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Not a subscriber? Sign up | | | | Daily Edition | | | More News From Across The State San Francisco Chronicle: Newsom Signs Bills To Promote Better Nutrition In School Cafeterias
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a suite of bills on Saturday aiming to promote better nutrition in public schools, chiefly by restricting synthetic food dyes linked to health disorders, while also attempting to boost enrollment in state food assistance programs. The first bill, AB518, is an effort to increase participation in the CalFresh food aid program sponsored by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, spokespeople for the governor's office said. The legislation requires state officials to create a plan estimating the CalFresh participation rate by July 2025 and to work to reach Californians who are eligible but not enrolled. (Li, 9/28) Los Angeles Times: Newsom Signs Bill Pushing For Narcan In Workplace First Aid Kits
Workplaces in California could eventually be required to stock their first aid kits with naloxone or another medication that can stop an opioid overdose under a bill signed this week by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name Narcan, can prevent someone from dying of an opioid overdose if administered promptly by a bystander. The medicine binds to the same receptors in the brain as opioids such as fentanyl, which allows the medicine to displace the opioids and reverse their effects. (Alpert Reyes, 9/28) Los Angeles Times: Newsom Signs More Anti-Crime Bills, Including Laws Targeting Rape
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed five more anti-crime bills sent to his desk by California lawmakers this month, enacting mostly modest increases in punishment and departing from a more liberal approach by state Democratic leaders in years past. Highlighted by efforts to combat retail theft and fentanyl use, lawmakers passed tougher criminal penalties for crimes, some violent sex crimes and others more low-level, nonviolent property crimes, signaling a contentious moment in the state's debate over balancing public safety with progressive criminal justice goals. They voted in favor of stiffer penalties for sex offenders, repeat shoplifters and car burglars, while they rejected bills to limit solitary confinement in prisons and expand eligibility for parole. (Sosa, 9/28) AP: California Governor Signs Bills To Protect Children From AI Deepfake Nudes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a pair of proposals Sunday aiming to help shield minors from the increasingly prevalent misuse of artificial intelligence tools to generate harmful sexual imagery of children. The measures are part of California's concerted efforts to ramp up regulations around the marquee industry that is increasingly affecting the daily lives of Americans but has had little to no oversight in the United States. (Nguyen, 9/29) AP: California Gov. Newsom Vetoes Landmark AI Safety Bill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a landmark bill aimed at establishing first-in-the-nation safety measures for large artificial intelligence models Sunday. The decision is a major blow to efforts attempting to rein in the homegrown industry that is rapidly evolving with little oversight. The bill would have established some of the first regulations on large-scale AI models in the nation and paved the way for AI safety regulations across the country, supporters said. (Nguyen, 9/29) Los Angeles Times: Boy Who Died In Blisteringly Hot P.E. Class Inspires New Law To Protect Students During Extreme Weather
When 12-year-old Yahushua Robinson died while running during a P.E. class in triple-digit temperatures, his mother could not help but feel like the tragedy was preventable. Now, a little more than a year later, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill aimed at ensuring all California students are better protected during heatwaves. (Harter, 9/28) Sacramento Bee: Gov. Newsom Vetoes Bill To Help Farmworkers Who Are Working In Extreme Heat. Here's Why
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday vetoed a bill that proposed strengthening protections for California farmworkers working in extreme heat. (Miranda, 9/28) VC Star: Oxnard's Bid To Take On Ambulance Service Dies Again After Newsom Veto
The city of Oxnard won't be allowed to take over the community's ambulance services from the County of Ventura under Gov. Gavin Newsom's veto of a bill Saturday. (Wilson, 9/29) Bloomberg: California Governor Rejects Health Warnings On Gas Stoves
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday vetoed a bill that would have required gas stoves sold in the state to come with warning labels about their air pollution emissions and health risks. Similar bills also failed to gain traction this year in Illinois and New York. Gas stoves are particularly popular in California. While about 38% of households nationwide use natural gas for cooking, some 70% of households in California do, according to a 2020 survey conducted by the US Energy Information Administration. (Hirji, 9/28) Los Angeles Times: California Abortion Clinics Worry About Security Amid Protests
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a right to abortion in 2022, providers across California have seen an increase in protests outside their clinics and have scrambled to increase security measures, lobbying cities to enforce ordinances meant to shield patients from outside chaos. A bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday takes a statewide approach to deterrence, increasing criminal penalties for those who harass or threaten patients entering abortion clinics. The legislation goes further than a decades-old federal law that makes it illegal to threaten or harass people outside of abortion clinics and churches. (Mays, 9/29) Vox: Abortion Groups Are Raising More Money Than Ever. Where Exactly Is It Going?
