Chatter at the Chamber: Political Insights at CalChamber’s Public Affairs Conference
Do Republicans have a chance in California? Seems a pointless question given California’s dramatic political turn to those left, all constitutional offices in the hands of the Democrats and a two-thirds supermajority of Democratic legislators. Still, at the California Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Conference panel looking ahead to the 2018 elections, possibilities for the […]
Now That Drug Cost Increases Must Be Explained in California . . .
Governor Jerry Brown just signed a bill requiring pharmaceutical companies in California to issue notifications at least 60 days in advance of a price increase that would be at least 16 percent over a two-year period and explain the reasons behind the increase. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, supporters of the legislation say it […]
CA GOP Has Fared Poorly in ‘Jungle Primary’ Era
Over the past few weeks, leading into the California Republican Party’s convention in Orange County this weekend, there have been mailings supporting the argument that the “top two” or “jungle primary” system created by Proposition 14 in 2010 is a good idea. It is not a good idea – at least not for conservatives. In fact, as […]
Hotels Proudly Support Career Pathways
The hotel industry is growing both nationally and in California, and with it, the need for qualified employees at all levels. This need provides an opportunity to invest in the next generation’s workforce through proactive partnerships with organizations dedicated to job training and placement, along with solid commitments on the part of employers. That’s why the […]
Unmistakable Signs That California Lawmakers Have (Yet Again) Gone Too Far
A Mercury News headline earlier this year declared that “Amid ‘Resistance,’ activists try to push California Democratic Party to the left.” But looking back now that the bill signing period is complete, it’s clear that Sacramento Democrats don’t need to be pushed left. They’re headed that way just fine on their own. “From all appearances,” […]
Governor Brown’s “Get Out of Jail Free” Approach
As Governor Brown enters his final years in office, legislation he has proposed, signed and vetoed in the past year make it crystal clear he wants convicted criminals to serve as little time as possible. Three changes in the criminal justice system illustrate his beliefs. First is Prop 57 which the Governor wrote and campaigned […]
The Delicious Transparency of the Hamburgers
California could use a concert hall like Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie. The signature structure of 21st century Germany sits atop an old pier above a dramatic bend in the Elbe River. Its creative design features performance space for the philharmonic, a dramatically curved escalator, and a dozen different public spaces for people to gather and enjoy spectacular […]
Democrats Helping a Public Pension Foe
California Democratic lawmakers, Bob Hertzberg (Van Nuys) and Rob Bonta (Oakland), are pushing plans to eliminate California’s bail system and replace it with an algorithm-based program created by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. The very same group that spent $50 million on political candidates, a ballot initiative, think tanks, and research focused on ending […]
Final Bill Tally
Bills Signed into Law by the Governor: 859 Bills Vetoed by the Governor: 118 Bills Allowed to Become Law without the Governor’s Signature: 0 Total Bills Acted Upon: 977 Signing Percentage: 88% Veto Percentage: 12% Of the 859 bills that the Governor signed this year, 567 were Assembly Bills and 292 were Senate Bills. […]