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Political Briefs
Top stories
House GOP’s water bill still a long way from port — Four years into California’s latest devastating drought, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday will pass another catch-all water bill that’s nowhere near done. McClatchy Newspapers article
Lawmakers shelve bill to change voter-approved crime measure – California lawmakers are shelving a bill intended to change a voter-approved initiative that reduced criminal penalties for some non-violent offenders. Democratic Assemblyman Jim Cooper of Elk Grove said Wednesday that he will try again next year to fix what he calls an unintended consequence of Proposition 47. AP article
Transgender issues may be the next front in California’s culture wars — It was a California law that, no matter what, was bound to generate interest: Public school students would be allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their gender identities, not their anatomy at birth. Transgender rights advocates hailed the first-of-its-kind measure, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown two years ago, as a significant victory. Sacramento Bee article
Gov. Brown
Jerry Brown signs cheerleading, beer tasting bills — Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation making cheerleaders of professional sports teams employees, his office announced Wednesday. Capitol Alert; San Francisco Chronicle article; LA Times article
Valley politics
First Look: Congressman Kevin McCarthy talks local water bill, drought impact — On Wednesday’s “First Look with Scott Cox,” show hosts spoke with Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, over the phone regarding California’s new water bill that is passing through the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Bakersfield Californian article
Merced County supervisor Kelsey won’t run for re-election — Merced County Supervisor Deidre Kelsey confirmed Wednesday she will not seek re-election in 2016. Kelsey has served on the board of supervisors since 1995 when she was appointed by then Governor Pete Wilson, said Mike North, a county spokesman. She currently is in her fifth term. Merced Sun-Star article
Statewide politics/Ballot Measures
Loretta Sanchez trails Kamala Harris in Senate fundraising — Rep. Loretta Sanchez reported $1.1 million in the bank for her U.S. Senate campaign at the end of June, well behind the $2.9 million that her chief rival, Kamala Harris, has collected for the race, according to financial filings released Wednesday. LA Times article; AP article
Immigration
White House announces executive actions to speed visas – The White House is rolling out changes to the nation’s visa system, including a provision easing the way for family members of aging Filipino veterans to visit the U.S. LA Times article
Protestors opposed to ICE in LA County jails arrested – Three people were arrested in Duarte on Wednesday after blocking an intersection in a protest over local police agencies’ collaboration with federal immigration officials. LA Times article
Fox News’ ‘Kate’s Law’ proposal no quick fix on immigration — As political leaders continue to seethe over the killing of Kathryn Steinle on the San Francisco waterfront, legislative solutions being tossed about range from ending sanctuary cities to “Kate’s Law,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s proposal to toughen penalties for deported immigrants who recross the border. But now comes the work of actually crafting legislation that will pass muster with Democrats and Republicans — a challenge far tougher than just talk. San Francisco Chronicle article
Fox News reporter confronts San Francisco supervisors, they dismiss him — Fox News television host Bill O’Reilly sent an anonymous reporter to San Francisco on Tuesday to approach local politicians about the tragic murder of Kathryn Steinle at Pier 14. A segment on last night’s “O’Reilly Factor” shows two supervisors immediately brushing off the television network, while one delivered a terse response. San Francisco Chronicle article
Debra Saunders: San Francisco: Repeat offenders, come and stay – San Francisco is not likely to change its ill-conceived Sanctuary City policy because City Hall must bow to progressives who don’t believe in deporting undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records. Saunders column in San Francisco Chronicle
Marcos Breton: Safety about more than security borders — Even if Sanchez were not undocumented, that kind of record can mean a-get-out-of-jail card since California voters passed Proposition 47. Californians overwhelmingly supported the idea of clearing jails of “nonviolent offenders.” Breton column in Sacramento Bee
Other areas
George Skelton: Is it wise to give California regulators the power to impose cuts in state’s gasoline use? — The biggest bill still moving through the state Legislature this summer is backed by the Senate leader, the governor and essentially the pope. So opponents — mainly oil companies — don’t have a prayer. The measure, which attempts to fight global warming by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in California, is on track to pass before lawmakers adjourn for the year shortly after Labor Day. Skelton column in LA Times
