The fight for the “Right to Know” goes on
by Nicole A. Ozer , ACLU Northern California
Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) has announced that the California Right to Know Act (AB 1291) will not be voted on this year but she will keep working to pass it next year. Read More ›
Where will the drone jobs go? States balance economic opportunity with privacy concerns
by Victor Luckerson, Time
In California, with the highest unemployment rate, Republican Jeff Gorell and Democrat Steven Bradford presented a privacy bill that guards against drone surveillance, but they are pushing a bill to provide tax breaks to drone manufacturers. Read More ›
Assembly committee passes three bills to impose fracking moratorium
by Timm Herdt, Ventura County Star
An Assembly panel passed three bills that propose to halt fracking for up to five years while more studies on environmental safety are conducted. Read More ›
Annual Medicare, Medicaid spending in California tops $100 billion
by Phillip Reese, Sacramento Bee
Government health spending in California now exceeds the size of the entire state general fund budget. Read More ›
Furloughs over, so air controllers (and flights) back on schedule
by Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times
Operations are back to normal at airports across the country as federal officials stop the furlough of air traffic controllers. Read More ›
Sacramento plans solar-powered ‘smart’ parking meters
by Tony Bizjak and Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee
Seven years after introducing parking kiosks downtown, Sacramento officials say it’s time for an even more expansive upgrade of downtown parking, starting with solar-powered parking meters that drivers can pay via cellphone.
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AB 1291 Internet Right to Know Act (2-year bill)
The fight in California to liberate people’s personal information from the companies that track them online has been put on hold for the rest of the year. Assemblymember Lowenthal decided to stall her Right to Know Act of 2013 to garner more support, delaying action until 2014. Read More ›
‘Temporary’ California fees live on
by Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
Californians have paid tens of millions of dollars the past three years in state fees that had been scheduled to die – but never did. Read More ›
Lawmakers seek to strip medical board of investigative powers
by Scott Glover and Lisa Girion, Los Angeles Times
The Medical Board of California would be stripped of its power to investigate physician misconduct under a sweeping reform plan by legislators who say the agency has struggled to hold problem doctors accountable. Read More ›
Dirty dozen: 2013 list of most pesticide-heavy fruits and veggies
Unless it’s smothered in caramel or part of a sugary pie, we can’t think of many times when an apple isn’t good for you. But the ever-nutritious fruit once again tops a bad-news list that might make you consider it in a different light.
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California PUC says it’s making changes
by Steven Harmon, San Jose Mercury News
A week after it was excoriated for its lax safety and regulatory culture, the CPUC claimed to have made strides in turning things around in a report it filed with a legislative committee. Read More ›
Employer health premiums rose 170% in California in last decade
by Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
Premiums for employer health insurance in California jumped 170% over the last decade, more than five times the 32% increase in the state’s inflation rate. Read More ›
Foreclosure-relief funds earmarked for California mostly unspent
by E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times
Only about a sixth of the $2 billion available to help troubled homeowners in the state has been tapped. But officials say the money will begin to flow soon. Read More ›