CalWatchdog Morning Read – May 5

• Millennials matter in elections
• 21 to smoke
• SCOTUS on Gov. Brown’s sentencing initiative
• Education still near the bottom
• Influential liberal groups complain business group has too much influence

Happy Cinco de Mayo. It’s also Thursday.

Are California millennials a political bellwether?

“With Donald Trump riding high in statewide polls and Bernie Sanders committed to seeing through his youth-fueled campaign all the way to the convention, California has become a large and unlikely test case for how millennials might vote in the general election — both in terms of ideology and simple turnout.”

“Although anecdotal evidence has shaped a popular view of millennials as a dejected and politically disconnected generation, some data analysis has complicated that picture,” writes CalWatchdog.

In other news:

• It’s official: Starting June 9, you need to be at least 21 years old to smoke and vape in California. LA Weekly has more.
• The state Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday on Gov. Jerry Brown’s  sentencing-reform ballot initiative. The Los Angeles Times has more. 
• A new analysis of education statistics shows California ranking 45th in 2015 in  reading and math assessments for Grades 4 and 8. Less than 30 percent of California 4th and 8th graders were at or above proficient levels in math or reading. The San Jose Mercury News has more. 
• Progressive groups say CalChamber’s annual ‘job killer’ list killing good legislation and has too much influence over state lawmakers, reports the Los Angeles Times. Some of the groups complaining are SEIU, Planned Parenthood and Sierra Club. 

Assembly:

• In at 9 a.m. 

Senate: 

• In at 9 a.m.. Full day of budget hearings. 

Gov. Brown:

• No public events scheduled.

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