The Thorn West is a state and local news roundup compiled by members of DSA-LA. Our goal is to provide a weekly update on the latest developments in state and local politics, and to track the issues that are most important to our membership.

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Issue No. 125 - September 9, 2022

State Politics

• With the legislative session closed, here is everything that passed and awaits the governor’s signature or veto.

• President Biden endorsed AB 2183, the California bill that would enable union organizing among farm workers. The bill passed through the Legislature last week, but Governor Newsom already vetoed an earlier version of this same bill and has yet to sign this one. Biden’s surprise endorsement is speculated to be political gamesmanship aimed at Newsom, a potential 2024 primary challenger.

• Newsom did sign AB 257, which would establish a Fast Food Council to regulate wages at large chain restaurants. The restaurant industry is fighting back, and announced intentions to put a referendum on ballots overturning the law, which now may not be able to go into effect until the referendum is resolved. Via Who Gets the Bird, more labor analysis on the impact of this measure.

Health Care

• The newly developed COVID vaccine that is more effective against the prevalent BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the omicron strain is now available in Los Angeles County to all adults. Book an appointment here, or through most major pharmacy chains. Vaccines remain free of cost.

Housing Rights

• After several delays, LAHSA has released a census report on the county’s unhoused population, for the first time since COVID began. The numbers reveal a 4.1% increase in the total population in LA County, and a 1.7% increase in the city of Los Angeles, with continued overrepresentation of Black and Latine people among the unhoused. This represents a smaller increase than in previous years, largely attributed to a slower rate of people falling into homelessness. County representatives suggest that this is likely due to COVID-related assistance programs and eviction protections.

• The Housing Committee of the Los Angeles City Council will discuss ending COVID-related eviction protections at its next meeting, following the Housing Department's fulfillment of a request for a report, which recommends that most citywide eviction protections sunset on December 31, 2022.

• Knock LA continues its in-depth reporting on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Campus, where many tiny homes developed for unhoused veterans remain empty. A fire destroyed several of these homes this week, though no one has been reported injured.

Environmental Justice

• The record-breaking heat wave that has gripped California since last week may finally end, with a dramatic near-miss hurricane. The heat also caused record-breaking power-usage that prompted an emergency request urging Californians to conserve power “if health allows,” or rolling blackouts would be ordered. This warning effectively curbed consumer usage, averting the need for drastic action.

• Curbed uses the heat wave as a prompt to talk about lack of shade on LAUSD campuses. LA Taco reports on industrial pollution at Jordan High School in Watts, where students report being advised not to drink the water.