Medical marijuana regulation bill gains momentum – Nearly two decades after California voters legalized medical marijuana, state lawmakers appear more ready than ever before to regulate it. Capital Public Radio report
Fresno leaders to decide whether Confederate flag could ever fly over City Hall — The Fresno City Council president vows the Confederate battle flag will never legally fly over Fresno City Hall. Not that it’s ever likely to happen. Not that it’s ever happened as far as City Hall veterans can recall. Council President Oliver Baines on Thursday is proposing a law that would prohibit the city from displaying or selling the Confederate battle flag. Fresno Bee article
California Government Today:
Assembly Daily File
News Briefs
Top Stories
Experts discuss the drought and water policy at Modesto summit – A four-year drought has brought California’s monumental water challenges sharply into focus. Experts who spoke at Wednesday’s Valley Water Summit in Modesto covered most of the bases including groundwater, the need for more storage, desalination and the proposed delta tunnels. Modesto Bee article
ACLU files lawsuit saying Fresno County public defense is inadequate – The Fresno County Public Defenders Office gives inadequate defense counsel to indigent defendants, said an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit filed Wednesday. The suit, filed in Fresno County Superior Court by three defendants, said that Fresno County and the state of California have insufficiently funded the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office. Fresno Bee article; The Business Journal article
Suit claims state doesn’t protect Latino students near ‘fracked’ wells – Anti-fracking activists increased pressure on state regulators Wednesday by filing a lawsuit that accuses Gov. Jerry Brown and State Oil and Gas Supervisor Steven Bohlen of failing to protect the health of Latino children near Kern County wells subjected to the well stimulation technique. Bakersfield Californian article
Jobs and the Economy
Applications for U.S. jobless aid fall to low level of 281,000 – Fewer people sought U.S. unemployment benefits last week as employers remain confident enough in the economy to hold onto their staffs. AP article
San Joaquin County home market on the rise – San Joaquin County’s residential market heated up in June, with both existing home prices and sales on the increase, the California Association of Realtors reported Wednesday. Stockton Record article
Fresno State’s long-delayed Campus Pointe celebrates grand opening – The spotlight at Fresno State’s Campus Pointe shifts Friday from the recently opened Maya Cinemas to the development’s first wave of retail tenants that finally are ready to go after more than a year of construction and a decade of planning. Fresno Bee article; The Business Journal article
Kevin Valine: Modesto will look at economic impact of X-Fest – Thousands upon thousands of people are expected to flood downtown next month for the 16th annual Exclamation Festival to listen to live music in Modesto’s biggest street party. But long after the partygoers have gone home, the streets have reopened and downtown has settled back into its normal rhythm, Councilwoman Jenny Kenoyer wants city officials to report on the full economic impact of the festival. Modesto Bee article
Fresno to connect low-income families with Internet access – Fresno is one of 27 cities and a tribal nation participating in a new program to bring high-speed Internet access to low-income families in public and assisted housing developments, the White House announced Wednesday. Fresno Bee article; AP article
Joe Mathews: California needs to get over population growth fantasy — California has an official state flower (poppy), state insect (dogface butterfly) and state theater (Pasadena Playhouse). But no official state sport – unless you count the great pastime of overestimating our own population growth. Mathews in Sacramento Bee
Uber should be suspended in California and fined $7.3 million, judge says — The ride-hailing giant Uber should be fined $7.3 million and suspended from operating in California because its parent company did not comply with state laws, a state administrative judge said Wednesday. LA Times article; AP article
Employee or contractor? Labor Department seeks to clarify rules – When are workers employees? When are they contractors? The Labor Department issued new guidance Wednesday intended to help companies answer that increasingly fraught question. The issue has taken on greater urgency with the growth of sharing-economy firms such as Uber and TaskRabbit, which increasingly rely on independent workers, often for short-term projects. LA Times article
California gas prices up; Fresno area rises 11 cents in a week – California’s gasoline prices rose quickly in a short time, with the average price of regular unleaded in the Fresno metro area up 11 cents from a week ago. Fresno’s unleaded average rose from $3.38 to $3.49 in the last week, according to AAA of Northern California. Prices in the Visalia-Tulare-Porterville area rose 8 cents in the last week to an average of $3.42. Fresno Bee article; Hanford Sentinel article
