BREAKING: California lawmakers are about to vote on 5 major bills that could radically reshape life in the state.
Some could change how you work, live, or get taxed.
Here’s what’s flying under the radar in Sacramento — and why it matters 🧵 1. SB 1497 – The “Digital ID” Bill
Would require the DMV to create a statewide digital driver’s license and ID app by 2027.
Critics warn of privacy risks. Supporters say it’s about convenience and modernization.

🔗 Status: In Assembly Appropriations
📅 Vote: Likely in August

BREAKING: California has quietly passed laws you probably never heard of.
Some are serious. Some are bizarre. Some are pure California.
Here are 10 new laws that could affect you — whether you live here or not 🧵 1. SB 951 – Paid Family Leave Expansion
Starting 2025, California will replace 90% of your income during family leave — but only for low-wage earners.
Funded by a payroll tax, this could cost employers and higher-income workers more in the long run.

“Does California tax you when you leave?”
You’ve heard the rumors. The “exit tax.” The audits. The threats.

So what’s true — and what’s not?

Here’s the real story of California’s attempt to chase you even after you’re gone. 🧵 1.

Let’s start with the myth:

❌ California does not charge a literal “exit tax” when you move out.

But here’s the catch:

✅ If you earned income in California, the state will still track you — sometimes years after you’ve left.

💥 WHERE DOES LA’S TRASH GO? 💥

Los Angeles produces over 10 million tons of waste every year.

But here’s the dirty secret: LA’s landfills are nearing their limits—and we’re running out of places to dump our trash.

🧵 A thread on LA’s landfills, capacity, and looming crisis: 1.

LA’s trash doesn’t vanish. It goes to one of several major landfills in or near the County:

🚛 Sunshine Canyon Landfill
🚛 Puente Hills Landfill (closed)
🚛 Chiquita Canyon Landfill
🚛 Calabasas Landfill
🚛 Antelope Valley Landfill

Let’s break it down.

LA’s $2 Billion Housing Mystery — Where Did the Money Go?

The City of Los Angeles spent over $2 billion trying to solve homelessness in the last few years. 🏗️ In 2016, voters passed Measure HHH, a $1.2 billion bond to build 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing.

Fast forward to 2025:
•Fewer than half of those units are done
•Many projects took 6–7 years to build
•Average cost per unit: $600,000–$837,000+

Let’s dig in.

🗑️ THREAD: California’s Weird Trash Laws You’re Probably Breaking

Did you know it’s illegal to throw food in the trash in California?

Or that your city could fine you for tossing banana peels?

Let’s talk about the wild world of mandatory composting and trash sorting laws 🧵 1.

In 2022, California enacted SB 1383, a sweeping state law requiring all residents and businesses to separate food waste from regular trash.

The goal? Cut landfill methane emissions by 75% by 2025.

The method? Mandatory green bin composting.

🧵 405 Lane Closures Start TONIGHT — $144M Project Begins

The 405 — the busiest freeway in the U.S. — is about to get even worse.

A $144 million construction project starts tonight and will last 4 years, causing major lane and ramp closures.

Here’s what LA drivers need to know: 1.

The project will overhaul the Sepulveda Pass, between the 101 Freeway and Sunset Blvd.

It’s being led by Caltrans, and includes:
– Ramp expansions
– Bridge retrofitting
– Drainage and safety upgrades

Cost: $144 million. Duration: 4 years.

🧵 Stuff LA Bought (That Failed) — Episode 4

LA spent $70 million on a homelessness tracking software called CHAMP.

It was supposed to streamline outreach, beds, and services.

Instead?

It never launched.

Here’s how it failed before it even started: 1.

The goal: a unified system to track every person experiencing homelessness in LA.

CHAMP was designed to:
– Coordinate outreach workers
– Track shelter referrals
– Monitor housing progress
– Replace outdated systems

It was the backbone of “Care First.”

🚨 A federal judge may take control of LA’s entire homelessness budget.

A bombshell court fight is unfolding that could reshape the city’s future — and no one’s talking about it.

Here’s what you need to know 🧵 1.

The group suing LA — the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights — is asking Judge David O. Carter to appoint a court receiver to take over LA’s homelessness response.

Why?

Because they say the City broke its promise.

🚨 THREAD: Los Angeles is run by more than just the City Council or Board of Supervisors.

There are dozens of powerful boards, commissions, and authorities.

Here are 12 you’ve probably never heard of 🧵 1/
📍LA County CEO Executive Team
You didn’t elect them.
But they manage a $46 billion budget, oversee all departments, and shape every policy memo the Board votes on.

🚨 THREAD: 10 California programs that cost billions — but no one can explain what they actually do.

This is where your money goes.

And it’s why nothing works. 1. CalVIP (California Violence Intervention & Prevention)
📍 Budget: $200M+
Mission: Reduce gun violence
Reality: LA homicides surged 40% during peak funding years
Audit? None. Metrics? None.

