By SEUNG MIN KIM and MATT O'BRIEN Associated Press
The White House is laying out a new framework that it wants Congress to use to shape national rules for artificial intelligence without curbing growth in the sector. It wants Congress to "preempt" state laws is sees as too burdensome. The focus is on protecting children, preventing electricity costs from surging, respecting intellectual property rights, preventing censorship and educating Americans on using the technology. It comes as state governments have forged ahead on their own regulations. Civil liberties and consumer rights groups have lobbied for more regulations on the powerful technology. But the industry and the White House say a patchwork of rules would hurt growth.
CalMatters reports that California's $6.4 billion mental health bond has not opened any of its first projects, even as Gov. Gavin Newsom says it is beating its goals. The state has missed its target for 10 early projects. Nine are delayed and one was canceled. New completion dates stretch from this summer into 2028. Officials blame tariffs, supply chain strain and labor shortages. The delays mean people with mental illness are still waiting for new inpatient beds, outpatient slots and housing. The bond was a cornerstone of Newsom's plan to help Californians living on the streets with mental illness.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says there's no imminent threat to the state from Iran. ABC News says the FBI warned California that Iran had aspired to send drones to the West Coast in retaliation for war. The FBI later released text of the alert, which noted that the information was based on "unverified information." The White House now says, "No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists." Newsom says California and various agencies plan for worst-case scenarios. Police in Los Angeles and San Francisco say they are monitoring world events for any risks.
California has hundreds of affordable housing projects that are ready to build, but they cannot close the money gap. Morris Village in Modesto plans 44 affordable apartments, with half set aside for unhoused people. The project has spent six years chasing grants and loans, but sits just short of having enough funding to break ground. A new Enterprise Community Partners report says about 39,880 units sit in the same limbo. The report estimates California needs about $4.1 billion to clear the backlog. Developers say local approvals have improved, and federal tax credits have grown. California lawmakers are also considering a $10 billion affordable housing bond for the 2026 ballot.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has threatened to take mental health funding from counties he says are falling short on CARE Court. On Monday, Newsom named 10 counties he called underperformers, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange. He says he can shift money to counties he believes use the program better. CARE Court started in 2023 and uses judges to push people with severe mental illness into treatment. CalMatters reports the program serves far fewer people than expected. The state has received 3,817 petitions and judges have approved 893 agreements. Some counties dispute Newsom's claims and have asked for clearer measures.
Bernie Sanders is coming to Los Angeles to campaign for a proposed "billionaires tax" that has set off an uproar in the Silicon Valley and led to divisions among Democrats. Sanders has been railing for decades against the gap between rich and poor. Now he's scheduled an afternoon rally on Wednesday near downtown Los Angeles. The tax proposal has not qualified for the ballot so far. The proposal calls for imposing a one-time 5% tax on the assets of billionaires to backfill federal health funding cuts for lower-income people. The proposal has created a rift between Gov. Gavin Newsom and prominent members of his party's progressive wing ahead of the fall's midterm elections.
How many Democrats are too many? In the race for California governor, so many Democratic candidates have crowded into the contest that party insiders have become fearful of a historic calamity in the making. It's become mathematically possible that Democrats divide their vote so much that only two Republicans advance from the June primary to a November runoff. Democratic candidate and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter's campaign is warning "there's a very real chance there could be only Republicans on November's ballot." A twin victory for GOP primary candidates remains a long shot. A Republican candidate hasn't won a statewide election in California in two decades.
