Revised Guidance for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program Released by DOT
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, on August 11th, unveiled updated guidance aimed at increasing the flexibility and efficiency of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. Created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the NEVI program allocates $5 billion over five years to states for the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The revised guidance removes a requirement that charging stations be placed every 50 miles along major highways, a provision some states with sparse populations had objected to. If a state determines (and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) certifies) that its Alternative Fuel Corridors for EVs are “fully built out,” the state may use NEVI funds for charging infrastructure on any public road.
The updated guidance was issued approximately six months after the Department of Transportation (DOT) rescinded the initial NEVI guidance, allowing the agency to review and revise it. The rescinded rules included language directing states to develop their EV infrastructure deployment plans through engagement with rural and disadvantaged communities, as well as guidance on how the plans address evacuation needs and resilience strategies.
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Legislators Hold Cal/OSHA’s Feet to the Fire
Two things became clear during yesterday’s joint legislative hearing in the wake of a state audit questioning Cal/OSHA’s performance: lawmakers don’t see the agency’s problems as purely a function of personnel shortages, but also as one of leadership. They fully intend to keep it in their crosshairs.
The hearing of the Joint Legislative Audit, Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement, and Assembly Labor and Employment (L&E) committees followed up on the July report by State Auditor Grant Parks. L&E Chair Liz Ortega (D-Hayward) called for the audit after hearing workplace safety complaints from farmworkers.
“The audit has made it very clear what I have known for some time, and that is that Cal/OSHA is not working,” she says. “The scale of Cal/OSHA’s tasks, the lives lost, and the duration of the problem calls for an approach beyond just staffing. What we really need to focus on is structural change.”
Added Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), “The results of this audit were stunning.” Story
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Watch Your Legislators
Sign up for beta access to My Legislator, your weekly report on what your state legislators said, voted on, introduced, and more. The beta version will run weekly until the regular legislative session adjourns on September 18, and they’d love your feedback on what works, what doesn’t, and what you would like to see.
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California State Minimum Wage for 2026 Announced
California’s Department of Finance recently announced the minimum wage increase for 2026. The minimum wage in California will increase from $16.50 per hour to $16.90 per hour on January 1, 2026. This increase applies to all employers, regardless of size. This increase is based on the state’s annual cost-of-living adjustment tied to the U.S. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), subject to a cap of 3.5% or the actual CPI-W increase, whichever is lower, as provided under Labor Code §1182.12(c).
Additionally, the minimum salary for full-time exempt employees will increase from $68,640 to $70,304 per year on January 1, 2026, in accordance with California’s requirement that exempt employees must earn at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time work (40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year). More
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Schwarzenegger’s Hall of Fame Induction Delayed by Newsom?
Former Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name was conspicuously absent from the list Governor Gavin Newsom read off during a reception previewing the incoming class, according to an attendee, who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. This seeming omission raised questions about whether Schwarzenegger’s vocal opposition to Newsom’s gerrymandering push was a factor in the delay, according to Politico.
Newsom spokesperson Bob Salladay declined to confirm who is on the list but said a planned unveiling of the full class has been delayed, likely until November, which would almost certainly mean after a Nov. 4 special election on a new House map drawn to exclude Republicans.
“Nobody’s being snubbed,” Salladay said. “The list remains the same, and we’re going to have a public announcement in a few months.”
But the development stunned people in Schwarzenegger’s orbit, some of whom had been invited to the event with the understanding that the former governor was going to be announced as an inductee.
His spokesperson, Daniel Ketchell, said Schwarzenegger had been notified of his planned induction but was not participating in the lead-up, including the Monday evening event. Ketchell mentioned he did not know why the former governor’s name was not announced but emphasized that politics never influenced their Hall of Fame decisions, noting that Schwarzenegger, who created the Hall of Fame when he was in office, enshrined liberal icon Jane Fonda.
As governor, Schwarzenegger championed efforts to strip line-drawing power from the Legislature and give it to an independent commission, work that will be effectively overridden if voters pass Newsom’s ballot measure.
While Newsom and his allies have portrayed the plan as a necessary response to Texas Republicans redrawing their map at President Donald Trump’s request, Schwarzenegger has promised to “terminate” the ballot initiative. He could be a powerful messenger given his widespread name recognition and credibility with many California voters as an anti-Trump voice. He also has the wealth to significantly support the opposition campaign.
