Green kratom powder, capsule and beverage. Image by Betka82. OPINION – Next year, California legislators will have another opportunity to introduce a comprehensive approach to kratom regulation, balancing consumer protections with access to leaf kratom and kratom extracts.
Image by Kuzmik_AOPINION – California vaccination rates for communicable illnesses dropped during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic when our health system moved to an “emergency only” system. Today, many Californians are still behind on their routine vaccines, leaving communities across our state susceptible to contracting and spreading dangerous illnesses.
Reader watching media website in smartphone. Image by Tero VesalainenWhile not a panacea for all that affects newspapers, the compromise on AB 886 which consists of cash infusion of approximately $100 million next year and $250 million over the subsequent 5 years, will help newspapers transition to changing models of news consumption.
Image by coffeekaiOPINION – It is time to end the incarceration of girls and nonbinary or trans youth here in California and set a new model for how we care for our troubled kids.
Image by Rawf8OPINION – Prop. 36 is a common-sense reform of Prop. 47 that is designed to address the unintended consequences that have emerged from that law ten years after its passage. As the Mayor of California’s 3rd largest city, I see the costly and deadly results of the flaws in Prop. 47 every day.
Image by VectorMineOPINION – As Californians move towards EVs, their Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) has projected about a $5 billion dollar decline in gasoline tax revenue over the next decade. This is a significant oversight to a policy change that should have been identified before implementation.
Image by zimmytwsOPINION – California’s homeowners insurance crisis is making it more difficult to build and buy affordable homes — and in some cases impossible. By restricting the supply of housing, particularly condominiums and multi-family housing, lack of insurance availability is driving up consumer housing costs and limiting the lowest priced homeownership option for consumers.
Image by Bing-Jhen HongOPINION – In times of recurring droughts and rising temperatures, aquifers and spring systems are becoming even more essential to our state’s water future – but they are in danger. If we don’t protect these places, California’s water security, natural landscapes, and iconic species are at risk.
Image by Serhej CalkaOPINION – Veterans, like all Californians, deserve leaders who take constructive actions to create opportunities and empower them to succeed. Supporting the Kroger-Albertsons merger is one such action—one that will protect jobs, support businesses, and help ensure a brighter future for our communities.
Image by Sansert SangsakawratOPINION – This summer in California has been full of both impressive renewable energy milestones and concerning climate change impacts. These contradictions prove that we still have a long way to go on the road to 100% clean, renewable energy, and how important it is for California to drive quickly toward its goals.