At a May 14 hearing, advocates pressed for $40 million for a performing arts payroll fund and $50 million for the California Arts Council as the state’s creative economy plan moved toward implementation.
The resolution passed after a 42-18 vote to suspend the rules and a final 58-8 vote, with 57 co-authors added during the floor session.
The commission adopted a narrower approach in Liberty Utilities’ general rate case for Park Water and Apple Valley Ranchos, favoring used-and-useful recovery rules and a 45/55 fixed-variable split.
Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny a petition that sought to reopen the closed San Joaquin Valley proceeding or force a new phase-three rulemaking.
The committee moved dozens of bills forward on May 14 while setting aside several measures, including proposals on food additives, drug formularies, medical debt relief and a guaranteed income pilot.
At an Assembly hearing on the SB 254 report, wildfire survivors urged faster compensation and emergency housing relief financed by utilities rather than taxpayers.
A joint Assembly oversight hearing raised questions about whether California’s crisis line system is fully meeting its promise, while DHCS disclosed more than 74,000 988 contacts in March and said unanswered contacts go to out-of-state backup centers.
The utility-affordability and wildfire-compensation bill drew lengthy public comment from Camp Fire and Tubbs Fire survivors in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, but no recorded vote appeared in the excerpted hearing record.
The March 4 agenda includes old business to initiate adoption of Arcata’s comprehensive Local Coastal Program update, which the city says is exempt from CEQA under state guidelines.
Council signed off on the county climate plan, moved to fix failed culverts on West End Road and got a staff briefing on a possible 2026 Measure G renewal.
AB 2038 moved on the Assembly floor May 11, extending post-wildfire insurance protections for homeowners facing cancellation pressure after a disaster.
Council unanimously advanced Ordinance 1586, which would create a clearer path for cannabis consumption lounge permits and allow temporary consumption at special events.
Staff said the city is considering a 2026 ballot renewal for Measure G, along with an advisory question aimed at boosting road funding.
The March 18 vote came after extensive public comment, with the council elevating the resolution to hear it sooner and then approving it unanimously.
Council members reviewed changes to the city’s Local Coastal Program update, including a revised sea-level-rise map and tighter outdoor lighting standards, before the item returns March 18.
At a budget subcommittee hearing, Inspector General Ben Bellenapp asked lawmakers to spell out when his office can publish reports, keep work papers and review draft rail agreements.
The bill passed the Assembly floor on May 11 and would strengthen the Secretary of State’s election cybersecurity unit while expanding its ability to consult with researchers.
The Assembly formally took up the resolution on May 11 as part of a floor session that also featured election debate and other policy votes.
Council introduced Ordinance No. 1584 after staff said the committee has not met since April 2023 and all seven community seats are vacant.
The March 4 council packet would extend the city-university bike share agreement for three more years and raise Cal Poly Humboldt’s annual contribution to $43,000.
City leaders authorized emergency procurement and reserve spending for repairs at 4700 West End Road after staff reported failed culverts and sinkholes along North Fork of James Creek.
The City Council formally approved Resolution No. 256-51, making the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan Arcata’s Climate Action Plan and adopting related CEQA findings.
City staff said Fortuna faces a structural general fund deficit and more than $1.9 million in lost purchasing power, while polling showed the tax proposal could clear a majority with more information but remains vulnerable to opposition messaging.
The council adopted an urgency ordinance creating new rent rules for mobile home parks, including a 5% cap on CPI-based increases, after a 4-1 vote and a split public hearing.
