Happily Divorced And After

The Inland Empire job market recovered faster than anywhere in Southern California, with payrolls and a labor force climbing above pre-pandemic levels, according to a new economic report.

The report released Thursday by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) as part of its 13thAnnual Southern California Economic Summit, documents San Bernardino and Riverside Counties’ growth as a global supply chain hub, adding 63,700 jobs in transportation, warehousing, and wholesale trade since shortly before the pandemic. Other major employment gains have been reported in leisure and hospitality, which has fully recovered from its early pandemic losses and is up 17,600 jobs year-over-year, and the government sector, up 9,400 jobs year-over-year.

“Barring a recession, the Inland Empire labor markets will continue to perform well,” said Dr. Manfred Keil, Chief Economist for the Inland Empire Economic Partnership. “Clearly, the two-county region’s role in the supply chain is driving much of this, though sustaining growth in the long-term would benefit from prioritizing a diverse range of industries.”

Keil is part of a new Economic Roundtable convened by the SCAG – which hosted the Summit in downtown Los Angeles – to provide both a snapshot of the region now as well as a preview of economic opportunities and challenges ahead. Their research was compiled in a report that offered caution on turbulence ahead from global forces, but also promise that Southern California is better positioned than other regions to withstand it.

Among the factors that could moderate the impacts of a possible recession across the six-county SCAG region:

• Continued growth in core industries, such as information, logistics and tourism
• Measurable increases in labor productivity in 2022
• New development and construction in infrastructure and housing, both public and private
• Household debt and real estate values that are less likely to decline than elsewhere

“With improvements in the global inflation picture, combined with continuing 2022’s positive momentum, the region’s economy raises hopes that the much-anticipated global recession of 2023 will not severely impact Southern California,” said Dr. Gigi Moreno, Senior Economist at SCAG.

However, threats do remain. In the Inland Empire, housing affordability and rising interest rates are among the biggest challenges. Even as home sales have fallen for the past 15 months, higher prices and mortgage rates have reduced affordability by one-third, Keil said.

“Housing affordability becomes an even bigger issue as more and more people move to the IE, forcing prices up even higher,” Keil said, noting studies that have shown the Inland Empire among the fastest-growing population centers in the country.

Click here for the complete Southern California Economic Update.

NATIONAL—- Last night Trevor Noah, comedian, author and acclaimed host of The Daily Show, hosted a “Black Theater Night” for the Tony-winning Best Musical A Strange Loop, complete with a hilarious and insightful cast talkback. The event was open to all theater lovers but offered a special invitation to Black theatergoers.

Playwright, Composer and Lyricist Michael R. Jackson, creator of A Strange Loop; Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly and Musical Director Rona Siddiquijoined Noah and cast members James Jackson, Jr.; L Morgan Lee; John-Michael Lyles; John-Andrew Morrison; Jon-Michael Reese; Jaquel Spivey and Jason Veasey for the talkback.

“I’ve now been to A Strange Loop four times and it’s funny [but] every single time I come I feel like I’m focusing on something different, I’m learning something different and there’s a different part of the play that almost gets revealed to me,” said Noah, who called the show, “one of the most spoken about and one of the most lauded productions on Broadway.” The comic also congratulated the show on its recent Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

Noah further said: “What I find interesting about it in particular is the first time you watch the play, for instance, you may think, depending on who you are, ‘Oh, this is a play about Black and white.’ The second time you watch it you may go, ‘Oh no. This is a play about religion and how it controls people’s lives and how it tells us how we should be or shouldn’t be.’ Then it becomes about acceptance. Each time it feels like there is a different layer. And really, the more I watch it, I realize it almost feels like a commentary on all these little prisons, all these structures, all these systems and I guess the most confining one being our minds.”

There are only seven more weeks to see the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop, which will play its final Broadway performance on January 15. The show opened April 26, to critical acclaim at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street). The musical is directed by Tony Award nominee Stephen Brackett, choreographed by Kelly and produced by Barbara Whitman, along with Page 73 Productions, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and Playwrights Horizons.

