Wildfire Liability Fund for California Utilities Approved by Lawmakers

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.

$21B ‘Wildfire Fund’ bill advances, heading to California Assembly

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.

Governor Signs Muratsuchi Bill Encouraging Schools to Restrict Smartphone Use

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.

New Law Asks California Schools Ban Smartphones In Classrooms

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:

Redondo Beach About Town (AB 272)

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.

Governor signs legislation encouraging school districts to restrict student smartphone use at K-12 public schools

Torrance, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom 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.  This new law authorizes school districts to adopt t

California Legislature Approves $214.8 Billion Budget

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.”

Bill that will help raise California to the top ten in the nation in per pupil spending passes Senate Education Committee on a bipartisan vote

Torrance, CA –Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance)’s Assembly Bill 39, that will help raise California to the top ten in the nation in per pupil spending, passed the Senate Education Committee on a bipartisan vote.  This bill proposes aspirational funding targets for California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to establish a plan for increasing the state’s K-12 fundi

Legislation introduced that will ban the use of Roundup at schools

Legislation especially important in light of recent cases connecting Roundup to cancer

Torrance, CA – Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) introduced Assembly Bill 468 that prohibits the use of the lawn care pesticide Roundup on school sites.  Roundup, which contains the chemical glyphosate, has been cited in recent court cases for causing cancer.  Indeed, earlier this month, a judge ordered Roundup’s parent company Bayer AG to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a California family that claimed they got cancer from using Roundup for several decades.

Legislation introduced to fully fund California Community Colleges’ training programs for firefighters and law enforcement officers passes Assembly Floor

Torrance, CA – Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance)’s Assembly Bill 720, which would ensure California Community Colleges’ training programs for firefighters and law enforcement officers are fully funded, passed the Assembly Floor.  Under the current funding formula, these kinds of programs will receive less funding from the state and, as a result, may not cover the cost o

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