Construction on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which was rebuilt following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. (Photo: Karin Hildebrand Lau, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Thoughtful planning and robust public participation are essential to successful infrastructure development. Our state is lucky to have the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to help us get it right. CEQA may be our most misunderstood statute.
The state Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Kit Leong, via Shutterstock)ANALYSIS: One of the long-running points of contention when California courts examine what’s known as “legislative intent” is the judiciary’s general disdain for statements made by the authors of legislation. Those clear-language statements accompanying bills, common in the Capitol, seek to offer guidance and state the purpose and intention of an author’s legislation.
The chamber of the state Senate in Sacramento. (Photo: Felix Lipov, via Shutterstock)In simplistic terms, lobbying the state Senate and Assembly floors is similar to lobbying legislative committees, except that the scale is much larger. For example, some committees have as few five members (elected officials), while others have over 20 members. As you would assume, most committees in the 40-member Senate have fewer members sitting on them than do their counterparts in the 80-member Assembly.
A liquid nitrogen bank containing stem cells.(Photo: Alena Pavlovich, via Shutterstock) The 29 directors of the California stem cell agency are hearing a warning this week that certain types of their possible activities on behalf of a proposed $5.5 billion ballot initiative could lead to a criminal investigation by state or local law enforcement agencies. While that would seem to be an unlikely event, it has caught up another California public enterprise (the Bay Area Rapid Transit District).
Illustration of lobbyist and other job titles. (Stuart Miles)There are three initial issues that an individual seeking a lobbying job should consider: First, understand the types of lobbying jobs that are out there. Second, understand what you want to do in the lobbying profession. Third, target potential lobbying jobs that suit your interests and your strengths.
A computer keyboard flanked by the elements of traditional poker. (Photo: Pedro Sala)As negotiations intensify over establishing internet poker in California, a study commissioned by several casino-owning tribes says online gaming could result in $845 million in revenue and more than 2,600 new jobs by 2020. The figures stem in part from an analysis of legislation that was considered – and rejected — by lawmakers last year. Similar legislation is the focus of negotiations this year, but so far an agreement has proven elusive.