In a rare showing of bipartisanship, Republicans in the Assembly’s public safety committee are backing a tough-on-crime bill authored by a Democrat.
On Tuesday the committee advanced a measure by Elk Grove Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen that would raise the parole eligibility requirements for some elderly prisoners. Currently, incarcerated people ages 50 and up who have served at least 20 years of their sentence can be considered for the Elderly Parole Program. But for people convicted of sexual crimes against children, Nguyen’s bill would raise that standard to 65 years of age, with at least 25 years served.
Criminal justice groups, including the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and UnCommon Law, oppose the bill, citing the low recidivism rates of elderly prisoners and the high financial cost of keeping people incarcerated.
Nguyen’s defense of the bill included tearful testimony from a woman who was sexually victimized by a man named David Funston when she was a child. Funston was later convicted for kidnapping and child molestation in 1999, and was serving three life sentences when the California parole board last year deemed Funston suitable for parole at age 64. Despite public outcry, including from GOP legislators, and a request from Gov. Gavin Newsom to review the case, the board reaffirmed its decision in February.
- Nguyen: “When you harm children as young as four years old, multiple times … then no, I don’t believe those individuals deserve an opportunity to come out here without guardrails.”
This is Nguyen’s second attempt at proposing this bill. In their backing of the measure, Republican Assemblymembers Juan Alanis and Tom Lackey expressed their desire to sign on as the bill’s co-authors.
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CalMatters and partners nominated for a national Emmy
CalMatters, Evident Media and Bellingcat’s collaborative documentary, “Operation Return to Sender” has been nominated for the 2026 News and Documentary Emmy Awards.
Our investigation exposed the tactics and misinformation behind what would become the blueprint for the mass deportation campaigns carried out across America. We focused on the claims of Border Patrol sector chief Gregory Bovino, who would go on to lead the raids in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis and beyond.
The investigation debunked claims about Bovino’s first “proof of concept” raid in Kern County. He asserted the operation was “highly targeted” against immigrants with criminal records. But the Department of Homeland Security’s own data, obtained for this report, revealed that Border Patrol had no prior knowledge of any criminal or immigration history for 77 of the 78 people detained during the three-day raid.
Read more about the investigation behind CalMatters’ first Emmy nomination.
Multiple parties want to pump the brakes on Newsom fuel proposal
State legislators on Thursday will consider a proposal by Gov. Newsom that would subsidize a kind of jet fuel that burns cleaner than traditional jet fuel. But environmentalists and the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office are urging lawmakers to reject the idea, writes CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo.
Tucked inside the governor’s state budget plan is a tax credit proposal that allows oil producers to pay less in diesel tax if they produce more jet fuel from cleaner-burning materials, such as cooking grease and animal fat. Currently, Phillips 66 — which operates a refinery in Rodeo that produces such biofuel — is one of two companies in California that produce state-certified jet biofuel and pay diesel excise tax.
The president of United Steelworkers Local 326, which represents Rodeo plant workers, says the tax credit could help workers remain employed.
But environmental advocates are concerned that biofuels could still pollute the air. The analyst’s office for the Legislature also warns that the effort isn’t cost effective: The office projects that the proposal would cost more than the $300 million the state estimates. The subsidy would also pull revenue away from the diesel tax, which goes towards maintaining California roads.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: A bill that would ban companies from colluding to create monopolies and undermine competition underscores the perennial conflict between California businesses and groups that want more regulation.
Gen Z voters want California’s next governor to address issues related to economic mobility, civil rights protections and affordable housing, write Andrea Escobar and Joselen Contreras, fellows at Unseen.
As California’s insurance chief, I would lead a technology-centric reinvention of our insurance regulations, implement CAL Reinsure and establish community protection standards, writes Merritt Farren, an attorney and Republican running for Insurance Commissioner.
Other things worth your time:
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Trump cut funding for gun violence prevention. CA’s Latino communities are facing the fallout // The Guardian
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State Sen. Cervantes sues Sacramento, accuses police of fabricating evidence // Los Angeles Times
DHS threatens to halt international travel at SFO over sanctuary policies // San Francisco Chronicle
SF moves to ban unsafe e-bike batteries after fires displace hundreds, kill one // The San Francisco Standard
Sheriff’s deputies committed crimes before man died in Vista jail, oversight board finds // The San Diego Union-Tribune
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