California

SACRAMENTO, CA, Sept. 30, 2016 — Under a new bill signed into law today, police will no longer be able to permanently forfeit property under $40,000 without attaining a related criminal conviction. SB 443 authored by state Senator Holly J. Mitchell (D- Los Angeles) addresses a loophole in law that has allowed local state law enforcement […]

MOFFETT AIRFIELD/MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, Oct. 3, 2016 – The Ocean Cleanup, the Dutch foundation developing advanced technologies to rid the oceans of plastic, today presented the initial findings of its Aerial Expedition – a series of low-speed, low-altitude flights across the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the plastic accumulation zone between Hawaii and California. Using a […]

Oakland, Calif. October 4, 2016 – A report released today analyzing chemicals used in California oilfields sheds new light on risks to food and wildlife from oil and gas wastewater that is used for irrigation. The report, written by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of the […]

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. October 3, 2016 – Public outrage over back room deals at the California Public Utilities Commission culminated in the approval of legislation that limits meetings between utilities and regulators, establishes new disclosure requirements for contacts between Commissioners and self-interested Wall Street and industry representatives, and increases penalties for violations. TURN-sponsored SB 215, […]

SACRAMENTO, Sept. 30, 2016 – CTA President Eric Heins issued the following statement disappointed in Gov. Jerry Brown’s veto of AB 709 – a bill that would have required all charter schools to be transparent and accountable to parents and to disclose how they spend taxpayer money, including budgets and contracts. It sought to prohibit […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. September 28, 2016 – Earlier this afternoon, Governor Jerry Brown signed the TRUTH Act (AB 2792 – Bonta) into law. The bill makes California the first state to require that law enforcement advise people in jail of their rights and get written consent prior to an interrogation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. September 28, 2016 – Wells Fargo’s admission that thousands of its bank employees opened over two million fraudulent consumer accounts is a legal and ethical outrage that cannot go unpunished, State Treasurer John Chiang said today. “Wells Fargo’s fleecing of its customers by opening fraudulent accounts for the purpose of extracting millions in […]

Redding, Calif. September 28, 2016 – Hammond, Indiana Police Department SWAT team members along with other law enforcement officers in East Chicago, Indiana arrested Freddie Alexander Smoke III, 39, of East Chicago, Indiana this morning without incident. On July 11, 2014 at approximately 10 p.m. CAL FIRE law enforcement officers arrested Freddie Alexander Smoke III […]

SACRAMENTO September 28, 2016 – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today called on the people of California to help reduce the number of mosquitoes by eliminating standing water, especially in areas that have recently had rain and continue to experience warm temperatures. “Rainy weather can […]

BOULDER, CO, Sept. 27, 2016 – A new study using aerial imagery across the state of California has found that converting land to grow almonds between 2007 and 2014 has led to a 27% annual increase in irrigation demands — despite the state’s historic drought. The expansion of almonds has also consumed 16,000 acres of […]

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. September 27, 2016 – Conservation groups today filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Coachella Valley Conservation Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and city of La Quinta for their failure to implement the requirements of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan to […]

September 27, 2016 – Likely voters are giving strong initial support to two state ballot propositions, one to extend a recent income tax hike on high income residents (Proposition 55). and another to offer new parole opportunities for non-violent offenders (Propositon 57). While voters are also backing a third initiative to increase cigarette taxes (Proposition […]

SACRAMENTO, CA, Aug. 25, 2016 – Assembly Bill 797, jointly authored by Assemblymembers Miguel Santiago and Marc Steinorth was approved by both Houses of the Legislature. Earlier today, Assembly Bill 797, the Right to Rescue Act, was approved by the California State Assembly on Concurrence. The measure, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office […]

SANTA MONICA, CA, Sept. 26, 2016 – The Fair Political Practices Commission has launched an investigation into the California Democratic Party and alleged violations of the Political Reform Act in response to Consumer Watchdog’s investigative report, Brown’s Dirty Hands, the public interest group was told. “We are pleased that the FPPC has launched an investigation […]

SACRAMENTO, CA, Sept. 25, 2016 – Ready to make your way through a thicket of 17 California propositions on the November ballot? CALmatters is here to help you sort through the many thorny questions: Should we end the death penalty? Legalize marijuana? Extend taxes on the wealthy? Ban plastic bags? Raise taxes on cigarettes? Require actors […]

Sacramento September 23, 2016 – CAL FIRE has increased firefighter staffing in preparation for several days of Santa Ana winds and extreme fire conditions in Southern California. The National Weather Service has issued several “Red Flag Warnings” and “Fire Weather Watches” due to low humidity and gusty winds that could reach up to 55mph. The […]

WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 23, 2016 – Today, PacifiCorp and the newly formed non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), filed motions with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that seek to transfer the lower four Klamath dams to the KRRC for the purpose of decommissioning and removal. FERC is the congressionally authorized agency that licenses and […]

Sept. 22, 2016 – This post first appeared at DeSmog. In the city of Richmond, California, Chevron Corp. not only processes up to 250,000 barrels of crude oil a day from the largest refinery on the West Coast — it also writes the news. The Richmond Standard, an online paper focused on local news for the roughly […]

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 22, 2016 – Following last year’s launch of an unprecedented criminal justice open data initiative, OpenJustice, and the passage of Assembly Bill 71, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today launched a web-based tool that allows California law enforcement agencies to digitally report law enforcement or civilian uses of force. As part of […]