OCTOBER 21, 2024

Election Day is a little more than two weeks away and California voters have already started mailing in or dropping off their ballots. PDI expects the 2024 election turnout in California to be around 75-80%, much higher than the expected 40-45% for only the gubernatorial election.

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OCTOBER 18, 2024

With Election Day coming up on November 5, we wanted to share a handy guide for all things related to casting your vote in California. If you are not currently registered or you registered to vote after the close of registration, Same Day Voter Registration is available at county election offices and polling locations.

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OCTOBER 18, 2024

According to campaign finance records, outside political organizations, independent from candidates’ campaigns, are buying airtime and driving the spending war between Democratic and Republican candidates in California’s tightest congressional races. A similar rivalry is playing out between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arms of House Democrats and Republicans.

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OCTOBER 17, 2024

Next month, Los Angeles County voters will decide the fate of Measure A, a sales tax hike and extension to pay for housing and homeless services. Polling shows significant support (49%) for the measure, though not enough to declare it a lock.

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OCTOBER 17, 2024

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that a new affordable housing project in South Lake Tahoe is opening 68 units to residents. The project follows a 2019 executive order to address the state’s affordable housing crisis by identifying underutilized state-owned sites for the development of affordable housing.

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OCTOBER 14, 2024

Earlier this month, IMEX America resumed its record-setting ways at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas The four-day event drew over 15,500 attendees, more than 5,500 buyers, and resulted in 86,000 meetings and appointments—blowing past the previous record set in 2023..

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OCTOBER 5, 2024

Northstar Meetings Group has announced plans for the inaugural SportsTravel Leadership Forum, the premier gathering for leading sports event organizers and the destinations that host their events. The event will include interactive educational sessions, networking, and activities like pickleball and golf.

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OCTOBER 4, 2024

In less than two years, the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to a recent survey conducted by U.S. Travel and Ipsos, four out of five travelers support the use of biometric technology at TSA security checkpoints.

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OCTOBER 3, 2024

More corporate taxes than expected poured into state coffers this summer, with cash receipts exceeding forecasts by nearly $2 billion since April. The tax changes, intended to help close the budget deficit, include a suspension of a deduction businesses can claim to offset profit, as well as a $5 million limit on how much businesses can claim for research and development and other tax credits.

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

Proposition 47—passed by voters in 2014—continues to be at the center of policy discussions. According to research, a higher likelihood of being apprehended for a crime deters people from committing a crime more so than the likelihood of receiving a long sentence. 

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

There are thousands of state parks across the U.S., each preserving the land’s natural beauty, recreation potential, or historic interest. Humboldt Redwoods State Park charms with its old-growth redwood forest, which covers about one-third of the park

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SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

By Sunday, three large wildfires had burned 117,628 acres across Southern California, destroying 242 structures and damaging another 55—many of them homes. In the last two years, Southern California received more rainfall than normal, after several years of drought.

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SETPEMBER 22, 2024

Under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday, “paper or plastic” will no longer be a choice at grocery store checkout lines in California.The environmental nonprofit Oceana applauded Newsom for signing the bill and “safeguarding California’s coastline, marine life, and communities from single-use plastic grocery bags.”

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Last week, as he signed a package of housing and homelessness bills into law, Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed a message: cities and counties are responsible for failing to get people off the street, despite all the money the state has given them to do so. He also gave an update on the $6.4 billion mental health and housing bond passed earlier this year.

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it's ready to begin enforcing the REAL ID requirement on May 7, 2025. Exactly how the phased enforcement approach would work if this rule goes into effect appears to be left to the discretion of individual agencies in coordination with DHS.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

According to the recently released August 2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI), average airfare prices have ticked up 3.8% since July—the most substantial month-over-month increase in nearly two years. In a statement issued following the release of the CPI report, U.S. Travel Association said the Travel Price Index (TPI) is showing "positive signals" for travelers.

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AUGUST 27, 2024

Last week, at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris was officially nominated as President Joe Biden’s successor. Having spent exactly half of his 56 years patiently climbing the political ladder, where will Newsom go after he completes the final 28 months of his governorship?

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AUGUST 22, 2024

The TSA announced that it expects its officers to screen more than 17 million people during what is expected to be the busiest Labor Day travel period on record. The peak Labor Day weekend travel day is projected to be August 30, when TSA agents expect to screen 2.86 million people.

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AUGUST 20, 2024

A new report by WalletHub determined—unsurprisingly—that California is one of the most fun states in country. Our Golden State was ranked second in the country, following Florida in first place. We scored highly for our large number of attractions, amusement parks, performing-arts establishments, music festivals, movie theaters, and fitness centers per capita.

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AUGUST 15, 2024

U.S. Travel is praising a recently-issued bipartisan letter that calls on the Biden Administration to establish a White House Task Force on global sporting events. With those major events on the horizon, U.S. Travel says it will be critical to build a coalition within the White House that’s focused on developing innovative solutions to smooth the traveler experience, prioritize safety, and bolster the nation's economy.

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