion \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/08/trump-says-abortion-is-up-to-the-states-declines-to-endorse-national-limit-00151022\">should be left up to the states\u003c/a>. He has indicated that he would not ban mail delivery of medication abortion pills and has said he wants insurance \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-08-29/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work\">to cover the cost of in vitro fertilization treatment, or IVF\u003c/a>, “because we want more babies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS. \u003c/strong>Harris has leaned heavily into\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/abortion-in-california-laws/\"> abortion and reproductive rights\u003c/a>, an issue she has remained consistent on throughout her career. She is often the voice and face for reproductive health in Biden’s administration and has expressed support for restoring abortion access through federal law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As vice president, she launched a nationwide tour to promote reproductive rights with events across the country. It included a visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic, reportedly\u003ca href=\"https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/tipsheets/the-quickie-kamala-harris-makes-history-as-first-vice-president-to-tour-a-planned-parenthood-health-center\"> the first ever such visit\u003c/a> by a sitting VP or president.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general in California, Harris sponsored state law that aimed to regulate crisis pregnancy centers. These are often religiously affiliated and known for trying to prevent women from getting abortions. The law required these centers to display a notice letting people know that comprehensive family planning services, including contraception and abortion, were available through state programs. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually overturned that law.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>How they’d curb prescription drug prices\u003c/h3>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003013\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003013\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg\" alt=\"A view of various medications in a pharmacy with a person wearing a lab coat in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/092619_laclinica_AW_CM_05-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shelves full of prescription medication at La Clinic pharmacy in Oakland on Sept. 26, 2019. \u003ccite>(Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRUMP. \u003c/strong>Trump often takes credit for lowering the price of insulin for millions of Americans — \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/jul/12/donald-trump/trump-wrong-in-claiming-full-credit-for-lowering-i/\">but that’s not totally accurate\u003c/a>. What his administration did was establish a temporary program known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/part-d-savings-model\">Part D Senior Savings Model\u003c/a>. This program reduced copayments for insulin to $35 a month for about 800,000 seniors on certain Medicare plans. It lasted two years, expiring at the end of 2023. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/the-facts-about-the-35-insulin-copay-cap-in-medicare/\">The Biden administration went further\u003c/a> in the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a provision that capped insulin copay prices at $35 a month for about 3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump also took the first steps to allow states \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/health/drug-prices-imports-canada.html\">to import prescription drugs from Canada\u003c/a> as a way to increase competition and lower drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry and \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/canada-says-bulk-importation-not-an-effective-solution-high-drug-prices-us-2024-01-08/\">the Canadian government heavily opposed this move\u003c/a>. This idea came to fruition earlier this year when the FDA approved Florida’s plan to import prescription drugs to treat HIV/AIDS, mental illness and prostate cancer. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that importing medications from Canada will \u003ca href=\"https://www.flgov.com/2024/01/05/florida-becomes-first-in-the-nation-to-have-canadian-drug-importation-program-approved-by-fda/\">save the state about $180 million\u003c/a> in year one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>HARRIS. \u003c/strong>In addition to expanding insulin copay caps to more seniors, Biden-Harris’ Inflation Reduction Act also directed the agency to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for certain high-cost drugs covered under Medicare. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cms.gov/files/document/fact-sheet-medicare-selected-drug-negotiation-list-ipay-2026.pdf\">10 drugs in the first round of negotiations\u003c/a> included medications to treat diabetes, heart failure, blood clots and rheumatoid arthritis. The negotiations resulted in discounts between 38% to 79%. The new negotiated prices are set to go into effect in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Inflation Reduction Act — for which Harris likes to remind voters she cast the tie-breaking vote — also caps the total annual out-of-pocket drug spending for people on Medicare. This means that starting in 2025, seniors will pay no more than $2,000 a year for all their medications. About 3.2 million Medicare beneficiaries are expected to reach this limit in 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://states.aarp.org/california/new-aarp-report-impact-of-historic-medicare-rx-out-of-pocket-spending-cap-on-california-seniors\">including 271,000 in California\u003c/a>, according to recent estimates from the AARP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris has said she wants to expand these cost-saving efforts to everyone, not just seniors. \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/press.kamalaharris.com/vice-president-harris-lays-out-agenda-to-lower-costs-for-american-families\">She has also pledged\u003c/a> to go after drug companies and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2024/08/pharmacy-benefit-manager/\">pharmaceutical middlemen\u003c/a> that thwart competition and drive up costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-democrats-strike-back-against-local-conservative-rebellions-on-lgbtq-rights-abortion",
"title": "California Democrats Strike Back at Local Conservative Rebellions on LGBTQ Rights, Abortion",
