Gov. Gavin Newsom at the State of the State Address in January. (Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald)Gov. Gavin Newsom has rebuked California’s stem cell agency about its conduct of the election of a new chairperson for the $12 billion enterprise, a process that has been disrupted with the withdrawal of one candidate and the addition of a new one.
Editor: Going way back to the 1960’s and 70’s, it was common practice for Assembly Speakers to anticipate and prepare for mid-session plots by disgruntled members of their own caucus to oust them.
Dear Editor: I want to commend reporter Sigrid Bathen for her thorough and excellent reporting on an issue important to so many people: providing mental health care for our loved ones. Ms. Bathen’s two-part series shined a critical light on some counties’ resistance to adopting Laura’s Law to enhance outpatient services to those with severe mental health issues.
The chamber of the state Senate in Sacramento. (Photo: Felix Lipov, via Shutterstock)In simplistic terms, lobbying the state Senate and Assembly floors is similar to lobbying legislative committees, except that the scale is much larger. For example, some committees have as few five members (elected officials), while others have over 20 members. As you would assume, most committees in the 40-member Senate have fewer members sitting on them than do their counterparts in the 80-member Assembly.
A photo illustration of a young girl in custody. (Image: structuresxx, via ShutterstockThe woman, writing to Gov. Gavin Newsom about Senate Bill 233, called herself voiceless.In her letter she told the governor about rapes she’s suffered while homeless and on the streets. Pimps had beaten her. One once threw her out of a hotel, leaving her naked in the parking lot.She feared to call police. They never listened to her before, the unnamed woman wrote.
A natural gas power plant near Ventura. (Photo: Richard Fitzer, via Shutterstock)OPINION: When California’s signature climate change program was nearing its expiration date, there was serious debate about whether to extend it. This program, called Cap-and-Trade, reduces carbon emissions but it also increases the costs of gas, electricity, and numerous other necessities. That’s a significant problem in a state known for high taxes, onerous regulations, and the worst small business climate in the country.
Dear Editor: I respectfully disagree with Paul Mitchell’s opinion in the April 24, 2018, Capitol Weekly article,“CA120: Political intrigue: BOE’s redistricting and the gas tax.” My vote against raising the gas tax was a matter of policy, not politics.
March 31 marks the birthday of Cesar Chavez, co-founder (with Dolores Huerta) of the United Farm Workers Union. The pair deserve a National Holiday, IMO. (The recent documentary, “Dolores,” supports that contention.)
A dermonstrator at a Sacramento rally against sexual misconduct. (Photo: Tim Foster/Capitol Weekly)Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, a first-term lawmaker, is among the most prominent figures in the California Capitol working to combat sexual harassment. She’s not only become the Legislature’s de facto point person on sexual misconduct, but also responsible for reshaping the current harassment-reporting process that many say has failed victims.
An image of a man touching the knee of a female colleague at work. (Photo: Shutterstock)In the wake of the sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein, scores of lobbyists, lawmakers and staff members signed an open letter detailing examples of sexual harassment in the political community.