Meet Usher: a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer…

Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, blisteringly funny masterwork exposes the heart and soul of a young artist grappling with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes. Hell-bent on breaking free of his own self-perception, Usher wrestles with the thoughts in his head, brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-shooting ensemble. Bold and heartfelt in its truth-telling, A Strange Loop is the big, Black, and queer-ass Great American Musical for all.

For more information on A Strange Loop visit https://strangeloopmusical.com.

Follow A Strange Loop on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube at @strangeloopbway

“‘A Strange Loop’ is a shattering, electrifying debut musical. Jackson’s score is packed with maddening melodies and clever rhymes.” – Entertainment Weekly.

“The new musical by Michael R. Jackson performs a phenomenal feat — it is both a raw and unflinching interrogation of identity and the most furiously entertaining show on Broadway.” – Variety

“Explosively imaginative. Dazzlingly one-of-a-kind. Broadway’s best new musical.” – Washington Post

“A dazzling ride. No measure of praise could be too much.” – The New York Times

????? “This is the musical we’ve been waiting for. A Strange Loop is unmissable.” – Time Out NY

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. successfully hosts his second annual Open House Holiday Toy Drive. This year’s open house had an incredible turnout and an overflow of toys that will be gifted to underserved children in the Fifth District, including Crestmore Elementary School in Bloomington, California. Not only were children’s toys donated, but toys for animals will donated to San Bernardino County’s Animal Care Centers as well. The event was to celebrate Supervisor Baca. Jr.’s second year in office and invite the public to see the current accomplishments and future growth in the years to come.

“Over the past two years in office, I have provided residents of my district with the revitalization of several parks, infrastructure improvements, a brand-new animal care center in Bloomington currently in the works and keeping our community safe by introducing three new deputies specifically assigned to be in Rosena Ranch. These are just a few of the many accomplishments we were able to achieve together this year and yesterday at our Open House we were able to come together and celebrate these positive changes in our Fifth District. Last night was truly so special and I appreciate all the groups and members of our County who came out to support the aspirations we have for our community. We couldn’t do it without all your love and support. Thank you all.” -Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

A poll of Black women and Latinas across California sponsored by Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)® found that 77% are experiencing some form of discrimination due to “personal characteristics,” including race or ethnicity, assumptions about income or education, and/or physical appearance.

“We have known that racism and discrimination take a toll on the mental health of our communities, and now we must factor in the disproportionate and lingering effects of the pandemic on communities of color,” said LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of BWOPA.

“What matters now is that we don’t sweep these added challenges aside but treat these barriers in mental health care for what they are, a crisis in care that must be urgently addressed,” Jones added.

The historic poll was conducted by Los Angeles-based public opinion research firm EVITARUS.

Responses were recorded from 800 Black and Latina women across California and the finding give insights about the most important concerns that they face with their families, accessibility of mental health services, preferences for providers, and priorities for approaches to create greater equity in the provision of mental health care.

Experts widely agree that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an unprecedented global mental health crisis. People of color, young people, women, and those with low incomes are most at risk of mental health challenges before and after the pandemic, compounded by the added weight of a heightened economic crisis and instability, as well as more visible expressions of White Supremacy, anti-Blackness, anti-immigrant sentiment and hate crimes aimed at communities of color.

The current social and economic climate creates a distinctive set of pressures on Black women and Latinas. Thirty-four percent cite finances or issues related to inadequate income as the top concerns facing their households.  Safety, health, and housing also rank as chief concerns.

More than 3 in 5 respondents reported having a mental health concern for which they did not seek care from a provider. They attributed this to various barriers, citing travel expenses, length of travel time to appointments and inability to take time off work. Women without coverage for mental health services, those with mental health conditions, younger women, and those covered through Medi-Cal reported the highest rates of untreated needs.

The women that did seek help reported often having negative experiences. Seventy percent of Black women and 54 % of Latinas reported racial or ethnic discrimination. Another 59 % of Black women and 55 % of Latinas reported “assumptions people make about your income or level of education.” Fortypercent of Latinas reported discrimination based on “assumptions about their ability to communicate in English” and 28 % reported “assumptions about your documentation of immigration status.” Several other types of discrimination were reported, particularly relating to class, faith, size, and accent.