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"headTitle": "California Democrats Strike Back at Local Conservative Rebellions on LGBTQ Rights, Abortion | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Like many new political candidates at the time, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan first ran for the state Assembly in 2018 because she was troubled by the election of then-President Donald Trump and wanted California to fight back against his administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Six years later, that dynamic has flipped on its head. In the just-concluded regular legislative session, the San Ramon Democrat and her colleagues instead battled a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/08/california-conservatives-fight-back/\">surging rebellion from conservative California communities\u003c/a> against the state’s liberal governance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On issues including abortion access, election rules and LGBTQ rights, Democrats in Sacramento passed legislation this year to stifle emerging local policies that they argued undermine the state’s commitment to diversity, civil rights and other progressive values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In certain ways, we have the right to hold the line for our constituencies,” said \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/rebecca-bauer-kahan-165035\">Bauer-Kahan\u003c/a>, who compared the relationship between the Legislature and local governments to a system of checks and balances. “And I think that’s what we’re doing right now — we’re checking them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tensions over local control are nothing new in California politics, as anyone who has followed decades of debate about land use and housing development can attest. But the last few years have opened a new front of conflict around cultural grievances more typical of red states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With Republican power waning in California — the party hasn’t elected a candidate to statewide office since 2006 and labors under a superminority in the Legislature — conservatives are increasingly using the relative autonomy of city councils, county boards of supervisors and school boards to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/11/huntington-beach-conservatives/\">protest liberal state policymaking and assert a competing vision for their communities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s just a lot of built-up frustration and that’s one valve that’s being used,” said Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/bill-essayli-165444\">Bill Essayli\u003c/a>, a Corona Republican who is often an outspoken opponent of bills to shut down conservative defiance. “We’re in an era in politics where you need an adversary.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result has been local laws to require voter identification at the polls, block abortion clinics from opening, review children’s library books for sexual content and mandate parental notification when students change their gender identity at school — prompting legislative Democrats to respond with measures that would ban those policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They don’t want free people to make up their own minds,” said Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau, who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/book-bans-california-libraries/\">developed a library material review committee\u003c/a> for his county because he was disturbed by the children’s books included in a Pride Month display at a local library. “We’re fighting for our lives, we’re fighting for our livelihoods, we’re fighting for our beliefs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The clash began intensifying last year, with a showdown over an elementary school social studies textbook. When a Riverside County school board refused to adopt the state-approved curriculum because it referenced assassinated LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk, Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to send the textbook directly to students and bill the district, which then reversed course. Legislators \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2023/09/california-book-bans/\">subsequently passed a law\u003c/a> to penalize school boards that ban books because they include the history or culture of LGBTQ people and other diverse groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislature also approved, and Newsom signed, a measure to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws/#c2120155-fc6a-4c1b-9323-6291c4b1efd8\">limit when local governments can count ballots by hand\u003c/a>, after Shasta County canceled its contract with a voting machine company because of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/06/shasta-county-election-administration/\">unfounded election fraud claims\u003c/a> pushed by Trump and his allies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spate of legislation has followed this year, most controversially \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1955?slug=CA_202320240AB1955\">Assembly Bill 1955\u003c/a> by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/christopher-ward-35497\">Chris Ward\u003c/a>, a San Diego Democrat, which \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/07/trans-youth-california/\">prevents school districts from alerting parents\u003c/a> when a student starts identifying as another gender. Such parental notification policies began sprouting up across California after the 2022 election, when Republicans \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/08/california-republicans-school-board-races/\">focused on winning control of school boards\u003c/a>, but critics argue they amount to forced outing. Essayli and Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/corey-jackson-165443\">Corey Jackson\u003c/a> nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article289582908.html\">came to blows on the Assembly floor\u003c/a> over AB 1955, which Newsom signed in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_12002527,news_11995853,news_12001799\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several other measures are headed to the governor’s desk after receiving final approval from the Legislature last week, including Bauer-Kahan’s \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2085?slug=CA_202320240AB2085\">AB 2085\u003c/a> to streamline the permitting process for reproductive health clinics. Though California has positioned itself as an “abortion sanctuary” since the U.S Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion — even putting reproductive rights into the state constitution — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/04/abortion-rights-california-beverly-hills-clinic/\">local opposition has prevented clinics from opening\u003c/a> in cities such as Beverly Hills and Fontana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We saw the voters say they overwhelmingly support abortion rights, so it’s important