Regulations

CA Dems balk at Cap and Trade cost

With gas prices soaring again, consumers are rebelling. And even liberal Democrats in California are seeking to help their constituents. Assemblyman Henry Perea, D-Fresno, spearheaded the writing of a June 16 letter signed by 16 Democratic assembly members to California

Green flack thinks <2% annual growth in CA 'cleantech' is impressive

Chris Reed July 3, 2014

The fallout from the news that 16 Assembly Democrats were willing to go on the record with their concerns that AB 32 will drive up gas prices and cause economic pain to struggling folks in their home districts continues to grow.

CA to reverse food glove law

James Poulos July 1, 2014

Say goodbye to California’s ban on bare hands for food and drink handlers. Set to be enforced beginning July 1, the measure — passed just this March — would have required all bar and restaurant employees who prepared meals or beverages to

East Bay proposal reignites minimum wage fight

James Poulos June 30, 2014

When a handful of corporations conspires to fix wages, they face legal action. But for several cities in the San Francisco East Bay area, the idea of a concerted effort to set pay has a newfound appeal. Rather than taking

CA left’s absurd new dogma: Regulations have no downside

Chris Reed June 29, 2014

Businesses like to make money. Smart business owners are happy to change their ways in search of how to increase or maximize profits. The hostility to change that one sees in a bureaucracy with no vested interest in making things

Now legal: To sleep in your car in L.A.

James Poulos June 27, 2014

In a decision hailed as a human rights victory by homeless-rights activists, a federal court struck down a decades-old Los Angeles law prohibiting the use of vehicles as residences. The ordinance, Section 85.02 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, declared, “No person

Indian lands bill considered Wednesday

Dave Roberts June 24, 2014

Assembly Bill 52, which would increase the power of California’s Native American tribes to delay or halt development in areas sensitive to Indian heritage, is raising concerns about more lawsuits and slower growth in the state. The bill’s backers

CA congressman changes GOP pot game

James Poulos June 23, 2014

Faced with a choice between traditional drug attitudes and federalist political principles, 49 Republican members of the House of Representatives recently voted in favor of the latter. And a California Congressman led the way. In a result unthinkable just a

This won’t end well: Coastal Commission gets more power

Chris Reed June 22, 2014

Budget trailer bills continue to be a great vehicle for legslative mischief in Sacramento. Here we go again, reports the Merc-News: “The California Coastal Commission can now fine property owners who illegally block public access to beaches, putting new teeth

Dem strategist (albeit a paid one) rips Nanny State push

Chris Reed June 18, 2014

A classic Nanny State bill failed in committee Tuesday within hours after a leading Democratic strategist warned California lawmakers that they shouldn’t count on flattering headlines if it kept advancing. Details on the bill’s demise from the LAT: “A proposal