Guest Commentary

Gov. Gavin Newsom has misled Californians about what the state has done to prevent catastrophic wildfires.

Assembly Bill 43 would allow Caltrans and local authorities more flexibility to set and reduce speed limits to as low as 15 mph for safer streets.

Use partnerships to leverage existing broadband internet networks and create scalable and economic "middle mile" services to 463,000 largely rural unserved households.

Assembly Bill 701 could harm California’s warehouse employers by nudging business owners to move out of state, a trend we already are seeing in other sectors of our economy.

The use of automation technologies to track and monitor safety or productivity is widespread in supply-chain management, and it is now seeping into grocery stores, other retail settings, and even knowledge work. That is bad news for workers.

State and local governments must change housing law and zoning rules to move toward permanently housing unsheltered Californians.

Assembly Bill 638 increases funding for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. It will help counties reach people in the early stages of illness and prevent mental health problems from worsening, and could ease the burden on family members and caretakers.

Before a homebuilder puts a backhoe to work, he or she has permit fees to pay, and other costs that can amount to more than $100,000 per house, not including land cost. Housing won’t be affordable in California until legislators address the permit and fee structure and the high cost of land.

However unintentional, Democrats, who have controlled both houses of the Legislature for 56 of the past 62 years, have created policies that increase both the cost of living and the discriminatory effects on those who can least afford them.

Gov. Gavin Newsom needs to embrace a sensible and sustainable energy future — one that includes the men and women of California’s oil and gas industry.