Political Playback: California Capitol News You Might Have  Missed 

News You Might Have Missed 

By Bo Tefu | California Black Media 

Bill Would Create California Version of National Institutes of Health

Anticipating federal cuts to scientific research and vaccine programs, California State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced a bill to establish the California Institute for Scientific Research.

The proposed state-funded agency aims to support biomedical and climate research while expanding vaccine access.

The bill, introduced March 27, comes as the Trump administration moves to cut funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expresses an aversion to vaccine mandates.

President Donald Trump has proposed slashing $4 billion from NIH grants, a decision that is currently held up in legal battles. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s vaccine policy has drawn scrutiny, especially amid a measles outbreak affecting several states.

“California is a global leader on science in our own right, and we must step in to protect our scientific institutions from the new administration’s anti-science, Make America Sick Again onslaught,” said Wiener.

The proposed agency would provide grants and loans to research institutions affected by federal cuts, including areas like drug safety and climate change. Additionally, it would direct California’s existing prescription drug program, CalRX, to expand vaccine procurement, ensuring continued access despite potential federal policy shifts.

California has historically taken independent action on public health. During President Trump’s first term, Gov. Gavin Newsom collaborated with other Democratic-led states to review COVID-19 vaccine safety outside of federal oversight.

While the bill is expected to face opposition from California’s Republican minority, the greatest challenge may be securing funding amid the state’s budget constraints and Medicaid shortfalls.

If passed, the bill could position California as a self-reliant scientific leader.

Sen. Padilla: Housing Migrants at Guantanamo Bay Is Costing Americans Tens of Millions Monthly

Last week, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) visited the U.S. Naval Station in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) with a group of other senators to conduct oversight of what he called “the ongoing Department of Defense activities to support the Department of Homeland Security in the unlawful relocation of migrants.

Padilla, who is the ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration moving illegal immigrants from the United States to Guantanamo Bay.

“After examining the migrant relocation activities at Guantanamo Bay, we are outraged by the scale and wastefulness of the Trump Administration’s misuse of our military. It is obvious that Guantanamo Bay is a likely illegal and certainly illogical location to detain immigrants. Its use is seemingly designed to undermine due process and evade legal scrutiny,” said Padilla in a statement.

“The staggering financial cost to fly these immigrants out of the United States and detain them at Guantanamo Bay — a mission worth tens of millions of dollars a month –is an insult to American taxpayers. President Trump could implement his immigration policies for a fraction of the cost by using existing ICE facilities in the U.S., but he is obsessed with the image of using Guantanamo, no matter the cost,” Padilla continued.

According to the New York Times, there are about 1,000 U.S. government employees, mostly military personnel, working at Guantanamo Bay. There are also about 70 contractors from the Department of Homeland Security stationed at the facility.

Padilla blasted Trump for “undermining the readiness of the U.S. Military.”

“We met with dozens of servicemembers who were rushed to Guantanamo Bay without notice, leaving their critical day-to-day military missions behind in order to build tents that should never be filled and guard immigrants who should never be held there,” Padilla said. “Our troops will always answer the call and get the job done, but their invaluable time and resources are being carelessly wasted by the President on this mission.”

Last week, the Center for Effective Lawmaking rated Padilla the second-most effective U.S. Senator in the 118th Congress.

Feds Are Investigating California DOE on Child Outing Policy

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into California’s ban on ‘forced outing’ of students’ gender identity to parents, escalating tensions between the state and the Trump administration over LGBTQ+ rights and parental access to student records.

The probe, announced March 27, targets a 2024 California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which prohibits schools from automatically informing parents if a student changes their name, pronouns, or gender identity. Federal officials argue the law may violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which guarantees parental access to student records.

“Teachers and school counselors should not be in the business of advising minors on consequential decisions about their gender identity and mental health,” said U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “That responsibility lies with parents.”

If the law is found to be in violation of federal regulations, California risks losing billions in federal education funding, including grants supporting low-income and special-needs students.

