Category: California legislature

Republicans Demand Gas Tax Relief for Californians

Republican lawmakers gathered at California’s Capitol building June 15 to mark the 100th day since their Democratic peers promised gas price relief, calling for concrete actions on relieving pain at the pump. If the majority Democratic Party would have voted to suspend the gas tax at the start of the year as Republicans have proposed,…


Meet the Candidates: California State Senate’s New 38th District

Three candidates will be vying to win California’s recently redrawn 38th Senate District. Completed in 2021, the redistricting moved the district from California’s inland empire and San Diego County farther northwest, covering the coast from San Clemente all the way to the city of San Diego. The candidates running consist of business owner Matt Gunderson,…


Democratic Lawmaker’s Effort to Amend California’s Prop. 47 Fails

The effort of a Democratic lawmaker to amend Proposition 47 failed for the fifth time in the Assembly Public Safety Committee in a 2–5 vote as the state crime trend persists.  “I guess we really are dependent on Batman to bring accountability and justice. Perhaps maybe we should call the Avengers too,” the author of…


California Expands Medi-Cal to Adults 50 and Older, Regardless of Immigration Status

California will extend Medi-Cal health care coverage to more than 185,000 residents 50 years and older, regardless of their immigration status starting May 1. “This is an investment in our people, our economy, and our future,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an April 29 statement. This Medi-Cal coverage extension was a part of Assembly Bill…


CA Democratic Lawmaker’s Push for Tougher Fentanyl Penalties Fails

SACRAMENTO—Amid a growing opioid crisis, the effort to impose harsher penalties on fentanyl trafficking failed in an Assembly committee on April 19 by a 3–2 vote. Assembly Bill (AB) 2246 would have re-classified fentanyl as a Schedule I drug along the lines of heroin and cocaine. Under the proposal, traffickers would have faced 20 years…


California Bill to Prevent Some ‘Pregnancy Loss’ Prosecutions Advances

SACRAMENTO—A proposed bill that the author said would protect women against criminal prosecution following the death of their baby due to self-induced abortion, miscarriage, or other causes was approved, by a vote of 11–3, by an Assembly committee on April 19. “As parents experience traumatic situations, they should be supported as they mourn, not criminalized,”…


California Lawmakers to Potentially Enforce Regular School COVID-19 Testing Plan

SACRAMENTO—California is to potentially pass legislation that will require all schools to create a COVID-19 testing plan to prevent case surges and school closures. Senate Bill 1479, introduced by Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), advanced to the state assembly Education Committee following a March 31 vote to advance the bill during a Health Committee meeting. The…


California Lawmakers Seek to Implement Regular School COVID-19 Testing Plan

SACRAMENTO—California could potentially pass legislation that will require all schools to create a COVID-19 testing plan to prevent case surges and school closures. Senate Bill 1479, introduced by Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), advanced to the state assembly Education Committee following a March 31 vote to advance the bill during a Health Committee meeting. The bill…


Bill Proposed to End California’s Sanctuary Law After Church Shooting

After a shooting spree rocked Sacramento as an undocumented immigrant pulled fire on his three daughters and their chaperone in a church, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) announced a proposal to repeal California’s Sanctuary State Law. “The impacts of this law have been devastating and tragic,” Kiley told The Epoch Times while sharing how he introduced…


California Seeks to Use Cryptocurrency as Legal Tender

SACRAMENTO—Californians might be able to use cryptocurrencies to pay for groceries, rent, or driver’s license renewal as early as next year after two bills were introduced recently to make digital currency an acceptable form of payment. Last month, Sen. Sydney K. Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) introduced Senate Bill 1275, which would authorize state agencies to accept…