Nonprofits depend on county fair to aid good works – The Stanislaus County Fair provides a good time for hundreds of thousands of people over its 10-day run. But the event also does good for thousands more through partnerships with area charities and other nonprofit groups. Following are looks at a few of the cooperative efforts between the fair and community organizations. Modesto Bee article
Fed chief Janet Yellen sees first rate hike later this year – Unfazed by recent global turmoil, Federal Reserve Chair Janet L. Yellen is offering a fairly optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy and reaffirming that the central bank is likely to begin raising interest rates later this year. LA Times article
CaliCheese project to help Matheny Tract – A second industrial project — the long awaited CaliCheese plant — will pay $120,000 to the Matheny Tract Committee to help with both job training and acquisition of potential park land for the disadvantaged community, says California Rural Legal Assistance staffer Ashley Werner. Visalia Times-Delta article
Hosking shopping center heads to planning commission – The new Hosking Avenue-Highway 99 interchange is expected to alleviate traffic at nearby exits when it’s finished early next year, but a draft environmental report reveals a shopping center planned for the intersection’s northeast corner could diminish those gains. Bakersfield Californian article
Developer breaks ground on Delano hotel, lifestyle center – The 45-acre Delano Marketplace development is already well underway with a power center anchored by Walmart, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Ross Dress for Less, but there’s much more to come. On Wednesday, developer YK America broke ground for another phase of the project — the Vineyard Lifestyle Center and an adjacent Hyatt Place Hotel. Bakersfield Californian article
Demo party at Fresno’s Expositor Building to reveal original walls – A growing urban movement to peel back the stucco and slipcover facades that modernized old downtown buildings in the 1950s and 1960s is coming to downtown Fresno’s Fulton Mall. Fresno Bee article
Stockmarket 2.0 hopes to build on momentum – Amy Sieffert and Katie Macrae envision nighttime markets under the stars, food-only festivals with cuisines from around the world and, perhaps, an eclectic holiday spectacular as soon as the end of this year. But all of that is in the long-term. Stockton Record article
San Jose, unions reach pension settlement – After more than three years of bitter fighting, city and public safety union leaders Wednesday reached a tentative deal that would end litigation over the Measure B pension reforms voters overwhelmingly approved in 2012. Contra Costa Times article
Silicon Valley firms beginning to make labor concessions – Silicon Valley’s tech giants are used to bottom-line pressures from their shareholders. Now they’re facing new pressures from the other side of the economic divide: low-wage service workers. KQED report
Housing activists urge city to investigate Airbnb rentals at Hollywood site – In the latest skirmish in Los Angeles’ expanding war over the sharing economy, housing and labor activists are demanding the city investigate a Hollywood apartment building that they claim “skirted” rent control regulations by offering apartments for short stays through the Airbnb website. LA Times article
San Francisco homeless population getting older, sicker, survey says – The number of homeless people on San Francisco’s streets has stubbornly remained nearly the same over the past two years — and that population is now sicker, older and being shoved into different neighborhoods by gentrification, new city statistics show. San Francisco Chronicle article; AP article
Homeowners’ temporary tax deductions are going away – Thanks to a rebound in the economy and real estate values, county assessment rolls — and by extension property tax revenues — are going up between 5.2 and 8.7 percent in eight Bay Area counties this fiscal year. San Francisco Chronicle article
LA in talk with oil producer about reopening facility near USC — AllenCo Energy is trying to negotiate a settlement with the Los Angeles city attorney’s office as part of an effort to resume operations of an urban oil field that prompted hundreds of complaints of nosebleeds and respiratory ailments due to its emissions, officials confirmed Wednesday. LA Times article
Agriculture/Water/Drought
California adopts strict lawn-reduction rules for drought savings – The era of lush, green California lawns moved a dramatic step closer to ending Wednesday. Drought tolerant plants must dominate lawns surrounding new homes and businesses across California under new regulations unanimously approved by the California Water Commission. Sacramento Bee article; LA Times article; San Francisco Chronicle article
State softens approach to curtailing water use in drought – State water officials on Wednesday softened their approach to telling thousands of California farmers to stop pumping from rivers to irrigate crops during the drought but warned that stiff penalties still await anybody who takes water they don’t have a right to use. AP article; Stockton Record article
