April 2015 | Page 4 of 8 | CalWatchdog.com

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After industry compromise, lawmaker pursues more ride-sharing regulations

Just four months after a new state law on ride-sharing took effect, California lawmakers are once again considering more regulations on the thriving industry that has made it easier to get around town. Today, the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee is

Hardball pays off with 2-year, 10% hike for L.A. teachers

Chris Reed April 20, 2015

Hardball paid off for the United Teachers Los Angeles late Friday when negotiators reached tentative agreement on a three-year deal that provides L.A. Unified teachers with a 10 percent pay raise in the first two years. That’s far more than

Asm. Lorena Gonzalez proposes labor protections for cheerleaders

John April 20, 2015

Legislative committee hearings aren’t known for their heart-pounding excitement. But, you might hear a round of cheers to excite the crowds at this week’s Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism & Internet Media Committee. On Tuesday, the committee is scheduled to consider

Covered CA adds greater complexity to tax system

James Poulos April 19, 2015

Tax time has become even more of a challenge under the Affordable Care Act, and in California, taxpayers have found matters especially difficult. Despite racking up relatively big successes in enrollment and implementation, the Covered California exchange has struggled in

Southern CA chafes under water squeeze

James Poulos April 18, 2015

Despite a long track record of conserving water, Southern California has had to scramble to find new ways to scale back even further. Gov. Jerry Brown’s statewide decree of a 25 percent cut in municipal water use has triggered a wave

Bill to end high school exit exam advances

Chris Reed April 17, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown and state schools chief Tom Torlakson have made plain for years they want no part of the education reform agenda touted by President Obama and think tanks backed by Bill Gates. The state has not pursued federal

CA vaccine bill placed in intensive care

James Poulos April 17, 2015

Faced with an unexpected new source of opposition, California lawmakers trying to tighten up vaccine exemptions have been thrown back on the defensive. “In requiring vaccinations as a prerequisite for enrolling children in school, detractors said, the bill would legalize institutional

Records of lawmakers a step closer to transparency

Steve Miller April 17, 2015

A judge has found that the records of lawmakers can be subject to open records requests, making California one of 28 states in which the records of state lawmakers are open to the public. The April 3 ruling interprets a part

Environmental Views: Gray Davis vs. Pete Wilson

Joel Fox April 17, 2015

Town Hall Los Angeles hosted a discussion between former California governors Pete Wilson and Gray Davis yesterday with the two disagreeing over environmental law regulations and touching on other policy issues and state politics. Wilson argued that the reason California

‘Anti-science policies’ seen as factor in CA water crisis

Chris Reed April 16, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent executive order mandating decreased water use prompted national and international attention. All coverage understandably emphasized the state’s 4-year-old drought; some linked the problem to climate change. But a California-based journalist who specializes in science reporting based