Posts Tagged: lawmakers
News
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.
Opinion
OPINION – Non-opioids could have a life changing impact on the approximately 5 million Americans living with opioid use disorder today, but they could also be an invaluable tool in our effort to effectively treat acute pain patients. This is an incredible opportunity, but we will only realize the full benefits of non-opioids if we make them easily accessible to the public – meaning it’s time for a legislative solution.
News
After effectively rewriting the rules of American college athletics with her SB 206 in 2019 – a bill that made California the first state to give student athletes the right earn money from the use by their schools of their name, image and likeness (NIL) – Sen. Nancy Skinner has introduced new legislation (SB 906) seeking to bring some transparency to what has become a Gold Rush for some college athletes and their schools.
Opinion
OPINION – Since the passage of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021, and the state’s passage of Senate Bill 1 in 2017, California is investing record amounts to improve our state’s long-neglected and deteriorating transportation infrastructure system. This balanced approach to transportation infrastructure funding is the right approach to address the needs of residents in a state as large and diverse as California.
Opinion
OPINION – 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.
Opinion
OPINION – By December, 73 out of 120 state legislators will have left the building in just two years. As term limit reform kicks in, some critics have grumbled that this turnover is damaging, because we’re losing established leaders and decades of accumulated experience. What’s being overlooked is the leadership and experience we’re gaining.
Rising Stars
Julie Cravotto, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo), originally thought she would pursue a career in the public health field, but that ambition quickly came to a halt when she was assigned to a cadaver lab in high school as part of a medical school preparation program. Nonetheless, she learned the invaluable lesson that there are various avenues to serve people in this world besides attending to cadavers.
Opinion
OPINION – The opioid epidemic in California is an urgent matter that requires immediate action, particularly with regards to its effects on veterans and their families. It is time for lawmakers in Sacramento to take decisive action and stand up for our veterans in their time of need. We need leaders – policymakers who will lead by example and influence – to optimize better treatment methods for our veterans and help tackle an untapped salient issue, long overdue.
Opinion
OPINION – While California lawmakers’ focus on addressing retail theft is much needed, it’s time we shed light on the alarming surge in burglaries, looting, and arson that is wreaking havoc on businesses across California. We have to do more to help prevent these crimes, rather than simply reacting after the damage is done – not only to protect economic stability, but more importantly, to protect the well-being of our communities.
Capitol Spotlight
When she was working as a journalist, Cynthia Moreno rejected the possibility of ever working in government communications. When the idea was suggested to her, it was a “hard no,” she said. “That’s the dark side,” she thought. But today, she is Press Secretary for Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas and considers it a dream job – one of the best positions she’s ever had.
Image courtesy of 24K-Production