🔍 “Community-based transformation through trauma-informed street outreach” — translation: who knows.

🚨 THREAD: California lost $31 billion to fraud during the pandemic.

It’s the biggest unemployment scam in U.S. history.

Prisoners got paid.
Scammers got rich.

Here’s how it happened 🧵 1.

During COVID, the CA Employment Development Department (EDD) exploded with claims.

Millions were out of work.

So California dropped safeguards to speed up payments.

The result?

🚨 A fraud free-for-all.

🚨 THREAD: California has spent over $500 BILLION on homelessness, climate, equity, and public programs in the last decade.

Where did the money go?

Let’s follow the money 🧵 1.

Let’s talk scale.

Over the last 10 years, California has spent:

💰 $24B on homelessness
💰 $35B+ on climate initiatives
💰 $300B on public health & “equity”
💰 $150B+ on education programs

That’s over $500 billion.

🚨 THREAD: In Los Angeles, it pays to break the rules.

Here’s how unpermitted street vendors operate freely—while licensed business owners drown in fees, red tape, and inspections.

You won’t believe the double standard 🧵 1.

LA says it supports small businesses.

But here’s the truth:
If you rent a storefront, you’ll be hit with:

▪️ Fire inspections
▪️ Health permits
▪️ Zoning checks
▪️ Building code fees
▪️ Parking mandates
▪️ Sales tax

And if you’re late? Fines.

THREAD: The Palisades Fire was not an unstoppable act of nature—it was a preventable disaster.

New data reveals that the January 2025 blaze occurred under typical weather conditions, contradicting claims of unprecedented climate-driven forces.

Let’s delve into the facts 🧵 1.

The Palisades Fire ignited on January 7, 2025, devastating Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
It destroyed over 6,800 structures and resulted in 12 fatalities.
Officials attributed its rapid spread to extreme weather and climate change.
But was that truly the case?

THREAD:
What if I told you California has Over 1,000 unelected boards, commissions, and authorities…

They spend billions.

And they operate in the dark.

Let’s pull back the curtain 🧵 1.

These entities are not voted in by the people.
They’re appointed — often stacked with political allies, consultants, or insiders.

Once formed, they can:
✅ Issue contracts
✅ Set regulations
✅ Move taxpayer dollars
✅ Influence major policy

All with almost zero public visibility.

THREAD: Thousands of LA Property Owners Filed for Tax Relief After “Misfortune or Calamity” — But Most Got DENIED

Floods. Fires. Storms. Earthquakes.
You can apply for a property tax refund. 1/
Between Jan 2020 and Feb 2025, 6,209 LA property owners filed for “Misfortune or Calamity” property tax relief.

It’s a legal program under Revenue & Taxation Code §170.

But here’s the twist ⬇️

Why is gas so expensive in California?

You’ve heard the excuses: “It’s the taxes,” “It’s the regulations,” or “It’s the oil companies.”

But here’s the real reason Californians pay $1.20 to $2.00 more per gallon than most Americans.

A deep thread on how Sacramento, refineries, and cap-and-trade quietly fuel California’s gas price crisis: Let’s start with the facts:

As of May 2025, California’s average gas price is $5.27/gallon.

The national average? Around $3.61.

That’s a difference of $1.66 per gallon. Where is that money going?

Let’s follow the money.

BREAKING: LA County is shifting tens of millions in Mental Health funds—quietly.

We reviewed the Mid-Year MHSA Adjustment for FY 2024–25.

Here’s what’s changing, what’s getting cut, and where $13.8M just disappeared. 1

This update affects the county’s $3.6 BILLION MHSA plan—the backbone of mental health services for over 10 million people.

The latest “mid-year adjustment” includes major reallocations, cancellations, and quiet program expansions.

BOMBSHELL: California’s Medi-Cal program is exploding in cost—and now Newsom’s budget is pulling the brakes.

Here’s what the 2025 May Budget really says—and why millions of Californians could be impacted.

A breakdown: 1. Medi-Cal is now a giant.
•In 2014-15, Medi-Cal cost the state $17.1 BILLION (General Fund)
•In 2025-26? $44.6 BILLION
•That’s a 161% increase in just over a decade
•Enrollment surged to 15 million people (1 in 3 Californians)

BOMBSHELL: California’s Revised Budget is Here—and It’s BRUTAL.

Gov. Newsom just released the May Revision to the state budget—and it confirms what insiders feared:

California is officially facing a $12 BILLION deficit and making deep cuts.

A viral thread on what’s REALLY inside: 1. The Recession No One Wants to Admit

California’s budget is now built around a “growth recession”:
•Slowing GDP
•Rising unemployment (projected up to 4.9%)
•Plunging tech profits

And the cause?