that we as a state step in to ensure this access that they said they want,” Bauer-Kahan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws-2024/#f2de7f04-ca4b-4c20-b7e3-f75a528befe4\">Senate Bill 1174\u003c/a> by state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/dave-min-165451\">Dave Min\u003c/a>, an Irvine Democrat, would prohibit local governments from requiring voter identification in municipal elections, which \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/03/california-election-huntington-beach/\">Huntington Beach adopted this past spring\u003c/a> as a security measure despite criticisms that it would create unnecessary hurdles for poor and minority voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws-2024/#828d086d-0676-48b0-a25c-ddf15e45dc40\">AB 1825\u003c/a> by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/al-muratsuchi-34399\">Al Muratsuchi\u003c/a>, would \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/book-bans-california-libraries/\">outlaw the sort of citizen review panels\u003c/a> that Huntington Beach and Fresno County recently created to restrict access to library books with “sexual references” and “gender-identity content.” Supporters argue the committees can keep inappropriate material out of children’s hands, while opponents contend that they target books with LGBTQ themes for censorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislators behind these bills say they support local control on some issues, but it can go too far when communities use their power to challenge people’s rights or the values that Californians have broadly affirmed. That’s when they believe the state should step in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I see it as our responsibility for the Legislature to establish protections for all kids regardless of where they live,” said Muratsuchi, a Torrance Democrat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12002787\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12002787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg\" alt=\"Several people look toward a person at a podium with a microphone and a large screen behind them.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The state Senate during a floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 29, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Democratic lawmakers suggested the growing confrontation could be a symptom of the divisive politics of the Trump era. They said many conservatives took a signal from Trump’s refusal to accept his loss in the 2020 presidential election and, like liberal states during the Trump administration, are picking up the mantle to lead a political resistance — which they believe, in many cases, has gone too far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve seen a lot of these people really thumb their nose at the rule of law,” Min said. “They’re trying to get around that through sneaky little tactics.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conservative politicians counter that they are simply reacting to a state government that has pushed much further left than their constituents by listening to the LGBTQ rights movement and other activists rather than the people who elected them. Essayli said the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature is over-representative of a progressive ideology compared to California voters, only 46% of whom are registered Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s one side changing what the norm is,” he said. “Then we’re considered the instigators, the agitators, the provocateurs for saying, wait, that’s not the way it’s always been.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for Newsom declined to comment on the legislation pending before him or when the governor thinks state intervention is necessary to override local policies. But even if he signs the bills on his desk, is it almost certainly not the end of this fight, as communities such as Huntington Beach — which has positioned itself over the past two years as a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/11/huntington-beach-conservatives/\">bulwark in the conservative war against “wokeism”\u003c/a> — consider lawsuits and other forms of protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12002789\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12002789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a red dress holds a book while leaning against a desk with a stack of books and pictures in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem, with books she believes should be banned from children’s sections of the library in Huntington Beach Nov. 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark has already \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2024-08-07/huntington-beach-city-council-majority-calls-for-creation-of-a-parents-right-to-know-ordinance\">introduced a “parents’ right to know” ordinance \u003c/a>as a direct challenge to AB 1955, the law prohibiting schools from reporting when students change their gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said her city is more at odds now with Sacramento because state politicians are trying to stamp out ideological diversity in California and force all parents to raise their children in a certain way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s none of the state’s business,” she said. “We’re sick and tired of it. We need to push back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It would be great if Sacramento could focus on homelessness, crime,” she added, “and leave the parenting to the parents.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Some California communities are resisting progressive policies from Sacramento. Democrats in the Legislature say they are going too far and are responding with bills to shut them down.",
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"title": "California Democrats Strike Back at Local Conservative Rebellions on LGBTQ Rights, Abortion | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Like many new political candidates at the time, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan first ran for the state Assembly in 2018 because she was troubled by the election of then-President Donald Trump and wanted California to fight back against his administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Six years later, that dynamic has flipped on its head. In the just-concluded regular legislative session, the San Ramon Democrat and her colleagues instead battled a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/08/california-conservatives-fight-back/\">surging rebellion from conservative California communities\u003c/a> against the state’s liberal governance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On issues including abortion access, election rules and LGBTQ rights, Democrats in Sacramento passed legislation