CalWatchdog Morning Read – August 2

• Assemblyman under domestic violence restraining order goes reclusive
• Largest state employees union close to going on strike?
• Coal divestment raises concerns
• “CalPERS grapples with low earnings”
• Supporters spend big on gun control and tax on rich ballot measures 

Good morning! 

After being placed under a three-year restraining order from his wife over domestic violence allegations and subsequently stripped of his committee assignments, including a chairmanship, Assemblyman Roger Hernandez has become reclusive.

First, the West Covina Democrat made his official Twitter account private sometime in July, and then on Monday he went on medical leave for a week or two to start the last month of the legislative session.

A spokesperson for the Hernandez did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but both his office and the office of Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Paramount, confirmed to The Sacramento Bee on Monday that Hernandez requested medical leave that would likely extend through this week and much of next week.

CalWatchdog has more.

In other news:

• “California’s largest state employee union has taken the first step to strike, authorizing a membership vote amid contract negotiations with the Brown administration,” reports The Sacramento Bee.
• California push for coal divestment raises concerns, reports CalWatchdog.
• “Twice in recent decades CalPERS fell below 100 percent of the funding needed for promised pensions, and twice CalPERS climbed back. But since a $100 billion investment loss in 2008, the CalPERS funding level has not recovered. Now with about 75 percent of the projected assets needed to pay future pensions, CalPERS has had low investment earnings during the last two fiscal years. Experts expect the trend to continue during the next decade.” Capitol Weekly has more. 
• The Los Angeles Times reports that the largest teachers union has given more than $13 million in the effort to extend the Prop. 30 tax on the highest incomes (now called Prop. 55), while the committee for Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s gun control ballot measure has substantially outraised the measure’s opponents. 

Assembly:

• Next floor session is Thursday. 
• The Assembly Committee on Elections and Redistricting is holding two briefings to discuss a proposal that would streamline the vote-by-mail process, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Senate:

• Next floor session is Thursday. No hearings scheduled.

Gov. Brown: 

• No public events announced.

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