SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are debating nearly 1,000 bills during the hectic final two weeks of the Legislative session. Here’s action taken by the California Legislature Thursday:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON CHURCHES’ LANDS

Religious institutions and nonprofit colleges in California could soon turn their parking lots and other properties into low-income housing to help combat the ongoing homeless crisis, lawmakers voted on Thursday.

The legislation would rezone land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. They would be able to bypass most local permitting and environmental review rules that can be costly and lengthy.

California is home to 171,000 homeless people — about 30% of all homeless people in the U.S. The crisis has sparked a movement among religious institutions, dubbed “yes in God’s backyard,” or “YIGBY,” in cities across the state, with a number of projects already in the works.

But churches and colleges often face big hurdles trying to convert their surplus land and underutilized parking lots into housing because their land is not zoned for residential use. An affordable housing project in a San Jose church had to go through a rezoning process that took more than two years before it could break ground in 2021.

The goal of this legislation is to carve an easier path to build much-needed housing in the state, said Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, who authored the bill.

The bill, which was approved by the Assembly, needs the final approval in the state Senate before heading to the desk of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will decide whether to sign it into law.

It would only apply to affordable housing projects, and the law would sunset in 2036.

Democratic Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, who represents Orange County, said there are hundreds of faith-based organizations and several community colleges in her district that could use this bill as a tool to expedite affordable housing projects.

“If only a small fraction of them chose to build very small amount of units, we could start picking away at this issue one church at a time, one educational institution at a time,” she said Thursday.

Supporters of the bill said it could help add hundreds of thousands of affordable housing units to the state’s housing stock. A recent study by the University of California, Berkeley, Terner Center for Housing Innovation estimated California religious and higher education campuses have more than 170,000 acres (68,797 hectares) of land that would be eligible under the bill.

But several cities opposed the bill and said it would take away local control over housing developments. Environmental groups also worry the bill doesn’t have enough guardrails and would put low-income housing close to polluting areas such as freeways, industrial facilities, and oil and gas plants.

Lawmakers have until Sept. 14 to act on this and other bills. When lawmakers finish, Newsom will have a month to decide whether to sign them into law.

DIVERSE TEXTBOOKS IN SCHOOLS

The Legislature passed a bill to ensure school curricula reflect the cultural and racial diversity of California and the U.S.

The bill would also require school boards to approve instructional materials that include accurate depictions of LGBTQ+ people and their contributions. It would ban school boards from rejecting textbooks because they mention the contributions of people with a particular racial background or sexual orientation.

It’s an issue that has cropped up in many states. The issue garnered renewed attention in California when a Southern California school board, Temecula Valley Unified, rejected an elementary social studies curriculum that included materials mentioning Harvey Milk, a former San Francisco politician and gay rights advocate. Newsom threatened the school board with a $1.5 million fine. The board later reversed course.

State senators debated intensely on the bill. They took a “timeout” after Democratic Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman, who chairs the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, said Republican Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh’s comments about the bill were off topic. Republican lawmakers and Democratic Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil voted against it.

Ochoa Bogh said the bill wouldn’t make sure that school materials would be age-appropriate for students. But Democratic Sen. Lena Gonzalez said school boards would still be able to make those decisions.

Later in the day, the state Assembly gave final sign-off on the bill, sending it to Newsom’s desk.

Democratic Assemblymember Corey Jackson, who introduced the proposal, touted it as a chance to show the nation that California would be “on the right side of history.”

“A yes vote means that not on our watch will these political class wars be declared and use our students and our children as pawns,” Jackson said.

But Republican Majority Leader James Gallagher said the bill would overstep on local school boards’ authority to approve class materials.

STREAMLINING THE HOUSING PERMITTING PROCESS

The state Assembly passed a bill that would extend the life of a landmark law streamlining rules about housing projects in cities that have not met state-mandated goals for affordable housing. The bill is one of the most contentious pieces of housing legislation this year.

Since the original bill took effect in 2018, it has helped fast-track 18,000 homes, with roughly 75% of them being affordable housing, according to the bill’s author, Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener.

The new bill would remove the requirement to hire “skilled and trained workers,” a provision typically sought by the powerful construction trades union, and instead require workers to be paid prevailing wage, which is the average wage paid to workers, laborers and mechanics in a particular area.

