• After reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) planned to roll back Obama-era rules to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, known as the Clean Power Plan, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement condemning the Trump administration’s move. “This is a declaration of war against America and all of humanity–it will not stand,” Brown stated. “Truth and common sense will triumph over Trump’s insanity.”
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) met with President Donald Trump‘s Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Aug. 21 and issued a statement that day saying she would not endorse him as the court’s next appointed justice. “Nothing in my meeting with Judge Kavanaugh changes my read of his record–he is well outside the mainstream and threatens hard-won rights and protections for all Americans,” Harris stated. “Judge Kavanaugh has expressed his hostility to Roe v. Wade and his statements make clear he is a threat to the ACA. He has routinely sided with special interests and big corporations against civil rights, workers’ rights, and environmental protections. And with a president who regularly disregards the rule of law, it is especially troubling that Judge Kavanaugh has repeatedly suggested that presidents should be above the law.”
• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on Aug. 25 after it was announced that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) had passed away after a battle with brain cancer. “His service, courage, and leadership in the military and as a member of Congress remains an example for all Americans,” Carbajal said in the statement. “I was humbled to join Sen. McCain on an Armed Services Committee visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, and learn about his experiences as a prisoner of war and the sacrifices he made for our country. He was a man of conviction, and I join the nation in mourning the loss of a true American patriot.”
• State Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) saw his bill to help address human trafficking in California pass the state Legislature on Aug. 27, moving to Gov. Jerry Brown‘s desk where it will be either signed into law or vetoed by Sept. 30. If signed, AB 1735 will extend court-issued protective orders to victims of labor trafficking and adult victims of pimping for up to 10 years, according to a release from Cunningham’s office. The legislation is supported by Crime Victims United, the California District Attorneys Association, California Police Chiefs Association, and the California State Sheriffs’ Association, according to the release, and is part of a larger package of bills that Cunningham authored to help prosecutors address the issue. “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that must be stopped,” Cunningham stated. “Since taking office, I have led the charge to protect innocent victims and increase penalties for traffickers. Victims deserve to feel safe and be protected from their former abusers.”
• State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) saw her bill designed to help California’s public schools teach students how to spot “fake news” pass the Senate floor on Aug. 21 with a 27 to 10 vote. The bill, SB 947, now waits on Gov. Jerry Brown‘s desk to either be signed into law or vetoed. If passed, SB 947 would establish a state-based advisory committee of educators, administrators, researchers, and parents that will work with the superintendent of public instruction to develop “best practices, resources, and models for instruction of digital citizenship and media literacy,” according to a release from Jackson’s office. “While technology holds great promise for enhancing how children learn, young people need support and training on how to navigate their digital world, particularly when it comes to cyberbullying, privacy, digital footprints, and fake news,” Jackson stated. “SB 947 will ensure that digital citizenship, internet safety, and media literacy become part of the state’s basic educational goals and learning requirements.”
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 6, 2018.