News
Voters like taxing the rich, as a rule, but Proposition 30, which would take from millionaires and give to electric cars, headed into election night with nearly as much opposition as support – making it appear to be one of the few cliffhangers on the statewide ballot. But that was short lived: By Wednesday morning, Proposition 30 was soundly rejected by about an 18-point margin
News
California voters — those who hadn’t already voted by mail, anyway — headed to the polls Tuesday on a rainy, blustery election day marked by close attention to key Congressional races and high-stakes ballot propositions, while California’s statewide contenders almost got lost in the shuffle.
News
It was a $137 million day for the Golden State’s stem cell agency — no small event even for an enterprise that is backed by billions. The scientific scope covered by the $137 million was impressive. It ranged from bolstering the vaunted Alpha Clinic Network initiated around the state by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as the agency is legally known, to raising the number of CIRM’s clinical trials to 83.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: With the 2022 election just days away, we asked longtime political party animals Jim Brulte and Garry South to weigh in on what they expect to see on Tuesday and make their predictions. Brulte, the former head of the California Republican Party, sees a good night for Republicans nationally and expects tight CA congressional districts to swing the GOP’s way. Garry South, a high profile Democratic strategist, suggests that it will be very difficult for Dems to retain control of the House, but expects good news in California races.
News
Heading into Election Day we have seen shifts nationally that appear to advantage Republicans, putting the GOP on track to regain control of Congress and pushing a number of competitive races in California into “toss-up” territory. But with Republicans knocking on the door of potential gains, even despite a redistricting that appeared to reinforce Democratic districts and weaken Republican-held seats, could their own messaging on vote by mail get in the way?
News
By expanding California’s existing legal definitions of compostability and biodegradability to cover more products than plastics, and by creating more specific, safer definitions, the single-use disposable products that companies label as “compostable” will now actually biodegrade into safe, usable organic matter. This package of environmental legislation transforms the rules around environmental marketing claims and continues California’s move toward a truly sustainable economy.
News
Several major firms that refine crude oil into gas in California have been doing well lately, a contrast to consumers facing gas price hikes. Against this backdrop, Gov. Newsom has called for a special legislative session in December focused on capping windfall profits (like PBF and Valero’s recently) and a price-gouging rebate for consumers.
News
The first standardized school testing since the pandemic has confirmed what parents knew all along – Covid shutdowns and remote learning hurt student performance and wiped out years of improvement. Repairing the damage won’t be easy. “Pandemic learning loss” presents a unique set of problems for which educators have no playbook.
News
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: It’s our Halloween episode, so it’s an appropriate time to look at an attempt to bring a dead bill back to life! Democratic Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, who was elected in June to finish Autumn Burke’s term in the 62nd District, has promised to reintroduce AB 1577, Asm. Mark Stone’s bill to unionize the legislature.
Analysis
Watching analyses of this coming election can be a bit like watching a tennis match. The lead in many races – from US Senate contests to local competitive house and legislative districts, has seemingly volleyed back and forth for months. If it all seems less stable than past elections, that’s not just your perception – it really is.
A line of vehicles charge up at a Tesla Supercharger station in Westminster. (Photo: The Image Party, via Shutterstock.)
