Posts From James Poulos
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CA assisted suicide bill advances
With doctors’ groups divided, legislation that would authorize assisted suicide cleared a key hurdle in Sacramento, triggering a fresh round of controversy. Senate Bill 128, the so-called “End of Life Option Act,” was introduced earlier this year by state Sens. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and
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CA Senate votes to hike smoking age
Adding another bill to its reputation as a trend-setting Legislature, Sacramento has taken a big step toward raising the statewide smoking age to 21. By an overwhelming tally of 26 to 8, the state Senate voted to prohibit sales of
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CA pension plans prompting tough tradeoffs
Despite a sounder economic footing, California’s pensions problem has deepened. That was the conclusion drawn by analysts who warned that new accounting rules would shine a startling spotlight on practices long kept in the shadows. “The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is implementing new
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SCOTUS could shake CA’s redistricting schemes
A pair of high-profile cases taken up by the Supreme Court could invalidate California’s redistricting system, scrapping citizen-led efforts to free it up from partisan wrangling. A tale of two controversies “The fate of the citizen redistricting commission hangs most directly in the
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Covered CA struggles to meet expectations
“This issue of making health care affordable is not easy.” It probably wasn’t what Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, hoped to announce in the exchange’s second year. But the remarks came on the heels of a new survey
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Uneven CA water cuts prompt public outcry
A cascade of new water regulations has brought the drought home to millions of residents across California, cutting into their indoor and outdoor use and, often, prompting an outcry. But the impact of the regulations, handed down at different levels of government,
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Rising electric rates spark CA fight
A new plan under consideration by the state Public Utilities Commission has Californians up in arms over the prospect of higher rates for less electricity usage. Dueling schemes “Under the current rules, homes served by Southern California Edison pay higher prices
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Union grip on CA elections slips
After a lengthy streak of outsized influence, California’s private-sector unions have suffered a string of electoral setbacks — shaking up the balance of power in Democratic circles and giving Republicans reason for cheer even when facing down defeat. A perfect storm Although
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CA legislators revisit microbead ban
After a near miss last year, a new push to ban so-called microbeads has gained momentum, clearing the California Assembly. The tiny plastic orbs, especially prevalent in cosmetics and personal care products, like facial scrubs, became the target of environmentalist scorn over recent
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CA follows NV lead on desert-style lawns
Nevada, where lush lawns have largely become a thing of the past, has become a landscaping model for California. Buying brown Although it was once unthinkable for Nevadans to give up on green grass, a combination of incentives eventually succeeded in
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