government

California Supreme Court Says Cities Can Ban Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Katie Orr — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:46:18 +0000

California’s highest court has come down on the side of cities and counties in the fight over the location, or even the existence, of medical marijuana dispensaries. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento.

California GOP Lawmakers: Realignment Not Working, So Fix It

Ben Adler — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:43:27 +0000

Republicans in the California legislature are criticizing Governor Jerry Brown’s shift of prisoners from the state to counties – and putting forth legislation they say would help reduce the risk to public safety.

GOP Senator Jim Nielsen says the program known as criminal justice “realignment” needs to be scrapped.

“It unleashed an unprecedented crime wave affecting everyone in the state of California, and I’ll argue no bill ever passed by this legislature has had more dire and severe and egregious consequences,” says Nielsen.

Mayor Renews Call to Add Cars Back to Fresno's Fulton Mall

Joe Moore — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 01:25:57 +0000

Fresno mayor Ashley Swearengin renewed her call to open the Fulton Mall to automobile traffic at today’s annual State of Downtown Breakfast.

Swearengin told the crowd of business leaders and downtown boosters that her number one job for the next four years is to rally support for her downtown plan, which includes the first major changes to Fresno’s former main street in the last five decades.

Fresno, Bus Driver Union At Odds Over Work Rules, Pay Cut

Juanita Stevenson — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:41:01 +0000

Drivers who operate the city of Fresno’s bus service, known as Fresno Area Express will tell you that despite that some may thing, theirs is not a cushy job.

Registering To Vote Will Soon Be Paperless for Californians

Amy Quinton — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 00:55:01 +0000

Californians can soon register to vote completely online. Paperless registration will be available to anyone who has a California driver’s license or ID.

Since 2009 Californians have been able to go online and fill out a form as part of the voter registration process. But signatures had to be mailed or delivered to county elections officials. Secretary of State Debra Bowen will soon roll out the next step, which would allow Californians who have a driver’s license or ID to hit “send” at the end of their online form.

Judge Rules In Favor of Current Death Penalty Ballot Language

Amy Quinton — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:45:32 +0000

California voters won’t see much change in the language of Proposition 34. A judge sided with those who want to repeal the death penalty that the November ballot language is not misleading.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley upheld his previous decisions on the death penalty ballot measure. He ruled that the ballot’s title and summary written by the state’s attorney general is not misleading. But he did order one slight change in the ballot’s arguments about savings that would result from eliminating the death penalty.

California Lawmakers Call for Audit of Mental Health Services Act

Pauline Bartolone — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:18:20 +0000

Some California lawmakers are calling for a closer look into a state fund for county mental health programs.

The Mental Health Services Act has brought in more than $8 billion since it was enacted in 2004. Republican State Assemblyman Dan Logue says he requested an audit of the funds after he heard reports of money spent on activities not clearly connected to mental health.

“If the basics are being sacrificed for programs that have proven and have shown no benefit whatsoever, then there needs to be a reevaluation of where these funds go.”

California's "Buy Here Pay Here" Used Car Industry Could Face New Regulations

Ben Adler — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:54:12 +0000

The controversial “Buy Here, Pay Here” used car industry would face strict new regulations under several bills moving through the California legislature.

Search “Buy Here, Pay Here” on Google and the first website that pops up is “We-Approve-Bad-Credit-dot-com.” Dealers require buyers to make each month’s loan payment in person. If they can’t, their cars are often repossessed on the spot. Democratic State Senator Ted Lieu says his bill would apply similar regulations for typical auto lenders to the Buy Here, Pay Here industry.

Fight Over Federal Budget Could Close Airport Towers

Joe Moore — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:39:01 +0000

Airports in Fresno and Bakersfield could be forced to close if lawmakers in Washington D.C. can't reach a deal on deficit reduction in the coming months, according to a new analysis released today by a Washington D.C. think tank.

California Governor's Tax Initiative Campaign Raises $6 Million

Amy Quinton — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:36:01 +0000

California’s Proposition 30 campaign released its fundraising numbers for the first half of the year today. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the campaign for Governor Jerry Brown’s tax initiative has raised more than six million dollars so far.