By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Bo Tefu | California Black Media Republicans and Democrats Spar Over Bill That Would Allow Some Life Sentences to be Overturned California Senate and Assembly Republicans are rallying against Senate Bill (SB) 94, legislation that would allow people sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole to petition the court for a lighter sentence.
The bill authored by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), would enable the court to resentence people imprisoned without the possibility of parole if the individual has served a minimum of 25 years and if their offense occurred before June 5, 1990. According to SB 94, only individuals convicted under “special circumstance murder” would be eligible to petition for a new sentence. The proposed law would not apply to individuals that committed murder in an egregious manner such as torture, poison, lying in wait, rape by instrument, mayhem, and other offenses, according to Cortese.
Republican Senators released an extensive analysis of the bill outlining how it undermines public safety and arguing that the early release of violent criminals is “an affront to victims, their families and people concerned about crime rates statewide.”
At a press conference on Aug. 22, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego), joined other GOP lawmakers in denouncing the bill, asserting that freedom is a right reserved for law-abiding citizens.
“When violent murderers brutally take a life, they lose their right to freedom,” said Jones. “Now, radical Democrat politicians want to bring these violent offenders back into our communities. Releasing heinous murderers after promising justice to the victims’ families is not just disrespectful, it’s dangerous,” he said.
Pushing back on the criticisms from across the aisle, Cortese put out on statement stating that Republicans are spreading misinformation about the bill. Cortese reiterated that the bill would not release people from prison, rather it would send people to judicial court, State Parole Board, and the Governor.
“At each level, public safety is paramount, by utilizing the fourtiered process we are ensuring that only those who have rehabilitated pursuant to a Judicial Court, the Parole Board, and our Governor have the potential to be released. All three must agree.
Only those having already served a minimum of 25 years may request a hearing,” said Cortese.
“I would encourage everyone to read the bill and read our proposed amendments,” Cortese added.
Google’s New Deal with California Lawmakers and Publishers Will Fund Newsrooms, Explore AI
Gov. Gavin Newsom, California lawmakers and some newspaper publishers last week finalized a $172 million deal with tech giant Google to support local news outlets and artificial intelligence innovation.
This deal, the first of its kind in the nation, aims to invest in local journalism statewide over the next five years. However, the initiative is different from a bill proposed by two legislators, news publishers and media employee unions requiring tech giants Google and Meta to split a percentage of ad revenue generated from news stories with publishers and media outlets. Under this new deal, Google will commit $55 million over five years into a new fund administered by the University of California, Berkeley to distribute to local newsrooms. In this partnership, the State is expected to provide $70 over five years toward this initiative. Google also has to pay a lump sum of $10 million annually toward existing grant programs that fund local newsrooms.
The State Legislature and the governor will have to approve the state funds each year. Google has agreed to invest an additional $12.5 million each year in an artificial intelligence program. However, labor advocates are concerned about the threat of job losses as a result of AI being used in newsrooms.
Julie Makinen, board chairperson of the California News Publishers Association, acknowledged that the deal is a sign of progress. “This is a first step toward what we hope will become a comprehensive program to sustain local news in the long term, and we will push to see it grow in future years,” said Makinen.
However, the deal is “not what we had hoped for when set out, but it is a start and it will begin to provide some help to newsrooms across the state,” she said. Regina Brown Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media, said the deal is a commendable first step that beats the alternative: litigation, legislation or Google walking from the deal altogether or getting nothing.
“This kind of public-private partnership is unprecedented. California is leading the way by investing in protecting the press and sustaining quality journalism in our state,” said Brown Wilson.
“This fund will help news outlets adapt to a changing landscape and provide some relief. This is especially true for ethnic and community media journalists who have strong connections to their communities.”
Although the state partnered with media outlets and publishers to secure the multi-year deal, unions advocating for media workers argued that the news companies and lawmakers were settling for too little.
Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) proposed a bill earlier this year that aimed to hold tech companies accountable for money they made off news articles. But big tech companies pushed back on bills that tried to force them to share profits with media companies.
McGuire continues to back efforts that require tech companies to pay media outlets to help save jobs in the news industry. He argued that this new deal, “lacks sufficient funding for newspapers and local media, and doesn’t fully address the inequities facing the industry.”
At DNC, Mayor Karen Bass Talks About V.P. Harris’s “Commitment to Children”
On the opening night of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19 in Chicago, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass commended Vice President Kamala Harris, describing her as a role model who fights to protect children.
During her speech, Bass recalled working together with Harris on youth homelessness and fixing the child welfare system over a decade ago when she served as the head of the California Assembly and Harris was a state prosecutor. “Our bond was forged years ago, by a shared commitment to children,” said Bass, honoring their 20 years of friendship. “A belief that it is everybody’s responsibility to care for every child, no matter where they come from or no matter who their parents are,” she said. A well-known advocate for children, Bass created the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth and worked closely with Harris.
The Vice President worked closely with Bass to help young people in the juvenile justice system when she served as the California Attorney General.
Bass spoke highly of Harris’ dedication as a public servant and advocate for young people.
As a leader Harris, “feels the importance of this work in her bones. When Kamala meets a young person, you can feel her passion.
You can feel her heart. And you can feel her fearlessness,” said Bass. “That is what defines a commitment to children: being willing to fight fiercely for every child. And trust me, Kamala has done that her entire life,” she added.
