Newsom’s near-miss election

Your afternoon must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State

Mar 12, 2024 View in browser   By Rachel Bluth Gov. Gavin Newsom campaigns for Proposition 1, his mental-health reform ballot measure, during a stop at SEIU 2015's union hall in downtown San Francisco on Monday. | Dustin Gardiner/POLITICO COME TALK DRUGS — Join POLITICO March 19 at the Elks Tower in Sacramento for a conversation on prescription drug affordability with CAITLIN BERRY, of pharmacy benefit management company Prime Therapeutics; ROBIN FELDMAN, UCSF law professor; ANTHONY WRIGHT, executive director of Health Access California; and state Sen. SCOTT WIENER. How might officials find savings in the drug supply chain ecosystem? Doors open at 8:30 a.m. RSVP here for “Corrective Action: How to Address Prescription Drug Cost.” PHEWWW: A splashy and expensive campaign to get voters to overhaul California’s mental health system appears to have sputtered to an anti-climactic end today. Now, they have to deliver on the lofty promises of Proposition 1. Votes are still being tallied, but Californians Against Prop 1, the underdog opponents of the measure, have conceded the measure will pass — if only by a hair, with just over 50 percent of the vote. There are still about 1.7 million votes to count but mailed ballots appear to be trending in the “yes” direction, which explains the concession by opponents. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who made passing Prop 1 the centerpiece of his political agenda, has not yet declared victory. Prop 1 was thought just months ago to be a sure thing. It had not only the backing of the governor, but most of his Democratic allies in the Legislature and even some Republican officials throughout the state. At least one poll showed 70 percent of voters were in favor of the measure, which diverts mental health care funding to pay for housing and issues a $6.4 billion bond to fund new treatment facilities. The early support was perhaps not surprising given public frustration over homelessness. The close vote suggests many voters are at least skeptical about the wisdom of spending billions more on the problem. Prop 1 is a key element in the Newsom administration’s larger effort to remake the state’s mental health system to make it more responsive to the overlapping crises of homelessness, untreated mental illness and drug addiction. Counties will have only a couple of years to channel more money from their budgets into housing, treatment and clearing encampments. There will be enormous pressure to show progress on the promised 11,000 new mental health and addiction treatment slots and in getting people off the streets. Some opponents of the measure have argued that Prop 1 takes money that the counties need for other mental health programs — the kinds of services that keep people from becoming homeless in the first place — and will ultimately force people into coercive treatment. Others said the state has already spent $20 billion on homelessness in the last five years and yet the number of people on the streets has increased. The close vote suggests the opposition arguments resonated with many voters — and that the state may not get another chance soon to take such dramatic action. IT’S  TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to rbluth@politico.com or send a shout on X. DMs are open.   DON’T MISS AN IMPORTANT TALK ON ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN CA: Join POLITICO on March 19 to dive into the challenges of affordable prescription drugs accessibility across the state. While Washington continues to debate legislative action, POLITICO will explore the challenges unique to California, along with the potential pitfalls and solutions the CA Legislature must examine to address prescription drug affordability for its constituents. REGISTER HERE.     WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY BIG SHOW CANCELED: Today was a letdown for those expecting fireworks at the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer pulled a bill from a hearing in the judiciary committee this morning that would help undocumented immigrants with serious or violent felonies avoid deportation using state-funded legal services. The legislation, AB 2031, had been the subject of an online outcry after Republican members flagged it to conservative followers. The bill could come back up for a hearing, should Jones-Sawyer request it. Speaker Robert Rivas has encouraged committee heads to give all bills a chance to be heard. Judiciary Chair Ash Kalra said if the bill returns, he’ll support it. ON THE BEATS Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry speaks during the daily White House press briefing on Jan. 17, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Win McNamee | Getty Images GOLDEN STATE WARRIOR: Steph Curry is not ruling out politics. He gave a definite “maybe” when asked whether he has any interest in a political career in an interview today with CBS’ Jericka Duncan. “I have an interest in leveraging every part of my influence for good in any way I can, so if that’s the way to do it.” We’ll have to wait, though. When pressed on 2028, he responded “not that soon.” Curry is part of a new generation of professional basketball players who have become more politically outspoken. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT: Celebrity Chef Tom Colicchio is getting behind an effort to prohibit public schools from serving food containing dyes that have been linked to cancer, harm to the immune system and neurobehavioral disorders such as ADHD. The Top Chef host and restaurateur was in Sacramento today to support a bill by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel that follows legislation he authored last year to ban four chemicals from food in California. Colicchio said he applauds Gabriel’s work in part because his three children have been diagnosed with ADHD. “All of the work that we do at home would be sort of for nothing if they're able to go to school and there's no one making sure that the food that they are eating is safe,” he said. Assembly Bill 2316 would ban use of six dyes as well as titanium dioxide, a coloring agent used in non-food products such as sunscreen and paint. Gabriel, who has ADHD, said that research that approved the use of the dyes is outdated and that the U.S. lags behind the European Union in ordering their removal.   In celebration of Earth Month, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, in collaboration with POLITICO, host “Climate Forward 2024: Climate at the Crossroads” on April 4, 2024 at USC. Top experts from politics, government, media, and academia will discuss climate change issues with a focus on finding practical policy and business solutions as well identifying ways to remove political obstacles to implementing those changes. Register to attend in person or virtually.     WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY FRENCH LESSONS: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ trip to Paris was a reality check from her Parisian counterpart about all that must be done in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. (POLITICO)  PEAK ZINFANDEL: California growers have removed 18,000 acres of wine grapes over the past six years and may have to eliminate tens of thousands more because of oversupply and decreasing wine consumption. (San Francisco Chronicle) A VERY MODERN CAREER: Squatting is such a problem in Southern California that a 56-year-old man has earned thousands as the “Squatter Hunter,” who will break into the property, take up residence and make himself so unpleasant that the squatters will leave on their own. (Los Angeles Times)   Follow us on Twitter POLITICO California @politicoca   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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