“Our research draws a direct line between the challenges in accessing mental health care for Latinas and Black women to the shortage of mental health professionals that share our backgrounds,” said Helen Torres, CEO of HOPE. “The data is a call to action for healthcare providers and educational institutions to address the negative impacts of a healthcare workforce that does not represent the communities it serves. We must take steps to close the representation gap and provide better care to all.”

Nearly half of respondents reported difficulty finding access to a mental health provider.

Fifty-seven percent of Black or African American women and 38 % of Latina women said that it was extremely important or very important to have providers of the same background, but more than half said it is difficult to find a provider who shares their values or comes from a similar background.  According to the Medical Board of California, only four percent of active psychiatrists practicing in California are Latino and only two percent are Black.

The ability to find a therapist with shared values and offering low-cost services were the most commonly reported barriers, though many also reported difficulty finding providers and services covered by their insurance. Insurance acceptance was the most documented problem across all age groups, underscoring the widespread unaffordability of mental health care.

Disparities in women’s health are well documented at almost every level of health care. Mental health is no different.

The mental health crisis is not specific to adults. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-19, according to a 2019 study on mortality.  Suicide rates among Black youth have been rising for more than a decade, most sharply among Black girls. According to a 2021 report, approximately one third of young Latinas seriously contemplate suicide.

Long-existing disparities in maternal health are also present with relation to mental health. Women of color suffer from higher rates of postpartum depression compared to White women. They also have a lower rate of screening and treatment for post-partum mood disorders.

The study recommended increased funding to address the barriers to getting adequate care, development of programs, scholarships and financial aid to increase the pipeline of Black women and Latinas in mental health related fields,which, experts say, will increase the number of mental health advocates and promotors who can work to help women navigate the system, and expand awareness among communities of color about the benefits of seeking help or support when facing mental health challenges.

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will return to the California Theatre on December 17, 2022, for “Cirque de la Noel,” a holiday concert featuring the internationally acclaimed Cirque de la Symphonie performing group.

Shared Music Director and Conductor Anthony Parnther, “We decided to bring Cirque de la Symphonie back this season due to extraordinary popular demand,” adding “We cannot be more grateful to our exceedingly generous presenting sponsors, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.”

The Symphony’s artistic leader has recently been the recipient of significant notoriety for his role as conductor of the scores of several 2022 box office smashes, including the top-grossing movie in the world, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the new Disney+ fantasy-adventure series Willow, and the Holiday Action-comedy Violent Night, and epic war drama Devotion, all of which opened this past weekend.

Cirque de la Symphonie will add an additional level of festive artistry through awe
inspiring performances by their renowned aerialists, jugglers, hula hoop and cyr wheel
experts and quick-change artists all choreographed to a variety of music mindfully spanning the holiday orchestral repertoire. Established by ballet and circus veteran Alexander Streltsov in 1998 for a special PBS production with the Cincinnati Pops, Cirque, troupe members originate from across the globe.

“We are so pleased to once again collaborate with Cirque as they brought such joy to everyone in attendance when they last performed with us in February of 2020,” said Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel, adding, “I am certain this festive concert will inspire many happy family memories.”

The evening’s offerings will include traditional American holiday fare like Leroy
Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival” (1950) and “Sleigh Ride” (1948), and Leon Jessell’s
“Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” (1933), to new arrangements of old favorites like
Carmen Dragon’s 2012 reimagining of “Deck the Halls,” to contemporary compositions
like Jeff Tyzik’s 1994 Chanukah Suite.

Beloved cinematic scores will also find their way into this celebratory evening, including
John Williams’ “Flight to Neverland” from Hook, Alan Silvestri’s “The Suite from Polar
Express,” and Howard Blake’s “Walking in the Air” from the 1982 animated film, The
Snowman based on Raymond Briggs’ 1978 children’s book of the same name.
Classical masterpieces including “Waltz of the Flowers” and “Trepak” (Russian Dance)
from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker will be performed, along with “Dance of the
Buffoons” from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden and Georges Bizet’s
L”Arlesienne Suite No.2 from Alphonse Daudet’s drama of the same name.

