Story perspectives

California sends four new bills to Newsom

9/9/2026

Summary

California Lawmakers Send Bills

California lawmakers sent two community-college bachelor’s degree bills to Governor Gavin Newsom.
Senate Bill 1387 expands ethnicity data collection to include Jewish identity.
Assembly Bill 1853 bans false or misleading information in voter guides.
Assembly Bill 2664 creates a 100-foot buffer zone around worship entrances, prohibiting approach within eight feet without consent.
Assembly Bill 1763 makes religious holiday observance an excused school absence without a written request.

Summary

LA County Sues

Los Angeles County sued State Farm for alleged unfair smoke-damage claim practices after the 2025 fires.
The lawsuit says State Farm denied environmental testing and refused to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses.
Policyholder Kareem Ali paid $3,000 for testing and $8,000-a-month rent that State Farm did not cover.
State Farm spokesperson Sevag Sarkissian said the company “strongly disagrees” with the county’s allegations.

History

Historical Context

California’s insurance-claim rules echo earlier consumer-protection moves such as the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1977, which set nationwide standards for fair handling of debts. California’s own civil-code provisions (e.g., §§ 1788-1788.33) extend those protections to insurers, creating a state-level framework that today underpins bills like SB 1387 and AB 1853.

1 of 3

California Lawmakers Send Bills

California lawmakers sent two community-college bachelor’s degree bills to Governor Gavin Newsom.
Senate Bill 1387 expands ethnicity data collection to include Jewish identity.
Assembly Bill 1853 bans false or misleading information in voter guides.
Assembly Bill 2664 creates a 100-foot buffer zone around worship entrances, prohibiting approach within eight feet without consent.
Assembly Bill 1763 makes religious holiday observance an excused school absence without a written request.

1 / 3