California Lawmakers Spend More, Avoid Reform
The latest budget has new spending but no attempts at serious reform.
California
The Dalai Lama Is the Latest Speaker to Cause a Campus Freakout
Chinese UC San Diego students felt the Tibetan spiritual leader "contravened the spirit of respect, tolerance, equality, and earnestness"
Juries Can Acquit the Guilty, 9th Circuit Says, but 'There Is No Right to Nullification'
A medical marijuana provider unsuccessfully argues that improper jury instructions made his conviction invalid.
California Lawmakers Seek to Subvert Government Transparency
The state legislature is failing to heed the will of the voters.
New Coalition Blames Tech Industry for City's Problems, Demands Uber Solve Them
Plan to open headquarters in Oakland, California, upsets locals who fear tech displaces minorities.
Bail Reformers Seek to Keep the Poor from Being Stuck Behind Bars
Legislation tries to end lack of money as an excuse for keeping non-dangerous people in cells until trial.
Prison Unions Punish California Taxpayers
Costs are rising even as the prison population gets smaller.
State-Run Single-Payer Health Care Would Be Prohibitively Expensive—and Possibly Illegal
Would the Trump administration give states permission to pursue government-run health care? That's what California and New York would need.
Don't Fund California Single-Payer Health Care With a Gross Receipts Tax
The sales tax' big brother tends to cripple growth, lower wages, and promote inequality, economists warn. Will that stop California from doing it?
California Uses One State Credit Card To Pay Off Another
Gov. Jerry Brown wants to borrow $6 billion to pay for California's underfunded public employee pensions.
Plow Field, Pay Government $35 Million?
It's happening in California, where the case goes to penalty trial in August, if the Trump administration doesn't stop it before then.
Bookstores Suffer Unintended Consequences From Mark Hamill's Campaign Against Fake Autographs
Don't use government force, Luke
California's Single-Payer Health Care Plan Would Cost More Than the State's Whole Budget
Like in Colorado, New York, and Vermont, California is learning that a single-payer plan would be prohibitively expensive.
California Gov. Jerry Brown Calls Gas Tax Hike Foes 'Freeloaders'
His transportation package would almost double gas taxes while diverting money to public transit and parks.
Judge Orders Oakland Cop to Trial; Says He Was 'Like a Pimp' to Exploited Teen
Former Oakland cop Brian Bunton is one of dozens of area police officers who've been implicated in the sexual exploitation of "Celeste Guap."
California Senate Passes Bill Easing Up on Some Drug Sentencing
If successful, state would stop piling on more punishment for prior convictions.
Aetna CEO Says We Need to Have a Conversation About Single Payer. We've Been Having It For A Long Time.
And it always ends the same way. Here's the political and economic reasons why America won't be converting to a single-payer health care system anytime soon.
Judge Orders San Diego D.A. to Return $100K it Seized from Family of Marijuana Business Owner
The San Diego D.A. seized this family's bank accounts, accused them of money laundering, and kept their cash for 15 months without charging them with a crime.
Bullet Train Myopia Driving Local Transit Boondoggles
California lawmakers are trying to dig a hole too big to fail.
Marijuana Policy in the Trump Era
Reason sat down with experts and advocates to discuss the state legalization, science, and the marijuana industry.
This Los Angeles Firefighter Has Been Banking Six-Figures in Overtime Pay Since the 1990s
In 2012, 51 employees of the department made more than $100K in overtime, but last year there were 439 workers making six-figures in OT, a new report says.
Yes, Science, But How About a March for Math?
Innumerates number the ranks of politicians and bureaucrats.
Lawsuit Aims to Force Catholic Hospitals Perform Transgender-Related Surgeries
Refusing any voluntary hysterectomies presented as discrimination.
California State Agency Effort to Nullify Pension Vote Is Eerily Totalitarian
A union-controlled state agency trying to overturn a citizen initiative passed in San Diego has finally been rebuffed in court.
Calif. Lawmaker Thinks Police Aren't Protected Enough from Misconduct Claims
Bill would increase the evidence threshold to find that an officer has lied.
CalExit Secession Movement Dies the Way It Lived: Stupidly
Organizer decides he wants to continue to live in Russia.
Can Public Workers Get Pension Benefits Without Actually Working? California Supreme Court Will Decide
California Supreme Court accepts appeal to lower court ruling that stopped workers from padding their pensions by an extra five years of service time.
Breaking Up California an Idea That Won't Go Away, For Good Reason
Californians would be better equipped to govern themselves fairly.
San Diego's Experiment With Higher Minimum Wage: 4,000 Fewer Restaurant Jobs
San Diego's restaurant recession is another data point suggesting that making it more expensive to employ people causes fewer people to be employed. Shocker.
Gun Rights Groups in California Sue to Take Away Some Gun Rights from "Retired Peace Officers"
Exemption for former police and other types of government officials in Gun-Free School Zone Act violates equal protection of the law for other licensed gun carriers, suit argues.
California Road-Tax Hike Is Really A Pension Tax
Who will pay for the roads? Taxpayers, every year.
California's Governor Rejects Anti-Competitive Marijuana Rules
Jerry Brown proposes a bill that would let cannabusinesses hold multiple licenses, including distribution.
California Wants To Make Itself Even Less Competitive
Looking to set up a death tax if Trump repeals the federal one.
Just What America Needs: A Government Truth Squad
A California lawmaker wants to make it illegal to publish or share a "false or deceptive statement" meant to influence voters.
This Self-Taught Programmer Is Bringing Transparency to California Politics
A laid-off grocery bagger learned to code and is now shining a light on spending by politicians, their campaigns, and outside groups.
California Cops and the FBI Want to Keep Their Facial Recognition Tech Secret
Legislators aren't so sure that's a good idea. The FBI has been using facial recognition software for years without filing mandatory disclosures.
Is California 'Death Tax' Bill Real or Just More Anti-Trump Spite?
A state senator proposes replacing the federal estate tax with a state tax, if Trump gets his way on repeal.
Gender 'Injustice' Behind Call to Reduce Taxes on Tampons
"There is no happy hour for menstruation," says a legislator looking to pay for tax cuts on feminine products with a tax hike on hard liquor.
First Amendment Lawyers Ask New Calif. Attorney General to Drop 'Abusive' Crusade Against Backpage and User-Info Dragnet
A subpoena calls for copies of all Backpage ads posted over several years, all billing records, and the identities of all of the website's users.
