Posts Tagged: Capitol
Podcast
For followers of state politics, Ground Zero is The California Channel, which started broadcasting more than 26 years ago and has never looked back. Okay, so it’s not the flashiest option on your TV dial and people have been known to turn it on late at night as a sleep aid. But among California politicos and policy wonks, the Cal Channel is must-see TV.
News
This is the final installment in a series of articles dealing with the procedural myths and realities of the California Legislature.
News
This is the fourth in a series of detailed articles about the inner workings of the state Capitol relating to structure, rules and procedures — including a look at vetoes and the budget.
News
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 …
Podcast
John Howard and Tim Foster take a short tour of the California state Capitol with “unofficial” legislative historian Alex Vassar. Alex shares some tales from his new book, “California Lawmaker,” about a few of the 4,424 people who have served in Legislature since the state’s inception. Alex serves up stabbings, shootings and fistfights on the floor — and that’s all from just one incident!
News
After the two houses of the Legislature pass a bill, but before that bill reaches the governor’s desk, the legislation goes through a very important process called “engrossing and enrolling.” Engrossing also occurs after each amendment to a bill. This is a critical procedure and it takes place outside the view of the public or curious journalists.
Analysis
Love ’em or hate ’em, reporters play an important role in the legislative process — as well as with legislative strategy and ethics — in California. Because of this influence, the media in many ways are commonly viewed as a fourth branch of government (or “fourth estate,” as the cliché goes). They don’t approve or reject legislation, but their coverage affects those who do and they often influence the fate of bills.
Opinion
OPINION: The California Public Research Interest Group (CALPIRG) is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests when they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society. That is why we are strongly supporting Proposition 54, the California Legislature Transparency Act, on this November’s ballot.
News
Blocked by lawmakers at the 11th hour and facing a fiscal emergency, the State Bar of California went directly to the state Supreme Court seeking authority to levy dues on thousands of attorneys. The Bar, which filed the request Friday, said it would go out of business early next year without the money generated by the dues.
News
Capitol Weekly Interview: Kathy Kneer is the president and CEO of California Planned Parenthood. CW’s Alex Matthews caught up with Kathy recently for a detailed discussion that included health care, family planning, meeting the needs of low-income Californians and the challenges of the Affordable Care Act.
John Hancock, CEO and president of the The California Channel. (Photo: California Channel)
