California
California, with its highest credit rating in two decades, was expecting continued growth in jobs and revenue and mulling expanding services and moving even more cash into its reserves before COVID-19 struck…
The Supreme Court today declined to take up California’s “sanctuary” law that forbids local law enforcement in most cases from cooperating with aggressive federal action to identify and deport undocumented immigrants….
The San Jose Police Officers Association, the San Francisco Police Officers Association, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League unveiled plans Sunday, 6/14, for a reform agenda to find racist police officers and ‘root those individuals out of the law enforcement profession.’
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on 6/4 pledged to remove $150 million from the city’s police budget in the coming year.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration announced on Friday, 6/12, that counties can allow nail salons and tattoo parlors to reopen based on local conditions and with the approval of county governments…
After public backlash, people living in Orange County will no longer be required to wear masks in public.
Coronavirus
On Friday, 6/12, the CDC released new guidelines for people who are considering venturing out in their communities and warned that attending large gatherings remains a high risk.
The coronavirus’ brutal impact on African Americans and other minorities may never be fully known because of consistent gaps in gathering data on race and ethnicity that persist more than four months into the pandemic…
William Schaffner, a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said a second wave of coronavirus has started in the U.S. and people need to remain careful or risk stressing out the health-care system again….
U.S. regulators revoked emergency-use authorization for two malaria drugs touted by President Donald Trump as Covid-19 treatments after determining they were unlikely to work against the virus and could have dangerous side effects….
Congress
On Wednesday, 6/17, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to markup the democratic version of policing overhaul legislation (HR 7120)….
Senate Republicans have kicked off a four-week push to pass a handful of priorities designed to resonate with voters — an agenda Democrats argue ignores the more-urgent issues of policing and the coronavirus pandemic….
Hill sources are stating that the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin marking up their FY21 appropriations bills the week of June 22. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) said, “Everything's not complete, but we've got our markup schedule, and we'll go from there.”
Business groups and their allies in Congress have called for liability protections related to potential transmission of COVID-19 as stores, restaurants, offices, and schools continue to reopen and case counts spike in some areas….
Highway, transit, and rail programs would be authorized through fiscal 2025 under H.R. 2, a surface transportation package from House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Democrats…
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee scheduled a June 17 markup for H.R. 2, which Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) previously introduced as H.R. 7095. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said at a June 11 Baker & Hostetler LLP event that the House will begin floor consideration of the bill June 30.
Today, 6/15, the House Education and Labor Committee virtual hearing on lost learning from COVID-19 pandemic budget cuts.
Tomorrow, 6/16, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the use of force by police.
On Wednesday, 6/17, the House Small Business Committee will hold a virtual hearing on Paycheck Protection Program
On Thursday, 6/18, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures virtual hearing on tax relief to support workers and families during the COVID-19 recession.
President and Administration
On 6/11, President Trump rejected calls to overhaul law enforcement or cut officers’ funding amid protests over police brutality and racism, and instead backed new training programs as well as economic development, school choice and improved health care in minority communities….
White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah tweeted yesterday that the administration is “working to finalize an executive order that will encourage Police Departments nationwide to meet the highest standards for the use of force by police officers….
“President Trump said on Friday 6/12, that police should avoid using chokeholds, but stopped short of saying he supports a ban on the tactic explaining that he felt it would leave police officers without a measure they might need in certain one-on-one situations…
President Trump said Wednesday, 6/10, that he opposes any effort by the US military to rename the nearly one dozen major bases and installations that bear the names of Confederate military commanders….
The Trump administration on Friday, 6/12, finalized a rule that would remove nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people when it comes to health care and health insurance.
“Federal Reserve officials expect the unemployment rate to remain above 9 percent until the end of 2020, with the economy shrinking by more than 6 percent in that time, according to projections released Wednesday, 6/10….
National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow reiterated Sunday, 6/14, the $600 additional weekly unemployment benefit created to aid those who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic will end in late July….
National Economic Chairman Larry Kudlow said he backs Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s decision not to disclose the recipients of more than $500 billion distributed through the Paycheck Protection Program that was created in response to the coronavirus pandemic….
The Supreme Court is expected to rule in the coming weeks on the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program…
Education
The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice and Believe in Students have released a report covering the results of a survey on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on current college students.
2020 Election
Joe Biden said on a conference call with members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that Congress should increase aid to state and local governments to preserve the jobs of first responders and other government workers and to make sure Americans can return to work safely.
Kamala Harris is on even stronger footing in Joe Biden ’s search for a running mate as he faces intensifying pressure to choose a black woman in the middle of a national debate over race….
President Donald Trump’s campaign is asking people attending his campaign rally in Oklahoma this week to waive liability if they contract COVID-19…