Image by PopTikaOPINION – State boards and commissions play an important role in state government, allowing appointed Californians to bring their expertise and personal experience to government. But those appointed positions were never designed to replace the role of state officials who are elected by their constituents to represent the unique needs of their communities.
An electric vehicle getting power at a street charging station. (Photo: guteksk7, via Shuttertstock)California lawmakers have approved a dramatic expansion of the state’s commitments to all-electric vehicles, with the goal of ultimately increasing the number of electric and zero-emission cars on the road. The $2.7 billion piece of the 2021-22 state budget was sent to the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk on June 28. Newsom has not yet acted on it.
Testing cosmetics on a laboratory rabbit. (Photo: Artfully Photographer, via Shutterstock)Animal-rights activists are heralding 2020 as a groundbreaking year because of a new, unprecedented state law that cracks down on cosmetics testing on animals. It takes effect Jan. 1, and will outlaw the importation for profit or sale most of the cosmetics tested on animals in California.