“Along with our Summer Patriotic and our Movies with the Maestro Series, SBSO fans can expect an Annual Christmas Festival each year replete with all your holiday favorites and a few classical staples alongside them,” added Parnther. In keeping with the festive theme, audience members are encouraged to attend dressed in their favorite holiday attire.

“Everyone loves this magical season,” said Symphony Board President and former City
of San Bernardino Mayor Judith Valles. “On December 17th, no matter what this past
year has brought us, we can forget our troubles for a while and gather together as a
community in the spirit of the holidays.”

Ticket Availability

Single tickets for all SBSO concerts are available online at
www.sanbernardinosymphony.org or by calling the box office at (909) 381-5388. Box
Office hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets are $30 – $100 with
students and active military always just $15. The availability of tickets cannot be
guaranteed on concert night.

The California Theatre is located at 562 W. Fourth Street in downtown San Bernardino.
Free, lighted parking is available directly across from the venue.

Award-winning actress and producer Viola Davis narrates the Candlelight Ceremony and Processional at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California on December 3, 2022. Rich in holiday splendor, this spectacular live performance was created in 1958 by Walt Disney to show his gratitude to community leaders and friends. This retelling of the first Christmas features a grand choir composed of Disney Cast Members and guest community choirs, a symphony orchestra, fanfare trumpeters, and a performance by a celebrity narrator. The event is open to invited guests only.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Grand Marshals for the 2023 San Bernardino MLK Parade and Extravaganza are James Ramos, California State Assemblymember; Joe Baca, Jr., San Bernardino County Supervisor, Fifth District; Helen Tran, San Bernardino City Mayor-Elect; and our new African American Chief of Police for the City of San Bernardino Darren L Goodman.

The parade celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We are honored to have these illustrious leaders of our community be the Grand Marshalls for the MLK DAY Parade and Extravaganza,” said Rich Wallace, president of the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce.

The MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza will be held January 16th on San Bernardino’s Westside along Baseline Street, from Mt Vernon Ave. to California St.

“Come rejoice with vendors, music, community booths, a First 5 children’s zone, fun, and entertainment at the parade and at the Extravaganza at Ann Shirelles Park, between California Street and North Pennsylvania Ave., between West Baseline Street and West 15th Street,” said Lue Dowdy, Parade Chair.

Dowdy added, “We are still accepting applications for entertainers, vendors, food vendors, classic and custom cars, and motorcycles.”

The event starts at 11 a.m. at the Graciano Gomez Elementary School at Mt. Vernon and Baseline, with the Parade starting at 1 p.m. and continuing west on Baseline, ending at Anne Shirelles Park on California Street.

Participating organizations for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade include The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Lue Productions Community Umbrella Services, Dameron Communications, YouthBuild Inland Empire, Chords Youth Enrichment Program, San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino Airport, Off the Chain Alliance, Westside Story newspaper, Empire Talks Back and the Black Health Coalition.

For more information or to sign up to be in the MLK Day Parade go to BlackChamberofCommerce.org and follow the link for information and registration or call (888) 466-7408.

By Lou K Coleman-Yeboah

Pay attention to World News and Events.  The trap is being set right now, psychologically, socially, politically, economically, and religiously; and it is luring the world right in. The spirit of the Antichrist is already at work [1John 4:3] setting the stage for the Great End Times Deception beginning with a Global Government [Revelation 13:7], followed by a Global Religion [Revelation 13:1’5] then a Global Money System [Revelation 13:16] using International peace as the bait for the trap in which the human race will be caught to feel the full and final unleashing of God’s wrath. Be warned! Be alert!