Study finds contaminants in California public-water supplies — Nearly one-fifth of the raw groundwater used for public drinking water systems in California contains excessive levels of potentially toxic contaminants, according to a decade-long U.S. Geological Survey study that provides one of the first comprehensive looks at the health of California’s public water supply and groundwater. AP article
After years of drought, wildfires rage in California – The drought has contributed to a devastating start to fire season, with California fire officials responding to more than 3,381 wildfires between Jan. 1 and July 11. New York Times article
$30 million plant would use the sun to recycle tainted irrigation water — WaterFX, a company using solar thermal energy to power a demonstration water-desalination plant western Fresno County, hopes to build a $30 million commercial-scale version and have it producing water by next summer. Fresno Bee article
Stockton Record: Tunnel vision – The state’s latest plan for the Delta tunnels is a scaled-down version of more of the same. Stockton Record editorial
Advocates sue Tulare for Matheny Tract water – The Matheny Tract Committee is seeking a court order requiring Tulare to supply water to the 300-home rural subdivision south of the city.Fresno Bee article
Water Authority wins rate case – The San Diego County Water Authority won two sweeping legal victories Wednesday in a mammoth rate case against Southern California’s largest water wholesaler. If the tentative rulings in the years-long dispute stand, local water users could eventually see significant relief from soaring water bills. San Diego Union-Tribune article; LA Times article
Rain barrel aids in double use of domestic water — A one-time, $100 investment has led to a double use of domestic water for Connie, Waterwise column’s newest friend. Connie, who lives in Visalia, bought a 40-gallon rain barrel, including a brass spigot and a 50-foot long garden hose, and coupled it with a four-wheeled dolly to give water coming out of her high-efficiency washer a second use, irrigating her lawn, trees and flowers. Visalia Times-Delta article
Robin Abcarian: Santa Cruz Water School: A reeducation camp for water users — They were summoned to Water School because they had a leaky toilet. Or perhaps they had turned on the vegetable garden’s drip irrigation and left town for a few days. They might have let a painter prep their house with a high-pressure water hose. Or had a broken sprinkler that created an invisible swamp in the yard. All had committed the sin of using too much water. Abcarian in LA Times
Tom Selleck ‘pleased’ by settlement with water district, attorney says — A Ventura County water district Wednesday formally approved a settlement with actor Tom Selleck, whom it had accused of illegally delivering water to his Hidden Valley ranch. LA Times article
Olive oil crop promising — While months remain before the late-fall olive harvest, San Joaquin County growers report prospects of a good crop this year, despite drought concerns, and strong demand for California-grown olive oil. Stockton Record article
Criminal Justice/Prisons
Stockton police lieutenant who wrote controversial letter now on administrative leave – Lt. Toby Will has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an administrative review into controversial remarks he made regarding same-sex marriage in a letter to The Record, a police spokesman said Wednesday. Stockton Record article
Oildale man’s death comes as Kern sheriff’s office tries to crack down on speed — The 59-year-old Oildale man’s death comes in the wake of two other high-profile collisions in Oildale that caused three deaths and millions of dollars in legal liabilities for Kern County. Bakersfield Californian article
Sacramento Bee: Democrats line up against police use of DNA – Four state Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would have allowed law enforcement to collect DNA from people convicted of certain misdemeanors, potentially helping violent criminals avoid capture. Sacramento Bee editorial
Hernandez prelim reveals gun details, thoughts of suicide – Eight prosecution witnesses and scores of objections from attorneys characterized a marathon preliminary hearing held Wednesday to determine whether a man suspected of leading a Bakersfield police officer on a chase that resulted in the officer’s death will stand trial. Bakersfield Californian article
Gardena police shooting: Experts question officers’ tactics — Police use-of-force experts were divided about whether the officers should have opened fire, but several questioned some of their tactics. LA Times article
Gardena police shooting video: City Council silent but gets an earful — There was no mention of Tuesday’s release of police video showing Gardena officers shooting two unarmed men. That was until Terry Kennedy, 73, a longtime Gardena resident, voiced his support for the video’s release. LA Times article
