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California’s anti-sanctuary politicians go to Washington
A cadre of California politicians spoke last week with President Donald Trump at an immigration round table, with discussions centered on resistance to California’s so-called “sanctuary policies.” The meeting was the latest development in an ongoing battle between California and
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Brown’s ‘WaterFix’ has new momentum – but daunting obstacles remain
Just six weeks ago, Gov. Jerry Brown’s hopes for a huge, difficult legacy project to solidify California’s statewide water distribution system – one funded by water districts, not directly by taxpayers – appeared in bad shape. Years of lobbying for what the
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California regulators approve plan to mandate solar panels on new homes
California regulators on Wednesday approved a first-in-the-nation plan to mandate the installation of solar panels on all new homes beginning in 2020. The move was approved with a 5-0 vote by the California Energy Commission, in what supporters of solar energy
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California Supreme Court makes it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors
On Monday, the California Supreme Court issued a major ruling on the distinction between independent contractors (IC) and employees, establishing a new test for determining classification that presumes that workers are employees and not ICs. The case, Dynamex Operations West,
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Poor test scores raise new doubts about landmark 2013 school finance law
Five years after Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature passed a sweeping new school finance law meant to provide extra help to struggling students in poor, minority communities, new federal test scores raise difficult questions about the effectiveness of the
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Scandal-plagued Wells Fargo could face new $1 billion fine
Wells Fargo, the iconic San Francisco-based financial services giant, already faces unprecedented government punishment for major scandals revealed in recent years. In February, in the final action by departing Fed Chair Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve announced that the company
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New California bill would put state in charge of setting health care prices
Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, has introduced a new bill that would put California in charge of setting prices for hospital visits, trips to the doctor and other medical services. Under the legislative proposal, the state would create an independent
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Gov. Jerry Brown agrees to send National Guard troops to border – but not for immigration enforcement
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday authorized the deployment of 400 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border at the request of the Trump administration. But it came with one caveat – that the guards would not be used for federal immigration enforcement.
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With brutal fire season expected, fight over how to respond has never stopped
California’s perilous experiences with massive wildfires reached an all-time peak in 2017, as the state suffered through its worst blaze in recorded history – the Thomas Fire – and five of its 17 worst fires ever. State officials estimated that about 9,000 wildfires from
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New Assembly bill would increase rights of student athletes
March Madness may be receding into memory, but college athletics figures to be on the California Legislature’s radar this month with the introduction last week of a bill to reclassify college athletes. Chief among the provisions in Assembly Bill 2747,
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