California
Eight high-profile California laws set to take effect in 2023
As with each approaching new yr, a bunch of legal guidelines are about to take impact in California that embrace a concentrate on minorities and animals.
On Jan. 1, 2023, quite a few payments signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), surrounding clothes, the office, and the legal justice system, will go into impact. Listed here are probably the most excessive profile examples:
No extra fur
Hollywood celebrities and Silicon Valley moguls should purchase their fur some place else. The manufacture and sale of fur merchandise might be prohibited because the progressive state turns into the primary to ban all new fur merchandise.
The cities of Los Angeles, West Hollywood, San Francisco, and Berkeley have already got this legislation on the books. The legislation doesn’t apply to the sale of used merchandise for fake fur, which is manufactured with plastics.
Freedom to jaywalk
Crossing a road outdoors of a sidewalk is technically unlawful in California, however as of Jan. 1, police are urged to look the opposite manner. The Freedom to Stroll Act says wayward pedestrians shouldn’t be ticketed until they create an “quick hazard of a collision.”
Backers of the brand new legislation say racial disparities exist when police hand out tickets, with black pedestrians cited extra typically. A earlier model of the legislation was vetoed by Newsom in 2021.
Prostitution loitering
If you’re a prostitute and need to declare a road nook as your personal, beginning on Jan. 1, police can’t do something about it.
The Safer Streets for All Act strikes parts of the state’s legal code part that prohibits “loitering with the intent of prostitution.” Proponents say the present legislation unfairly focused minorities, however Newsom burdened that prostitution continues to be unlawful in California.
“It merely revokes provisions of the legislation which have led to disproportionate harassment of ladies and transgender adults. Black and Latino ladies are significantly affected,” Newsom stated.
The pink tax
For years, ladies have been buying merchandise aimed toward males as a result of the price might be considerably lower than a feminine counterpart, comparable to shampoo or razors. This markup has been referred to as the “pink tax” and it’ll quickly be unlawful.
A “individual, agency, partnership, firm, company, or enterprise shall not cost a distinct value for any two items which can be considerably comparable if these items are priced otherwise primarily based on the gender of the people for whom the products are marketed and supposed,” the underlying Meeting invoice states.
New vacation
Respect for some Californians’s Asian heritage has impressed a brand new state vacation: Lunar New Yr, which varies by date in January. It offers state workers eight hours of trip or compensation if they don’t take the time off.
“Recognizing at the present time as a state vacation acknowledges the range and cultural significance Asian People carry to California and supplies a chance for all Californians to take part within the significance of the Lunar New Yr,” Newsom stated.
Felony data disappear
A controversial new legislation will completely seal most felony convictions after defendants full their sentences and any probation necessities. They need to additionally go a sure variety of years with none new arrests. These data will nonetheless be out there to legislation enforcement and college districts, however can’t be accessed by most people.
Proponents argued that the legislation was essential to keep away from discrimination in varied sectors of society, comparable to job and housing functions. Felony data are available on databases to county superior courts.
Transgender youth haven
Minors who arrive in California to acquire transgender surgical procedures or different medical therapy are secure from repercussions by different states. The legislation blocks out-of-state subpoenas and file sharing by docs.
It additionally permits judges to make baby custody determinations if one dad or mum resides in one other state the place custody is revoked from a California dad or mum supporting transgender therapy.
New law enforcement officials
Cops in California not should be a citizen or authorized resident of the US. The brand new legislation removes language that officers “should be a citizen of the US or a everlasting resident alien who’s eligible for and has utilized for citizenship.”
Federal legislation prohibits unlawful immigrants from turning into officers, so this legislation would solely apply to authorized immigrants who’ve a visa or inexperienced card, supporters say.
California
Northern California driver dies after vehicle found in floodwaters, 1 other found dead
SONOMA COUNTY – A man died when he was found in a flooded vehicle after an atmospheric river dumped heavy rain in Northern California, authorities said.
In Sonoma County’s Guerneville, first responders responded to a report around 11:30 a.m. Saturday for a vehicle that was seen in floodwaters near Mays Canyon Road and Highway 116.
