California Voices

Jonah Busch, Earth Innovation Institute: Rather than merely brace for impact of climate change, Californians have the chance to act decisively to prevent the worst by embracing one of the biggest—and most overlooked—solutions: protecting tropical forests. Here's how.

Genevieve Abedon, Clean Seas Lobbying Coalition: We’re choking on plastic. California must take the lead in reducing its use, We in the Clean Seas Lobbying Coalition are asking Californians to contact their legislators to urge their support for legislation that would significantly reduce plastic waste.

Mike Madrid, former political director of the California Republican Party: In El Paso, Americans clearly saw what Latinos have been saying about what is happening to us in this country. Too many in the United States do not want our "kind" here. The silence from far too many is deafening.

John Kabateck, National Federation of Independent Business: The Legislature must fix the California Consumer Privacy Act. It riddled with unclear definitions, overly broad mandates, and small errors that will lead to unnecessary costs and confusion .

California is spending billions to close the "achievement gap" in the state's K-12 schools but we don't know whether it is having the promised impact.

Debbie A. Mukama and Robert Weisberg, Stanford Law School: As our nation takes steps to cure its addiction to mass incarceration and at a time when we recognize the benefits of diverse workforces, we should welcome—not discourage—qualified individuals with criminal records to join the legal profession.

The draft of a "model curriculum" for ethnic studies in the state's high schools has sparked an outpouring of criticism.

James C. Ramos, Democrat representing Assembly District 40: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s apology for California’s genocide against Native Americans reflects an understanding of the state’s true history. This apology should become a landmark moment in bringing resources, support, and justice to the 700,000 Native Americans who make the California their home.

California has a goal of reducing is solid waste stream by 75 percent by 2020 but is falling short of that goal.

Susan Kirsch, Livable California: We have a housing problem, but the crisis is the loss of democracy brought about by the financialization of housing. When legislators become champions of the simplistic explanation that cities are to blame, they abandon critical thinking, their constituents, and their oaths of office.