March 2016 | Page 4 of 5 | CalWatchdog.com

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Fuller puts first responders front and center

With an increasingly contentious campaign season in full swing, it’s easy to forget that occasionally there’s positive news in public office. Senate Minority Leader Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, took the time to honor first responders from her district on Monday —

Parental privacy panic pays off as judge changes mind

Chris Reed March 8, 2016

A lawsuit over how the disabled are treated in California schools triggered a parental panic attack after a federal judge ordered that a database with records on every public school student in the Golden State since 2008 be given to

Rendon’s Assembly speakership sweeps in change

Matt Fleming March 8, 2016

Assemblyman Anthony Rendon’s swearing in as speaker on Monday signaled a fresh start as optimism warmed over the Capitol. At the swearing in, the paramount Democrat drew a standing ovation from the crowd and an impassioned introduction in both English and

Is San Francisco mayor now DA’s target?

Chris Reed March 7, 2016

Former San Francisco state Sen. Leland Yee was recently sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a bizarre corruption scheme involving bribery, Chinese-American gangs, Filipino terror suspects and international gun-running. But related federal and local corruption

CA asset seizure survives SCOTUS review

James Poulos March 6, 2016

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take on a 15-year-old case challenging California’s asset seizure practices. The justices decided “they would not hear a long-running lawsuit that contends the state does not do enough to notify the rightful owners before seizing their

Carpooling and mass transit decline; number of solo commuters on the rise

Joel Fox March 5, 2016

If you drive to work alone then you are not, well — alone — in a manner of speaking. It seems that single use occupant vehicles have increased as a percentage of the commuter population while other more communal modes of

Google driverless car hits bus, stokes controversy

James Poulos March 4, 2016

The controversy over driverless cars shifted into high gear as an automated vehicle built by Google hit a passenger bus. “The crash may be the first case of one of its autonomous cars hitting another vehicle and the fault of

How much does Sanchez’s House experience matter in the Senate?

Matt Fleming March 3, 2016

Loretta Sanchez spent much of her time at the California Democratic convention last weekend trying to persuade the party faithful that her 19 years of experience in Congress makes her the best choice to replace Democrat Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate. Unlike

Young CA voters cooling on Democratic Party

James Poulos March 3, 2016

With their presidential primary season defined by a massive generation gap, California Democrats have braced for their state to play an outsized role in the nomination process — at a time when the growth of their party appears to be leveling

CA health tax plan keeps Medi-Cal part of national budget

James Poulos March 2, 2016

Surmounting a challenge that has festered since summer of last year, Sacramento legislators pulled together behind a tax plan that will keep Medi-Cal part of the national budget. “California lawmakers approved a health plan tax package Monday designed to continue pulling