Politics

President Trump issued a new version of his travel ban today, nearly a month after a San Francisco-based federal court blocked his last order to limit migration from seven predominantly Muslim nations.

Fears about deportation had initially depressed interest in a state-funded scholarship program for undocumented California students, but a campaign to reassure applicants seems to have worked. Applications this year are up slightly compared to last year thanks to a late surge.

If President Trump and conservative Republicans in Congress succeed in cutting off Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds, the impact will be particularly strong in California—a state where legislators over the years have interpreted federal laws and rules in ways that have allowed more federal dollars to flow to Planned Parenthood clinics. Roughly half of the federal funding that Planned Parenthood receives nationwide now goes to cover health care for Californians.

The Trump administration has postponed deciding whether to approve millions in federal funding for an electrified Caltrain. Should the project become the newest casualty of the word of words (and tweets) between the President and state Democrats, it will be a signal that “the state’s outspoken political opposition to the Trump administration might come with a price.”

In another worrying sign for California's newly legalized marijuana industry, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says the Justice Department is reviewing its hands-off policy toward enforcing federal anti-pot laws—and that he's seeing "real violence" linked to marijuana.

President Trump's action to rescind Obama-era protections for transgender school children drew quick rebuke from California lawmakers, but the dispute at this point is more symbolic than substantive.

Cozying up to the new administration might not be a good political look for most state Democrats—but if President Trump wants to make due on his campaign promise to direct up to $1 trillion towards new infrastructure projects, well, California lawmakers might just make an exception.

California Democratic leaders upset over the Trump administration's more aggressive crackdown against illegal immigration have sent a flare aimed at Washington D.C.—a Freedom of Information Act request for information about immigration raids and policies.

Democrats in the California Legislature, wary of as-yet unknown environmental polices to come from the Trump White House, have moved to preempt potential federal rollbacks by introducing a trio of bills to maintain existing state protections—both for the environment and for the scientists who study it.

Single-payer healthcare is once again up for debate in Sacramento, as two state senators push a bill to establish a plan before the federal government repeals the Affordable Care Act. Supporters say this bill may have a better chance given the anxiety created by the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle Obamacare, insisting "we’ll never get 100 percent health care in California unless we lead.”