Harris Should Make the Central Valley a Priority – For State and National Reasons
U.S. Senator and potential presidential candidate Kamala Harris got some attention for a recent trip to the Central Valley, where she talked with industrial farmers. It was billed as a first step to develop relationship in the Valley. Harris would be wise to do much more—the Valley is a two-fer for her, since it allows […]
Another Big Bill to Bring Californians Water
(Editor’s Note: the following are the comments on the House floor by Congressman and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on H.R. 23, a bill to bring more water to California.) “Now, Mr. Speaker, water is not optional. Not in my district. Not in California. Not anywhere. But over the past five years my constituents have struggled to […]
SF Take Note, E-Cigs May Be Gateway Away from Smoking
Banning flavored e-cigarettes has been proposed in San Francisco and elsewhere as a way to make these smokeless and nicotine vapor products less attractive to children and teens. While that may seem a sensible and self-evident conclusion, scientific evidence strongly suggests that such bans would likely do more harm than good. Current American tobacco control […]
AG’s First Test on Ballot Title & Summary
California Attorney General Xavier Beccera faced his first test in approving the title and summary of a controversial and highly watched ballot initiative when the gas tax repeal measure came before him. Becerra has now released the title and summary on that measure. How did he fare? A major concern when a new California Attorney General takes […]
The Right to Privacy and the Election Integrity Commission
Privacy is everybody’s business or to put it differently only what each of us individually decides it should be. However, with the coming of the Internet, how much of what we think, say and do has raised serious questions as to exactly what is protected by that word and when it is being violated. California […]
Could the Russians Disrupt the Redistricting Commission?
Is California’s redistricting commission ready for Russian disruption? I’m not kidding. If all the news reports and leaks are true, California’s redistricting commission looks like a ripe target for Russian hackers. California is the leader of the opposition to the Russia-friendly Trump administration. (if that seems too strong, ask yourself: why is Trump always more […]
Some Legislators Consider ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do” Approach to California Physicians
The California Assembly is about to vote on a bill authored by Senator Mike McGuire that insults the integrity of every practicing physician in California and threatens the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship, which is the cornerstone of effective health care. What’s more, Senator McGuire attempts to hold physicians to a stricter standard than he […]
Consensus: cap-and-trade extension requires a two-thirds legislative vote
The California Supreme Court recently declined to review the 2-1 split decisionby the Appellate Court, which ruled that California’s current cap-and-trade auction is not a tax requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. The legislative authorization for the current cap-and-trade auction was adopted in 2006 with the passage of AB 32, which authorized the cap-and-trade program through 2020. […]
Excessive Climate Policies Could Damage California Economy
The topic of climate change, or anthropogenic global warming (AGW), has somehow been linked – directly or indirectly – with nearly every policy area debated at the State Capitol. While I am not a scientist, I recognize there are many differing views on what the climate-related scientific research actually means. I have been and continue […]