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Contested family leave bill on governor’s desk

Since 1997 the California Chamber of Commerce has prevented more than three-quarters of bills that it calls “job killers” from reaching the governor’s desk. This year only three of 19 targeted bills were passed by the Legislature. Gov. Jerry Brown

New bombshells in San Diego school board scandal

Chris Reed September 18, 2015

Two new reports provide fresh heft to allegations that San Diego school board President Marne Foster has abused her power. Both relate to what happened at the district’s School of Creative and Performing Arts, where her son graduated last year.

New poll: CA Republicans prefer Trump and Carson

James Poulos September 17, 2015

California’s often-beleaguered Republican voters are putting their faith in their party’s biggest outsiders. In a new poll conducted by USC Dornsife and the Los Angeles Times, respondents indicated an overwhelming preference for Donald Trump and Ben Carson, reflecting West Coast

Assisted suicide bill heads to Brown

James Poulos September 16, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown once again held the fate of a major legislative change in his hands. This time, a bill legalizing assisted suicide has landed on his desk. After the Assembly greenlit the legislation 44-35, the state Senate cleared it with a 23-14

Gov. Brown vetoes CA drone bill

James Poulos September 15, 2015

Exhibiting his penchant for practical wisdom, Gov. Jerry Brown waved off the California Legislature’s attempt to place big new restrictions on drone usage. Deflating anxiety “Drone technology certainly raises novel issues that merit careful examination. This bill, however, while well-intentioned, could

High-speed rail workshops will review environmental concerns

Kathy Hamilton September 14, 2015

The High-Speed Rail Authority has restarted an aggressive plan to finish the environmental work on the San Francisco to San Jose and the San Jose to Merced segments of the High-Speed Rail Project. Completion of the final environmental documents is

CA Legislature sends Brown microbead ban

James Poulos September 14, 2015

After a roller coaster ride through the Senate, a bill enacting the nation’s toughest ban on so-called “microbeads” headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk for signature. Doubts overcome After sailing through the Assembly in May, AB888, introduced by Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica,

State agency struggling to police for-profit colleges

Steve Miller September 14, 2015

The state talks a big game about policing the for-profit college industry, with legislative proposals to ease student debt and a massive lawsuit against the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges. But an $8 million bureaucracy the state launched five years ago

CA Democrats scale back emissions bill

James Poulos September 12, 2015

In a remarkable reversal, California Democrats have dropped a main provision in landmark legislation ratcheting up emissions regulations. As Republicans cheered, liberals nationwide decried the turnabout, with Golden State environmentalists blaming a sizable campaign against the bills launched by a nervous oil industry.

Lawmakers bow to pressure, abandon effort to fix property confiscation laws

John September 11, 2015

Government agencies will continue to have the power to confiscate private property in California – without a criminal conviction – after lawmakers bowed to intense lobbying pressure by agencies with a vested interest in maintaining California’s civil asset forfeiture system. “No