McKITTRICK, Calif. — Near the jagged western edge of Kern County, where the Temblor Range gives way to a landscape of steam pipes, fuel lines and bobbing pump jacks, there’s a definite mood in this dusty little oil town: Defiance.

Hardly a day goes by without reports of the growing oil leak in nearby Cymric oil field. So far, more than 900,000 gallons of oil and brine have oozed from a Chevron Corp. well and filled a dry creek, creating a hazardous black lagoon.

SACRAMENTO – A proposed bill to promote the safety of e-scooters will likely not be introduced until the next session of the California state legislature, according to the communications director of Consumer Attorneys Association of California.

Eric Bailey said while the bill could still make it in this session, it's looking more like a two-year bill.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday he wants to move the nation’s most populous state away from hydraulic fracturing, a day after he fired the state’s top oil and gas regulator for issuing twice as many fracking permits this year compared to last.

“I don’t think anyone that was paying attention, including the individual that’s no longer there, is unaware of my position on fracking,” Newsom told reporters. “I’ve been very explicit about it. The fact that they did not exercise consistency with that is one of the reasons he’s not there.”

A bill that would create a Wildfire Fund to help utilities pay victims of future wildfires advanced out of committee Wednesday, now heading to the full Assembly.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — State lawmakers are facing a host of bills this week tackling various aspect of wildfire safety and utilities’ roles within that.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) – California utilities will soon be able to access a $21 billion state insurance policy to settle wildfire-related lawsuits and liabilities under legislation approved Thursday by lawmakers.

Grappling with the prospect of another major electricity provider filing for bankruptcy as Pacific Gas & Electric did in January after its faulty power lines sparked the deadly 2018 Camp Fire, lawmakers are hoping to soften the financial blow for utilities that agree to undertake costly fireproofing actions.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 2 signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 272, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), a bill that encourages California school districts to develop and adopt policies that limit or prohibit student use of smartphones on school grounds during school hours, with specific exceptions.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – California public and charter schools can now ban students from using smartphones in class and at school, except under certain circumstances.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 272 in early July.

The new law asks all school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to come up with smartphone policies to limit or prohibit student use at school. AB 272 does allow for certain allowances, including:

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi’s Assembly Bill 272 this week. The bill encourages California school districts to develop and adopt policies that limit or prohibit student use of smartphones on school grounds during school hours, with specific exceptions.

Democratic Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi of Torrance said the state should invest even more in public schools, though he voted to pass the spending plan.

“Let’s not be fooled by the dollar amount. We are just allocating the minimum,” he said. “That is not bold, Mr. Governor.”