Senator Wiener & Assemblymember Ting’s Statement Opposing Limited Extension of Eviction Moratorium and Rent Relief

Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement opposing Assembly Bill 2179, which partially extends California’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium and rent relief program and which preempts local eviction moratoria in some cities (including San Francisco and 70% of Los Angeles County) but not others:

“On Friday, legislation went into print that winds down California’s rent relief program, allowing no new applications after March 31. Moreover, after March 31, California’s statewide eviction moratorium will only apply to renters who have already applied for rent relief. Others will no longer have state eviction protections relating to COVID-19.

KQED TV: UC Berkeley Fight

UC Berkeley Admissions Restored Under Senate Bill 118

California legislators acted with unusual speed this week to protect UC Berkeley from the consequences of a court ruling governing the number of students it could admit. Senate Bill 118, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, exempts all state universities and colleges from certain portions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which had been invoked by a local group suing UC Berkeley.

LA Times: Lawmakers Unveil Rescue Effort To Help UC Berkeley Avoid Enrollment Cuts After Court Battle

California legislators are fast-tracking a rescue effort to help UC Berkeley avoid slashing its in-person fall class by more than 2,600 students to meet a court-ordered enrollment freeze, just as the university prepares to release admission decisions this month.

Under legislation introduced Friday, the state’s public colleges and universities would be given 18 months to complete any court-ordered environmental review before being subject to a mandatory reduction or freeze in campus population.

Legislative Leaders Introduce Bill Addressing CEQA at California Colleges and Universities

UC Berkeley

Today, the California State Assembly introduced SB 118, in response to a recent court ruling regarding student populations at public universities and colleges. The bill gives higher education leaders 18 months to address CEQA-related issues before decisions impacting enrollment growth can be issued. Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) issued the following joint statement:

AP: UC Berkeley Ordered To Freeze Enrollment For Incoming Class

The University of California, Berkeley was ordered by the state Supreme Court on Thursday to freeze its undergraduate enrollment at 2020-21 levels, meaning it will have to accept at least 3,000 fewer students than planned for in the upcoming academic year.

SF Chronicle: Bay Area Cities Want To Use Cameras to Enforce Excessive Speeding. A New Bill Would Allow It

State lawmakers have revived an effort to allow San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland to use cameras to enforce excessive speeding amid the region’s surge in traffic violence during the pandemic.

The legislation, which is the third attempt since 2017 to allow some California cities to pilot speed cameras, comes at a time when the Bay Area’s largest cities are struggling to rein in severe and fatal crashes.