Both Democrats made history in their current leadership roles when Harris became the first female vice president of the United States and Bass became the first woman mayor of L.A. in 2022. Harris swore Bass into that role, an act both women agree sent a powerful message to young girls that they too can become leaders.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Kamala Harris: Govern From the Center
Democratic House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) urged Vice President Kamala Harris to govern “from the center,” stating that the presidential nominee will take the party to new heights.
Pelosi challenged the Democratic Party to lead their campaign with messaging that is “bold, progressive and not menacing.” Pelosi stated that although what works in Michigan may not work in San Francisco, winning should remain everyone’s focus.
Similar to Harris, Pelosi was the first woman to serve in her role as House Speaker, ascending to the highest-ranking female politician in the country before Harris becoming the first female Vice President.
“You have to be able to take a punch, you have to be able to throw a punch … for the children,” Pelosi said in support of Harris becoming the first woman vice president and working her way to making history for the second time as the Democrats presidential nominee.
In her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 20, the former Speaker thanked President Joe Biden for his leadership.
“I wanted very much to protect his legacy,” Pelosi said regarding Biden’s decision to step down as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. “A great sacrifice was made here,” she said. Pelosi emphasized that her priority is to win the White House in November as well as the House and Senate.
Black Caucus Opposes New Retail Theft Law Leaving Democrats Divided
Members of California’s Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week rallied against Proposition 36 in Sacramento on Aug. 20, arguing that, if approved, the law would disproportionally impact Black and Brown communities statewide.
Prop 36 aims to increase penalties for retail theft, upgrading charges for some criminal offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. Black caucus members who have been vocal in their opposition of the legislation include Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Isaac Bryan (D Ladera Heights), Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), and Tina McKinnor (DInglewood).
Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) was also among a coalition of Democratic leaders rallying against the bill on Aug. 20 at the State Capitol. Other Democratic lawmakers attending the press conference included Assemblymembers Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and Alex Lee (D-San Jose).
Bryan challenged fellow Democrats to advocate for laws that aim to alleviate poverty and crime calling Prop 36 a bipartisan failure. “We are not going back. For decades, communities have been calling for us to invest in safe solutions that address the root causes of poverty and desperation.
Prop. 36 is a return to the bipartisan failures of the 1980s and 90s. We can and must do better,” Bryan said in a statement. He condemned the law stating that “every dollar we spend criminalizing poverty is a dollar we could’ve better spent ending it.” Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the ballot measure, stating that Prop 36 would be costly for the state and potentially lead to the overcrowding of state prisons.
California Gun Law Blocked by Supreme Court Ruling
On Aug. 21, a federal judge barred California from allowing residents to seek concealed-carry licenses, squashing State lawmakers’ plans to restrict carrying guns in public.
The State Legislature tried to pass a new law in response to a 2022 United States Supreme Court ruling that blocked states’ limits on carrying concealed weapons. The ruling stated that government restrictions related to gun laws must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearms regulation,” referencing laws that date back to the formative years of the nation. As a response, California enacted a law that banned carrying guns in schools, parks, libraries, and other “sensitive places.”
However, the courts also blocked this restriction and set new requirements for licenses to possess firearms in public. Another restriction to ban out-of-state residents from applying for concealed-carry licenses was recently blocked by a federal judge.
The judge argued that the restriction failed to meet the Supreme Court’s historical test. State Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office argued that California’s resident requirement reinforced the state’s purpose of allowing only “law-abiding citizens” to carry guns.
However, gun advocates, such as the Second Amendment Foundation, support the court’s ruling. The organization partnered with similar groups including the Gun Owners of America and the California Rifle & Pistol Association to challenge state laws and restrictions on gun ownership. Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation said, “Americans do not leave their Second Amendment right to bear arms at the California border.”
Although Bonta could appeal the court ruling, the state is yet to respond to the federal judge’s decision. Lawmakers supporting gun restrictions continue to back his in efforts to bolster public safety.
Gov. Newsom Rejects Plans to Expand Air-Quality Monitoring in Refineries
On Aug. 19, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill aiming to expand the State’s air-quality monitoring system to include more refineries. Newsom cited concerns regarding local control and high implementation costs. State Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) authored Senate Bill (SB) 674, legislation that required real-time air monitoring of nearby petroleum refineries to keep track of sites producing biofuel and other pollutants.
The bill would have required communities close to refineries such as Chevron Refinery in Richmond, to get notifications when pollutants were dangerously high, requiring local governments and state agencies to address the poor conditions. Newsom stated that although the bill had good intentions, the state had no funding to reimburse the refineries for implementing the required systems.
The proposed bill obligated refineries to cover the costs of implementing the air monitoring systems, paying various fees over multiple years. However, State officials were unable to secure funding that could help expand programs that monitor air quality in all the refineries.
Oscar Espino-Padron, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, confirmed that two air quality districts in the Bay Area and South Coast Air Quality Management District supported SB 674.
Espino-Padron argued that the air quality districts would be “empowered to implement measures and to exercise their discretion to tailor this monitoring program based on when it’s appropriate in their jurisdictions.” “It’s really a setback, not only for air quality but also for community safety,” he said.
According to SB 674, a report by the American Lung Association indicated that all 19 refineries in California are located in counties that received failing grades for particulate matter pollution.
Environmental groups argued that communities are being deprived of data and information that could help them take proper and timely precautions as well as protect their families from pollution caused by the refineries.