The Bible predicts that there’s coming a world peace; but it will be a deceptive peace. It will be a false sense of security. It will be the most subtle and the most deceptive trap that’s ever been set. Open your eyes, pay attention, and take heed, “the appointed time has grown very short” [1 Corinthians 7:29].

The spirit of Antichrist is making way for the Antichrist himself to be revealed.  The lawless one – the most destructive human being to ever walk on the earth. The son of perdition – the culmination of all the Satanic forces that have arisen before him. He will be given control over the 10-nations of the Old Roman Empire, which is now called the European Union, and through false treaties and war, he will become the ruler of the world during the Tribulation. This soon-coming world leader will be proud, arrogant, lawless, evil, powerful, a blasphemer, a slanderer, a destroyer, a deceiver, an impostor, a truth-hater, a liar, a persecutor, a murderer, a devilish man, a Satanist. At first, he will be exalted as a great leader; even a man of peace, but he will be revealed as Satan’s counterfeit Christ, a lying, vicious, bloodthirsty beast that will deceive the people with his sensational powers, and slaughter billions of people to prove his power. Be warned! Be Alert! The Antichrist will soon take his position as the leader of the New World Order, and in less than three years, he will attempt to destroy the world. Open your eyes, pay attention, and take head, please, I beg you, because difficult days are coming such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. [Matthew 24:21; Daniel 7:7,24; 12:1].

Jesus warned that, “When you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place whoever reads, let him understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies in those days! For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” [Matthew 24:17-21].

You know, Jeremiah was God’s prophet to warn people, and he did it with tears. He told them about coming horror, coming divine judgment; and he even said, “You ought to know it, because there are some present signs. I mean, there’s some things happening that are precursors to the actual day of the Lord, and you ought to know about them. You ought to warn people. Already evil looks down from the north; and a great destruction is there, you can see it coming. So, blow a trumpet, warn people, it’s coming, the appointed time has grown very short. [1 Corinthians 7:29].

But in spite of that, in spite of everything that Jeremiah said about the overthrow of Judah and the overthrow of Jerusalem, despite all the precursors, despite the imminent judgment, despite the power right there visible to them, they could see it right on the brink, but they kept believing everything would be fine, everything will be fine. Why? Because false teachers came and false prophets, and they said, ‘Peace, peace.” They kept telling them peace was coming, peace was coming, and it will come, but to follow will be destruction.  [Jeremiah 6:14]. I tell you; The Proverbial Writing is on the Wall. Open your eyes, pay attention, and take heed, please!

By Angela Birdsong | California Black Media

About 200 protesters gathered on November 24 at wholesale cash and carry foodservice supplier Restaurant Depot/Jetro in Culver City to demand justice for Passion Schoolfield, a single Black mother who was fired for expressing an opinion about Ye, the rapper also known as Kanye West.

According to Schoolfield, she was speaking with a customer in her cashier’s line about celebrities they like and was overheard by another customer when she said, “I like Ye.  He keeps it real.”

Then, she says, a customer, a White male, got out of the check-out line, got in her face, and questioned her, “You like Ye?”  After repeating this several times, he walked off and spoke with a manager. Moments later, she was suspended and the next day she was fired.

“This protest was a community effort to get justice for Passion, and what this focuses on is what we believe was anti-Black aggression against her for a basically ridiculous firing because she said she liked Kanye West. We really wanted to get that message out that there’s a line that was crossed,” stated Ludlow Cleary, II., Schoolfield’s attorney.

Schoolfield did not speak during the press conference. However, she told California Black Media that retail has been her career since she was 18, and while working at Restaurant Depot, she loved the customers and the people.

By Edward Henderson and Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Starting Jan. 1, 2023, California joins Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, and Arizona as states that have approved digital license plates for use statewide, after completing a four-year pilot program that evaluated a replacement for metal plates.

Reviver, a tech company founded by Black entrepreneur Neville Boston, is the creator of the world’s first digital license plate. About 10,000 California drivers bought digital plates during the pilot program.

Based Granite Bay, 24 miles east of Sacramento, Reviver expects the number of digital plate users to increase exponentially as all 40 million vehicles registered with the state are now eligible to adopt the new high-tech tags.

