California
Before Promising To Solve the World's Big Problems, Politicians Should Aim To Fix Potholes
The lonely crusade against government hubris.
California Escalates Its War on the Marijuana Black Market
A new 2022 law will punish anybody “aiding and abetting” unlicensed dealers. It will most certainly harm low-level workers.
A Fresh New Year Means Fresh New Restrictions on Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
From California to Washington, D.C., new restrictions on gas-powered landscaping equipment are blanketing the nation.
'Should Police Arrest Sex Workers for Standing Around?' No, of Course Not.
Plus: Censorship in New York, how zoning laws are creating a housing crisis, and more...
California Distillers Get a New Year's Eve Reprieve From Ban on Shipping Booze Direct to Customers
Distillers have been granted emergency regulatory relief—for now.
California Is Stuck With Newsom's Nanny State Pandemic Policies
The pandemic has served as a nice reminder of the merits of federalism, where states are the laboratories of democracy that can try regulatory approaches that conform to local attitudes and conditions.
California Distillers Are About To Lose the Right To Ship Booze Directly to Consumers
Breweries and wineries can still do it, though.
Californians Learn That Raising Taxes on Marijuana Fuels Black Markets for Drugs
If only they would apply that lesson to other goods and services.
Americans Fled California, New York, and D.C. During COVID
Financial pressure is the main reason why people say they move, and pandemic-era public policy created a lot more financial pressure in certain places.
2021 Was a Great Year for Zoning Reform
Jurisdictions around the world are trying to address high housing costs by eliminating regulations on new housing construction.
Look Past Partisan Rhetoric To Understand California's Recent Crime Problems
California's leaders can take the recent rise in property crime seriously without repeating the same "tough on crime" mistakes of the past.
California Promised Street Vendors More Freedom. Instead They Got More Rules.
The state’s “reforms” have saddled merchants with oppressively expensive permitting demands.
Taking a Page From the Texas Abortion Ban, California's Governor Threatens To Attack Gun Rights With Private Lawsuits
Gavin Newsom is exploring legislation to authorize private civil actions against people who sell "assault weapons" or gun kits.
Politicians Are Still Stuck on Prohibition
Nearly 90 years after the 21st Amendment ended America's failed experiment with banning alcohol, our leaders are still trying to tell us what to do.
California's Ban on Magazines Holding More Than 10 Rounds Is Constitutional, 9th Circuit Decides
Despite such magazines being widely and lawfully used, and with the ban having been tossed out by other courts and court panels, the 9th Circuit thinks the ban does not violate the Second Amendment
No Mass Transit Grants for California, Biden Administration Rules
California, which offers some of the most generous pension benefits in the country to its public workers, apparently isn't paying them handsomely enough, the federal Department of Labor says.
Los Angeles Prepares to Kick 44,000 Unvaxxed Kids Out of School Buildings
California is leading the country in student vaccine mandates that will disproportionately harm the education of poor and minority students.
Gavin Newsom Has Been Absent as California Port Crisis Drives America's Supply Chain Problems
Perhaps Newsom doesn't want to do anything because the real solutions will anger his union and environmental allies.
San Francisco Considers Not One but Two Bills Legalizing 'Missing Middle' Housing Citywide. Both Have Flaws.
The otherwise positive proposals are undermined by affordability requirements and density restrictions.
Two Courts Debunk Widely Accepted Opioid Myths
Undertreatment of pain is a real problem, and bona fide patients rarely become addicted to their medication.
Why I Left California for Florida
The Golden State is terribly run, but that's not the main reason from my move. Most of life isn't about politics, thankfully.
The Seizure and Eventual Return of Bruce's Beach Shows That Property Rights Are Human Rights
The land was taken in 1924 in order to kick a black family out of Manhattan Beach, California.
Taxes and Red Tape Hobble California's 'Legal' Marijuana
Legalizing a market isn’t enough; you have to set the participants free.
Gas-Powered Lawnmower Ban, Mandatory Gender-Neutral Toy Aisles Among California's Weirdest New Laws
But at least state lawmakers also passed some useful criminal justice bills and policing reforms.
California Seizes 1.2 Million Dangerously Untaxed Marijuana Plants
Plus: Seattle businesses embrace private security in response to a police officer shortage, the FDA is set approve "mix and match" booster shots, and more...
To Save Bars and Restaurants, California Extends Relaxed Booze Rules
Newsom makes the smart move by preserving liberalized alcohol policies.
In Gavin Newsom's California, COVID-19 Rules Are for Those Without Political Power
Newsom's opposition to a judge's order requiring vaccinations for prison staffers lays bare the hypocrisy of the governor.
California Voters Might Have a Chance To Ban Government Unions in 2022
One of two ballot measures already proposed for 2022 in California takes on some of the most powerful special interests in state politics.
What Happened When UC Berkeley Met the California Environmental Quality Act
A state court has apparently placed a cap on UC Berkeley enrollment increases due to inadequate environmental review.
Federal Court Upholds California's Oppressive Restrictions on Freelance Writers
A panel has unanimously determined the First Amendment isn’t violated if state regulations keep independent writers from landing work.
California Returns Beach Property Wrongly Taken From Black Family via Eminent Domain
The government confiscated Bruce's Beach at racists' behest.
Victims of Rights-Violating California Cops May Finally Get Justice in Court
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed S.B. 2 into law, despite some objections from police unions.
California Business Owners Sue Gov. Newsom Over the Lockdowns
How far do "emergency powers" really extend?
Vaccine Mandates Coming for K-12 Students
San Diego becomes latest school district to require teen jabs. But is it good policy?
California Will Let 'Violence Prevention' Researchers Know That You Have a Gun
An academic field rife with hostility to private gun ownership now gets to know the address of every California owner of a weapon, a weapon part, or ammo.
Republicans Got What They Deserved in California Recall
Doubling down on stridently conservative messaging in a state where conservatives are a dwindling and fleeing minority doesn't seem like a winning strategy.
Quarantined L.A. Schoolkids Have Lower COVID Rates Than Vaccinated Teachers
Media persists in pediatric scare stories even while the country's largest dataset shows tiny yet still-declining rates, including among the needlessly quarantined.
California Is Clueless About Homelessness
Both Los Angeles and San Francisco struggle with restrictive land use regulations that raise the costs and completion times of housing projects. That same red tape is now hobbling projects aimed at helping alleviate homelessness.
Why We Can't Get Anywhere on Immigration
Turns out, building good systems is necessary to get good outcomes.
More COVID-19 Hypocrisy: San Francisco Mayor London Breed Partied Maskless at a Jazz Club
Rules are for the little people.
California Enacts Two Important New Zoning Reform Laws
Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 10 would make it easier to build new housing in much of the state.
Fixing America's Poorly Functioning Public School Systems Might Require a Bulldozer
It's time for some out-of-box thinking about school reform. What if we let the market do more work and relied on the state for less?
The California Recall Shows It's Fine to Not Vote For Candidates You Don't Support
Millions rejected choosing any alternative to Gov. Newsom. Did they “throw their vote away?” Of course not.
