Placer County Elections & Politics Digest

A bipartisan bill would create a state ombudsperson to intervene when public records requests are denied. But an advocacy group is concerned that it will encourage state agencies to go to court.

The Legislature is approving lots of significant bills in the final days of the session. But the final call is up to the governor, and he isn’t shy about using his veto pen.

"Shasta County is not our own country," said Tim Garman, a Shasta County supervisor who opposed the hand-counting effort. "We don't get to make all of our own laws.”

More than 100 people spoke for and against the measure during the six-hour meeting of the Rocklin Unified School Board, which voted to approve a policy requiring teachers to tell parents if their child asks to be identified as a gender other than their assigned sex at birth.

In rapid-fire votes in suspense file hearings, lawmakers determined the fate of hundreds of bills on crime, transgender students and more.

A small group of activists want California voters to decide whether transgender minors should be allowed to receive puberty blockers, hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants counties to spend some revenue from California’s so-called “millionaire’s tax” on the state’s homeless crisis. That alarms advocates for programs that are getting that money today.

As the California Legislature reconvenes for the final five weeks of its session, the leader of the Assembly Public Safety Committee is under the spotlight. But Reggie Jones-Sawyer isn’t backing down.

Placer County is opening the new Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office, which will serve as the primary location for all transactions with the County Clerk-Recorder, on Atherton Road in Rocklin.

Thirteen Republican state attorneys general have sent a cautionary letter to the CEOs of the 100 largest U.S. companies, highlighting the potential legal ramifications of using race as a factor in employment practices.

Rep. Katie Porter was the choice of 19% of likely voters, just ahead of Rep. Adam Schiff at 16% and Rep. Barbara Lee at 13%, a June survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found. PPIC also found that in the race for the White House, 50% of the state’s likely Republican voters support former President Donald Trump.

California lawmakers tried nine times to stiffen penalties for trafficking of a minor. The latest effort appeared to die — until a social media campaign forced Democrats to reconsider.

Robert Rivas tells anyone who will listen that his rise from farmworker housing on the rural Central Coast to Assembly Speaker is wholly unexpected. But many who have watched the Democrat’s climb from an outgoing high-schooler to a San Benito County supervisor to the holder of one most powerful political offices in the state are not surprised.

California lawmakers are poised to consider HR 47, which would rename room 317 in the Capitol as the “Speaker Anthony Rendon Press Room.” The resolution highlights Rendon’s lengthy time as speaker—the longest since California set term limits for state lawmakers.

The arguments made by the Los Angeles Unified School District to fight a 2021 lawsuit attempting to reopen schools sparked a campaign to enshrine a constitutional right to a high-quality education. Let the politics begin.

California’s state budget is the product of a multi-month, multi-step process that involves the governor, the Legislature, lobbyists, interest groups and the public. Here are the key dates along the way.

The Placer County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the Placer County Elections Office to implement the requirements of Senate Bill 450, also known as the California Voter's Choice Act.

Democratic leaders in the Legislature unveiled their California budget agreement, but Gov. Newsom must sign off for a final deal. There are some significant differences with what Newsom proposed in May.

Congressman Kevin Kiley spent the day in South Lake Tahoe meeting with area leaders before recognizing a longtime business for its years of service to the community.

California is considering banning the use of “reverse search warrants,” which compel tech companies to disclose the identities of individuals based on the location of their phone and internet search history. Abortion activists call it vital.

The deadline for bills to pass their first house in the California Legislature has come and gone. Most made it. A few failed. And a handful of intriguing bills that didn’t pass may resurface because their authors aren’t giving up.

In their twice-a-year exercise, legislators killed hundreds of California bills in the process known as the suspense file. They included ones on abortion access, climate and homelessness. The state budget deficit also made an impact.

Mike Murray of Rocklin won the Placer County Republican Party’s endorsement for a seat on the Placer County Board of Supervisors, which could give him an edge over rivals Dave Butler, a former Rocklin city councilman, and Anthony DeMattei, a member of the county’s planning commission.

California may be a Democratic stronghold, but it has also become a hotbed of right-wing, white supremacist and antisemitic activity, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL report found more incidents and collaboration between groups.

California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis became the first candidate to enter the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom as the state’s leader.

Rather than call a special election, Loomis officials have opted to appoint a temporary replacement for beloved Town Treasurer Roger Carroll, who was killed in a bicycle accident. Staff recommended a one-year appointment until the 2024 regular election.

The six candidates running are Marie Barnes, Anne Cannon, David Conner, Robert Copp, Jack Harris and Denny Valentine. Terms are for two years. Ballots will be mailed to homeowners and must be returned by 3 p.m. May 17.

Nearly 100 students and parents showed up to protest against Roseville Joint Union High School District’s decision to remove an LGBTQ+ support group from their campuses. The Landing Spot, a non-religious support group, was targeted by the Project Veritas organization with a viral video that focused on Landing Spot leader Rev. Casey Tinnin.

A drag show scheduled at Roseville High School was canceled after threats boiled over on social media. Hosted by the Landing Spot, an LGBT youth support group was a fundraiser for a summer camp program.

The race to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein is shaping up to be a close contest between two congressional colleagues who have built national profiles but appeal to different generations of Democratic voters.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee filed federal paperwork to enter the race for the held by long-serving Sen. Dianne Feinstein, joining a field that already includes two other House members.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced Feb. 14 that she will not run for her Senate seat in 2024, a major moment given that the fight to succeed her is already under way. She says she intends to accomplish “as much for California as I can” until her term ends.