California Voices

There are just a few days remaining in the 2023 session of the California Legislature and it has nearly 1,000 bills still to process - and perhaps some late-blooming measures not yet drafted.

In a new book, renowned activist and journalist Greg King details how a century-old conservation group with close ties to powerful industrialists was able to thwart certain preservation campaigns, allowing vast amounts of old-growth redwoods to be lost.

California is the cradle of the high-tech industry, yet the state's government continues to be chronically unable to effectively use information technology.

Studies and tests consistently demonstrate that Californians – both students and adults – are woefully deficient in vital math skills. The state is recommending a new math curriculum, but will it have a beneficial impact?

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would extend pandemic-era rules allowing governing bodies to hold half their meetings online. Opponents worry the legislation will diminish the public's voice and limits how the press can cover important decisions.

Government boards and committees throughout California were allowed to hold meetings virtually during the pandemic. A state agency board member argues that a legislative proposal to extend those rules needs to be reverted back to its original form to ensure maximum public participation.

California continues to rely on Aliso Canyon's natural gas to stabilize the power grid. Utility regulators should instead be looking to transmission line projects that link Southern California to planned solar and wind farms, helping reduce the state's dependence on gas.

Sites Reservoir is the latest in a long line of proposed dams promising to address California's cycle of water insecurity. Some conservation groups say it will fail to make much of a difference, and will only damage a vulnerable water ecosystem.

California law classifies some violent crimes, such as spousal abuse, as nonviolent for punishment purposes, and the Legislature has so far refused to make changes.

The California Assembly is considering a bill that would decriminalize naturally occurring psychedelic substances, which research has increasingly shown has a variety of therapeutic benefits. A retired New York firefighter, who uses psilocybin, says first responders in particular have a lot to gain from this legislation.