Legislator Card

“Mental illness. Substance abuse. Homelessness. These are all existential crises we have to address with urgency.” That was Gov. Gavin Newsom’s response to a key legislative committee on Tuesday passing his controversial proposal to allow courts to compel people with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders into treatment — the state’s latest attempt to […]

California politicians are vowing to do something about high gasoline prices but what remains very uncertain.

For Californians concerned about sky-high gas prices and a looming increase to the state’s fuel excise tax: Never fear, the Assembly Select Committee on Gasoline Supply and Pricing is here! What exactly will the committee do? It will “investigate the gas price gouging that has inflated prices at a rate equivalent to 100% per year,” […]

The Legislature is wasting its time by dealing with a squabble between entertainment industry factions.

The term "tort wars" is shorthand for the perennial battles in the Legislature and other venues over the rules governing personal injury lawsuits and the U.S. Supreme Court has given business interests a partial win.

California has the nation's second lowest level of homeownership but raising it depends on economic fundamentals, no political tokenism.

Note: The newsletter will pause until Tuesday for the Juneteenth holiday. Thursday was a day of emotion and controversy at the California State Capitol — illuminating some of the issues likely to gain even more political intensity with just a month and a half left in the legislative session and the November general election looming […]

California day camps operate without background checks, CPR training, child/adult ratios or required reporting of injury and death. A family whose daughter drowned at a camp is working to change that.

July 1 is shaping up to be a big day for California. That’s when the Golden State’s sky-high gas prices are set to tick up even more due to a scheduled increase to the excise tax rate, which will tack nearly 3 cents per gallon onto prices at the pump. On Wednesday, drivers were already […]

Legislators propose a $1-billion-a-year down payment program for first-time buyers, given the high cost of housing and rising mortgage interest rates, in exchange for a partial stake.