Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who is the 40th governor of California, serving since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.
Of the many pieces of legislation awaiting action by Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Bill 98 should be signed without hesitation.
Authored by state Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and co-authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), among others, the bill clarifies the rights of journalists at protest scenes.
That we even need to have legislation addressing this issue speaks to how law enforcement agencies around the state have run roughshod over reporters, photographers, and other news gatherers covering protests, often violating their rights in the process.
According to a summary of the bill, it would prohibit officers from assaulting, interfering with, or obstructing a journalist from covering a protest or.