this year to stifle emerging local policies that they argued undermine the state’s commitment to diversity, civil rights and other progressive values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In certain ways, we have the right to hold the line for our constituencies,” said \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/rebecca-bauer-kahan-165035\">Bauer-Kahan\u003c/a>, who compared the relationship between the Legislature and local governments to a system of checks and balances. “And I think that’s what we’re doing right now — we’re checking them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tensions over local control are nothing new in California politics, as anyone who has followed decades of debate about land use and housing development can attest. But the last few years have opened a new front of conflict around cultural grievances more typical of red states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With Republican power waning in California — the party hasn’t elected a candidate to statewide office since 2006 and labors under a superminority in the Legislature — conservatives are increasingly using the relative autonomy of city councils, county boards of supervisors and school boards to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/11/huntington-beach-conservatives/\">protest liberal state policymaking and assert a competing vision for their communities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s just a lot of built-up frustration and that’s one valve that’s being used,” said Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/bill-essayli-165444\">Bill Essayli\u003c/a>, a Corona Republican who is often an outspoken opponent of bills to shut down conservative defiance. “We’re in an era in politics where you need an adversary.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result has been local laws to require voter identification at the polls, block abortion clinics from opening, review children’s library books for sexual content and mandate parental notification when students change their gender identity at school — prompting legislative Democrats to respond with measures that would ban those policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They don’t want free people to make up their own minds,” said Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau, who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/book-bans-california-libraries/\">developed a library material review committee\u003c/a> for his county because he was disturbed by the children’s books included in a Pride Month display at a local library. “We’re fighting for our lives, we’re fighting for our livelihoods, we’re fighting for our beliefs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The clash began intensifying last year, with a showdown over an elementary school social studies textbook. When a Riverside County school board refused to adopt the state-approved curriculum because it referenced assassinated LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk, Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to send the textbook directly to students and bill the district, which then reversed course. Legislators \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2023/09/california-book-bans/\">subsequently passed a law\u003c/a> to penalize school boards that ban books because they include the history or culture of LGBTQ people and other diverse groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislature also approved, and Newsom signed, a measure to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws/#c2120155-fc6a-4c1b-9323-6291c4b1efd8\">limit when local governments can count ballots by hand\u003c/a>, after Shasta County canceled its contract with a voting machine company because of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/06/shasta-county-election-administration/\">unfounded election fraud claims\u003c/a> pushed by Trump and his allies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spate of legislation has followed this year, most controversially \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1955?slug=CA_202320240AB1955\">Assembly Bill 1955\u003c/a> by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/christopher-ward-35497\">Chris Ward\u003c/a>, a San Diego Democrat, which \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/07/trans-youth-california/\">prevents school districts from alerting parents\u003c/a> when a student starts identifying as another gender. Such parental notification policies began sprouting up across California after the 2022 election, when Republicans \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/08/california-republicans-school-board-races/\">focused on winning control of school boards\u003c/a>, but critics argue they amount to forced outing. Essayli and Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/corey-jackson-165443\">Corey Jackson\u003c/a> nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article289582908.html\">came to blows on the Assembly floor\u003c/a> over AB 1955, which Newsom signed in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several other measures are headed to the governor’s desk after receiving final approval from the Legislature last week, including Bauer-Kahan’s \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2085?slug=CA_202320240AB2085\">AB 2085\u003c/a> to streamline the permitting process for reproductive health clinics. Though California has positioned itself as an “abortion sanctuary” since the U.S Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion — even putting reproductive rights into the state constitution — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/04/abortion-rights-california-beverly-hills-clinic/\">local opposition has prevented clinics from opening\u003c/a> in cities such as Beverly Hills and Fontana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We saw the voters say they overwhelmingly support abortion rights, so it’s important that we as a state step in to ensure this access that they said they want,” Bauer-Kahan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws-2024/#f2de7f04-ca4b-4c20-b7e3-f75a528befe4\">Senate Bill 1174\u003c/a> by state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/dave-min-165451\">Dave Min\u003c/a>, an Irvine Democrat, would prohibit local governments from requiring voter identification in municipal elections, which \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/03/california-election-huntington-beach/\">Huntington Beach adopted this past spring\u003c/a> as a security measure despite criticisms that it would create unnecessary hurdles for poor and minority voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/new-california-laws-2024/#828d086d-0676-48b0-a25c-ddf15e45dc40\">AB 1825\u003c/a> by Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/al-muratsuchi-34399\">Al Muratsuchi\u003c/a>, would \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/08/book-bans-california-libraries/\">outlaw the sort of citizen review panels\u003c/a> that Huntington Beach and Fresno County recently created to restrict access to library books with “sexual references” and “gender-identity content.” Supporters argue the committees can keep inappropriate material out of children’s hands, while opponents contend that they target books with LGBTQ themes for censorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislators behind these bills say they support local control on some issues, but it can go too far when communities use their power to challenge people’s rights or the values that Californians have broadly affirmed. That’s when they believe the state should step in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I see it as our responsibility for the Legislature to establish protections for all kids regardless of where they live,” said Muratsuchi, a Torrance Democrat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12002787\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12002787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg\" alt=\"Several people look toward a person at a podium with a microphone and a large screen behind them.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/082924_StateCapitolSession_FM_CM-03-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The state Senate during a floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 29, 2024. \u003ccite>(Florence Middleton/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Democratic lawmakers suggested the growing confrontation could be a symptom of the divisive politics of the Trump era. They said many conservatives took a signal from Trump’s refusal to accept his loss in the 2020 presidential election and, like liberal states during the Trump administration, are picking up the mantle to lead a political resistance — which they believe, in many cases, has gone too far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve seen a lot of these people really thumb their nose at the rule of law,” Min said. “They’re trying to get around that through sneaky little tactics.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conservative politicians counter that they are simply reacting to a state government that has pushed much further left than their constituents by listening to the LGBTQ rights movement and other activists rather than the people who elected them. Essayli said the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature is over-representative of a progressive ideology compared to California voters, only 46% of whom are registered Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s one side changing what the norm is,” he said. “Then we’re considered the instigators, the agitators, the provocateurs for saying, wait, that’s not the way it’s always been.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for Newsom declined to comment on the legislation pending before him or when the governor thinks state intervention is necessary to override local policies. But even if he signs the bills on his desk, is it almost certainly not the end of this fight, as communities such as Huntington Beach — which has positioned itself over the past two years as a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/11/huntington-beach-conservatives/\">bulwark in the conservative war against “wokeism”\u003c/a> — consider lawsuits and other forms of protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12002789\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12002789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a red dress holds a book while leaning against a desk with a stack of books and pictures in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/111123_HuntingtonBeach_LJ_CM_5639-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem, with books she believes should be banned from children’s sections of the library in Huntington Beach Nov. 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark has already \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2024-08-07/huntington-beach-city-council-majority-calls-for-creation-of-a-parents-right-to-know-ordinance\">introduced a “parents’ right to know” ordinance \u003c/a>as a direct challenge to AB 1955, the law prohibiting schools from reporting when students change their gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said her city is more at odds now with Sacramento because state politicians are trying to stamp out ideological diversity in California and force all parents to raise their children in a certain way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s none of the state’s business,” she said. “We’re sick and tired of it. We need to push back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It would be great if Sacramento could focus on homelessness, crime,” she added, “and leave the parenting to the parents.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "new-legislation-means-steep-fines-for-californians-violating-water-orders",
"title": "New Legislation Means Steep Fines for Californians Violating Water Orders",
"publishDate": 1725130803,
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"headTitle": "New Legislation Means Steep Fines for Californians Violating Water Orders | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>California lawmakers late Friday approved a massive increase in fines for water scofflaws after ranchers intentionally defied state orders and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">pumped water from the drought-plagued Shasta River for eight days\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, state officials imposed the maximum fine allowed under law — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">$4,000, or roughly $50 per rancher\u003c/a>, causing outrage among tribes and conservationists. The river provides vital habitat for salmon, and California was experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Water-Basics/Drought/Files/Publications-And-Reports/Water-Year-2023-wrap-up-brochure_01.pdf\">its driest three-year stretch (PDF)\u003c/a> on record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB460\">The new legislation\u003c/a>, which is now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, would double daily fines for water rights holders who commit minor violations. Those violating curtailment orders could face fines of up to $10,000 per day — a 20-fold increase — plus $2,500 for every acre-foot of water taken. Had it been in place at the time, the Siskiyou County ranchers could have faced total fines exceeding $1.2 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As climate change intensifies droughts, “people are going to be, unfortunately, put in situations where they might feel that they need to take water, regardless of what the curtailment order is,” said Analise Rivero of California Trout, a conservation group and sponsor of the bill. Now, she said, “they will think twice.