NEWSOM, legislature seeks repression on homeless camps

As governor Gavin Newsom prompts local authorities to do more for removing the homeless camps in California, one of the state agencies is accused of not doing enough to clear illegal campsites, writes Calmatters’ Marisa KendallS

On Monday, the governor issued a “model regulation” which Cities and counties should use to clear the bearingsS These guidelines include a ban on a stable camping (or more than three days) in one place, a ban on bearings that block sidewalks and more. NEWSOM also said the state will launch $ 3.3 billion in “communities across the country” to combat homelessness. Money comes from $ 6.4 billion Proposal 1 This is how the voters approved closely last March.

Although the governor cannot force local authorities to accept the ordinance, his request to do so An enforcement order he issued last summer Targeting state agencies, including the California Department of Transport or Caltrans, to eliminate camps. The agency is tasked with building and maintaining highways and spending more than $ 51 million, addressing camps in the fiscal year 2023-24.

But city officials and employees say Caltrans still takes too much time to sweep the campSometimes it takes months to respond. In some extreme cases, the bearings remain for a year or two, said San Mayor Matt Mahan.

• Mahan: “The longer we allow people to remain in a highway camp or on a switch to turn on and off, the more the camp is established and people come to the place and get a significant accumulation of waste.”

As urban workers in their bigger part are forbidden to go to Caltrans property to clear the camps themselves, the legislature is considering a bill that would make it easier for Cooperation Agency with local authoritiesS

The measure will require Caltrans to hire a connection to work with cities and cities, and to arrange clear deadlines when Caltrans has to meet the city’s request to clear the camp. It would also allow Caltrans to restore cities when using their own resources and staff to clear Caltrans ownership bearings.

The recovery provision is particularly popular with city officials: Mahan, for example, said it could cost $ 100,000 to remove a long -standing camp.

Read more about New Ordinance of Newsom and Caltrans Bill from Marisa.

In a rare presentation of bilateral participation, democratic and republican legislators in the Assembly on Monday spoke in support of a bill that will hold the social media platforms financially responsible up to $ 1 million For the harms that make young usersS

• Assembly Josh LowentalLong Beach Democrat and author of Bill: “Through the path and around the world, we all know that these platforms are harmful and addictive … In fact, some platforms seem to be gentle ignoring problems we have identified by actively canceling what small precautions they have previously offered.”

The bill is one of several that the legislature is considering resurrecting in the damage that companies can cause with their products, including chatbot and others Instruments for artificial intelligenceS

During the floor session, legislators pointed out several examples of dangerous content on social media, including co -author of Bill’s co -author Joe PatersonWhose neighbor died of an overdose of fentanyl in 2020, purchased through social media. Rocklin Republican also quotes a Calmtters Op-Ed For a young daughter developing eating disorder after being flooded with publications on social media Pro-Anorexia.

The Assembly adopted the bill with 59 votes on the floor. Although there were no votes in opposition, 20 legislators did not vote, which is the same as the vote does notS

During the pandemic, the Newsom administration released thousands of people from state prisons while Covid spread through nearby neighborhoods.

Now the data obtained and analyzed by CalMatters shows for the first time What happened to some of these former prisonersS

Between April 2020 and December 2021, the correction department released about 14,800 people early. Almost a third of these prisoners found themselves in prison again.

The data shows that:

• Most prisoners, who were released early, gave up serious crimes that would land them back in prison.
• Thirty people returned to prison for first or second-degree killing crimes, representing less than 1% of the group.
• The first three reasons for people to return to prison were illegally owned a gun (14%of all cases), attack (10%) and burglary (9%). Theft of vehicles, second -degree robbery and domestic violence represent about 4% to 5% of crimes.

Using news messages, press releases, statements from district attorneys and correction data, Calmatters ” Byrhonda Lyons It combines the details of what happened to some of the thousands who have returned to the State Prison.

Read more hereS