Morning Brief: Guns, Abortion And Tacos

Good morning, L.A. It’s Dec. 13.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to leave in effect a highly controversial new law in Texas which effectively bans abortion at six weeks, before most people know they’re pregnant. The law also allows private citizens from any state to sue people involved in abortions in Texas, from doctors and nurses to Uber drivers.

In response, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed applying the same legislative logic to assault weapons and ghost guns. 

In a statement tweeted out on Saturday, he wrote: “I am outraged by yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court Decision allowing Texas’s ban on most abortion services to remain in place, an largely endorsing Texas’s scheme to insulate its law from the fundamental protections of Roe v. Wade.”

The statement went on to say that Newsom has “directed his staff” to put together a similar law in California that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes or sells an assault weapon or ghost gun kits or parts, to the tune of $10,000 plus recouped legal fees — the same amount in damages that could be claimed by abortion-related lawsuits in Texas.

Newsom’s response comes on the heels of a proposal released by a state task force earlier last week containing 45 recommendations that would make California a “sanctuary” for abortion if Roe is overturned, which some legal scholars believe is possible at this point.

My colleague Jackie Fortiér reports that the recommendations range from hiring more diverse health professionals to funding travel, lodging and childcare for people seeking abortions.

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• Vicente “Chente” Fernández, the legendary Mexican ranchera singer, has died at age 81. 
• LAUSD will suspend enforcement of the district’s COVID vaccination mandate for students 12 and older until Fall 2022. 
• Six food trucks in East L.A. found their longtime curbside spots on Whittier Blvd. abruptly painted red, with no notice or warning. 
• Universities may be pushing Black, Latino and Native American students away from high-earning fields.
•  L.A. County is having its largest outbreak of canine influenza in recorded history.
• These promotores are working to help L.A.’s Latino community get vaccinated.

Before You Go ... Oaxacan Tacos With A Middle Eastern Twist

Felipe and Ignacio Santiago stand in front of X'tiosu Kitchen in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Tien Nguyen/LAist)

X'tiosu Kitchen serves up "Oaxacan-Arabesque" tacos in a small corner strip mall on the northern edge of Boyle Heights, a few blocks from El Tepeyac Café. Owned and operated by brothers Felipe and Ignacio Santiago, the spot has been open since 2017 and features a menu of chicken shawarma tacos, Oaxacan hummus and more.