By Lara Korte, Dustin Gardiner and Christopher Cadelago

Presented by SEIU-UHW

Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Jack Ohman's take on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Gov. Gavin Newsom. | Jack Ohman, special to POLITICO

DRIVING THE DAY — Hear that humming from inside the Capitol? That’s California’s busy lawmakers, buzzing around in a hurry to get their bills passed before the end of session. Read more below about what they passed Monday, and look out for more coverage today as bills continue moving through the Legislature.

THE BUZZ — Covering California’s mercurial political figures is no easy feat — but neither is capturing them in cartoon form.

The Golden State is home to so many political giants — from San Francisco’s Nancy Pelosi to Bakersfield’s Kevin McCarthy — and to celebrate POLITICO’s expansion as we go even deeper in our coverage of the power dynamics across the state, we commissioned Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Jack Ohman to draw five-foot caricatures of those personalities.

Ohman, a Sacramento institution in his own right, has carved a storied career, most recently with The Sacramento Bee. He drew 18 political figures for the official launch of our expansion at a party in Sacramento tonight that will feature a fireside chat between our Christopher Cadelago and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Here’s a sneak peek at three of the 18 figures and Ohman’s thoughts on the process.

On capturing Pelosi: “If I can get Pelosi in her sunglasses and the red Max Mara coat, that’s a good day for me. She’s a very attractive woman, and she’s very petite and fine-boned. I tend to focus on her intense eyes and mouth.”

On sketching McCarthy: “McCarthy always looks like he’s going to sell you a tasty deli sandwich or a used car. He’s a conventionally handsome dude, with Republican hair, so I focus on his teeth and mouth. He’s rather lantern-jawed, so that’s a major element of his caricature.”

On drawing Newsom: “I was at an event the other day, and who walks into the kitchen but Gov. Newsom. I said, ‘Well! I was just drawing you!’ I enjoy drawing him, but he’s very tall and his head shape (in cartoons) is elongated, so he’s always a composition problem. I key in on his forehead, hair and jawline. He’s disturbingly good-looking, and cartoonists hate that.”

Check back Wednesday to see pictures of some of Ohman’s real-life subjects alongside his inspired renderings.

A message from SEIU-UHW:

SB 525 will address California's healthcare staff shortages causing patient wait times and save taxpayers up to $467 million. Tell lawmakers to vote YES on SB 525!

HAPPY TUESDAY. Thanks for waking up with Playbook.

PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — What last-minute efforts are you watching in the Legislature? Give us a ring or drop us a line.

Now you can text us at ‪916-562-0685‬‪ — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now.

Or drop us a line at [email protected] and [email protected], or on Twitter —@DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte 

WHERE’S GAVIN? Newsom, as mentioned, will speak at POLITICO’s California expansion launch event at 7 p.m.

BITES WITH THE BUREAU — Miss our POLITICO coffee truck Monday morning? You're in luck! We'll be serving up breakfast again today from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the west lawn of the State Capitol building near 10th Street — and on Wednesday at the same time on the corner of 10th and N Streets near the State Capitol building. Lara and Dustin will be on hand from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Grab a cup of joe and chat with our California team!

And lawmakers, if you're looking for a spot to take a dinner break Tuesday night, swing by the California Museum for our conversation with Newsom. Food and drinks to follow!

POLITICO's rolling billboard chugs along in Sacramento. | POLITICO

ALL ABOARD — Thanks to all you politicos who’ve shared sightings of our train, the POLITICO CA Express, in the wild. As promised, we’re highlighting a few of our favorite videos and captions of the train. The contest winners listed here will receive a special POLITICO swag bag!

Best video: The GIF Caucus, for their dogged determination to capture the perfect gif of our choo-choo train.

Best caption: Christopher Cambises, head of political affairs for the British Consulate in San Francisco, for his witty, and VERY on-point, observation: “It’s @politicoca’s world and we’re all just living in it.”

JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST AT THE POLITICO CALIFORNIA FOOD TRUCK! Get caffeinated and connected with POLITICO California! Are you in the Sacramento area? Do you need a jolt of coffee as you get up to speed with POLITICO’s expansion in California? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then head down to the west lawn of the Capitol building Tuesday & Wednesday, Sept. 12-13 and visit the POLITICO California breakfast truck. Discover what POLITICO has to offer in California and how we plan to cover the Sacramento political village.

Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley). | AP

BRIDGES NOT BANS — Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins’ proposal to repeal California’s travel ban is almost to the governor's desk. It squeaked through the Assembly on Monday — narrowly clinching 54 votes, the required two-thirds majority after Atkins added an urgency clause so it can take effect ASAP.

The bill, Senate Bill 447, would repeal a policy prohibiting publicly funded travel to 26 states that have passed laws discriminating against LGBTQ people. The travel ban would be replaced with the “Bridge Project,” an outreach campaign that would bring pro-LGBTQ messages to those states. Atkins said the state’s strategy became counterproductive as the list of no-go states rapidly increased.

Assemblymember Evan Low, who carried the 2016 bill creating the travel ban, skipped the vote. He told Playbook he couldn’t vote for Atkins’ bill because funding travel to those states could put LGBTQ state workers “directly in harm’s way,” though he supports the concept of the Bridge Project.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE — The Assembly on Monday approved a bill allowing striking workers to apply for unemployment benefits, moving it a step closer to the governor’s desk.

Senate Bill 799 from state Sen. Anthony Portantino is sponsored by the California Labor Federation. It would help workers who have spent weeks in stalemates with their employers, like the writers and actors who still haven’t reached a deal with studios.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where a similar measure failed in 2019.

CONCEALED CARRY — Assemblymembers also sent another Portantino bill to the Senate on Monday: Senate Bill 2, which changes the parameters around carrying concealed weapons to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision. Major backers include California's own Department of Justice.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING — After sparking one of the tensest fights in the Legislature this year, state Sen. Shannon Grove’s Senate Bill 14 was approved by the Assembly on a 79-0 vote Monday. It would add the trafficking of minors in the lists of crimes that are defined as serious under California law, making the offense a strike under the Three Strikes law.

A message from SEIU-UHW:

JUST TROUBLING: A new California law that allows people to file lawsuits over older allegations of sexual abuse has opened the floodgates to a wave of claims. The San Francisco Chronicle details, in an in-depth series, how the former students are confronting their teachers who they say assaulted or raped them — as well as the administrators who didn’t take their complaints seriously.

SHIFTING WINDS: Legislation that could allow for construction of California’s first offshore wind farms is likely headed to the governor’s desk after a recent deal was struck between Newsom and legislative leaders. But, as the Los Angeles Times reports, wind alone won’t be enough to get the state to a 100% clean electrical grid.

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.

BIRTHDAYS — California GOP Chair Jessica Millan Patterson … former Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) … Khan Shoieb … Natalie Raps Farren

WAS MONDAY: Alan Bergman

A message from SEIU-UHW:

California faces a critical patient care crisis with longer wait times, reduced attention, and care delays due to severe healthcare staff shortages. SB 525 is the solution we need.

Supporting SB 525 retains experienced staff, attracts new talent, and bridges the 500,000-worker gap.

Stand with healthcare workers. Urge lawmakers to vote YES on SB 525, and rebuild California's healthcare system.

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: [email protected].

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