Larissa May: Cyberbullying, SB 1504 and Digital Wellness

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Our guest today, Larissa May, has become one of the leading voices in California and across the country in the quest for young people to have a healthier relationship with social media and the digital world in general. May came to this work through her own traumatic experiences as a young person overwhelmed by social media. May is the founder of #halfthestory, which works with schools, state and federal governments, and Fortune 500 companies to create new standards for digital use and to educate young people on the dangers inherent to obsessing over social media. She joined us today to share her story and to talk about a new bill – SB 1504, authored by Sen. Henry Stern – that would require social media platforms to change the way they deal with online bullying.

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News

Republicans’ California losing streak comparatively not that bad

Image by Melnikov Dmitriy

While GOP’s California drought is unquestionably bad – Republicans have lost 38 consecutive statewide contests since 2008, the worst active streak for the party in any state – it actually pales in comparison to the Democrats’ current ineptitude in more than half a dozen states.

Experts Expound

Experts Expound: What now for Katie Porter?

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald

U.S. Rep. Katie Porter’s (D-CA), once considered a rising national star for the Democratic Party, finished a distant third in her bid for the Senate seat once held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).  With that in mind, we posed the following question to our panel of esteemed experts: With her campaign for U.S. Senate over and her time in the House coming to a close, where does Katie Porter go from here? 

Opinion

The Golden State can do better than copper landlines

Image by Flegere

OPINION – Outdated regulations written before the internet existed continue to require broadband companies to prop up old copper telephone networks, even as consumers abandon them for the new horizons, capabilities, and possibilities of broadband.

Micheli Files

Are all California trailer bills protected against a referendum?

Image by Yuriy K

Some Capitol observers have posed the question whether budget trailer bills in the California Legislature are “shielded” or protected from a referendum challenge. The answer to this question has not been addressed by the judicial branch, but we can certainly make an educated guess. Let’s consider a few points.

News

Democrats try to change the narrative about California with retail theft bills

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Assemblymembers Rick Zbur (left) and Kevin McCarty (right). Photo by Rich Ehisen

Perception is often reality in politics and, fairly or not, a series of viral videos showing criminals brazenly shoplifting from California stores has some people thinking  the Golden State has become lawless. So with law enforcement and retail interests eyeing another ballot measure to reform Proposition 47, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats have opted to take on the state’s perception problem themselves, and they’re inviting Republicans along for the ride.

News

Will California follow Oregon’s ‘strategic’ approach to psychedelics?

Image courtesy of 24K-Production

There is a growing acceptance in mental health circles that some psychedelics – particularly psilocybin, MDMA, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and mescaline – have great promise for treating certain mental health disorders, including post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. But some observers fear legalizing it could kick off a psilocybin Gold Rush that emphasizes profits over patient care.

Opinion

Non-addictive treatments key to solving opioid crisis

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OPINION – Non-opioids could have a life changing impact on the approximately 5 million Americans living with opioid use disorder today, but they could also be an invaluable tool in our effort to effectively treat acute pain patients. This is an incredible opportunity, but we will only realize the full benefits of non-opioids if we make them easily accessible to the public – meaning it’s time for a legislative solution.

News

Fighting fentanyl: how California leadership can protect our children

Image by Sonis Photography

OPINION – California’s overdose crisis has ignited fear in the hearts of parents across the state. The thought of our youth being exposed to substances like fentanyl causes anxiety and concern. While Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health have taken steps to address the overdose crisis through the statewide standing order for naloxone, it’s clear that this alone is not sufficient.

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