The State of California

California AB-1392 to Shield Politicians' Addresses From Public in Response to Shooting A California bill aimed at protecting elected officials from political violence is advancing through the legislature despite warnings from transparency advocates that it could undermine accountability and investigative journalism while failing to address the real sources of threat. Bottom line: AB 1392 would eliminate journalists' access to politicians' home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses from voter registration records, potentially hindering oversight of government corruption while commercial data brokers continue selling the same information to anyone willing to pay. The Bill and Its Progress Assembly Bill 1392, authored by Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins, D-San Diego, passed the state Assembly 67-0 earlier this year and cleared Senate judiciary and elections committees last month on unanimous votes. The bill is scheduled for consideration by the Senate Appropri...

California Faces Energy Crisis as Major Refineries Exit, Gas Prices Could Soar to $8 per Gallon Bottom Line Up Front California confronts a self-inflicted energy crisis as two major refineries prepare to shut down by 2026, eliminating 20% of the state's refining capacity and potentially driving gasoline prices to $8.44 per gallon. The crisis stems from Governor Gavin Newsom's aggressive regulatory assault on the petroleum industry, including new inventory mandates, profit caps, and carbon intensity requirements that have made California refineries economically unviable. Despite federal elimination of EV mandates that undermines the state's transition timeline, Newsom's belated attempts at industry collaboration come too late, with refiners having already committed over $1 billion to closure costs. California is confronting a mounting energy crisis as two major oil refineries prepare to shut down operations, potentially eliminating nearly 20% of the state...

California Democrats proposed congressional map California-Texas Redistricting Battle Tests Democratic Institutions as National Fight Intensifies Constitutional protections clash with partisan politics as California considers bypassing voter-approved independent redistricting August 16, 2025 Bottom Line Up Front: California Democrats have released congressional maps that would flip up to five Republican seats to Democratic control, but the proposal requires voters to override their own constitutional protections for independent redistricting. The maps show extreme geographic distortions—including districts stretching from rural areas to urban centers hours away—that mirror the partisan gerrymandering California voters specifically sought to eliminate. With 64% of voters supporting the current independent system and opposition mounting across party lines, the November special election will test whether short-term political goals can overcome democratic institutions and voter-appro...

Mark Largest Lithium-Ion Recovery Operation in History Federal cleanup crews navigate unprecedented safety challenges as electric vehicle batteries become "ticking time bombs" in wildfire aftermath The Los Angeles wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena have created what EPA officials describe as "the largest lithium-ion battery pickup and cleanup that's ever happened in the history of the world," highlighting emerging challenges as electric vehicles become increasingly common in disaster-prone areas. The Palisades and Eaton fires aftermath is estimated to require the "largest lithium-ion battery pickup, cleanup, that's ever happened in the history of the world," EPA incident commander Steve Calanog reportedly told local KNBC. The scale of the operation reflects both the growing prevalence of electric vehicles in Los Angeles County and the complex safety protocols required to handle damaged lithium-ion batteries. R...