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How to fund infrastructure fixes: Tax hikes or rearranging spending priorities?

Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislators are pitching a transportation-tax proposal they depict as the only means to fix California’s crumbling roads, freeways and bridges. One would be hard pressed to find any policy maker in California who doesn’t bemoan

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Gov. Jerry Brown signs host of significant legislation

SACRAMENTO – The 2016 legislative season is officially over, with Gov. Jerry Brown having signed 900 bills while vetoing 159 by Friday’s deadline. Some of the recently signed bills are far-reaching and will have a noticeable effect on Californians’ lives. Here’s a

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Bill punishing Fentanyl kingpins dies in committee

A bill that would have imposed mandatory sentences on large-scale dealers of a powerful opioid responsible for a rash of deaths and overdoses over the last few years died in committee Thursday. Fentanyl, an anesthetic said to cause a euphoric high

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Women poised for modest gains in legislative races

Women make up more than half of California’s population, but only about one-fourth of the Legislature.  And in November, that’s unlikely to change too much, according to a CalWatchdog analysis. While an October surprise, outside factor or just particularly good

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Republican women call for lawmaker to step down after domestic violence allegations

Pressure for Assemblyman Roger Hernández to step down amid allegations of domestic violence increased on Thursday as three prominent Republican women joined the small, yet growing, bipartisan group of voices demanding action. Hernández, a West Covina Democrat, is currently under a temporary

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After rash of overdoses, Senate advances bill to punish Fentanyl traffickers

A Senate panel unanimously advanced a bill on Tuesday that would significantly increase the penalties for possession of large quantities of the powerful opioid Fentanyl, a drug that has led to a wave of overdoses in Sacramento recently. Fentanyl, which is reported to

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