State officials defended the law as a vital protection for LGBTQ+ youth. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond emphasized that students must feel safe in order to learn, adding that “forced outing” policies put vulnerable youth at risk. The governor’s office dismissed the federal probe, arguing that FERPA does not

mandate schools to disclose gender identity changes unless parents request their student’s records.

The investigation is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to limit LGBTQ+ protections in education, including executive orders restricting gender-affirming care and limiting transgender participation in school sports.

Legal experts say the case could set a precedent for how federal law applies to student privacy and parental rights in education.

California Committee on Aging Appoints Dr. Lenore Tate and Jeannee Parker Martin The California Commission on Aging (CCoA) has announced the appointments of Dr. Lenore Tate and Jeannee Parker Martin, effective January 2025. Both appointees bring a wealth of expertise to the Commission’s mission of addressing key issues affecting California’s older adults.

Dr. Tate, a licensed psychologist, has an extensive background in mental health, public policy, and advocacy, specializing in neuropsychology, geropsychology, forensic psychology, and trauma. She has worked with state government as a Principal Consultant for both the California Assembly and Senate, and currently leads Wraparound Enterprises, a nonprofit focused on mental health services, workforce development, and social support for marginalized communities. Dr. Tate is passionate about healthy living, solo aging, caregiving, dementia, and equity for marginalized populations.

Jeannee Parker Martin, President and CEO of LeadingAge California, has led the organization’s efforts to improve housing, care, and services for older adults across the state. She has contributed to key advisory committees, including the President’s Coronavirus Commission on Quality and Safety in Nursing Homes and the California Governor’s Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

Together, Tate and Martin will enhance the CCoA’s advocacy efforts to support equity, inclusion, autonomy, and respect for California’s aging population. The Commission advises state leaders on policies that impact older adults and promotes programs to improve their quality of life.

PPIC: Homelessness Hits Record High in California; National Spike Outpaces California

In 2024, California’s homelessness crisis hit record levels, with over 187,000 individuals experiencing homelessness, accounting for 24% of the nation’s total homeless population of 771,500. Nearly two-thirds of these individuals were unsheltered, representing nearly half of the unsheltered population in the United States. This stark reality continues to make homelessness one of the top issues for Californians.

However, while the state’s homelessness crisis remains dire, the growth rate in California from 2023 to 2024 was slower than the national average. The U.S. homeless population grew by 18%, driven largely by a 25% increase in sheltered homelessness, compared to just a 3% rise in California. Unsheltered homelessness in the U.S. grew by 7%, whereas California saw only a 0.4% increase, reversing the trend of larger increases in California that had been observed in the past decade.

Each January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires local agencies to conduct a “point-in-time” (PIT) count of homelessness. These annual counts, though limited by concerns about undercounting, offer a crucial snapshot of homelessness trends at the federal, state, and local levels.

In California, over 70% of the state’s homeless population resides in the 10 Continuums of Care (CoCs). These CoCs report varying trends: Los Angeles, Alameda, and San Francisco saw a decline in unsheltered homelessness but an increase in sheltered homelessness, with rises of 14%, 18%, and 25%, respectively. In contrast, San Diego experienced an 18% increase in unsheltered homelessness, while Sacramento and San Joaquin reported significant fluctuations in homelessness figures, potentially due to local counting changes.

Advocates for unsheltered Californians say the rise in homelessness highlights the urgent need for both immediate financial and behavioral health support, as well as long-term housing solutions. Rising home prices, high rents, and low homeownership rates have intensified California’s housing crisis. Over a quarter of

Californians, including nearly 40% of low-income adults, worry daily about their housing costs.

California lawmakers have invested billions into homelessness programs, but an audit revealed a lack of data to measure their effectiveness. In his 2025-26 annual budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed creating the California Housing and Homelessness Agency to improve coordination and accountability in the state’s response to the ongoing crisis. Additionally, increased funding from Prop 1 will support housing and treatment for individuals with behavioral health needs.