California Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials approved a first-in-the-nation bill to ban five harmful chemicals from candy, cereals and other processed food.

The bill, AB 418 by assembly member Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), would end the use of brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propyl paraben, Red Dye No. 3 and titanium dioxide in popular food products sold in the state. The chemicals are reportedly linked to serious health problems, such as a higher risk of cancer, nervous system damage and hyperactivity.

Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel was joined by Mayor Karen Bass, local representatives and volunteers of various ages at the second annual Day of Service on Sunday to work on projects to help the San Fernando Valley. 

Volunteers from different parts of the Valley met at Pierce College before reporting to their designated stations, either on campus or off-site.

Gabriel started the event in 2022 to get people working together again after the pandemic. He expected around 150 volunteers. He got 700. 

More than a century and a half after the famous California Gold Rush, the Golden State continues to experience unpredictable boom-and-bust cycles. But now, they take the form of the state’s annual budget — and for the first time in years, the state faces at least a $22.5 billion budget shortfall due to inflation and poor stock market performance. 

Growing up, I was bombarded by clichés about the college experience. Before I went to UCLA, almost every adult I knew told me I would have “the best four years of my life.” 

But just a few weeks into my college experience, I was sexually assaulted. It paralyzed me. I could hardly get out of bed, let alone function as a full-time student. My social circle shrank and my academic performance declined.

The heartbreaking reality of undergraduate life came into sharp focus: Sexual violence is everywhere on campuses. 

WASHINGTON - Color additives give the red tint to fruit punch or the green hue in mint-flavored toothpaste. They are found in thousands of consumer goods – from breakfast cereals and candies to contact lenses and cough syrup – and are often used to make the products more attractive or appetizing. 

Earlier this month, a popular Easter candy was called out by nonprofit Consumer Reports for containing one such color additive, known as Red Dye No. 3, because high doses of it have been found to cause cancer in animals.

California lawmakers are pushing forward a first-of-its-kind bill that seeks to rid food products of five chemicals linked to cancer and developmental issues in children.

The legislation, AB 418, seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale, delivery and distribution of food products that contain brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye 3 or titanium dioxide.

After years of pandemic-spurred pivots and local concern regarding the possible loss of parklet dining permits, restaurants could get help from a new state bill that would extend the life of temporary outdoor dining.

Assembly Bill 1217, authored by California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), aims to prolong the benefits of local and state programs such as L.A. Al Fresco that streamlined the application process and waived fees for restaurants and bars when operators could not seat guests indoors.