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Boy Scouts and youth groups safe from CA lawmakers… for now

SACRAMENTO — A bill to strip the Boy Scouts of their tax exemption has been shelved… for now. Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, decided Thursday to sideline his bill to eliminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit youth groups that do

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Bills Report 2: Enviro reform hidden under basketball stadium

SACRAMENTO — The California Legislature ended the 2013 legislative session Thursday by passing hundreds of new bills. Most of the controversial bills were passed along party lines. However a bill from Sen. Pres. Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, granting a

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Bills Report 1: Stadium/CEQA, other bills pass…

Here is a quick rundown of some of the bills to pass the California Legislature this week: Fracking regulations bill, SB 4 by Sen. Fran Pavely, D-Auguora Hills. This bill would would impose California’s first regulations on hydraulic fracturing, and other

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Despite Colorado recall, CA Legislature passes gun control bills

SACRAMENTO — The surprising recall election of two Colorado Democratic lawmakers Tuesday for backing gun control laws was a warning shot for lawmakers across America eager for more gun control laws. Not for the Democratic supermajority in the California Legislature. More than two

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SB 323 would yank Boy Scouts’ tax exemption

A bill to strip the Boy Scouts of their tax exemption if the organization refused to lift its ban on homosexual scoutmasters is the first of its kind in the country. The “Youth Equality Bill” is SB323 by Sen. Ricardo Lara,

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Sea of grimy mattresses evidence of need for recycling bill

A sea of used mattresses was on display at a press conference on the steps of the Capitol Wednesday. The stained, lumpy mattresses were a grimy but convincing prop for a bill which would create a recovery and recycling program for used

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Hearing uncovered abuse of CA special funds

SACRAMENTO — Only in government is borrowing considered a legitimate way to balance a budget. In California it has become standard operating procedure. To address this growing problem, the state’s Special Funds were the subject of a hearing last week

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AB 917 would send charter schools to the back of the class

The popularity and success of California’s 900 charter schools aren’t making everyone happy. Union leaders have tried to organize the non-union schools, but unsuccessfully. New tactic: Hamper the charters’ spread. AB 917, which just passed both houses of the Legislature,

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Vidak: ‘Let the people re-vote on High-Speed Rail’

SACRAMENTO — Newly elected Sen. Andy Vidak, R-Hanford, has authored a set of amendments to an existing Assembly bill to allow Californians to vote on whether or not to proceed with the High-Speed Rail project, and would halt any further bond sales

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Steinberg seeks CEQA changes to boost Sacto arena

SACRAMENTO — The task of reforming the California Environmental Quality Act is being mingled with local Sacramento politics. At a hearing in the Assembly Local Government committee last week, State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, passionately defended SB

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