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation sailed through its final votes with little controversy, which is notable given that the state’s complex, gold-rush era system governing water rights often pits farmers and other water users against environmentalists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab460\">Assembly Bill 460\u003c/a> was introduced in 2023 after CalMatters reported extensively \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">on the standoff with Siskiyou County ranchers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">the penalties imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board.\u003c/a> It cleared the Senate \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB460\">in a 38 to 2 vote\u003c/a> with no debate, before heading back to the Assembly, which approved the amendments with a final vote tally of 65 to 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The goal is “to make sure that we’re all playing by the rules — that we don’t have a tragedy of the commons, where some are taking more and others have none,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/rebecca-bauer-kahan-165035\">Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan\u003c/a>, a Democrat from San Ramon who authored the bill, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258020?t=1823&f=9096f931d64bfc5ce45986f7a3e6edd6\">said at a June hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s powerful farm organization did not oppose the legislation after Bauer-Kahan removed provisions that would have allowed state officials to intervene more swiftly to halt “irreparable injury” to rivers, ecosystems and other water users. Opponents said those expanded powers could ensnare law-abiding water users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the changes, all the opposition from growers, irrigation districts, major urban water agencies and even San Francisco Mayor London Breed fell away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final version is what the bill should have been all along, said Alexandra Biering, the California Farm Bureau’s senior policy advocate: a strong deterrent to taking water illegally. “We have no problem with increased penalties,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.pcl.org/media/2022/02/Updating-California-Water-Laws-to-Address-with-Drought-and-Climate-Change.pdf\">water watchers (PDF)\u003c/a> and regulators have long bemoaned the state’s limited powers to police its water rights system, which establishes priority among users of finite supply of water from rivers and streams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State officials say a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01357-z\">lack of resources \u003c/a>to monitor streams for illegal diversions and unclear information about who has rights to the water complicate enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Knowing who’s allowed to take what and how much, and trying to administer that, can be very difficult,” said Yvonne West, director of the water board’s office of enforcement. “It’s time consuming. It is usually very investigative and labor intensive, and there are some ambiguities in the law that we can spend a lot of time arguing over.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill aims to address some of the enforcement gaps laid bare in the Shasta Valley two years ago. With thirsty cattle, drying stock ponds and bills from buying water and hay mounting, a rural water association serving about 80 farmers and ranchers bucked state curtailment orders meant to protect flows in the Shasta River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We said, ‘To hell with it,’” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">Jim Scala, board president of the Shasta River Water Association at the time\u003c/a>, told CalMatters in August 2022. “We’re starting the pumps.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flows in the river dropped for about a week — plummeting \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/acl_complaint_actions/2022/shasta-river-water-assoc-aclc.pdf\">by nearly two-thirds in a single day (PDF)\u003c/a>, which wildlife officials and Tribes feared would jeopardize salmon in the Shasta River and the bigger Klamath River that it feeds. The water board \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/cease_desist_actions/2022/srwa-draft-cdo.pdf\">warned the ranchers to stop the diversions (PDF)\u003c/a>, then \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">imposed the maximum fine\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/acl_complaint_actions/2022/shasta-river-water-assoc-aclc.pdf\">$500 per day for eight days, or $4,000 (PDF)\u003c/a> divided among about 80 ranchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For tribes and conservationists, the fine didn’t fit the crime. “We’re trying to protect the culture and the livelihood of people downstream,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.karuk.us/images/docs/elections/Kenneth_Brink_candidate_statement_2022.pdf\">Kenneth Brink (PDF)\u003c/a>, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribal Council, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258020?t=1672&f=9096f931d64bfc5ce45986f7a3e6edd6\">said at the June Senate hearing\u003c/a>. “The salmon is a big part of our culture and our ceremonies, it’s not just a fish that swims up the river.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only if the violation had continued after a finalized cease and desist order — which requires a 20-day waiting period and the opportunity for a hearing — could the board have raised the fines to $10,000 a day. By then, the pumps had long been turned off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11996464,science_1992194,news_11979392\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the ranchers told CalMatters \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">at the time that\u003c/a>, weighing the threat to his cattle and the expenses of ranching without enough water, violating the drought order “was the cheapest way I could have got by … When you’re to a point where you have no other choice, you do what you have to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California’s far north, some farmers and ranchers relying on the Shasta River and the neighboring Scott River for irrigating crops \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drought/scott_shasta_rivers/\">still face water curtailments\u003c/a> under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/12/klamath-basin-tribes-ranchers-water-salmon/\">emergency measures approved in December\u003c/a>. The rules are aimed at protecting their imperiled fish, such as salmon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those