“Uber would only have full-time jobs for a small fraction of our current drivers and only be able to operate in many fewer cities than today,” he said. Rides would be costlier – as much as 111% more expensive in some areas — “which would significantly reduce the number of rides people could take and, in turn, the number of drivers needed to provide those trips.”

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One reason Newsom’s coronavirus-related spending came under big scrutiny was that the Legislature handed him a blank check and left town for much of the spring during the height of the crisis.  This was when Newsom entered into his controversial $1 billion mask deal.  Even as the Legislature returned and started to ask tough questions, the Administration has been evasive to lawmakers and journalists.

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A new policy brief about the impact of California AB 72 finds that the law – designed to alleviate surprise medical billing – while well-intentioned also has unintended consequences that have increased medical costs and affected quality of care. The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) brief, “The Menace of Medical Rate Setting: The Case of California’s AB 72,” is authored by Dr. Wayne Winegarden, director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation.

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The California State Legislature is full of tradition and rules during the end of session. But 2020 has put the booming west coast on notice, with a projected $54 billion deficit and high unemployment. What could have been a banner year for legislators, and another crushing wave of overbearing new laws, became a sideshow to Newsom.

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