Posts Tagged: democrats

News

Rising Stars: Loyal Terry, Assembly Fellow, office of Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry

Loyal Terry, photo by Scott Duncan Photography

The newest Capitol Weekly Rising Star, Loyal Terry, Assembly Fellow for Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), takes inspiration from the lived experiences of his late father, his aunts and uncles, and himself. Terry approaches policy from a holistic perspective, having experienced how housing, transportation, health, and more intersect to impact working-class people.

News

Is California’s assault weapons ban on target?

Photo by Associated Press

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has made national headlines touting his plan to add a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would implement what he’s called “common sense constitutional protections and gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, independent voters, and gun owners overwhelmingly support.” But there is not universal agreement that California’s gun laws actually amount to a functional ban on assault weapons.

News

Legislators debate retail theft, fentanyl, Prop. 47 at Capitol Weekly crime conference

Prop. 47 co-author Lenore Anderson speaks at Capitol Weekly's Conference on Crime. Moderator Emily Hoeven, left; Sheriff Jim Cooper, right. Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol Weekly

State lawmakers have proposed a series of bills aimed at curbing retail thefts, dealing with opioid abuse and reforming – ever so slightly – California’s landmark Proposition 47. Last week Capitol Weekly brought together a stellar group of lawmakers, law enforcement officials, advocates and others for a deep dive into these serious and complex issues.

News

San Diego Assemblymember Ward introduces ‘hate littering’ bill

Photo courtesy of California Assembly Democrats via YouTube

AB 3024, The Stop Hate Littering Act, would expand the definition of “intimidation by threat of violence” under the Ralph Civil Rights Act of 1976 to include “distribution of hateful materials on the private property of another without authorization for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property.”

News

Republicans’ California losing streak comparatively not that bad

Image by Melnikov Dmitriy

While the GOP’s California drought is unquestionably bad – Republicans have lost 38 consecutive statewide contests since 2008, the worst active streak for the party in any state – it actually pales in comparison to the Democrats’ current ineptitude in more than half a dozen states.

Opinion

How to really create safe California schools

Image by Simone Hogan

OPINION – Legislation introduced this session in the California Assembly (AB 3038) would require all K-12 schools to have an armed police officer stationed on campus. Instead of being a meaningful step toward school safety, this is the latest example of a simplistic, inadequate, and politically expedient solution being offered based on the powerful myth that “good guys with guns” prevent acts of extreme violence.

News

Democrats try to change the narrative about California with retail theft bills

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Assemblymembers Rick Zbur (left) and Kevin McCarty (right). Photo by Rich Ehisen

Perception is often reality in politics and, fairly or not, a series of viral videos showing criminals brazenly shoplifting from California stores has some people thinking  the Golden State has become lawless. So with law enforcement and retail interests eyeing another ballot measure to reform Proposition 47, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats have opted to take on the state’s perception problem themselves, and they’re inviting Republicans along for the ride.

News

Will California follow Oregon’s ‘strategic’ approach to psychedelics?

Image courtesy of 24K-Production

There is a growing acceptance in mental health circles that some psychedelics – particularly psilocybin, MDMA, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and mescaline – have great promise for treating certain mental health disorders, including post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. But some observers fear legalizing it could kick off a psilocybin Gold Rush that emphasizes profits over patient care.

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