All 80 Assembly seats and half the 40 Senate seats are on the ballot, so many lawmakers will be pulling double duty between policy-making and campaigning. And they won鈥檛 have as much state money to bring home to their constituents.
The estimated will also mean less money for programs that support health care, housing, education, the environment and more as lawmakers must reconsider their priorities to help bring the state out of the red. Not only will these interest groups compete with one another, but Democratic legislators who advocate on behalf of these issues will have to jockey for a slice of the budget pie. Meanwhile, expect Republicans to grab opportunities throughout the session to propose cuts for programs they already oppose.
But it鈥檚 not just the budget on lawmakers鈥� to-do list. Among other issues:
Artificial Intelligence: Concerns about artificial intelligence and its applications aren鈥檛 new 鈥� including 鈥� and we鈥檒l likely see more legislative proposals in 2024 that hope to rein in the technology. This year, legislators will consider bills to create , and to give entertainment artists some authority to over the use of their 鈥渄igital replicas鈥� if the usage is 鈥渃ontrary to public policy and deemed unconscionable.鈥� And an requires the state鈥檚 department of technology to create an inventory of 鈥渉igh-risk automated decision systems鈥� by September, and submit its first report by January 2025.
Maternity wards: Citing CalMatters鈥� reporting about the alarming rate at which , Democratic Assemblymember of La Mesa announced Friday that to 鈥渆nhance the existing state review process鈥� before a maternity ward shuts down. The process will include an analysis of how a closure will impact the nearby community.
Wildfire insurance: After a handful of major insurance companies decided to in California, lawmakers before adjourning the session. Meanwhile, some homeowners have to resort to the state鈥檚 FAIR Plan that offers customers limited, and often more expensive, fire coverage. The state鈥檚 Department of Insurance is , but such rules may not be . Meanwhile, State Farm, the state鈥檚 largest home insurer, is it is renewing.
Plus, there are the perennial issues of crime (including a special committee on retail theft), education, the environment, homelessness and more.
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