Some Democratic California lawmakers want to make it easier for people to sue gun companies for liability in shootings that cause injuries or deaths, a move advocates said Tuesday is aimed at getting around a U.S. law that prevents such lawsuits and allows the industry to act recklessly.

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California Assembly member Phil Ting of San Francisco unveiled a bill on Tuesday modeled after the New York law, which is being challenged in court by gun-makers.

Another coronavirus variant spreading like wildfire, and another huge state budget surplus: In some ways, 2022 is off to a similar start as 2021. 

That could carry over to the state Legislature’s new session that started Monday. In addition to the pandemic and surplus, California is dealing with some of the same big issues it has long grappled with — including housing and climate change. 

California lawmakers are flush with money and unfinished business from last year as they return to the state Capitol on Monday, but they head into an election year rife with uncertainty due to the redrawing of legislative districts after the 2020 census.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he anticipates another “historic” budget surplus months after he approved a record spending plan that topped a quarter-trillion dollars including a $75 billion surplus. Legislative analysts predict the state will have another $31 billion surplus for the fiscal year starting July 1.

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The days of having to take bags of cans and bottles to a recycling center to redeem the California Redemption Value have been over in San Francisco for years, as most recycling centers in The City have closed ... Both state Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Phil Ting, who represent San Francisco, worked on two separate bills to create and ensure cities had the resources to launch a pilot.

At least two prominent Democratic lawmakers have publicly committed to introducing legislation next month, while others have backed Newsom’s pitch on social media ... Phil Ting, chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, is also racing to introduce a proposal when the Legislature reconvenes. “Almost every industry in the U.S. is held liable for what their products do, but the gun industry is not held to the same standard.

California is making strides in reducing plastic pollution with the nation’s first legislation on recycled content standards in plastic bottles. Effective January 1, all plastic California Refund Value drink containers in the state must be made with at least 15 percent recycled materials. Ultimately, California’s goal is to require all plastic bottles to be made of 50 percent recycled materials by 2030, which would surpass the European Union’s 30 percent mandate as the highest percentage requirement in the world.