Regulations

Pro sports nonprofits seek special exemption from state raffle rules

Professional sports franchises have a track record of securing special exemptions from environmental regulations, landing sweetheart bond financing deals and collecting direct government subsidies for stadiums. Now, the nonprofit arms of these billion-dollar businesses are looking to gain a special exemption

CA sardine fishing ban: Did regulators wait too long?

Chris Reed July 19, 2015

The federal government’s emergency moratorium on sardine fishing off the California and Pacific Northeast coast took effect July 1, in a major blow to commercial fishing operations, which directly and indirectly sustain thousands of middle-class jobs. The Pacific Fishery Management

ADA reform bill advances

Josephine Djuhana July 17, 2015

Businesses will gain new incentives to comply under the American Disabilities Act, thanks to a bill authored by state Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside. SB251 would reform compliance rules with the ADA, by extending requirements for attorneys to report ADA-related violations,

Gov. Brown opposes CA minimum wage hike

James Poulos July 16, 2015

Opening another fissure with members of his own party, Gov. Jerry Brown has come down on the opposite side of a proposed statewide increase in the minimum wage. Changing course In an indication of the mood in the governor’s office, Brown’s

Bill would ban sex offenders from driving for Uber, Lyft

Chris Nichols July 15, 2015

The next time you grab a ride with Uber or Lyft, a California lawmaker wants to make sure a registered sex offender isn’t behind the wheel — something the ride-hailing companies say they already go the extra-mile to prevent. Sen.

Anti-smoking bills falter in Sacramento

James Poulos July 11, 2015

A surprise switch to a bill that would tightly regulate vaping has caused its sponsor to repudiate the legislation. State Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, had advanced SB140 confidently, riding a wave of anti-smoking activism that sought to treat vapes, or e-cigs, the

Bill to restrict e-cigarette use dies in committee

Josephine Djuhana July 8, 2015

On Wednesday, legislation that would classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products was amended and held in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. Senate Bill 140 author Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, dropped his support for the bill after committee amendments struck out portions of

Right-to-work states see union membership, revenues drop

Josephine Djuhana July 7, 2015

With Friedrichs v. CTA pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, stakeholders and spectators alike are curious to see not only the outcome of the court case, but also the greater implications tied to union membership and influence in legislative bodies

SCOTUS decision rolls back EPA authority

Josephine Djuhana June 30, 2015

On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down the Environmental Protection Agency’s restriction of power plants’ emissions of mercury and other air pollutants in a 5-4 vote. The premise of Michigan v. EPA was whether the agency could refuse to consider

SCOTUS spares CA raisin farmer

James Poulos June 29, 2015

At least one closely split Supreme Court decision seems likely to meet widespread acclaim this term. A 5-4 majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, sided with a California raisin grower challenging a New Deal law that had enabled government agriculture regulators to