restrictions on water pumping are a bigger concern than the increased fines, said Siskiyou County Farm Bureau President \u003ca href=\"http://www.siskiyoucountyfarmbureau.org/team\">Ryan Walker\u003c/a>. “Whether it’s $500 or $10,000, it’s the underlying curtailment that’s grossly unfair. The penalty is simply something that goes along with it,” Walker said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The growers and ranchers need the river’s water for irrigation of crops during a critical time in the season, he said. “It really could have made the difference between a profitable and nonprofitable year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill represents the last of a trio of bills that emerged after the most recent drought tackling California’s water priority system One clarifying the state’s authority to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb389\">investigate longstanding water rights claims\u003c/a> was approved, while \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/04/california-water-rights-battle-legislature/\">another\u003c/a>, which would have \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1337\">expanded the state’s powers to restrict pumping\u003c/a> from rivers and streams, stalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s water watchers are celebrating the cooperation that smoothed the passage of Bauer-Kahan’s bill. But they say more needs to be done to bolster policing of the state’s most precious resource.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“History has shown that the board’s current tools are not sufficient,” said \u003ca href=\"https://law.pacific.edu/campus-directory/jennifer-harder\">Jennifer Harder\u003c/a>, a professor at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. “But I’m very encouraged by the water users and the environmental interests coming together and hope that they can build on that relationship in future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Ranchers who defied a state water order were only fined about $50 each. Under new legislation headed to the governor, some daily fines for water scofflaws can increase 20-fold.",
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"title": "New Legislation Means Steep Fines for Californians Violating Water Orders | KQED",
"description": "Ranchers who defied a state water order were only fined about $50 each. Under new legislation headed to the governor, some daily fines for water scofflaws can increase 20-fold.",
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"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/rachel-becker/\">Rachel Becker\u003c/a>, CalMatters",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California lawmakers late Friday approved a massive increase in fines for water scofflaws after ranchers intentionally defied state orders and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">pumped water from the drought-plagued Shasta River for eight days\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, state officials imposed the maximum fine allowed under law — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">$4,000, or roughly $50 per rancher\u003c/a>, causing outrage among tribes and conservationists. The river provides vital habitat for salmon, and California was experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Water-Basics/Drought/Files/Publications-And-Reports/Water-Year-2023-wrap-up-brochure_01.pdf\">its driest three-year stretch (PDF)\u003c/a> on record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB460\">The new legislation\u003c/a>, which is now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, would double daily fines for water rights holders who commit minor violations. Those violating curtailment orders could face fines of up to $10,000 per day — a 20-fold increase — plus $2,500 for every acre-foot of water taken. Had it been in place at the time, the Siskiyou County ranchers could have faced total fines exceeding $1.2 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As climate change intensifies droughts, “people are going to be, unfortunately, put in situations where they might feel that they need to take water, regardless of what the curtailment order is,” said Analise Rivero of California Trout, a conservation group and sponsor of the bill. Now, she said, “they will think twice.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation sailed through its final votes with little controversy, which is notable given that the state’s complex, gold-rush era system governing water rights often pits farmers and other water users against environmentalists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab460\">Assembly Bill 460\u003c/a> was introduced in 2023 after CalMatters reported extensively \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">on the standoff with Siskiyou County ranchers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">the penalties imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board.\u003c/a> It cleared the Senate \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB460\">in a 38 to 2 vote\u003c/a> with no debate, before heading back to the Assembly, which approved the amendments with a final vote tally of 65 to 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The goal is “to make sure that we’re all playing by the rules — that we don’t have a tragedy of the commons, where some are taking more and others have none,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/legislators/rebecca-bauer-kahan-165035\">Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan\u003c/a>, a Democrat from San Ramon who authored the bill, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258020?t=1823&f=9096f931d64bfc5ce45986f7a3e6edd6\">said at a June hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s powerful farm organization did not oppose the legislation after Bauer-Kahan removed provisions that would have allowed state officials to intervene more swiftly to halt “irreparable injury” to rivers, ecosystems and other water users. Opponents said those expanded powers could ensnare law-abiding water users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the changes, all the opposition from growers, irrigation districts, major urban water agencies and even San Francisco Mayor London Breed fell away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final version is what the bill should have been all along, said Alexandra Biering, the California Farm Bureau’s senior policy advocate: a strong deterrent to taking water illegally. “We have no problem with increased penalties,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.pcl.org/media/2022/02/Updating-California-Water-Laws-to-Address-with-Drought-and-Climate-Change.pdf\">water watchers (PDF)\u003c/a> and regulators have long bemoaned the state’s limited powers to police its water rights system, which establishes priority among users of finite supply of water from rivers and streams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State officials say a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01357-z\">lack of resources \u003c/a>to monitor streams for illegal diversions and unclear information about who has rights to the water complicate enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Knowing who’s allowed to take what and how much, and trying to administer that, can be very difficult,” said Yvonne West, director of the water board’s office of enforcement. “It’s time consuming. It is usually very investigative and labor intensive, and there are some ambiguities in the law that we can spend a lot of time arguing over.