California

California


Privacy activists call on California to remove covert license plate readers

More than two dozen privacy and advocacy organizations are calling on California Gov. Gavin Newsom to remove a network of covert license plate readers deployed across Southern California that the groups believe feed data into a controversial U.S. Border Patrol predictive domestic intelligence program that scans the country’s roadways for suspicious travel patterns. “We ask […]

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Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit seeking detailed voter information from California

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against California that sought detailed voting records and personal data on its 23 million registered voters, concluding that the government’s request was “unprecedented and illegal.” The Trump administration’s lawsuit, filed last year, contended that California and other states […]

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California governor vetoes bill to restrict kids’ access to AI chatbots

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday vetoed landmark legislation that would have restricted children’s access to AI chatbots. The bill would have banned companies from making AI chatbots available to anyone under 18 years old unless the businesses could ensure the technology couldn’t engage in sexual conversations or encourage self-harm. “While […]

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California expands privacy protections as Democratic-led states resist Trump’s immigration agenda

Immigrants selling food, flowers and other merchandise along the sidewalks of California will have new privacy protections intended to keep their identities secret from federal immigration agents. The measure, signed into law this past week by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, comes on the heels of other recently enacted state laws meant to shield students in […]

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US Justice Department sues 6 more states, including NY and California, in its quest for voter data

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department sued six more states on Thursday, saying the states are illegally blocking the agency’s wide-ranging effort to scrutinize detailed voter data in a brewing court fight over what states say is the private, protected information of residents. The Justice Department also accused the states of failing to […]

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officers from wearing masks during operations

California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces while conducting official business under a bill that was signed Saturday by Gov. Gavin Newsom and swiftly denounced by Trump administration officials. The ban is a direct response to recent immigration raids in Los Angeles, where […]

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California senators demand Trump immigration officials stop using Medicaid data

WASHINGTON (AP) — California’s two U.S. senators demanded on Wednesday that the Trump administration stop using personal data of millions of Medicaid enrollees — including their immigration status — as part of its sweeping deportation campaign. In a letter to top administration officials, Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla expressed alarm over an Associated […]

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Driver of Ctour Holiday van involved in Idaho crash was licensed in California

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. (AP) — Idaho State Police said Saturday that the driver of the tour van involved in a deadly collision with a pickup truck was licensed in California and the company that organized the trip was Ctour Holiday LLC, a large tour operator that provides international travel services. The pickup truck driver and […]

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Thousands of University of California workers go on strike alleging unfair bargaining tactics

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tens of thousands of University of California physician assistants, optometrists, and other health care and custodial workers went on strike Wednesday over alleged unfair labor practices and staffing shortages. The strikes by two unions representing nearly 60,000 health care and service workers are separate and come after the unions and 10-campus […]

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After disasters, people are especially vulnerable to scams. Here’s how to protect yourself

NEW YORK (AP) — During natural disasters like wildfires and floods, scammers often emerge to prey on victims. People in heightened emotional states in the wake of a catastrophic event should be extra careful of impersonators asking for identifying details, according to Karina Layugan, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission based in Los Angeles, […]

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California governor vetoes bill to create first-in-nation AI safety measures

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a landmark bill aimed at establishing first-in-the-nation safety measures for large artificial intelligence models Sunday. The decision is a major blow to efforts attempting to rein in the homegrown industry that is rapidly evolving with little oversight. The bill would have established some of the first […]

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6 Southern California firefighters remain hospitalized after truck overturns

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Six firefighters remained hospitalized Friday after their truck rolled over on a highway on their way back from working a 12-hour shift battling one of three massive blazes burning in Southern California. Two others were released after the crash, officials said. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said a […]

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