Good morning, Inequality Insights readers. I’m Wendy Fry.
Last year, our California Divide reporting team covered how cities were responding to migrants arriving unexpectedly. While many of the 900-plus migrants who arrived in L.A. from Republican states quickly integrated into the community, the few dozen who went to Sacramento found an under-resourced support system, CalMatters reporters Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Justo Robles found.
In recent years, Republican governors have started transporting migrants from their states to cities with Democratic leaders, including in California. In June 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a budget that set aside $12 million to transport unauthorized migrants out of Florida. In April 2022, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed his state to charter buses to transport migrants to Washington, D.C. He later expanded the order to include other locations, including cities in California.
Now it’s up to Gov. Gavin Newsom to decide the fate of a bill that aims to require advance notice in such situations. Assembly Bill 2780, by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, a Democrat from Inglewood, would require commercial transportation companies to provide a 24-hour electronic notice to local jurisdictions before dropping off 10 or more passengers likely to seek emergency shelter. That’s so public and nonprofit support services can prepare to provide aid. The bill would impose a potential $10,000 fine on any commercial transportation company that doesn’t comply. It also prohibits local governing bodies from disclosing the drop-off information to federal immigration authorities without a court-ordered subpoena or judicial warrant.
Supporters of the bill argue migrants are being used as “political pawns” — dumped at random locations, sometimes in the middle of the night, to create the appearance of chaos. In legislative filings, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association opposed to the bill without explanation.
DON’T MISS
Gig work. Four years after California voters approved better wages and health benefits for ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers, no one is ensuring those benefits are provided, CalMatters’ Levi Sumagaysay reports. Workers have filed 54 wage claims with the state related to Prop. 22 since it went into effect in December 2020. At least 32 of them are unresolved, state records obtained by CalMatters show. The state Industrial Relations Department, which handles wage claims, now tells CalMatters it does not have jurisdiction to resolve those related to Prop. 22.
School grocery store. A free grocery store at a San Francisco-area middle school will provide families with access to fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products, shelf-stable foods and beverages, the San Francisco Examiner reported.
Breaking barriers. The Public Policy Institute of California found labor force participation among working-age Californians with a disability increased since 2019, likely reflecting pandemic changes, such as remote work that increased opportunities or reduced barriers.
Sewage woes. California leaders are asking the U.S. State Department to press Mexican officials for answers on the unprecedented dry weather sewage and sediment flows from Mexico, which are causing intense sewage odors in southern San Diego. The International Boundary and Water Commission reported an increase in sewage flows in the Tijuana River originating from Mexico. Mexico has not identified the origin.
Health care explained. California made nearly everyone eligible for health care coverage, report CalMatters’ Shaanth Nanguneri and Arfa Momin in this explainer on the trend to expand access to health care.
Silicosis fines. California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health hit artificial stone manufacturers in Sun Valley with $18,785 fines, the LAist reports. The agency said the companies violated rules aimed at protecting workers from a deadly lung disease called silicosis.
Unclaimed college funds. Millions of California kids are eligible to claim their state-funded college or career savings accounts, but only a few hundred thousand have done so, Newsom shared on social media earlier this week. The state launched the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) program in 2022 to make it easier for more children to save for their future education.
Thanks for following our work on the California Divide team. While you’re here, please tell us what kinds of stories you’d love to read. Email us at inequalityinsights@calmatters.org.
Thanks for reading,
Wendy and the California Divide Team