Posts Tagged: July 1

‘Laura’s Law’ okayed in 30 counties — a major statewide turnaround

Nick and Amanda Wilcox of Penn Valley with a portrait of their daughter Laura, whose murder inspired "Laura's Law." (Photo, Laura Mahaffy, The Union)

by SIGRID BATHEN posted 06.17.2021

In a significant policy shift spanning nearly two decades, 30 counties in California – including all of the larger counties with an estimated 80 percent of the state’s population – have now adopted a 2002 state law giving families a legal avenue to get severely mentally ill relatives into treatment.

Brown dismantles ‘powerful but obscure’ Board of Equalization

Board of Equalization headquarters in Sacramento. (Photo: BOE)

by CHUCK MCFADDEN posted 06.27.2017

Ask the average Californian what the state Board of Equalization (BOE) does and you’re likely to get a blank look. That may not matter anymore. Much of what the 138-year-old agency does — which includes collecting some $60 billion in taxes — will be taken away from it amid a spate of recent reports about potential corruption and possible criminality.

Budget: Brown warily eyes federal impact

Gov. Jerry Brown, unveiling his revised state budget, is flanked by a chart showing billions of dollars of Medi-Cal cuts. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)

by JOHN HOWARD posted 05.11.2017

Gov. Jerry Brown’s state budget draft is a no-frills document reflecting fears about the policies of the Trump administration, a Republican-led Congress and the likelihood of an economic recession. “The potential of a federal reduction in aid to California is real enough,” Brown noted, as he unveiled his revised $180 billion spending plan for 2017-18.

Inside the Capitol — procedurally

The California State Senate in Sacramento. (Photo: Trekandshoot, via Shutterstock)

by CHRIS MICHELI posted 03.24.2017

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.