This past year, abortion funds say they're fighting for their lives, unable to raise enough money to meet demand. A few are fundraising with new state-level partners, but increasingly, funds have had to tell callers they've run out of resources, leaving people to scramble for other options or carry unwanted pregnancies to term. (Cohen, 9/30) The North Bay Business Journal: Providence, Aetna Agree On Contract For Northern California Members
Earlier this month, after months of negotiations, Providence Health and Aetna reached an agreement on a three-year contract to keep the insurance carrier in-network in Northern California and two other regions in the state. (Sarfaty, 9/27) Becker's Hospital Review: 40K Grant To Help Fund Home Visits At California Hospital
A $40,000 grant will allow Alameda (Calif.) Health System physicians to offer home visits to patients. The Building Trust grant — funded by the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine, the ABIM Foundation, the American College of Physicians, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation — will support this initiative, according to a Sept. 27 news release. (Diaz, 9/27) Capitol Weekly: Sutter Health Partners With A Historically Black Medical School To Fund Scholarships
Five Northern Californians will have their entire medical school paid for through an innovative new partnership to expand underrepresented physicians in the Golden State. Sutter Health is teaming with Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, or CDU, a historically black medical program in Los Angeles, to fund the largest scholarship program in the school's history. (Joseph, 9/27) Becker's Hospital Review: Cottage Health To Offer Workers Homes Below Market Rates
Employees at Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Cottage Health will be able to purchase homes at below-market rates, following the success of a program implemented by the system a decade ago. The 204 houses will be built in two locations, according to a Sept. 26 news release from Cottage Health. Once Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital in Santa Barbara completes its move to the Goleta (Calif.) Valley Cottage campus, 44 houses will be built at the site, the release said. (Kuchno, 9/27) The Atlantic: Remember That DNA You Gave 23andMe?
23andMe is not doing well. Its stock is on the verge of being delisted. It shut down its in-house drug-development unit last month, only the latest in several rounds of layoffs. Last week, the entire board of directors quit, save for Anne Wojcicki, a co-founder and the company's CEO. Amid this downward spiral, Wojcicki has said she'll consider selling 23andMe—which means the DNA of 23andMe's 15 million customers would be up for sale, too. 23andMe's trove of genetic data might be its most valuable asset. (Brown, 9/27) Modern Healthcare: Ransomware Attacks Against Providers Have Doubled Since 2021
The number of healthcare providers affected by ransomware attacks is steadily growing. More than two-thirds of healthcare providers reported a ransomware attack in the past year compared with 60% in 2023, according to a survey released Thursday from cybersecurity company Sophos. In 2021, only 34% of providers said they were affected by an attack. (Turner, 9/27) The Mercury News: Bay Area Surfer, Scientologist And Billionaire Is Tackling One Of Medicine's Toughest Problems
If unorthodoxy and discipline could be blended and bottled, Bob Duggan would have another multibillion-dollar product. For now, his fortunes are focused on an experimental cancer drug that wowed researchers at this month's World Conference on Lung Cancer, sending the stock of his small Menlo Park-based Summit Therapeutics surging 700% — and Duggan's net worth to about $16 billion, according to Forbes data. "Anything is possible, if you put your attention on it. Today's beliefs become tomorrow's facts," said Duggan, an 80-year-old surfer, practicing Scientologist and Atherton resident who, with his former wife, adopted six children in his 50s. (Krieger, 9/30) The Wall Street Journal: Exclusive: Americans Are More Reliant Than Ever On Government Aid
Americans' reliance on government support is soaring, driven by programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That support is especially critical in economically stressed communities throughout the U.S., many of which lean Republican and are concentrated in swing states crucial in deciding the presidential election. Neither party has much incentive to dial back the spending. The country hasn't always been this reliant on government support. In 1970, government safety-net money accounted for significant income in fewer than 1% of America's counties, new research by the bipartisan think tank Economic Innovation Group finds. (Zitner, Kamp and McGill, 9/30) Reuters: US Medicare Says Part D And Advantage Premiums Will Fall In 2025
Average premiums and benefits for Medicare's prescription drug program and private Medicare plans are projected to remain stable in 2025 with premiums slightly declining, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on Friday. The premiums are of interest to consumers enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans run by private insurers who are then paid by the government, and the health plans themselves, who set premiums and benefits based on the reimbursement rates. (Aboulenein, 9/27) The New York Times: Biden Officials Stave Off Sticker Shock On Medicare Drug Premiums
The Biden administration on Friday announced that next year older Americans would face lower average monthly premiums for their prescription drugs, a feat achieved by pouring billions of dollars into subsidies for insurers. The move avoided a potential minefield of higher costs affecting the nation's most stalwart voters weeks before the presidential election. In a savvy response to the specter of huge spikes in costs, administration officials decided months ago to funnel money from a Medicare trust fund to offset rate increases that could have cost millions of people hundreds of dollars more a year. (Robbins and Abelson, 9/27) CBS News: Public Health Officials Issue Water Warning After E. Coli Discovered In California Water Source
Public health officials have issued a drinking water warning to Jurupa Valley residents after a positive case of E. Coli was discovered at a local water source. The positive test sample of the fecal indicator was found on Wednesday, according to the Jurupa Community Services District. Authorities say that the sample was found before disinfection took place and it was subsequently removed from the water system. (Fioresi, 9/27) Los Angeles Times: Study: Some California Residents Exposed To 'Toxic Soup' Pesticides
A recent UC Davis study found that as Central Valley residents go about their day, they regularly breathe in pesticides, including one that has been banned in California and another whose effects on people is unclear. The study, which was conducted in 2022 with the help of Central Valley residents, found that seven of 31 adults and one out of 11 children were exposed to detectable amounts of pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, which was banned by the state in 2020 after research showed it had a harmful neurodevelopmental effect on children. (Gomez, 9/30) Los Angeles Times: Mosquito-Borne Virus Spread At 'Unprecedented' Levels In L.A.
