Newsom vetoes license-plate reader limits as misuse claims mount

State & Politics

Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected Senate Bill 274, a proposal that would have tightened rules on police use of automated license-plate readers. In his message, he argued that short data-retention windows “could stymie criminal investigations,” yet fresh reporting shows Riverside County deputies ran hundreds of plates with vague or undocumented justifications and created “personal” hotlists that violate their own policy.

Hours after the veto, Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the City of El Cajon, alleging its police department shared plate data with agencies in two dozen states, a direct breach of California privacy law. The complaint, detailed in new court filings, warns that once data crosses state lines it can be used to target immigrants or abortion seekers.

Crime & Public Safety

San Jose police arrested seven suspects tied to a violent smash-and-grab at Kim Hung Jewelry that left its 88-year-old owner hospitalized. Investigators say the crew is also linked to similar robberies in San Ramon and Milpitas.

An overnight standoff in San Francisco’s Tenderloin ended with a peaceful surrender, according to police reports, while separate shootings left victims dead in Santa Rosa and West Oakland (Santa Rosa update; West Oakland homicide).

Education & Community

After years without new construction, the San Francisco Unified School District will open the Mission Bay School in fall 2026, serving families from SoMa to Dogpatch. At the same time, budget pressures mean the small Academy High will merge with Wallenberg, part of wider school consolidations.

Across the Bay, Oxnard counselors are helping children cope with trauma following summer immigration raids. The emotional fallout, described in first-hand accounts, includes sleep loss and classroom absences as students fear family separation.

Business & Economy

California’s unemployment-insurance debt is climbing toward $23 billion, leaving companies on track to pay a federal payroll tax nearly nine times higher than debt-free states. Analysts trace the shortfall, outlined in a new CalMatters review, to benefit hikes dating back two decades and pandemic-era shutdowns that drained the fund.

Meanwhile, campaign spending on Proposition 50 — Governor Newsom’s bid to redraw congressional maps — has already topped $215 million. The money race, detailed in latest filings, makes the measure one of the costliest in state history just five weeks before Election Day.

Tech & Innovation

Cyber-security giant Palo Alto Networks hit a record share price of $210.70 this week as investors cheered its AI-driven security platform (market report). The surge comes amid a broader boom in defense-tech startups: firms such as Anduril and SpaceX are drawing billions to challenge traditional contractors, according to a CNBC special report.

Yet growing pains are evident: an internal Army memo flagged Anduril-backed battlefield network NGC2 as a “very high risk” for security flaws (memo details).

Bay Area Weather

Skies start crisp and sunny today, with afternoon highs near 71 °F around the bay and a gentle west breeze. Expect a slow warm-up through Monday — mid-70s inland by the start of the week — before temperatures ease back to the high 60s late next week. Overnight lows remain steady in the upper 50s, and no rain is on the immediate horizon.