The caller believed that at least one person was inside the vehicle.
When crews arrived, they said the vehicle was recovered but a man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not been identified.
The Russian River, which flows through Guerneville, reached the flood stage on Friday evening and exceeded what was forecasted.
This area went into a flood warning around 2 p.m. Friday and was still in place as of Saturday afternoon.
Guerneville is about 75 miles north of San Francisco.
Around 8:45 a.m. Saturday in Santa Rosa, a man was found dead in Piner Creek just south of Guerneville Road, the police department said. His death is being investigated.
California
Laura Richardson completes a political comeback, winning tight race to represent South L.A. in the California Capitol
Laura Richardson emerged the victor of the competitive, costly and feisty election to win a South Los Angeles seat in the state Senate — completing her political comeback more than 10 years after a tumultuous tenure in the House of Representatives.
Richardson narrowly won the race against Michelle Chambers, a community justice advocate who faced accusations of misconduct in prior public office. The Associated Press called the race Friday after weeks of ballot counting.
The contest between two Democrats with similar social policies but differing views on crime and business attracted huge spending by special interests.
Independent expenditure committees poured more than $7.6 million into the race, making it the most expensive election for state Legislature this year, according to California Target Book, a political database. Negative campaigning dominated the race as business interests and labor unions battled for their favored candidate.
Richardson, a moderate Democrat, will join a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. But Republicans are on track to flip three legislative seats this year, one in the Senate and two in the Assembly.
Richardson’s biggest supporters were businesses, including PACs funded by oil companies, and law enforcement associations that said they advocated for candidates who shared their beliefs on free enterprise and public safety. Meanwhile, Chambers’ biggest portion of support came from healthcare workers and teachers unions, who spent millions of dollars backing her.
Chambers wrote in a statement she was “proud of the campaign we ran,” thanking supporters who canvassed, phone-banked or cast votes for her “vision of better jobs, better wages and a California that works for everybody, not just the wealthy and well-connected.”
“This was the closest state senate race in the state, but unfortunately it appears that we will fall just short of victory,” she added. “Our people-powered efforts were not quite enough to overcome millions of dollars in outside spending on lies from the oil and tobacco industry and their allies.“
Richardson will succeed Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) in the 35th District, which encompasses the cities of Carson, Compton and stretches down to the harbor. Bradford, who had endorsed Chambers, said he believed both candidates were “qualified to do the job.”
Bradford, who championed reparations legislation during his tenure, hoped the future senator would be “willing to meet with all factions of the community, because it’s a great diverse need in this district.”
“I’m also deeply sad to see how negative this campaign was, probably one of the most negative campaigns I’ve experienced in my 30-plus years of being involved with elections,” he said. “I just hope that we can come together after such a negative campaign, regardless of who the victor is, and understand that we have to work together.”
Richardson and Chambers took aim at each other’s past controversies. For Chambers, who had picked up the endorsement of various state and local elected officials, opposition groups seized on a criminal misdemeanor charge from 30 years ago. She was also accused of bullying and intimidation from her time as a Compton City Council member, allegations that she has repeatedly denied.
Richardson faced criticism over her tenure in Congress, where a House Ethics Committee investigation found her guilty in 2012 of compelling congressional staff to work on her campaign. The committee report also accused Richardson of obstructing the committee investigation “through the alteration or destruction of evidence” and “the deliberate failure to produce documents.”
Richardson admitted to wrongdoing, according to the report, and accepted a reprimand and $10,000 fine for the violations. She previously said that during her time in Congress, Republicans frequently targeted members of the Black Caucus. After she lost her reelection bid for a fourth term, Richardson said she worked at an employment firm to improve her managerial skills and has recognized previous mistakes.
“It’s been said voters are very forgiving, and if you stand up and you accept responsibility and you improve in the work that you do — we need people who’ve been through things, who understand what it’s like to have had difficulties,” she previously told The Times. “And so that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t shy away from it.”
California
72-hour rain totals across Northern California
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