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Nurse union exploits Ebola crisis in negotiations

Seizing on the growing concern about the deadly West African virus, the California Nurses Association, one of the state’s most powerful unions, has added several Ebola-related provisions to its list of demands in its ongoing dispute with Kaiser Permanente. The two

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CA bans state cooperation with warrantless spying

From new regulations on ride-sharing to a ban on plastic bags, Californians lost plenty of liberty this legislative session. But freedom in the Golden State scored at least one small victory in 2014. Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed into law a

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Tuck outraising incumbent, but union looms large

Education reformer Marshall Tuck has accomplished a rare feat for a political challenger: He’s raised more money than the incumbent. According to the most recent campaign finance disclosure reports released Monday, Tuck has raised nearly $1.6 million since he launched his campaign

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AD 44: ‘Herculean’ support flows to McCoy

What a difference a day makes. On Friday, CalWatchdog.com suggested Rob McCoy, the Republican candidate in the contested 44th Assembly District, was being written off by the Assembly Republican Caucus. That was supported by grumblings from GOP sources and campaign finance

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Could underdog upset Assembly GOP Caucus?

Twenty years ago, Jim Brulte was all set to be elected speaker of the Assembly. “I am absolutely confident that I’ll be elected speaker,” Brulte told the San Jose Mercury News in Dec. 1994, shortly after the GOP claimed a majority

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Gov. Brown rebuilds redevelopment

Reversing his 2011 abolition of redevelopment, on Monday Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law two bills that will revive it, Senate Bill 628 and Assembly Bill 229. He also vetoed a third redevelopment measure, AB2280, he believed went too far by codifying

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Gov. Brown signs bill to expand prisoner DNA testing

Wrongly convicted prisoners received a glimmer of hope Thursday from a new law that could help prove their innocence. Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 980, by state Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, which expands access to DNA testing for prisoners who are searching

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Records show unions massively fund CA Dem Party

At a time when two Democratic lawmakers stand accused of bribery and public corruption, California’s most powerful labor unions have kicked back more than a million dollars to the California Democratic Party. According to state campaign finance records posted Monday evening,

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Betty Yee flips, now backs high-speed rail

Board of Equalization member Betty Yee has changed her mind about the state’s controversial high-speed rail plan. During the June primary campaign, the Democratic candidate for state controller opposed Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to build a faster rail connection between San Francisco

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Arnold meets his match in India

Arnold Schwarzenegger has met his match in South India. On Monday, just a few days after the controversial unveiling of his official gubernatorial portrait in Sacramento, the former California governor traveled halfway around the world to Chennai, India. During Arnold’s

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