Capitol Briefs: Bills, budgets and Bigfoot

Bills, bills, bills: Today is the bill introduction deadline in each legislative chamber, and even though each lawmaker has been limited to 35 bill intros this year – down from 50 last year – there will be plenty of measures for legislators to ponder the rest of this session. With that in mind, here is a (very) small sampling of bills introduced this week alone.

AB 794 – A bill authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) that would require the California State Water Board to adopt and enforce state-level regulations on so-called “forever chemicals,” also known as PFAS.

AB 762 – A bill from Assemblymembers Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) and Lori Wilson (D- Suisun City) that would ban the sale of disposable vapes in California.

SB 421 – A measure from 10 Republican lawmakers that would give California judges the option to issue lifetime protective orders for survivors of serious felonies, violent crimes, and felony sex offenses.

SB 381 – A proposal by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) that would limit landlords from charging their tenants late payment fees, allow landlords to pass along to prospective tenants only the actual cost of a tenant screening, and limit landlords from charging additional fees for pets or tenant parking.

ASU offers LA fire victims admission pathways: Arizona State University has introduced a plan to help mitigate the stress for the thousands of high school and community college students affected by the LA wildfires. As part of this effort, ASU is offering guaranteed admission pathways and flexible deadlines. The initiative is the first effort by a higher education institution to provide targeted support for families impacted by the wildfires.

With two campuses in LA, multiple campuses in Arizona and an extensive online education system, ASU is offering customized plans to help students stay on track with their higher education goals. These plans are tailored to individual needs and circumstances, ensuring opportunities at any ASU campus.

Meanwhile, in other states: A small sampling of what’s happening elsewhere:

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed HB 267, a bill that bans public unions from collective bargaining, among several other restrictions. The bill takes effect in July.

A pair of Wisconsin lawmakers announced a bill that would offer a $10,000 tax break to residents of Los Angeles County displaced by fires. The break would also be offered to North Carolinians escaping historic flooding in the Tar Heel State.

The South Carolina House approves a bill that would require kids to get their parents’ permission before signing up for a social media account. It heads to the Senate, which did not act on a similar bill last year.

And something humorous before we go: The reduced number of bills in this year’s session has not completely eliminated measures that are, shall we say, not strictly dialed in on the affordability issues both legislative leaders say they want lawmakers to focus on. Case in point – AB 666, a devilish new proposal from Assemblymember Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa) that would make Bigfoot the state’s official cryptid. For those who don’t spend a lot of time watching shows like Paranormal Caught on Camera and other such cable fare, a cryptid is an entity that people swear exists but for which there is no solid proof. Other famous cryptids include the Loch Ness monster, the chupacabra and the always popular jackalope.

Capitol Weekly intern Leah Lentz contributed to this story.