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill aims to address some of the enforcement gaps laid bare in the Shasta Valley two years ago. With thirsty cattle, drying stock ponds and bills from buying water and hay mounting, a rural water association serving about 80 farmers and ranchers bucked state curtailment orders meant to protect flows in the Shasta River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We said, ‘To hell with it,’” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/shasta-river-water-standoff/\">Jim Scala, board president of the Shasta River Water Association at the time\u003c/a>, told CalMatters in August 2022. “We’re starting the pumps.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flows in the river dropped for about a week — plummeting \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/acl_complaint_actions/2022/shasta-river-water-assoc-aclc.pdf\">by nearly two-thirds in a single day (PDF)\u003c/a>, which wildlife officials and Tribes feared would jeopardize salmon in the Shasta River and the bigger Klamath River that it feeds. The water board \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/cease_desist_actions/2022/srwa-draft-cdo.pdf\">warned the ranchers to stop the diversions (PDF)\u003c/a>, then \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">imposed the maximum fine\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/enforcement/compliance/acl_complaint_actions/2022/shasta-river-water-assoc-aclc.pdf\">$500 per day for eight days, or $4,000 (PDF)\u003c/a> divided among about 80 ranchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For tribes and conservationists, the fine didn’t fit the crime. “We’re trying to protect the culture and the livelihood of people downstream,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.karuk.us/images/docs/elections/Kenneth_Brink_candidate_statement_2022.pdf\">Kenneth Brink (PDF)\u003c/a>, vice chairman of the Karuk Tribal Council, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/258020?t=1672&f=9096f931d64bfc5ce45986f7a3e6edd6\">said at the June Senate hearing\u003c/a>. “The salmon is a big part of our culture and our ceremonies, it’s not just a fish that swims up the river.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only if the violation had continued after a finalized cease and desist order — which requires a 20-day waiting period and the opportunity for a hearing — could the board have raised the fines to $10,000 a day. By then, the pumps had long been turned off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the ranchers told CalMatters \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/11/california-ranchers-drought-fine/\">at the time that\u003c/a>, weighing the threat to his cattle and the expenses of ranching without enough water, violating the drought order “was the cheapest way I could have got by … When you’re to a point where you have no other choice, you do what you have to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California’s far north, some farmers and ranchers relying on the Shasta River and the neighboring Scott River for irrigating crops \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drought/scott_shasta_rivers/\">still face water curtailments\u003c/a> under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/12/klamath-basin-tribes-ranchers-water-salmon/\">emergency measures approved in December\u003c/a>. The rules are aimed at protecting their imperiled fish, such as salmon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those restrictions on water pumping are a bigger concern than the increased fines, said Siskiyou County Farm Bureau President \u003ca href=\"http://www.siskiyoucountyfarmbureau.org/team\">Ryan Walker\u003c/a>. “Whether it’s $500 or $10,000, it’s the underlying curtailment that’s grossly unfair. The penalty is simply something that goes along with it,” Walker said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The growers and ranchers need the river’s water for irrigation of crops during a critical time in the season, he said. “It really could have made the difference between a profitable and nonprofitable year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill represents the last of a trio of bills that emerged after the most recent drought tackling California’s water priority system One clarifying the state’s authority to \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240sb389\">investigate longstanding water rights claims\u003c/a> was approved, while \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/04/california-water-rights-battle-legislature/\">another\u003c/a>, which would have \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab1337\">expanded the state’s powers to restrict pumping\u003c/a> from rivers and streams, stalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s water watchers are celebrating the cooperation that smoothed the passage of Bauer-Kahan’s bill. But they say more needs to be done to bolster policing of the state’s most precious resource.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“History has shown that the board’s current tools are not sufficient,” said \u003ca href=\"https://law.pacific.edu/campus-directory/jennifer-harder\">Jennifer Harder\u003c/a>, a professor at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. “But I’m very encouraged by the water users and the environmental interests coming together and hope that they can build on that relationship in future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"order": 8
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},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
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"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
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"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"order": 9
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"hidden-brain": {
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
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"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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