March 2016 | Page 3 of 5 | CalWatchdog.com

Archive

Lawmaker: Expel students who engage in worst ‘sexting’

At a time when the U.S. legal system is facing critics from both the Left and the Right for overprosecuting mistake-prone young people and leaving permanent scars on their lives, a California lawmaker wants to allow schools to expel students

CA to roll out pay-per-mile pilot program for drivers

James Poulos March 16, 2016

As state drivers’ changing habits undermined roughly a hundred years of gasoline taxes, California officials debuted a controversial new pilot program designed to make up the difference. “The state of California is looking for 5,000 volunteers this summer for

State’s top cyberdefender steps down after months of criticism over security lapses

Matt Fleming March 16, 2016

Michele Robinson, the state’s top officer in charge of cybersecurity, stepped down last week after spending the last seven months under fire for widespread lapses in the state’s safeguards against hacking. In an email to colleagues, Robinson was vague about her reasons, mentioning some

Trump establishes commanding lead in recent Golden State poll

James Poulos March 15, 2016

With California’s delegate-rich primary election looming for Republicans as a possible last chance to stop Donald Trump from rolling to the nomination, Trump has established a commanding lead in the polls and a beachhead of support among the party’s California

Silicon Valley defends Apple as FBI continues to pressure tech giant

James Poulos March 14, 2016

With neither side willing to back down, the confrontation between Apple and the FBI over the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone has transformed into a pivotal conflict between the tech industry and the federal government. Scores of companies threw their weight behind Apple’s effort

State auditor warns government agencies in danger of hacking

Chris Reed March 13, 2016

State Auditor Elaine Howle, who issued a report last year warning of cybersecurity problems at dozens of state agencies, says the problems remain mostly unaddressed. Testifying at a recent hearing of the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection and

Legislature raises CA smoking age to 21; pending Brown’s signature

James Poulos March 12, 2016

Triggering the sort of speculation about nationwide change California’s new regulations often inspire, legislators approved bills raising the legal age for smoking and vaping to 21. “The California state Senate voted Thursday to raise the legal age to buy and use

Backlash to GOP’s AQMD takeover accelerates

Chris Reed March 11, 2016

Democratic politicians and environmental groups are scrambling to reverse decisions made by the South Coast Air Quality Management District board, which is now controlled by Republicans for the first time in memory. The agency oversees air pollution control reduction efforts for Orange

Bullet train survives lawsuit, but faces new delays

James Poulos March 11, 2016

A California court may have given the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project enough rope to hang itself. After surviving a major lawsuit, the bullet train will still be coming fully online years later than anticipated. “California’s high-speed train has just been

Big money readies for fight over tax extension

Matt Fleming March 10, 2016

A hospital association just pumped $12.5 million into an effort to extend a tax on top earners — a tax that’s provided billions of dollars in education funding since 2012. In fact, the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems quadrupled its investment