Recent Streetsblog CALIFORNIA posts about State Capitol Updates

Governor Jerry Brown, flanked by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, with S.B. 1 author Senator Jim Beall looking on, touts the new transportation funding agreement.

Transportation Funding Bill Poisoned by Truck Amendment

By Melanie Curry | Mar 30, 2017 | 39 Comments

A last-minute amendment exempting trucks from air quality rules threatens to poison an otherwise strong[er] transportation funding bill. The political calculus to get 2/3 vote makes this kind of amendment a risk.

Bloom and his colleagues spoke Friday about action the State legislature will be taking to address California’s worsening housing crisis. Photo courtesy of Assemblymember Bloom’s office.

State Legislators Put California’s Housing Crisis in the Crosshairs

By Jason Islas | Mar 7, 2017 | 9 Comments

At a press conference in San Francisco Friday, state legislators announced their plans to tackle California’s growing housing crisis. As a lack of new housing construction continues to make California unaffordable for all but the wealthiest households, Assemblymembers Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), and Kevin Mullin […]

California Legislative Update: Bikes, Pedestrians, Signals, Fairness

By Melanie Curry | Mar 3, 2017 | 1 Comment

The California legislative session has begun in earnest, and it’s time to take a look at some of the bills that have been introduced for this year. Below is a roundup of current bills concerned with bicycling, walking, safety, transportation, and equity. Streetsblog has already covered some of these bills, and will certainly do so […]

What Are California’s Real Priorities?

By Melanie Curry | Mar 1, 2017 | 3 Comments

Everyone agrees that transportation investment is needed. But the talk is too much about how to get the money, not enough on how best to spend the money.

Image from Outlook Archives via Susan Cloke

Santa Monica Lawmaker Introduces Bill to End Statewide Rent Control Limitations

By Jason Islas | Feb 23, 2017 | 1 Comment

Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) introduced a bill that would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, the 1995 state law that weakened the strictest rent control laws in the state. The law required cities to allow property owners to raise rents on units when they were vacated, a practice that had been prohibited by strict rent control laws in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Berkeley, Cotati, and East Palo Alto.

This post is supported by GJEL Accident Attorneys

Bill Would Require Caltrans to Actually Follow Its Own Complete Streets Guidelines

By Melanie Curry | Feb 22, 2017 | 2 Comments

Caltrans already has a “Complete Streets Program.” But the department too often makes moving vehicles a priority over safe and attractive infrastructure for people not sitting in a car.

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