Climate change is exacerbating the risk of potentially dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in California — threatening to turn more of those annoying-but-harmless bites into severe illnesses, experts say. California already grapples with West Nile virus, a potentially deadly disease that was first detected in the state about two decades ago. But officials are now warning of a potential new foe: dengue, a viral infection that in the most serious cases can also lead to life-threatening complications. (Lin II, 9/30) CIDRAP: COVID Numbers Decline Slightly Across US; RSV, Flu Activity Low
In several weekly updates published today, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said seasonal influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) activity are low nationally, and COVID-19 activity is elevated but declining. (9/27) Fox News: COVID Lockdowns Led To Spike In Kids' Vision Problems, 1 In 3 Now Nearsighted
As many as 30% of children and teens across the world were nearsighted in 2023, a new study has revealed. Diagnoses of nearsightedness (myopia) are expected to worsen over the next two decades, according to the findings, which were published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. By 2050, nearly 740 million young individuals worldwide are expected to have the condition, lead study author Dr. Yajun Chen, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in China, told Fox News Digital. (Rudy, 9/30) Bloomberg: US Investigating Potential Human-To-Human Bird Flu Transmission
Health authorities in the US are studying seven people who developed influenza symptoms after being exposed to a Missouri bird flu patient, raising the possibility of the first human-to-human transmission of the infection. None have tested positive for avian influenza and work is underway to see if they have antibodies to the virus that's been spreading among birds and dairy cows in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in a statement. (Suvarna, 9/27) San Francisco Chronicle: S.F.'s New Mental Health Court Has Helped Few People So Far
A year ago, Tracey Phinney and Albert Lazo were certain their 35-year-old son, who has schizophrenia and uses methamphetamine, would be evicted from his San Francisco apartment. He rarely took his medications and at times disturbed neighbors and damaged his apartment due to his loud and violent outbursts, according to his parents. But their concerns have eased since their son became one of the first participants of San Francisco's CARE Court, a voluntary program conceived by Gov. Gavin Newsom to get people struggling with severe mental illness — most notably homeless people languishing in the streets — into treatment. Phinney and Lazo's son has been able to keep his apartment and is receiving monthly stabilizing medications. (Angst and Bollag, 9/30) San Francisco Chronicle: Map Of Where San Francisco's New Homeless Housing Is Located
San Francisco leaders long concentrated the vast majority of homeless housing and supportive services in San Francisco's downtown districts — most notably, the beleaguered Tenderloin neighborhood. But officials said they've learned from the past and, when possible, are looking to spread out new permanent supportive housing sites across the city.The intent is to reduce the burden of projects on any one neighborhood, increase the pool of potential properties and provide more choice to tenants. (Angst and Devulapalli , 9/30) Voice of OC: Prop. 1 Could Get Orange County's Homeless Veterans Into Homes
More funding to convert local motels to housing could be coming to Orange County under a recently approved statewide ballot measure – which one county supervisor says could be the key to ending homelessness for veterans in OC. Billions of dollars are expected to fund conversions through an expanded version of Project Homekey – a state program for cities and counties to buy motels and turn them into homes for homeless people with onsite support like mental health and medical services. (Elattar, 9/30) Voice of San Diego: What Kevin Faulconer Did On Homelessness
In one of the region's highest stakes political races this fall, there's been an onslaught of claims about one candidate's record on homelessness. Former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer and his supporters are telling voters he oversaw dramatic decreases in homelessness. He's making the case that he can do the same thing again if voters help him unseat County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. She's arguing the opposite: that Faulconer made the crisis worse. (Halverstadt, 9/27) inewsource: Gloria's Homeless Shelter Record Built On Campsites, Parking Lots
More than a year ago, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria sold elected leaders on a controversial camping ban with a promise: The city would increase capacity for its overburdened homeless shelter system to help move residents off the streets in the middle of a worsening crisis. Now, just weeks before voters elect the next mayor, Gloria is touting his efforts to keep that promise by "dramatically" expanding capacity, adding more than 930 "shelter beds in just the last 12 months alone." But that's a bit misleading. (Dulaney, 9/30) San Diego Union-Tribune: In 5 Years Since Investigation, Little Progress In Stopping Deaths In San Diego County Jails
Between 2019 and 2023, San Diego County recorded an average of 3.6 deaths annually per 1,000 incarcerated people, state data show — the highest rate among the eight most populated California counties. (McDonald and Davis, 9/29) | | | | | |
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