Tag "Bob Hertzberg"

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Can Gov. Newsom ‘lead from behind’ on wildfire legislation?

Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wildfire “strike force” surprised some with the vagueness of its most important recommendation: That it’s time to revise the “inverse condemnation” state law that holds energy utilities can be held fully responsible for fires that

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Gov.-Elect Newsom’s interest in tax reform likely to face bipartisan push-back

Governor-elect Gavin Newsom says he hopes to amend the California tax code to lessen its dependence on income and capital gains taxes paid by the very rich. Yet the last two serious attempts at tax reform were both dead on arrival,

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Chief justice continues bail reform push

Seven months after her office released sweeping recommendations for reform of California’s bail system, state Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye may have a chance to force changes without going through the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown. Last week, the state

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Stars aligning for far-reaching changes to state bail system

Last week could be remembered as a turning point for California criminal justice as state Attorney General Xavier Becerra joined the movement to radically change the Golden State’s bail system, which charges by far the highest average bail in the

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Bold criminal justice reforms go nowhere in California Legislature

The 2017 session of the California Legislature may be remembered as when the criminal justice reform movement in America’s largest state lost its momentum. The movement entered the session with a head of steam after winning majority support from the

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Criminal justice reform push losing momentum

Not only has it been a disappointing year for the lawmakers and civic leaders behind the recent push for sweeping reforms of California’s criminal justice system, their achievements are under harsh fire in Los Angeles County. Last December, Assemblyman Rob

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Legislature is back and focused on housing, recall and bail

  SACRAMENTO – California’s Legislature is back from its recess and legislators kicked off the session by focusing on two highly partisan matters. Assembly Republicans first voted to keep Chad Mayes as Republican leader, despite pressure from activists to oust

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New criminal justice reform focus: Harsh bail laws

The same coalition of Democratic lawmakers and interest groups that worked with Gov. Jerry Brown on Propositions 47 and 57 — which lessen the amount of time convicts must spend behind bars for relatively minor crimes and make it easier

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New legislative session puts bail-bonds industry under microscope

SACRAMENTO – At a press conference in the Capitol on Monday morning, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom explained that although he has long championed various reforms to the state’s criminal-justice system, he had in the past rarely even thought about

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CalWatchdog Morning Read – June 22

Bill to stop automatic license suspensions for unpaid fines nears passage Poll shows Issa tied Republican assemblywoman and union have words County supervisor ousted after controversial CCC vote Faith-based colleges fight back A bill to stop automatic suspensions of driver’s

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