Schwarzenegger has shared few details so far about how he plans to get involved in what is shaping up to be an enormously costly campaign. But he offered a glimpse this week: He announced he’s selling a “f*** the politicians, terminate gerrymandering” T-shirt and donating the proceeds to the League of Women Voters, an opponent of partisan redistricting.
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Republicans’ Plan to Split California Revealed
The latest Republican-led effort to allow rural parts of California to split off and form their own state highlights a new reality in California politics. While previous plans to divide the state focused on letting the rural north separate, sometimes in combination with parts of southern Oregon or Idaho, Assemblyman Gallagher’s plan would divide the state between east and west. This reflects how influential the Inland Empire region, around Riverside and San Bernardino, has become in shaping California’s Republican priorities. Story
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Arizona Can't Afford L.A.-Style Dysfunction
By Danny Seiden, the president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry
A recent headline in Politico asks, “Is anyone in charge of Los Angeles?” It’s a good question. The article charts the march of labor union Unite Here Local 11 through the city’s policymaking apparatus and the bruising fights the union has picked with the city’s job creators, especially those in the hospitality industry.
Meanwhile, some members of the city council express occasional concern about the damage that’s been done to the city’s reputation and whether it will be able to host a Super Bowl, World Cup, and Summer Olympic Games in successive years, but not enough, apparently, to do anything to broker a lasting truce between the union and the private businesses that are now looking for more welcoming environments.
Instead of disputes being settled at the negotiating table with the help of elected officials, the voting booth is increasingly where Big Labor and job creators square off.
We’re fortunate that in Arizona we don’t have city governments that are as openly hostile to job creation and a competitive business environment as L.A.
Not yet, anyway. We can’t get too comfortable.
That’s because Unite Here Local 11’s territory not only includes Southern California, but Arizona, too. The union is growing its presence here, organizing job-killing ballot measures, targeting specific businesses, throwing up roadblocks to development, and backing candidates for city council positions.
In Glendale, the union was the driving force behind Proposition 499 in 2024, a measure that would have burdened the city’s hospitality sector and taxpayers with costly new mandates. A year later, the union was back at it again, organizing Propositions 401 and 402, which attempted to block the development of a critical phase of what is slated to be the state’s largest resort, employing more than 2,000 Arizonans. In each case, the business community rallied to stop the union.
The pattern has been clear: if you’re a business that dares to succeed, you’re a target. Take Scottsdale, where Unite Here operatives helped circulate the petitions aimed at freezing the new Axon corporate headquarters development, an investment promising thousands of high-paying jobs. Stopping job creators in their tracks seems to be part of the union’s playbook. Like it did in Glendale, the business community came together to stand up for Scottsdale jobs. So did a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs.
The union isn’t content to restrict its influence to ballot measures and development fights. Unite Here is increasingly active in Arizona municipal politics, lining up behind city council candidates in Tucson, Phoenix, and Glendale who share their agenda. Their candidates may speak in platitudes about fairness and equity, but what they really offer is a city government more hostile to employers, less friendly to entrepreneurs, and far more willing to use public policy as a cudgel against job creation.
We’re also seeing a similar playbook from other California-based unions. The Service Employees International Union just announced a ballot initiative to cap the salaries of Arizona hospital executives, regardless of the size or complexity of the health system they lead, never mind that the proposal tramples any semblance of the right to contract.
Supporters may say the measure is about fairness, but it would just make it harder to recruit and retain the kind of medical leadership our state needs to ensure access to lifesaving care. It’s obvious that this isn’t about strengthening health care in Arizona; it’s about importing California’s labor fights to our ballot.
Arizona can’t afford to import Los Angeles-style dysfunction. We’ve built a reputation as a state where job creators are welcomed, where investment is encouraged, and where opportunity is still available for those willing to work hard and take risks. That reputation is one of our greatest competitive advantages, but it won’t endure if we ignore the encroachment of those who would rather grind our economy to a halt in service of their narrow political agenda.
Arizona’s job creators are resilient, but they need policymakers at all levels of government to stand firm and defend our pro-jobs environment, and call out efforts, no matter how cleverly disguised, that would weaken it.
