California's high-speed rail project is at a critical juncture, with state lawmakers urging the Legislature to approve a $1-billion annual investment sourced from cap-and-trade revenue. This funding is essential to keep the project moving forward amid suspended federal funds. During a news conference on Monday (August 25), State Senator Dave Cortese emphasized the need for consistent financial support, stating, "We can’t build a 21st-century transportation system on one-time money alone."According to the Los Angeles Times, the cap-and-trade program, which requires polluters to buy credits to offset emissions, could provide the necessary funds.
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As federal funds for California’s high-speed rail project remain suspended, state lawmakers urged the Legislature to approve a $1-billion-per-year investment pulled from cap-and-trade revenue while linking the future of the project to job opportunity across the state.
As federal funds for California’s high-speed rail project remain suspended, state lawmakers urged the Legislature to approve a $1-billion-per-year investment pulled from cap-and-trade revenue while linking the future of the project to job opportunity across the state.
California legislators and formerly incarcerated firefighters are urging swift passage of the “Firefighting to Freedom” legislative package, which they say would boost pay, provide benefits, and create career opportunities for those who risk their lives battling the state’s wildfires while incarcerated.
California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber will host an event on Aug. 25 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – landmark federal legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices and expanded ballot access nationwide.
Senate Bill 442, which has already passed the state Senate, aims to improve working conditions for employees but faces opposition from industry representatives.
California lawmakers are again pushing to further regulate self-checkout lanes in grocery and drug stores, reviving a proposal that failed last year.
SB 442, introduced by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, would bar stores from offering self-checkout unless at least one staffed register is open at the same time. The bill is meant to improve workplace conditions.
California's proposed Senate Bill 442, aimed at regulating self-checkout lanes, has sparked debate among labor unions, grocers, and lawmakers. The bill, introduced by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, seeks to improve service and workplace conditions by requiring stores to have at least one staffed checkout lane and a dedicated worker to assist self-checkout customers. It also limits self-checkout transactions to 15 items and prohibits the sale of items requiring identification, such as alcohol and tobacco, at these stations.