California Watch
News stories in this section spotlight activities in California, including actions by the state Assembly and state Senate; proposed legislation; regulators like the Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Insurance; and the state ACA exchange, Covered California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Latinos in the Central Valley have been disproportionately harmed by the spread of COVID-19, prompting the governor to send “strike teams” to eight counties while asking the California Legislature to approve $52 million to improve testing, tracing and isolation protocols in those regions.
Medical professionals from the military have arrived in Los Angeles County to reinforce the ranks of two hospitals.
The next two weeks are shaping up to be critical for California as officials wait to see if the sweeping restrictions imposed in late June and July show any signs of slowing the rapid spread of coronavirus in communities across the state.
Californians will be allowed to get their hair cut and their nails done outdoors, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, a week after he ordered personal care services shuttered again in most of the state amid a surge in coronavirus cases.
The state announced a new tiered system that gives testing priority to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, and those linked to outbreaks.
California is largely closing again amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across the state, as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced statewide restrictions Monday to again halt all indoor dining and close bars, zoos and museums.
The standoff in the nation’s largest state underscores the difficult road ahead for governors and local leaders.
New coronavirus cases soared in California over the July Fourth weekend, stressing some hospital systems and leading to the temporary closure of the state capitol building in Sacramento for deep cleaning, officials said on Monday.
Last week, just before adjourning for a COVID-19-shortened summer recess, the California State Senate passed a measure that, if it becomes law, would significantly expand the availability of unpaid family leave in the state. SB 1383 would extend family leave protections to employers with five or more employees and significantly add to the circumstances in which employees will be entitled to family leave and return rights to the same or a comparable job. Current state law, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), applies to covered employers with 50 or more employees.
New coronavirus cases roughly doubled in California over the last month. Hospitalizations have soared 88%, filling some medical centers close to capacity.