• State Sen. John Laird’s (D-Santa Cruz) Senate Bill 917 passed the California Legislature on Aug. 13. Laird designed the measure to expand opportunities for small wineries seeking to sell wine and offer tastings at certified farmers markets. The bill advanced to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. Sponsored by the Family Winemakers of California and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, SB 917 modernizes existing law that only allows winemakers to sell wine at farmers markets if it is produced exclusively from “estate-grown” grapes, meaning all grapes must be grown on-site. This requirement excludes many small and boutique wineries that source grapes from California growers. SB 917 would allow non-estate wineries to sell wine at farmers markets, ensuring more equitable access for small producers and giving local market operators greater flexibility to determine participation. The bill also encourages consumers to support locally made wine, strengthening small businesses and regional economies. “California’s wineries are hurting, and SB 917 delivers real relief,” Laird said in a statement. “By cutting red tape and opening new markets, we’re giving small producers more opportunities to get their products directly to consumers. I’m proud to see this commonsense measure pass the Legislature and look forward to the governor’s consideration.”
• The Senate Commerce Committee advanced a bipartisan series of bills on Aug. 10 related to online safety for children including the Children’s Health, Advancement, Trust, Boundaries, and Oversight in Technology (CHATBOT) Act—led by U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and John Curtis (R-Utah). The CHATBOT Act contains provisions aimed at protecting children from the risks and harms associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, amid concerns about growing reliance on chatbots for emotional support and companionship.
• On Aug. 11, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) joined U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) in leading a bicameral letter pressing the Trump administration on efforts to arrest, detain, and deport hundreds of veterans and military family members. In April 2025, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its long-standing policy that treated military service a “significant mitigating factor” when deciding whether to pursue immigration enforcement, according to Padilla’s office. ICE replaced that standard with a new policy stating that military service alone “does not automatically exempt” non-citizens from enforcement actions. An investigation later that year revealed that ICE has attempted to deport 282 veterans and their relatives, Padilla’s office stated. More recent reports indicate that the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security appear to be coordinating to convert military bases into “traps,” Padilla’s office stated, for individuals arriving at or near military installations, including the DOD detaining military family members and other noncitizens interacting with military facilities for routine, lawful purposes, and turning them over to ICE. “These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken service members’ morale, and betray America’s promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation,” Padilla and other legislators wrote in the Aug. 11 letter addressed to DOD and multiple other federal agencies. “Service members must have confidence that their sacrifices will be honored, not used against them or to target their loved ones. DOD’s new anti-immigrant practices risk deterring future recruits and damaging the credibility of military recruitment efforts—which promised to care for service members even after their time in uniform.” The letter was endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Immigration Defenders Law Center, Repatriate Our Patriots, and League of United Latin American Citizens.
This article appears in August 20 – August 27, 2026.
