Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has reviewed the accomplishments of the California Department of Justice (DOJ) over the past year, highlighting efforts to protect public health and safety while advancing justice across various sectors. In 2024, the DOJ focused on enforcing laws related to healthcare, the environment, housing, consumer protection, civil rights, and public safety.

Attorney General Bonta stated: "In 2024, the California Department of Justice worked each and every day to protect our people, values, and resources by defending Californians’ rights and taking bold action to hold corporate giants, polluters, and bad actors accountable. We worked to make our communities safer and stronger by tackling head-on threats to public health and safety – from fentanyl to gun violence to retail theft and beyond."

The DOJ's key actions in 2024 included cracking down on fentanyl with numerous arrests at the border; addressing California's housing crisis by enforcing compliance with housing laws; defending reproductive rights through lawsuits against healthcare providers; combating organized retail crime with significant arrests; issuing reports on ghost guns as part of efforts against gun violence; securing settlements in cases involving hazardous waste mismanagement; protecting consumers' financial futures through legislation banning medical debt on credit reports; supporting affordable healthcare initiatives amid the opioid crisis; promoting environmental accountability by suing ExxonMobil for misleading recycling claims.

Additionally, Attorney General Bonta emphasized safeguarding reproductive freedom: "Reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right," he said. The DOJ took legal action against hospitals for refusing emergency abortion care. It also reached a judgment ensuring compliance with state reproductive healthcare laws.

Efforts were made to support Californians' access to equitable economic opportunities through antitrust enforcement actions against companies like Live Nation and Google. The DOJ pursued litigation against entities involved in wage theft or unfair labor practices while advocating for workers' rights statewide.

In response to attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals nationwide during this period of increased hostility towards marginalized communities within America’s political climate - such as those targeting transgender youth seeking necessary medical treatments - Attorney General Bonta defended policies protecting these vulnerable populations’ civil liberties alongside other measures aimed at preserving social equity throughout California society overall despite mounting pressures from opposing factions elsewhere across country lines.