Sun Staff

• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on April 23 that he directed the Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management (CalGEM) Division to stop issuing new fracking permits by January 2024. Newsom also requested the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to consider how the state can end all oil extraction by 2045. “The climate crisis is real, […]

• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on April 16 that he signed Senate Bill 93 into law, which creates a statewide policy for rehiring workers laid off due to the pandemic. “SB 93 requires employers in the hospitality and business services industries, including hotels, airports, and large event centers, to offer new positions to qualified former […]

• On April 7, the Biden administration announced a series of executive actions around gun violence prevention, such as directing the Justice Department to publish model red flag legislation for states and encouraging Congress to pass similar legislation. “Red flag laws allow family members or law enforcement to petition for a court order temporarily barring […]

• Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced funding to support firefighting in California ahead of the upcoming wildfire year. Using emergency fund authorization, the governor approved nearly $81 million to add 1,400 firefighters to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), and Newsom’s January 2021 budget proposes $1 billion to support wildfire and […]

• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on March 25 that the state will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in the coming weeks. Starting April 1, individuals who are over 50 will be eligible to make an appointment, and then on April 15, anyone over the age of 16 will be eligible. “We remain focused on equity as […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Chico) introduced the Funding Our Roads and Ecosystems Sustainably Together (FOREST) Act on March 16. The bill aims to fund forest road infrastructure. According to Carbajal’s office, while the National Park Service receives nearly $300 million to maintain 13,000 miles of roads, the […]

• President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act into law on March 11. It will provide direct relief to Americans, resources for school reopenings, and funding to set up community vaccination sites nationwide. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement later that day praising the act. “With this infusion of federal stimulus, […]

• On March 5, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $6.6 billion package to accelerate the return to in-person instruction in California. According to Newsom’s office, the funding will support safety measures and “expanded learning opportunities such as summer school, tutoring, and mental health services.” The legislation also affirms the state’s commitment to reserving 10 percent […]

• On Feb. 27, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted with 218 House colleagues to pass the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. The funds will “help facilitate students’ safe return to the classroom, distribute more vaccines, support workers and hard-hit small businesses, and deliver another round of direct stimulus […]

• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Feb. 17 that he along with Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) reached an agreement on a package of relief actions for Californians struggling from pandemic-inflicted economic hardship. “The compromise builds on the initiatives in the governor’s state budget proposal […]