Deep budget cuts to state courts proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown have judges predicting a “rationing” of justice. [San Francisco Chronicle] Brown wants to shave $544 million from the court system budget as part of the governor’s plan to close... (Continue reading)
Science is not one of California students’ better subjects, according to results of the “Nation’s Report Card” issued last week. (Orange County Register] Students from the Golden State ranked 48th among states in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, with... (Continue reading)
Not since the 70s have Democrats held a supermajority in a chamber of the state legislature. But that could change as the result of the upcoming primary and November election. [SanFranciscoChronicle] The Democratic Party needs only two seats in both... (Continue reading)
OPINION By JOHN SALISBURY Here I go again! I was thinking of giving the Sacramento Delta water woes a rest but a fairly recent move, discussed in an editorial in the San Fransisco Chronicle in December, by our old friend... (Continue reading)
In the latest series of actions against the commercial marijuana industry in California, federal authorities this week filed three seizure lawsuits against properties housing marijuana operations in Santa Barbara County, executed search warrants at four locations, and have sent warning... (Continue reading)
Democrats in the Assembly Public Safety Committee killed a proposal Tuesday that would have made sexual relationships and communications between teachers and students a felony — even when the participants are adults. [Sacramento Bee] Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) introduced her... (Continue reading)
Assaults by patients at California’s state mental hospitals have escalated and confinements times have increased while a costly federal effort to reduce heavy drugging and improper restraining failed to improve care and help patients control violent impulses. [LATimes] In 2006,... (Continue reading)
A proposal Thursday by a state insurance rating agency may cost employers more for their employees’ work-related injury and illness premiums. The planned rate of increase, 4.1 percent, is smaller than in previous years but is expected to ignite yet... (Continue reading)
California State University officials are considering a two-tiered tuition system with privatized classes running about double the cost of state subsidized classes. [CaliforniaWatch] In 2010, officials began exploring whether they could offer more remediation classes and high-demand “bottleneck” classes through... (Continue reading)
OPINION By GERRY MANATA, Democratic for Assembly District 35 Why me? I ask myself this every few days when I wake up in the morning. I am almost sixty-six years old and have never held a public office, although I... (Continue reading)