Susannah Delano Close the Gap California. Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol Weekly Activism is something Susannah Delano was exposed to from birth. “It’s kind of the family business in some ways,” she said. Now, she heads Close the Gap California, a statewide campaign to close the gender gap in the California Legislature by 2028.
Image by cagkansayinThere are two areas of confusion regarding properly addressing the presiding officer of a legislative committee or on the floor. The rules of the California Legislature provide some guidance, as do Mason’s Legislative Manual.
Electricity from solar panels, dams, and wind turbines. Environmentally-friendly renewable energy concept.OPINION – As California looks to continue its bold leadership in climate action and clean energy development, we need new solutions that enable the state to meet its ambitious clean energy goals while keeping rates affordable for Californians.
Image by Andrii YalanskyiIn recent years, Capitol observers have witnessed vacancies occur in state legislative offices and even constitutional offices in California. What is the process for filling vacancies in the California Legislature? What is the process for filling vacancies in constitutional offices?
Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photo by Associated PressCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a special session of the Legislature for Dec. 2nd to “safeguard California values” against perceived threat from another Trump administration. Today’s edition of the Micheli Files has all you need to know about how such sessions work.
Image by WirestockOPINION – The return of Donald Trump to the White House magnifies all the threats that make voter-approved Proposition 4 necessary, increases the likelihood of poisoned air and water and runaway climate change, and destroys the hope that the federal government will help California navigate those challenges in the next four years.
I call on California lawmakers and Governor Newsom to continue prioritizing the health of patients and the affordability of much-needed prescription drugs while holding PBMs accountable for their exploitative pricing practices.
Photo via Lanterman HouseFrank Lanterman won an assembly seat in 1950 with one goal: securing a steady water supply for his family’s land holdings and subdivisions in the Verdugo hills community of La Cañada outside Los Angeles, a task he completed in his first year in office. In the years to come, his influence would expand far beyond his hometown and he would become one of the most consequential legislators of his time by leading the effort to transform how California cares for people with severe mental illness.
“The Dilemma of Mental Commitments in California.” Photo by UC Davis Library If there was any single event that sped the emptying of state asylums in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was the publication of a 204-page report entitled, “The Dilemma of Mental Commitments in California.” The report was an exposé, a philosophical treatise, and a policy prescription.
Image by Wasan TitaSome of the most challenging negotiations lawmakers face come when trying to remove an initiative from the upcoming ballot. There’s a reason for that. Actually, a lot of reasons.