Thanks to Assembly Bill (AB) 984 signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, trips to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) – which many Californians would like to avoid because of the long lines and waits they expect — might become a thing of the past.

Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), Chair of the California Black Legislative Caucus for the 2023-24 legislative session, sponsored the legislation.

“I am honored and humbled to see AB 984 signed into law,” said Wilson. “AB 984 strikes a necessary balance between innovation and privacy while digitizing the only thing on our cars today that remain antiquated, license plates.”

The new digital plates will appear as wireless tablets about the same size as traditional plates on the front and back of vehicles. The digital plate will include a processing unit, wireless connectivity, and storage media all built into an electronic display.

Drivers will be able to update their titles, registrations and other vehicle records remotely. Other advantages of the technology include a flashing message if a vehicle is reported stolen or if there is an Amber Alert. The wired or battery powered plates can be purchased with monthly rates starting at $19.95 and yearly rates at $215.40 for a four-year agreement.

Boston, who majored in political science and business, applied his academic training to create a compelling vision that attracted high-level investors, software and hardware engineers, and financial consultants to the concept.

It was just one meeting that discussed how to get people to have a “better customer experience” at the DMV. That discussion led to a meeting with then-Senior Vice President Avery Brown of the Automobile Club of Southern California and about a dozen officials from the California Highway Patrol.

To avoid asking “for forgiveness later” in case the idea ran into obstacles years later, Boston said he first asked all parties what their thoughts and ideas were to avoid implementing a prototype without their input.

“Our first meeting was in 2008,” Boston said. “We met with Dennis Claire at (California) DMV about a crazy idea of a digital license plate. What I thought would be a five-minute meeting ended up being an hour-and-a-half meeting. What I got from those meetings was the impetus for us to move forward.”

Boston raised seed money domestically and internationally to fund the venture. He enlisted the support of technology industry veterans Nicholas Brathwaite and Michael Marx, co-founders of Celesta Capital. Celesta assists partners with “deep tech” –the technological engine the venture capitalist states “powers” the modern world.

John W. Thompson, a board member of Microsoft since 2012, is also an investor in Reviver. He is an active investor and advisor in early-stage technology companies in California’s Silicon Valley.

Allen Wayne Warren, president of New Faze Development, is anotherReviver investor, Boston told California Black Media.

Reviver included the California Black Chamber of Commerce, California New Car Dealers Association, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and the California Police Chiefs Association as supporters.

The pilot program was first approved by the DMV under provisions provided in Senate Bill (SB) 806. The program tested the operational capability and functionality of three products to determine the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of statewide implementation.

The pilot program gave Reviver access to 160,000 vehicles to evaluate in the trial program.

“We were able to sell the digital plate in the pilot program,” Boston said. “It didn’t give us access to the entire state, but it gave us access to over 100,000 people. See that’s the big thing: sometimes people are afraid to work with governments. But we took it as, ‘Hey, we’re going to partner with you (and) how can we make the experience for the customer better.’ That was always our focus, making a truly private-public partnership.”

There has been concern that the new technology could be a target for hacking and remote tracking of vehicles by employers, creditors, and the state. To quell some of these concerns, AB 984 contains language that prohibits digital license plates from being equipped with GPS or other vehicle tracking capabilities. The only exception would be for fleet and commercial vehicles. Those employees will have the ability to disable the technology during non-working hours.

Aside from a few traffic stops by police who believed the digital license plates were illegal during the pilot program, no other significant concerns were reported by drivers, according to a 2019 review by the DMV.

The bill requires the DMV to recall all devices that were equipped with GPS or other tracking technology as part of the pilot program by no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

Other states are following suit with similar legislation. Texas recently approved digital license plates for commercial fleets of twenty-five or more vehicles.

“California now has 40 million vehicles, one-seventh of the driving population comes from California. This market is huge,” Boston said. “This is the fourth largest economy in the world, passing Germany. When you look at it from that perspective getting it down in California is a huge deal. All this was about taking something old and making it new.”