The bill had met fierce opposition from the state Coastal Commission and environmental groups in July because it would remove the exemption on streamlined housing development in coastal zones. Opponents worried the bill would place housing in areas prone to sea-level rise or wildfires and make way for luxury apartments, not affordable housing, along the coastline.

Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a co-author of the bill, said the legislation only applies to coastal areas zoned for multifamily housing and that Wiener has worked with the commission to address critics’ concerns. The Coastal Commission no longer opposes the bill.

“We’re extending current law, so it’s not scary,” Wicks said Thursday. “It’s the right thing to do. We know this program works.”

GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS

The state Assembly on Thursday approved a bill to require schools serving first through 12th grade to have at least one gender-neutral bathroom available for students by 2026.

The legislation would apply to schools with multiple female and male restrooms. The bill comes amid debates in California and elsewhere about the rights of transgender and nonbinary students, including whether teachers should notify parents if their child changes pronouns at school.

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Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin @sophieadanna

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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From Katherine Donlevy

June 16, 2023 | 12:01 a.m

An ABC reporter admitted his bosses advised him not to perform live from downtown San Francisco on Wednesday because the area was “just too dangerous.”

Chief national correspondent Matt Gutman told viewers his crew had been instructed to film their 4am GMT segment of “Good Morning America” ​​in a different part of the city as they covered the shocking closure of Westfield Mall.

Although the mall — the latest in a string of Bay Area malls to close its doors — cited the drop in foot traffic as its reason for its closure, Gutman said the city’s rising crime rate could be to blame.

“The mayor notes that several crime indicators are actually flat or declining. But it’s worth noting that we’re not at Union Square or Westfield Mall this morning because we’ve been told it’s just too dangerous to be there at this time,” Gutman said.

Back in the studio, Michael Strahan said Gutman’s admission “says a lot.”

Matt Gutman, a reporter for ABC News, admitted he was advised not to perform live in downtown San Francisco for his feature Good Morning America due to rising crime. Fox News

San Francisco has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime and the ongoing fentanyl crisis over the past year.

According to police, robberies, arson, grand theft autos and homicides increased by over 5% in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Crime – which residents claim has turned the city into a “zombie apocalypse” – is largely responsible for the mass exodus of large corporations, including Old Navy and Nordstrom.

According to police, crime in San Francisco increased by over 5% in 2023 compared to the previous year.Fox News

A viral video from earlier this month showed that a whole section of the city’s commercial hub was completely deserted.

During the “GMA” segment, Gutman asked San Francisco Mayor London Breed if the city should be considered “dangerous,” but the Democrat explained that the news team was focused on the negative.

“Well, here’s the thing: San Francisco is a big city and it has challenges. But let’s go back a little. You’re talking about people leaving the city, but not people staying, expanding, and coming to San Francisco,” Breed said.

A number of Bay Area businesses have closed their doors due to rising violence in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

On the same day, Twitter CEO Elon Musk revealed that his employees “feel unsafe” when visiting the social media headquarters.

“[They’ve] The windows of their cars were smashed. Also, they received such a zero response from the police that they barely bother to report crimes because nothing is happening,” the billionaire tweeted.

However, crime rates could be far worse than statistics and reports suggest.

Car break-ins and thefts have plagued the city as employees in the area admitted they are afraid to come to work. Chin Hei Leung / SOPA Images / Sipa USA

“Crime is worse than the data shows,” San Francisco attorney general Charles Stimson told Fox News.

“People don’t report these crimes because if there’s a prosecutor who’s pro-criminal and doesn’t enforce the law, the cops aren’t going to go out and arrest someone if they know the case is undocumented.”

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The three-part documentary series explores the US water crisis and will feature a number of prominent thought leaders and scientists including Michael S. Regan, head of the US Environmental Protection Agency; US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey; Erik D. Olson, senior strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council; and more

First episode available from April 21st

As issues of access to safe drinking water make headlines in the United States, ABC Owned Television Stations is partnering with ABC News and National Geographic to produce a three-part documentary series entitled “Our America: Trouble on Tap.” The first episode will air April 21 — in time for Earth Day on April 22 — on ouramericaabc.com and April 22 on Hulu. The trailer is available Here Now.

