Daily Headlines for October 14, 2019
We scan major news sources* and compile selected articles to keep you up-to-date on current issues affecting California business – the economy, health care, environment, transportation and more.
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Today’s Top Story
CalChamber, Business Leaders Join Lt. Governor in Trade Delegation to Mexico
A delegation of California business and state agencies led by Lieutenant Governor Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis traveled to Mexico City for a trade mission to advance business, collaboration and partnership between California and Mexico.
Public Affairs/Politics
Newsletter: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Sparse Vetoes Meant Lawmakers Got Most of What They Wanted
The California Legislature sent Gov. Gavin Newsom 1,042 bills this year, with more than 70% of them landing on his desk in the state Capitol around the time that lawmakers adjourned last month. Los Angeles Times
Newsom Ends Session with Major Bills + ‘Public Charge’ Rule Denied + 2020 Candidates Selected for Forum
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a deluge of bills on Friday and this weekend, capping off a sprint to the 2019 session finish line. The Sacramento Bee
Nonpartisan Commission Announces Sites and Dates for 2020 Presidential Debates
The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates has announced sites and dates for three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate, to be held just weeks before election day in 2020. Los Angeles Times
Human Resources / Health & Safety
EEOC Asks Court to Confirm Pay Data Reporting Complete
On October 8, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a motion with the court, asking it to determine that the EEO-1 Component 2 data (also known as pay data) collection is deemed complete. HRWatchdog
How Newsom’s Bill-Signing Marathon Affects Your Health Care
Gov. Gavin Newsom wrapped up his bill-signing marathon Sunday, capping the end of a legislative session that will have a big impact on Californians’ health care and coverage.
Economy
The Fastest-Growing Sector for Jobs has Over 128,000 Openings—Here’s Who’s Hiring
Open positions in the government sector grew by 25.2% in September 2019 compared to September 2018, according to Glassdoor’s latest job market report, which compares job growth and wage data year over year in September. It was by far the sector that saw the biggest job listings bump; the second-fastest growing sector was legal and accounting, which had 18.7% more job listings this September compared to last. CNBC
Newsom Veto Lets California Cities Share Sales Tax with Amazon, Other Retailers
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have barred California cities from striking tax-sharing deals with retailers like Amazon and Apple, finding that rural communities rely on the agreements to spur employment. The Sacramento Bee
Interest Rates Are Falling—but Your Credit-Card Rate Could Be Going Up
Interest rates are going down. But consumers could find themselves paying more on their credit-card debt. The Wall Street Journal
California Tax-Sharing Deals Like Apple’s to Need New Disclosure
The California Chamber of Commerce, California Retailers Association, and the city of Fresno removed their opposition to Medina’s bill after he deleted a requirement that companies disclose their plans for automation in the future. The groups opposed Glazer’s vetoed bill to ban the agreements. Bloomberg
Environmental / Agriculture
Newsom Vetoes Tough Bill on New Plastic Bottle Recycling Rules
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Saturday to give California one of the toughest recycling mandates for plastic bottles in the nation. AB792 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would have required beverage companies to use 50% recycled content in bottles by 2030. San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Limiting Oil and Gas Development
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed a law intended to counter Trump administration plans to increase oil and gas production on protected public land. Los Angeles Times
International
WTO Clears U.S. to Target EU Goods with Tariffs Over Airbus
The World Trade Organization (WTO) formally authorized the United States on Monday to impose tariffs on up to $7.5 billion of imports of EU goods after an arbitrator’s decision over subsidies to planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA). Reuters
China’s Imports and Exports Fell More Than Expected in September
China’s import and export data for September came in worse than expected amid the country’s ongoing trade friction with the U.S., Reuters reported on Monday, citing the Chinese customs. CNBC
China Wants More Talks Before Signing Trade Deal With Trump
China wants to hold more talks this month to hammer out the details of the “phase one” trade deal touted by Donald Trump before Xi Jinping agrees to sign it, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg
Infrastructure / Education
Census Bureau Seeks State Data, Including Citizenship Info
The U.S. Census Bureau is asking states for drivers’ license records that typically include citizenship data and has made a new request for information on recipients of government assistance after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked plans to include a citizenship question in its 2020 population count. Associated Press
California Power Outages Highlight Economic Disparity
But many families impacted by the blackouts are struggling from paycheck to paycheck and don’t have the luxury of buying backup power. Associated Press
Why is Northern California the epicenter of planned power outages?
California is unique in having a confluence of factors that will drive more frequent and widespread shut-offs. The state’s Mediterranean climate means heavy winter rain prompts vegetation growth, only to be followed by several months of dry weather — which dries out trees and essentially creates natural fuel for wildfires, experts said. San Francisco Chronicle
Opinion/Editorial
CalChamber Files Sensible Challenge to Acrylamide Signs
The California Chamber of Commerce has filed a federal lawsuit to challenge California’s Proposition 65 requirement for warnings that food containing the chemical acrylamide may cause cancer. The Orange County Register
Overview of 2019 Bill Actions by Governor Newsom
In his first year of bill actions, there were over a thousand bills that reached Governor Newsom’s Desk this year, including 740 bills acted upon during the final month. Chris Micheli in Fox and Hounds Daily
California’s AB 5 Will Kill the Gig Economy and Force More Companies to Leave
No one knows what kinds of jobs Americans will be working in 50 years, not even 25, just as who lived through the Depression had no idea what work was going to be like in the 21st century. Classifying jobs through a government order is going to hold back the natural evolution of work. There are already regrets and there will be many more to come. Kerry Jackson in CALmatters
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