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State Senate approves bill to revive Kelo-style redevelopment

California has moved one step closer to the return of redevelopment and the controversial power to seize private property through eminent domain. The state Senate approved legislation Wednesday that would give local governments the power to create new entities, known as

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Survey: Voters want more police oversight, reform

This year, Californians wanted more police reform than they’ve gotten. The results of a new poll, touted by activist groups, revealed a constituency for continued re-adjustments in the balance between what law enforcement can do and what residents must expect. Broad

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Another mandatory vaccination bill advancing

When it comes to toughening state vaccination laws, the Legislature’s not done yet. A measure that would require child-care workers to be vaccinated for three common childhood diseases has passed a key vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. KQED News

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CA judge scraps assisted suicide suit

In another potent setback for California’s right-to-die advocates, a judge threw out a lawsuit brought by three residents trying to compel the courts to scrap the state’s ban on assisted suicide. A reticent judge “San Diego Superior Court Judge Gregory

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New bill takes aim at drones near wildfires

Fed up with private drones interfering with firefighting, a state senator has announced another bill to keep unmanned aerial vehicles away from hot spots. Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, said SB168 would indemnify emergency responders who damage a drone during

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Right-to-work states see union membership, revenues drop

With Friedrichs v. CTA pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, stakeholders and spectators alike are curious to see not only the outcome of the court case, but also the greater implications tied to union membership and influence in legislative bodies

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Farmworkers resist state agency ‘in cahoots’ with union

In a turnabout for California’s storied history of migrant labor, Latino field hands are fighting to get the United Farm Workers, the union that carries on the legacy of founder Cesar Chavez, out of their lives and pockets. If the

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SCOTUS sides with SF against NRA

Continuing its reticence to reach beyond a landmark decision seven years ago, the Supreme Court handed a victory to tight regulations on gun use in San Francisco. Twin ordinances “The court on Monday let stand court rulings in favor of a

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Banned guns not the ones used in crimes

In the wake of firearms madness on both sides of the issue comes a batch of material obtained via public records request from guns.com, a news website that editorially tilts toward the support of gun rights. The site found that

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California eases back on gun legislation

Guns are once again being targeted by California lawmakers this year, though the pace of anti-weapons legislation, seemingly on automatic for decades, has ebbed. In previous sessions, you could scan for bills and come up with at least 100 that

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