Breaking News

CA bill would snuff smoking until age 21

Smoke ’em if you got ’em — maybe. A new wave of anti-smoking legislation is wafting through the halls of the state Capitol. And it’s been more than four years since former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger folded his cigar “smoking tent”

Physical education settlement gives slacking CA schools a workout

James Poulos February 6, 2015

Faced with an embarrassing lawsuit over physical education requirements, California schools have opted to settle with the Golden State parent spearheading the case. Marc Babin, who created an organization called Cal200 to further his aims, sued California in 2013 to enforce

CalPERS reacts to Anthem security breach

John Seiler February 5, 2015

The hacker attack on health insurance provider Anthem Blue Cross announced last night in particular affects hundreds of thousands of members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. But a security expert told CalWatchdog.com the breach is not critical —

CA DNA database does not compute

James Poulos February 5, 2015

A new bill seeks to eliminate the California “biobank” created last year over strenuous objections from privacy advocates and some judges. Assembly Bill 170, introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Glendale, aims to curb the broad and longstanding practice of acquiring

Car-mileage fee debate accelerates

Joel Fox February 5, 2015

The debate over gas taxes or mileage-based user fees to fund road construction and maintenance is accelerating. Proponents of gas tax increases argue now is the time to proceed because lower gasoline prices would lessen the blow on consumers and

CA stricken with vaccine controversy

James Poulos February 5, 2015

As a rash of measles outbreaks raises health alarms, Californians are caught in a national crossfire of controversy over a new trend against vaccinating children. Thanks to relatively lenient laws, the Golden State has been caught flat-footed as over 100 residents have contracted the

CA jobs growth continues — with caution signal

John Seiler February 4, 2015

California continues to enjoy fairly strong jobs growth — but new data released today (not yet online) by the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research at Chapman University suggest caution may be warranted moving forward. The report’s headline: “California unemployment

CA prison population drops below court-ordered level

James Poulos February 4, 2015

After an improvised scramble to reduce populations in accordance with federal court orders, Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration has succeeded in lowering the number of state prison inmates to the judicially prescribed level. He largely accomplished that through his Public Safety

Obamacare takes turn for the worse in CA

James Poulos February 4, 2015

As the Affordable Care Act and the Covered California health exchange enter their second year, Californians have begun to encounter fresh challenges and disappointments — a development that has pushed enrollment numbers below official targets. This year, signups are trailing

CA bag ban initiative heading toward 2016 vote

Steve Miller February 4, 2015

The effort to repeal the state’s looming prohibition on plastic grocery bags is projected to have enough valid signatures to move the initiative forward, according to a random sample of the signees compiled by the California secretary of state’s elections office. The sample