Leads:
- A bill that would have brought universal healthcare to California is going down in defeat after it failed to make it out of the state Assembly on Monday. The bill would have created a first-in-the-nation, government-run, single-payer healthcare system that would have replaced private insurance plans. Democrats had also introduced a bill to fund the plan, proposing a tax increase on businesses and wealthier individuals.
- The Department of Water Resources is going to conduct its second manual snow survey of the season on Tuesday. After a dry month of January, the statewide Sierra snow pack was down to 93% of normal as of Monday. On December 31st, the snow pack was sitting at 157% of average. Tuesday morning's manual survey will take place the Phillips Station snow course off of Highway 50.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking some heat for a maskless photo he posed for at the NFC Championship game. The photo in question at SoFi Stadium Sunday night shows a maskless Newsom with Magic Johnson, who also was not wearing a mask. The photo is drawing criticism in light of California's indoor mask mandate that has most recently been in place since December of last year amid surging cases of COVID-19. In addition to the statewide mandate, SoFi Stadium has clear mask guidelines that are posted around the venue stating masks are required for all attendees, except when actively eating or drinking.
- The State of California is moving closer to eliminating death row. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is looking to move all inmates awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison and the Central California Women's Facility to other prisons in the state. Spokesperson Vicky Waters says the department ultimately plans to repurpose all death row housing units once the inmates have been transferred. She added it could be two years until the plan to move the inmates is fully in place.
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