A legislative push to create an expedited licensing path for former federal attorneys has been shelved for the year, even as multiple reform efforts continue in response to a troubled bar exam and mounting criticism of the California State Bar's governance.

"During this challenging fiscal time, I appreciate the Governor’s and the Legislature’s commitment to maintaining critical judicial branch programs and services.  The funding provided for our courts—including support for language access, treatment court programs, court-appointed counsel, and facilities improvements—helps us perform our functions as a coequal branch for the benefit of communities throughout the state."

(Subscription required) Two judges in the same federal courthouse in San Francisco last week issued major rulings on whether training large language models on copyrighted books constitutes fair use, but their decisions underscore key legal and strategic differences that could shape the future of generative AI litigation.

The bills Newsom signed Monday grant broad exemptions to CEQA for homes and other buildings in already developed areas. The lawmakers who crafted the original proposals argue that the law is regularly abused by people trying to block development and that building more in densely populated areas where people live and work is good for the environment.