Gavin Newsom might sign these crazy bills into law – Latest News
Each yr in Sacramento brings a new crop of crazy bills — some of which truly move the Democrat-controlled Legislature.
Traditionally, the governor’s position has been to play “the adult in the room,” and to veto probably the most excessive proposals.
But this yr, the brakes are off, as a result of Gavin Newsom is making an attempt to place himself forward of a wide-open Democratic presidential main that can start the second the polls close within the midterm elections on Nov. 3.
Newsom must look as “progressive” as potential, given the rise of socialism within his social gathering. He’s making an attempt to leap on that damaged bandwagon.
Each yr in Sacramento brings a new crop of crazy bills — some of which truly move the Democrat-controlled Legislature. Anadolu by way of Getty Images
Traditionally, the governor’s position has been to play “the adult in the room,” and to veto probably the most excessive proposals. C-SPAN
That’s why a invoice like AB 2599 has a probability to grow to be law. The invoice would require any massive company in California that may hint its roots back earlier than 1965 to look by way of its data and disclose any potential connection to slavery.
California entered the Union as a “free” state in 1850, which means that it outlawed slavery from the outset.
But below AB 2599, if any company that later did business in California had been concerned in any distant approach within the slave commerce practically 200 years in the past, it must disclose that data on a state web site — and face the inevitable backlash.
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A invoice as pointless as AB 2599 falls into the identical class of bills as AB 3121, which was handed on the peak of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. It set up a “task force” to review reparations.
Newsom duly signed it — and strung the committee alongside till, on the finish, he declined to offer any money to the descendants of former slaves.
He did, nevertheless, sign AB 3089 in 2024, which supplied a formal apology for slavery — which, again, California had by no means allowed.
He did, nevertheless, sign AB 3089 in 2024, which supplied a formal apology for slavery — which, again, California had by no means allowed. Natee Meepian – stock.adobe.com
AB 2599 isn’t the one absurd invoice awaiting Newsom’s signature.
The Legislature additionally handed SB 868, which is able to enable people to put photo voltaic panels on the balconies of their residences.
The goal is ostensibly to help people decrease their electric bills. But moderately than devising a easier answer — say, giving incentives for condo building homeowners to put photo voltaic panels on their rooftops — legislators determined that tenants ought to be capable of mount them on their balconies.
If you need to know what that can appear like, take into consideration Third World cities the place people mount satellite tv for pc dishes on each conceivable nook and cranny.
There are security implications of having all these panels, and cables, mounted on — or hanging off of — balconies. The California Municipal Utilities Association warns that line staff sustaining the ability grid might be at risk from electrical energy surges flowing back into the grid.
The genius behind this invoice is none different than state Sen. Scott Wiener, whose controversial SB 79 law goals to encourage high-rises close to transit hubs.
Evidently Wiener desires to brighten his high-rises with photo voltaic panels hanging off the perimeters.
Perhaps probably the most consequential invoice transferring by way of the Capitol is SB 577, which is a compromise over the pressing subject of previous intercourse abuse lawsuits.
Governor Gavin Newsom proclaims $8.5 million in state grants for maritime initiatives at an occasion in entrance of the Golden Bear Training Ship at Mare Island on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in Vallejo, California. ZUMAPRESS.com
As The California Post has defined, in 2019, during the peak of the “#metoo” motion, Newsom signed a law referred to as AB 218 that successfully canceled the statute of limitations for intercourse abuse lawsuits.
What adopted was a tidal wave of legal claims filed in opposition to cities and college districts for alleged abuse that occurred many years earlier than.
Many public establishments merely opted to settle these lawsuits, moderately than endure the political penalties of defending in opposition to the allegations in courtroom.
But the settlements have been large. The metropolis of Santa Monica shelled out a staggering $230 million. The LA Unified School District has borrowed $750 million to pay out these claims; the ultimate toll might be $1 billion.
That’s all money that might be serving to Californians right this moment. Instead, it’s being spend on misconduct from the previous.
And some of that misconduct might by no means have occurred. LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman says that a majority of previous intercourse abuse claims filed in opposition to the county might be fraudulent.
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press occasion to welcome back college students to a new college yr on the Schafer Park Elementary School in Hayward, California, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Newsom highlighted transformational schooling reforms during the occasion. Anadolu by way of Getty Images
There is an pressing need for caps on damages that also enable victims to be compensated, however with out destroying native authorities and college districts.
Yet SB 577 doesn’t impose caps, which the trial legal professionals don’t need. Instead, it raises the usual of proof required to show a declare.
That’s a step in the proper direction, however it doesn’t go practically far enough to handle the fiscal disaster unfolding in communities throughout the state.
It stays to be seen what Newsom indicators, and what he vetoes. But the quantity of absurd legal guidelines signed can be larger than common.
On slavery and AB 2599, for instance, Newsom isn’t actually enthusiastic about California.
He’s enthusiastic about South Carolina, the primary state to vote within the Democratic presidential main, with a majority-black citizens that Newsom has struggled to succeed in.
What a strategy to govern.
Joel Pollak is Opinion editor of the California Post.
