View of a public park in Santa Barbara. Image by Jack N. MohrOPINION – Studies have continuously shown that spending time in nature does more than just refresh the body, it renews the spirit and mind. Parks and beaches offer a place to play and they offer a place to belong by knitting our communities together in ways that are hard to quantify, but easy to feel.
(AP Photo)As Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage on Thursday as the official presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, she will face a short 74-day campaign, with California voters getting their ballots in just over 6 weeks.
The Capitol Weekly poll has continued to survey California voters as the campaigns have navigated the twists and
Image by FokusiertAs the 2023-24 Legislative Session comes to a close on Saturday, August 31, there are a number of reminders of key rules to keep in mind during the final four weeks of the Session.
Image by BurlinghamOPINION – Pharmacy benefit managers, like CVS Health’s PBM, play a vital role in keeping my patients’ drugs affordable and accessible. However, I am increasingly worried about possible legislation here in California which would limit PBMs’ ability to help manage costs for patients like the ones I serve.
The California State Capitol building in Sacramento, CA. Image by jsolieThe suspense files have been cleared and one major bill package has been too. But there are still two weeks of high intensity action to come in this year’s legislative session.
Things are really flowing now at the California State Capitol as lawmakers head into the final weeks of the legislative session.
Image by Natalya SambulovaOPINION – Patients in California continue to struggle with balancing high health care costs with other daily essentials. Yet, little-known health industry middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are making it harder for patients to get the care they need by raising costs at the pharmacy counter and threatening the viability of local pharmacies.
Photo by Mike Rafter, taken at the California Lowrider Holiday. Design by Ted AngelWe bring you the 16th Edition of The Capitol Weekly Top 100. First published in 2009, the Top 100 is our annual analysis of the unelected political power structure in California. We rank the behind the scenes players who influence policy, elections and governance, including Capitol staff, lobbyists, Agency staff, donors, business leaders, activists, Labor leaders – and even journalists.
Image by Alexander SikovOPINION – In May of this year, Governor Newsom warned, “If we over-regulate, if we overindulge, if we chase the shiny object, we could put ourselves in a perilous position.” Sadly, Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 1047 bill falls into the trap Governor Newsom warned about.
Image by ericb007There are rules for those leaving government service, which we refer to as the “revolving door” between the public and private sectors. These provisions of the California Government Code are found in the Political Reform Act of 1974, which places restrictions upon legislators and other public officials when they leave government service.