jerrybrown
Latest
Internet industry groups sue California over net neutrality law
Industry groups representing AT&T, Charter, Comcast and Verizon among others have joined the Justice Department in suing California over the state's new net neutrality law. The groups said the legislation is a "classic example of unconstitutional state regulation" and asked the court to block the law before it takes effect January 1st, Reuters reports.
CA governor signs net neutrality bill into law, Justice Department sues
A net neutrality bill that its sponsor Scott Weiner calls "the strongest in the nation" (after being restored to its original form) is now state law in California after being signed by governor Jerry Brown. SB 822 is intended to restore the protections put in place by a (now-rescinded) 2015 FCC Order, as well as closing "loopholes" that its backers said could have allowed anti-competitive forms of zero-rating. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai captained the effort to repeal those rules, and has called the bill "illegal," setting the stage for a squabble between the state and federal government. And just as quickly as the bill has been signed, the New York Times reports that the Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against it. In a statement, the department claimed "Senate Bill 822, an Internet regulation bill signed into law earlier today by Governor Jerry Brown, unlawfully imposes burdens on the Federal Government's deregulatory approach to the Internet."
California may ban terrible default passwords on connected devices
California looks set to enact a law that aims to protect connected devices against hackers. The state senate has sent Governor Jerry Brown draft legislation that could beef up security across the vast ocean of smart gadgets.
California plans to launch its own climate satellite
The current White House doesn't accept climate science, and California is worried that this may lead to NASA switching off climate probes under pressure from President Trump. The state's solution? Build its own probe. In a speech at the Global Climate Action Summit, Governor Jerry Brown declared that California would launch its "own damn satellite" to detect pollution and address climate change. While he hinted at the possibility in 2016 remarks, it's more than just an allusion this time. The state is working with Planet Labs on the project, and will rely on the California Air Resources Board for further help.
California is set to hit its green-energy goals a decade early
California is both the nation's leading renewable-energy proponent and one of the few states to actually put its power where its mouth is. In November, the California Energy Commission released its annual Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) report which found that the state's three investor-owned utilities -- Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric -- are on track to collectively offer 50 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2020. That's a full decade faster than anyone had anticipated. Reports like these have been used to promote clean-energy production throughout the US and the rest of the world since the 1970s. However, it wasn't until 2002 that California codified the practice. But despite being in effect for only 15 years, California's mandatory reporting has become a potent tool in fighting greenhouse-gas emissions throughout the state.
California approves unmanned self-driving car trials
Given the number of tech companies that call California home, it's no surprise the state has been quick with forward-thinking legislation to support the development of self-driving vehicles. And almost four years to the day since driverless trials on public streets were first approved, a new bill has been signed off by Governor Jerry Brown that permits autonomous car tests without a human passenger overseeing proceedings.
California unbans the use of electric skateboards in bike lanes
In 1977, California banned the use of powered skateboards on state streets; largely because the only reliable source of power back then was noisy two stroke gas engines. However with the development of larger-capacity and quieter lithium-based battery power, skateboards have become about as noisy and polluting as bicycles. That's why, last Sunday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 604, which once again makes riding powered skateboards in the bike lane legal.
California governor vetoes bill banning drones over private property
Legislation that would have restricted drone pilots in California has been struck down by governor Jerry Brown. The bill, spearheaded by state senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, would have banned quadcopters from flying below 350 feet around private properties -- at least, not without the permission of the building's owner, anyway. It passed both the state Assembly and state Senate in August, prompting opposition from GoPro and advocacy groups with ties to Amazon and Google. Brown has now dismissed the bill, however, because of its potential to "expose the occasional hobbyist and FAA-approved commercial user to burdensome litigation." He admitted the bill was "well-intentioned," but stressed that all parties need to discuss the issue further "before we go down that path." Jackson, meanwhile, has gracefully accepted defeat, meaning Senate Bill 142 is shelved for now.
California Governor Brown signs bill clearing use of driverless cars on public roads (video)
Google just chalked up one of the more important victories for driverless cars. California Governor Jerry Brown has signed bill SB1298 into law, formalizing the legal permissions and safety standards needed to let automated vehicles cruise on state-owned roads. While the bill lets anyone move forward with their plans, it's clear from the ceremony that local technology darling Google is the primary impetus for the measure: Brown visited Google's Mountain View headquarters to put ink to paper, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin oversaw the signing with his Google Glass eyewear on full display. If you're dying to see driverless vehicles become mainstays of the Golden State, the official act making that possible is already available to watch after the break.
NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure
Way back before NRG was making electric DeLoreans and building solar power plants, it co-owned a slew of power facilities in California with Dynegy -- an energy outfit that got caught up in a long-term litigation over some old energy contracts with the state. Long story short, that legal dispute became NRG's problem in 2006, after it acquired Dynegy's majority stake in the partnership -- a problem it's finally resolving by peppering California with 200 fast-charging EV stations. The $120 million settlement promises to create jobs, invest in the state's economy and provide job training for the stations' maintenance and installation crews.NRG may be shelling out some serious cash, but the deal is still mutually beneficial -- those extra vehicle chargers will be running on its own fee-based eVgo network, after all. Governor Jerry Brown calls the settlement the beginning of a "virtuous circle" that will boost EV sales for the state, which will in turn, provoke investors to expand California's charging infrastructure, which will, of course, sell more cars. In fact, he's banking on it, and has signed an executive order setting targets for EV adoption. If all goes as planned, you'll be looking at a smog free San Francisco skyline by 2050. Won't that be nice?