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California Supreme Court Issues Decision on Good-Faith Defense for Minimum Wage Violations and Enforcement of Paid Leave Obligations under HWHFA
In Iloff v. LaPaille, the California Supreme Court addressed when “liquidated” or double damages may be avoided by an employer for minimum wage violations and how employees can pursue paid leave claims under California’s Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act (HWHFA), the statewide paid sick and safe time law. Story
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Off-the-Clock Cannabis Use in California: What Employers Need to Know Before Testing Employees
Since January 1, 2024, California law has protected employees and job applicants from discrimination based on their off-duty cannabis use. Employers can still enforce drug-free workplace policies, but AB 2188 added Government Code section 12954 to limit how and when cannabis testing can be used and what kind of tests are permissible. More
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Bechtel Teams on Construction Suicide-Mental Health Initiative
- Construction giant Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) have launched “Hard Hat Courage,” an initiative to address the industry’s high suicide rate and prioritize mental health alongside physical safety.
- The initiative aims to provide construction firms of all sizes with mental health and suicide prevention resources and education, focused on the building industry.
- AFSP has developed “toolbox talks” that contractors can bring to the jobsite, offering guidelines for conversations to challenge the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health.
READ MORE
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California Civil Rights Department (CRD) Ramps Up Enforcement of the California Fair Chance Act (CFCA)
Evaluating candidates with known criminal records in compliance with the California Fair Chance Act (CFCA) poses a challenge for covered employers because the CFCA limits the discretion employers have to rely on such records when making hiring decisions. To make matters worse, the state agency that oversees and enforces the CFCA, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), has been requiring strict compliance with the CFCA’s requirements. The CRD also interprets the CFCA’s requirements liberally in favor of applicants and, arguably, beyond what the statute requires. With the increasing number of administrative charges and lawsuits alleging CFCA violations, employers can proactively fortify their CFCA compliance. Read More
Democrat Assemblyman Visits
Assemblyman Corey Jackson toured WECA Riverside this week for a discussion about workforce development and how beneficial it is for young adults to begin adulthood debt-free. On the tour, Assemblyman Jackson heard from a fourth-year WECA electrical apprentice about the great opportunity that apprenticeships are for students. Joined by Dave Everett with WECA’s Government Affairs team, Jackson sat down to learn more about WECA’s commitment to apprenticeship, training, and safety. Thank you, Assemblyman Corey Jackson, for taking time out of your busy schedule in the California State Legislature to learn more about our members and students!
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California’s Lawmakers Love to Talk, But These Eight Barely Say a Word
Since the legislative session began in December, the average lawmaker has spoken for 6.3 hours. But eight lawmakers have talked for around an hour or less – six of them Republicans, who are a superminority in the Legislature, according to a CalMatters Digital Democracy analysis.
Quiet Republicans include a trio of assemblymembers from Orange County and a north state senator. Two other quiet Republicans represent competitive Assembly swing districts in the Inland Empire. A pair of Democratic assemblymembers – one from the San Joaquin Valley, the other representing the Chino area – also have been keeping their thoughts mostly to themselves this year. Story
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Truck Makers Sue California Regulators
According to POLITICO, a group of truck makers sued California regulators on Monday to block an industry agreement on zero-emission sales targets, arguing that the state no longer has authority to enforce its pollution regulations for heavy-duty vehicles.
The suit, filed in U.S. district court for the Eastern District of California, argues that truck manufacturers shouldn't have to abide by the state's sales targets for zero-emission trucks, or a separate voluntary agreement that the truck makers signed with California in 2023, because Congress overturned California’s Advanced Clean Truck rule in June through the Congressional Review Act.
The U.S. Justice Department sent cease-and-desist letters to the California Air Resources Board, but the state agency has continued to try enforcing the rules, the suit says. A CARB spokesperson said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
“Plaintiffs are caught in the crossfire: California demands that [original equipment manufacturers] follow preempted laws; the United States maintains such laws are illegal and orders OEMs to disregard them,” lawyers for Daimler Truck North America LLC, International Motors LLC, Paccar Inc. and Volvo North America LLC wrote. “This situation is not tenable.”
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A Deceptive Ballot Game
John Fleishman recently wrote about AB 699. “Picture this: you’re at the ballot box, scanning a measure called “Better Schools and Roads.” It sounds like a win for the community, but the fine print, tucked away in a voter guide you might never read, reveals a costly tax hike for decades. California’s Assembly Bill 699, racing through Sacramento, wants to make this sleight-of-hand standard. Former State Senator and fiscal watchdog John Moorlach, in an Orange County Register column, puts it bluntly: ‘Assembly Bill 699 makes it easier to pass feel-good tax measures that sound great on the surface but hit your wallet later.’ This isn’t about clarity; it’s about masking costs to sway voters.