“Our America: Trouble on Tap” is a three-part documentary series — produced by Tracy J. Wholf, coordinating producer of the climate division at ABC News, and Justin Allen, executive producer at ABC Owned Television Stations — that explores pollution, climate change and aging infrastructure, which is gradually becoming an opportunity for more and more communities in undermine the United States’ access to free and potable drinking water. Over the past few decades, the safe and available drinking water that many Americans have taken for granted is now under threat. ABC Owned Television Stations and its data journalism division, whose data was used to show the severity of the contamination across the United States and the communities it affected, will work with ABC News and National Geographic to take viewers across America to witness this development to investigate crisis and offer solutions along the way.

“Our America: Trouble on Tap” is a powerful and thoughtful examination of the growing problems surrounding Americans’ access to safe drinking water. The series brings together the talent and expertise of the amazing teams at ABC Owned Television Stations, National Geographic and ABC News with national and local experts and leaders to ask what we can do to solve these problems and protect people’s health to protect across the country. I’m incredibly proud of the work these teams have done to bring this informative and timely topic to light,” said Debra OConnell, President, Disney Entertainment, Networks.

“Problems surrounding access to clean water vary across the country,” added Chad Matthews, president of ABC Owned Television Stations. “Our data journalism team examines information specific to local markets and works to tell stories that provide viewers with better context and understanding of how water – or lack of water – can affect them. We focus on specific problems, possible solutions, and tell the stories of those who experience it firsthand.”

The documentary series will consist of three hour-long episodes:

• The first episode, “Life with Forever Chemicals” premiere April 21, takes a look at per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination in North Carolina. This episode takes viewers to Cape Fear, North Carolina, often referred to as ground zero for PFAS water pollution, or water contaminated by toxic “forever” chemicals. For decades, more than 250,000 people’s drinking water supply was contaminated after a chemical company dumped toxic PFAS into the Cape Fear River. Years after the contamination first became public knowledge, the region continues to grapple with ongoing health problems, multiple lawsuits and the construction of costly water treatment plants as it grapples with decades of chronic exposure.
• The second episode, “Chicago’s $8 Billion Water Problem”Premiered in July and examine lead pipes and water infrastructure in Chicago. More than 30 years after the federal government banned lead in plumbing, lead-based plumbing still carries water to millions of homes across America, including Chicago, which has one of the highest concentrations of lead plumbing in the country. With an estimated 400,000 lead pipes serving Chicago-area residents with water, “this is an $8 billion problem,” according to Chicago Water Commissioner Andrea Cheng. This episode examines the key water infrastructure issues to see if bills like Senator Cory Booker’s Water Infrastructure Funding Act and others will help ease some of the financial burden on communities and really help solve the many problems faced by… affecting residents, often in communities that are predominantly Black, Latino and Indigenous.
• The third episode, “Drilling in California’s Water Crisis”Premiered in August and focus on the impact of the drought in California. As of late November 2022, the US Drought Monitor showed that nearly 85% of California was experiencing severe drought conditions or more. While current drought conditions have changed due to recent winter 2023 rainfall, California continues to experience statewide water emergencies as resources continue to vary based on current conditions. This episode takes viewers to Orosi, California to check in with a family whose water supply is due to expire by the state in four months. What happens to the water they use for drinking, cooking and bathing? California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Water Resilience and Storage Plan Under Review; and the process of subsidence, the gradual subsidence or subsidence of an area of ​​land, is also studied, including the process in relation to water and the effects it can have on land.

The series will premiere April 22 linearly across eight ABC networks: ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco, ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston, ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno. It will be available on 24/7 streaming platforms, 32 connected TV apps on streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and April 22nd on Hulu.

ABC Owned Television Stations, which collectively reach 23% of all US television homes, are committed to producing high-impact content that represents diverse issues and voices in communities and newsrooms across the country. “Our America: Trouble on tap” will aim to educate audiences about the complex challenges facing citizens and legislators alike when it comes to accessing safe drinking water in the United States. The series will feature scientists, government officials and activists, and amplify the voices of a range of individuals and families directly affected by these water issues.

To view the trailer for “Our America: Trouble on tap,” Visit ouramericaabc.com.

For more information on ABC Owned Television Stations streaming channels, visit: ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, 6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, ABC7/KGO- TV San Francisco, ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston, ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, and ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno.

About ABC-owned TV stations

ABC’s eight proprietary channels are cross-platform leaders in local news and information. Collectively the No. 1 in all US television, reaching 23% of homes and more than 34 million total viewers and 62 million digital visitors per month, with a record 2.2 billion minutes streamed, the eight channels consist of WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. WABC-New York has been #1 in the country for 19 years.

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