Despite bipartisan House support and backing from Central Valley legislators, President Joe Biden vetoed a bill that could have added more judges to local federal courtrooms.

That includes the overworked Eastern District of California, with a courthouse in downtown Fresno. Each district judge has a caseload of 1,308, more than double all judges in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, versions of the legislation said. The district has not added to its six permanent judges since 1978, despite a doubling of the state’s population.

Biden, in his Dec. 23, 2024, veto message, said the “JUDGES Act of 2024″ was a hasty action at the end of a congressional session. The bill, Biden said, “fails to resolve key questions in the legislation, especially regarding how the new judgeships are allocated.”

Biden wants more studies on how magistrates and senior status judges can be used “before we create permanent judgeships for life-tenured judges.”

All members of the Central Valley delegation — David Valadao, R-Kings County, Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, John Duarte, R-Modesto, Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, and Jim Costa, D-Fresno — voted for the bill on Dec. 12. It passed the House of Representatives, 236-173.

Costa introduced similar legislation in 2023, the CASE LOAD Act, which was folded into the JUDGES Act. The act would have added four judges to the Eastern District.

Republicans likely will resurrect the bill in the new Congress. With a new president taking office in two weeks, the results may be different.

Valadao said Biden’s veto “is a disappointment and undermines the will of Congress.”

“This bipartisan legislation would have helped alleviate the burden on the Central Valley’s backlogged judicial system, which has seen a significant shortage of judges, and restored much-needed accountability. While this is not the outcome I hoped for, I remain committed to fighting for reforms to strengthen our judicial system.”

Costa, on Tuesday morning told Politics 101: “I remain committed to advancing similar legislation, such as my bill the CASE LOAD Act, that upholds the promise of equal access to justice.”

Del Rey CSD Board Member Finally Relieved of Duty

A Del Rey Community Services District member, accused of murder, is finally off the job.

Last year, Fresno County prosecutors charged Rolando Sanchez of homicide, in the March 16, 2023, vehicular death of Jaime Loza. Sanchez was an elected member of the Del Rey district that provides water to the area. He has been in custody since his March 2023 arrest.

But, the CSD decided to let Sanchez’s term expire, which it did Dec. 6. No one filed to run for the empty seat in the November election. Now, the remainder of the board will accept applications to fill the four-year seat.

Loza was known as a gadfly who spoke at government meetings, including Del Rey’s board and the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

Sanchez is scheduled to go to trial on March 6.

The family of Loza filed a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit against Sanchez and the Del Rey CSD. The trial is scheduled to start Feb. 17, 2026.

Will Clovis City Council Change Mind?

Last November, a split Clovis City Council voted to change its meeting day from Mondays to Tuesdays, starting in February.

Monday, the city council will consider changing it back.

The Clovis council has met on Mondays since 1912. Councilmember Lynne Ashbeck expressed the most doubt about the move. She and Vong Mouanoutoua opposed the move, which passed on a 3-2 vote.

Perhaps, they now convinced more colleagues. Councilmembers have informally expressed remorse about the decision at meetings since the vote.

Soria Continues to Head Ag Committee

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, will continue to chair the Assembly Agriculture Committee. The move is no surprise, as Soria is an ally of Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister. Rivas appointed her last term.

Absent from any chair role is Fresno’s other Democratic Assemblymember, Joaquin Arambula. In service since 2016, this will be his last term. He announced plans to run for Fresno City Council in 2026.

On the Senate side, Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield, will chair the agriculture committee; and Anna Caballero, D-Merced, will chair appropriations.