• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced on May 10 that he and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) recently reintroduced the Market Choice Act, a bipartisan bill that puts a fee on carbon emissions, “which would help fund infrastructure advancement and development while combating climate change,” according to Carbajal’s office. “Climate change demands our immediate attention, and the Market Choice Act is a crucial way to move the ball forward while enhancing our crumbling infrastructure,” Carbajal said in the statement. “Not only will this bill tackle greenhouse gas emissions, it also builds funds for sustainable infrastructure and creates economic opportunities for communities—like mine on the Central Coast—that are moving toward renewable energy. This bill is a smart solution to a significant challenge, and I’m proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in reintroducing it.” Environmental Defense Fund Senior Vice President of Political Affairs Elizabeth Gore praised the act. “This bill will cut climate pollution and generate revenue to invest in urgently needed infrastructure,” she said in a statement. “Measures like the Market Choice Act are key components in the vital, comprehensive effort to curb climate change, revitalize our infrastructure, and create healthier communities.”
• State Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) announced May 10 that his Anti-Eavesdropping Act (AB 1262) passed the state Assembly. “The bill, if signed into law, would prohibit smart speaker manufacturers from retaining, distributing, or selling identifiable voice recordings or transcriptions without first obtaining the user’s consent,” according to a statement from Cunningham’s office. “For years, tech giants have given us a false choice: live in a smart and interconnected home, or keep your conversations private. We can and should have both,” Cunningham said in the statement. “I am grateful to my colleagues for supporting the Anti-Eavesdropping Act. We must continue to pursue common-sense protections that safeguard our privacy in the home.” According to the bill, existing law prohibits recordings collected through a voice recognition feature to be sold or used for advertising. Cunningham’s bill would add smart speaker devices to the existing law. “The bill would also prohibit the manufacturer from retaining the recordings or transcripts, as specified, unless the user opts in,” it states. The Anti-Eavesdropping Act was co-authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), and passed the Assembly with bipartisan support.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced another component of his California Comeback Plan on May 12: pouring funding into public schools. “Gov. Newsom’s plan represents the highest level of state school funding in California history, investing an additional $20 billion to support the potential of every California student and make the structural change necessary to reduce barriers while increasing opportunities across the board, including massive investments in K-12 public schools, creating universal Pre-K and college savings accounts for 3.7 million low-income children in public schools,” according to the governor’s office. “We’re doing more than just fully reopening for the upcoming school year, we’re proposing historic investments in public schools to create new opportunities for every student, especially for our neediest students, so that every child can thrive, regardless of their race or ZIP code,” Newsom said in a statement. State Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) applauded the governor’s announcement on her Facebook page. “This investment is foundational for many families across our state and will provide the readiness that our littlest learners need to succeed,” she wrote.
This article appears in May 20-27, 2021.