AB 699 reflects a deeper issue: the progressive left’s relentless drive for wealth redistribution through ever-higher taxes. Current law, shaped by bipartisan reforms in 2015 and 2017, demands ballot measures disclose tax rates, duration, and revenue. AB 699 would let proponents swap that transparency for vague phrases like “See voter guide for details,” which is the intent. This bill would move critical fiscal impact information from the ballot itself (which everyone reads) over to the voter pamphlet that is mailed out. It’s a deliberate move to obscure the financial impact of bonds and taxes, making it easier to fund sprawling government programs by hiding their true price from voters.
This isn’t Sacramento’s first attempt to dilute ballot transparency. Dan Walters, in a CalMatters column, calls AB 699 part of a ‘political Whack-A-Mole’ game, noting a similar 2019 bill was vetoed by Governor Newsom for reducing openness. Backers, including low-income housing advocates, claim AB 699 helps pass bonds, but its effects stretch to all bond measures, potentially hiding tax hikes. The assumption seems to be that voters are too distracted to dig into voter guides or websites. It’s a tactic that doesn’t just undermine informed choices: it erodes trust in the democratic process.
If lawmakers believe new taxes or bonds are vital, they should make the case openly, rather than rely on vague ballot labels to nudge voters along. AB 699 bets on apathy, assuming people won’t notice they’re signing up for heavier tax burdens. Hiding costs to push an agenda isn’t leadership: it’s manipulation. Transparency isn’t a hurdle to overcome; it’s the foundation of fair governance.
What will Gavin Newsom do? This bill sailed through the State Assembly on the strength of Democratic votes and has gone through a couple of State Senate committees on partisan-line votes. Undoubtedly it will pass out of the liberal upper chamber and head to Newsom’s desk. AB 699 is a test of his priorities as he eyes a future beyond Sacramento, with whispers of presidential ambitions growing louder. In 2019, he vetoed a similar bill, citing the need for transparency. Will he hold that line, appealing to moderate swing voters who handed Trump the presidency over Harris by demanding clarity and accountability? Or will he bend to the progressive delegates who dominate Democratic nominating conventions, eager to fund expansive programs through obscured tax hikes?
Newsom’s decision on AB 699 will be one of many signals as to whether Newsom is playing to the far-left base or betting on the broader electorate’s demand for honesty. Californians deserve a governor who values truth and transparency, not one enabling Sacramento’s tax tricks.
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DOT Restarts EV Charger Funding After Court Blocked Halt
Key provisions from a program designed to develop a national network of electric vehicle charging stations were recently updated by the Trump administration.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Aug. 11 announced a series of modifications and updates meant to reform the Biden-era National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The Department of Transportation’s aim is to further facilitate state agencies’ access to resources for building new EV charging stations.
A federal court blocked an earlier move by the Trump administration to freeze the program, ruling that DOT overstepped its authority and attempted to override the will of Congress. Story
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Valley Candidates Boast Booming War Chests Ahead of 2026 Battles for Legislative Seats
Candidates for the California Legislature have submitted their fundraising reports for the first half of the year, spanning Jan. 1 through June 30.
Senate District 12
Three Republicans are vying for Senate District 12, currently held by Sen. Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield), who will be termed out of office next year.
· Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig ($446,322.25)
· Navy veteran and former Congressional candidate Michael Maher ($17,315.77)
· Kern County Supervisor David Couch ($7,500)
Senate District 14
· Asm. Esmeralda Soria (D–Fresno) ($338,886.51)
· Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza ($206,081.25)
Senate District 16
· Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield) is the lone candidate to have filed paperwork for the race so far ($136,748.74)
Assembly District 31
The race to succeed Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D–Fresno) includes the following three candidates:
· Fresno Building Healthy Communities CEO Sandra Celedon ($94,599.02)
· Fresno City Council member Annalisa Perea ($256,666.29)
· Republican James Polsgrove ($22,047.69)
Assembly District 27
Soria (D–Fresno) is leaving her spot in the Assembly to run for the State Senate, making it a two-person race so far:
· Merced Mayor Mike Murphy ($191,417.32)
· Merced City school board member Priya Lakireddy ($100,050)
Story
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California Supreme Court Backs Solar Companies in Rooftop Payments Fight
The California Supreme Court sided with rooftop solar advocates Thursday in ruling that a lower court gave too much deference to state utility regulators in a legal fight over solar incentives.
