Newsom vetoes bills on gender identity in custody battles and self-driving trucks

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have required judges to consider whether parents have affirmed the gender identity of their children during custody disputes. Newsom argued that the bill could be used to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable populations. The bill, known as the TGI Youth Empowerment Act, aimed to have courts recognize the best interests of the child by considering gender identity, particularly in cases where a parent opposes a legal name change process. State Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, who introduced the bill, expressed disappointment with the veto, while State Senator Scott Wiener called it a "tragedy for trans kids." Newsom also vetoed two other bills, one related to information sharing with ICE and the other banning driverless testing of heavy-duty self-driving cars.