California
Shouldn't COVID-19's Lethality Inform the Response to It?
Evidence that the virus is much less deadly than people feared weakens the case for maintaining lockdowns.
L.A. County Antibody Tests Suggest the Fatality Rate for COVID-19 Is Much Lower Than People Feared
The tests indicate that the number of infections in the county is around 40 times as high as the number of confirmed cases.
COVID-19 Lethality Not Much Different Than Flu, Says New Study
Possible really good news from a population screening antibody test study in Santa Clara County, California
Elon Musk Donates Breathing Machines to Hospitals and the Media Pounces
No, they’re not frontline ventilators. Yes, they’re useful.
Emergency COVID-19 Rules Effectively Give California's NIMBYs Unlimited Time To File Anti-Housing Environmental Lawsuits
And they are taking full advantage of the opportunity
California's Eviction Ban Will Worsen Current Economic Woes
Yes, tenants are losing their jobs because of the COVID-19 shutdown, but forcing businesses to provide services for free would have a ripple effect.
California Judges Set Bail at $0 for Misdemeanors, Low-Level Felonies Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
New emergency rules attempt to slow down justice system to keep people apart.
To Enforce Social Distancing Rules, Cops Fined a Pennsylvania Woman Who Was Driving Alone
Not every apparent violation of a quarantine order is a risk to other people, and not all need to be (or can be) enforced equally.
The Coronavirus Outbreak Is Exposing Government Follies on Many Levels
Most serious approaches to the crisis, however, are decidedly libertarian. They involve reducing regulations that keep industries from responding rapidly in an emergency situation.
Larry David Says People Who Object to COVID-19 Lockdowns Are 'Idiots'
Government-mandated unemployment is "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to "sit on the couch and watch TV," says the wealthy star of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
L.A. Tried—and Mostly Failed—To Fix Bad Permit Rules for Restaurants That Want To Sell Groceries
First, they didn't have grocery permits. Now they are not allowed to take any walk-ins.
Will COVID-19 Kill the Constitution?
Politicians and the public are alarmingly willing to violate civil liberties in the name of fighting the epidemic.
L.A. Bureaucrats Shut Down Restaurants for Selling Groceries Without a Permit
"You cannot just decide you want to sell groceries," said Barbara Ferrer, the director of L.A. County Public Health.
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva Says Gun Dealers Are 'Nonessential.' The Department of Homeland Security Disagrees.
The county's ban on firearm sales is inconsistent with a new federal advisory as well as the Second Amendment.
Los Angeles Might Force Broke Businesses To Keep Paying Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak
The mandates would be retroactive, potentially punishing businesses for violating rules they did not even know existed.
'We're All in Quarantine Now,' Says Andrew Cuomo, Who Two Days Ago Said That Was Out of the Question
New York's governor insists his edict "mandating that 100% of the workforce must stay home" is "not a shelter-in-place order."
Gavin Newsom Orders 40 Million Californians To Stay Home During Coronavirus Crisis. Is He Right To Do It?
The spread of COVID-19 is making once unthinkably extreme policies seem like the least bad option.
Sacramento County Releases Inmates Early To Curb Coronavirus Spread
Overcrowded jails are ill-prepared for a coronavirus outbreak.
Do You Have a First Amendment Right to a Slayer-Themed License Plate?
A new lawsuit is challenging the California DMV's rejection of allegedly offensive personalized license plates.
Joe Biden Throws Support Behind Disastrous California Gig Economy Law
A.B. 5 has caused chaos in the Golden State.
California Wants To Carve Out Religious Exemptions to Its Insane Housing Laws
State lawmakers want to override local zoning codes to let churches and other nonprofits build affordable housing on their own land.
Even in California, Nearly All Patients With Vaping-Related Lung Injuries Used Black-Market THC Products
A study in a state where marijuana is legal confirms the predominant role of cannabis products from illegal sources.
California's Government Has Turned Homelessness Into Big Business
The new money will be consumed in a bureaucratic hiring frenzy, used to pay state-level salaries and pensions, and build a bigger "homeless industrial complex."
California's Gig Economy Is Under Attack
"Companies can simply blacklist California writers and work with writers in other states, and that's exactly what's happening."
Mandatory Voting Will Build Resentment, Not Democracy
Fining non-voters would show that government is all about forcing people to do things just to make politicians happy.
Federal Immigration Raids in 'Sanctuary Cities' Have Conservatives Abandoning Federalism
Apparently, conservatives believe in states' rights, except when they don't.
California's Fees on New Development Are 3 Times the National Average. New State Legislation Would Cap Them.
California lawmakers have introduced legislation to cap impact fees, change the way they are assessed, and give developers more tools to claw back unjustified charges.
The Great Bernie Freakout
As Sanders steamrolls toward the Democratic nomination, the Reason Roundtable podcast dissects the panic attacks among MSNBC anchors, conservative commie-haters, and the bipartisan establishment elite.
California Bill Would Require Occupational Licenses for Porn Actors, Strippers, Cam Girls
Adult performers are outraged at the proposed licensing requirements, and have vowed to fight the bill.
California Politicians Double Down on Encouraging People To Live in Wildfire-Prone Areas
The Renew California legislation introduced yesterday would force insurance companies to renew insurance policies in wildfire zones.
Thousands of Old Los Angeles County Marijuana Convictions Will Be Expunged
Nearly 66,000 cases are covered, dating back to 1961.
Can the Criminal Justice System Be Fixed? The Jury's Still Out.
Under the law, prosecutors are supposed to pursue justice and not only seek convictions.
Federal Judge Refuses To Grant Injunction Against California's Gig Economy Law, But Acknowledges 'Likelihood of Irreparable Harm'
Assembly Bill 5 forces many companies to reclassify contractors as employees.
California Attorney General Defends Gang Database Despite Abuses by LAPD
Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced action against the department.
California Took Voters' Choices Away. Now One Lawmaker Wants to Make Voting Mandatory.
You have this Democrat or this other Democrat. What other options do you need?
In California, Protecting Workers Means Outlawing Their Jobs
Assembly Bill 5 was designed to constrain the growth of the so-called gig economy. In practice, it's closing off opportunities
Bernie-Backed Ballot Initiative Would Expand California's Brand New Rent Controls
The new initiative from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation would allow local governments to go beyond the state's existing caps on rent increases.
Berkeley Weeded Out Job Applicants Who Didn't Propose Specific Plans To Advance Diversity
The university's litmus test is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
For the Third Year in a Row, California Legislators Have Killed a Promising Housing Reform Bill
SB 50 would have legalized mid-rise apartments near transit stops and employment centers. State lawmakers felt it went too far and/or not far enough.
How a Fake Rationing Scare Highlighted the Absurdity of California's Actual Water Policies
No, Californians aren't banned from showering and doing laundry on the same day. But the fact that so many people believed that lie says something about how insane the state's real water laws are.
What a Headache: California Regulators Want To Label Acetaminophen a Carcinogen
The science is unsettled, and a new warning label would probably just confuse people.
Yes, Rhode Island Should Legalize Marijuana. No, the State Shouldn't Run the Shops.
Gov. Gina Raimondo wants to sell weed to balance the state's budget.
LAPD Chief Says Its Gang Database Abuse Scandal Now Has 'Criminal Aspects'
At least 20 officers have been suspended while the LAPD investigates the placement of innocent motorists on the gang database.