The California Supreme Court sent the case back to the Court of Appeals, First Appellate District to reconsider on the merits, agreeing with rooftop solar advocates who argued that the lower court should have applied a 1998 state law that reduced the level of deference the court owed to the California Public Utilities Commission to interpret its own statutory authority.
Thursday's decision also disapproved three other instances when lower courts applied high deference to the regulators in decades-old rulings involving ratepayer advocates and Southern California Edison.
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Acting NLRB General Counsel Issues Guidance for Salting Cases
On July 24, National Labor Relations Board Acting General Counsel (AGC) William B. Cowen issued Memorandum GC 25-08 (the “Salting Memo”), which provides case processing guidance to the Regions for investigating refusal-to-hire and refusal-to-consider-for-hire cases that arise in the “salting” context. Read More
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ICE Raids Leave the Future of Construction Labor in Limbo
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided an Alabama elementary school construction site on July 23, WKRG5 reported, resulting in the arrest of 11 people.
It’s one of the latest examples of ICE cracking down on jobsites believed to be employing immigrants unauthorized to work in the U.S.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump used heavy anti-immigration rhetoric, but it was tough to know how much the administration would follow through once in control in the White House. That lack of clarity has cleared somewhat, said Anirban Basu, chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors.
Story
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California Approves Landmark AI Employment Regulations
On June 30, 2025, the California Civil Rights Council (“CRC” or “Council”) secured final approval for revisions to Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations, which governs administration of the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). These regulations interpret California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act’s (FEHA) prohibitions against discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotion, training and termination, specifically inserting requirements and expectations when using “artificial intelligence, machine-learning, algorithms, statistics, and/or other data processing” to facilitate human decision-making. These revisions take effect on October 1, 2025, hence creating some urgent compliance needs for employers using AI-based tools in the Golden State. Read More
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More States Grant Unemployment Benefits to Striking Workers
In the span of just 36 days this spring and summer, the number of states offering unemployment benefits to striking workers doubled, to four.
New Jersey was the first to offer such benefits, beginning in 2018. New York followed in 2020.
Then Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) signed SB 5041 by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D) on May 19, establishing unemployment insurance benefits for striking workers in the Evergreen State.
“This bill levels the playing field for workers who are fighting for fair wages and working conditions,” Ferguson said in a press release. “Strikes are a last resort, and while they are an important tool for workers, they can be financially debilitating. This bill ensures workers have the resources they need to effectively bargain with their employers.”
Less than a month and a half later, on June 24, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed SB 916 by Sen. Kathleen Taylor (D), providing unemployment benefits for striking workers in the Beaver State.
Story
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News of an Employee’s Arrest or Pending Criminal Charges Poses a Dilemma for California Employers
Every day, the press reports on arrests for one reason or another in California and other states. Many of those arrested have jobs. In turn, the employers of the arrestees in California are confronted with a dilemma: on the one hand, the fact of the arrest may raise concerns about an employee’s suitability for continued employment (e.g., if the employee stands accused of violent, threatening, destructive, or other serious misconduct); on the other hand, state law affords the employee certain rights. Navigating between these competing risks requires careful consideration of the specific circumstances. Read More
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And Finally: Jellyfish Jam Up a Nuclear Power Plant
A jellyfish invasion has taken a French nuclear power plant offline, reports POLITICO. The French company EDF recently announced that jellyfish had entered the cooling system of a plant in Gravelines over the weekend, disabling three of its reactors (no word on who gave them the key). A fourth reactor shut down (the plant’s six reactors each generate 5.4 gigawatts of power). An EDF spokesperson said that the jellyfish only swarmed the “non-nuclear part of the installations” (that’s reassuring, who’d want a swarm of massive radioactive jellyfish?) and that the company is conducting diagnostics and repairs to resume operations. EDF uses water from the North Sea for cooling, where rising temperatures and the overfishing of jellyfish predators have led to an increase in jellyfish populations. Cue the Roger Corman movie.