Posts Tagged: adoption

Opinion

With violent crime rising, lawmakers need to step up

A police detective dusts a car for fingerprints at a Lompoc crime scene. (Photo: Bill Morson, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Our nation is feeling the devastating impacts of rising crime and violence. The headlines are alarming: “Murders in U.S. Cities Were Near Record Highs in 2021,” “‘It’s just crazy’: 12 major cities hit all-time homicide records,” “Fueled by gun violence, cities across the US are breaking all-time homicide records this year”. We clearly have a serious problem to address.

Opinion

An open letter to Gavin Newsom: Address California’s poverty

A pair of homeless men asking for money on a Los Angeles street corner. (Photo: Hayk_Shalunts, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Dear Gov.-elect Newsom: California has long stood out as a state that innovates and leads. As you begin your term, we at the Western Center on Law and Poverty are ready to work with you to ensure that California lives up to its ideals — including addressing poverty and its subsequent harms.

Opinion

Tougher rules to curb vehicle pollution

Rush hour on the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles. (Photo: Joseph Sohm via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Transportation accounts for the greatest share of greenhouse gas emissions in California, at 41 percent and trending up. So it should come as a relief that California’s Air Resources Board recently approved a suite of clean transportation rules that will not only help reduce carbon emissions from vehicles, but will help consumers who are feeling the pain of rising fuel costs in California.

News

Capitol myth vs. reality, Part Deux

State Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Shuttesrstock)

Welcome to Part II of our deep dive into the myths and realities of legislation. This time we’ll take a look at how bills are amended and moved around. After our earlier piece appeared, one reader called to thank us – he said it helped him sleep at night. We’re glad we were able to help. And now to the bills: There’s a lot going on here …

Opinion

Lobbying: A veteran advocate details his profession

Lobbyist Bev Hansen, left, and her fellow advocates in an Assembly corridor just days before the end of the 2014 session. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

While most people have heard of lobbyists and have a general idea of what the lobbying profession is about, few understand the breadth and complexity of this work and the important role that lobbyists play in developing state policy. When I first began lobbying, long-time relationships ruled the process, there was far more bipartisan collaboration, and individual legislators wielded enormous clout.

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