Arriving at $4.7-million police shooting settlement was tricky and murky – In the case of Diaz Zeferino and two other men who were mistaken for robbery suspects by Gardena police officers, the price the city ultimately agreed to pay was $4.7 million. How attorneys, mediators and the city’s insurer came to agree on that figure is a tricky and murky calculus. LA Times article
Is it possible to let more people out of prison, and keep crime down? – Much of the decline in the prison population since 2011 can be attributed to California, which was ordered by federal courts to relieve overcrowding in state prisons. Voters there have also shown a new interest in incarceration changes, approving moves to lighten sentencing. NPR report
Eight Fresno locations raided in major illegal gambling case – The Fresno Police Department’s vice squad searched eight Fresno locations on Wednesday after a six-month investigation into illegal card and lottery games. Fresno Bee article
Armona program focuses on early intervention — The Youth Expanding Self-efficacy Program, also known as the Y.E.S. Program, started on June 30 and will wrap up on July 30. This is the first time the probation department has held the program since it did a short trial run a few years ago. Hanford Sentinel article
Education
Stanislaus State right on the Money, best bang for public university buck – Money magazine’s College Planner ranks California State University, Stanislaus, the top public school in the nation for helping students succeed. Modesto Bee article
UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland: Gray’s actions will help UC Merced grow – A technical change to an existing statute championed by local Assemblymember Adam Gray, D-Merced, gave us and other UC campuses more flexibility with respect to how we can pay for new academic and research buildings. Leland letter in Merced Sun-Star
Teachers back in school to master Common Core standards – School’s out for summer – although maybe not, if your job is to teach the Common Core State Standards. EdSource article
Delhi school district receive $600,000 grant for career programs — The Delhi Unified School District received a $600,000 state grant to expand the career paths of high school students, the Merced County Office of Education reported. Merced Sun-Star article
Energy/Environment
Recycling plan shows difficulties of hazardous waste regulation — While metal recyclers provide benefits to society by conserving resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the toxic nature of the materials being handled poses a dilemma for the industry and its regulators. San Francisco Chronicle article
Green house call — This summer, adolescents and young adults from across Stockton are helping green up Stockton homes, performing energy and water-use audits, making some simple fixes and sharing some tips you might not have heard before. Stockton Record article
Health/Human Services
First 5 Fresno board says black infant death report a ‘call for action’ – Reducing Fresno County’s high rate of black infant deaths will take a community effort, First 5 commissioners learned Wednesday at a review of a six-month research project to look at reasons why so many babies die before their first birthday. Fresno Bee article
Why do African-American infants die more often than others in Fresno County? — African-American infants in Fresno County are three times more likely to die within their first year than white infants, largely because of premature birth, low birth weight or birth defects. The alarming rates of African-American infants dying in their first year in the county are prompting public health officials to dig deeper. KVPR report
Land Use/Housing
LGBT-friendly apartments for low-income seniors planned in Sacramento — Plans are advancing for an LGBT-friendly senior affordable housing facility in midtown Sacramento, believed to be the first of its kind in the Central Valley. Sacramento Bee article
Embattled California housing agency chief leaving in September — The chairman of the state agency that finances affordable housing has announced he will soon leave amid criticism that his development company plans to eliminate several rent-controlled units to make way for million dollar homes. Sacramento Bee article
Transportation
Grand jury takes Kings County to task on high-speed rail – The Kings County Grand jury has issued a report criticizing Kings County supervisors and staff for their hard-line stance against the California High-Speed Rail Authority and its plans to put tracks, a station and other infrastructure on Kings County soil. Hanford Sentinel article
How airline consolidation has raised prices for U.S. travelers – The wave of consolidation that swept the U.S. airline industry has markedly reduced competition at many of the nation’s major airports, and passengers appear to be paying the price in higher fares and fees, an Associated Press analysis has found. AP article
Caltrans completes Highway 99 widening through Manteca – Highway 99 has expanded from four to six lanes in this area, a $158 million project celebrated with a ribbon-cutting Wednesday. Modesto Bee article; Stockton Record article
Chowchilla eyes roundabout for Highway 99 ramps — Leaders here are looking at options for improvements the city needs in the near future where highways 99 and 233 cross, and the state Department of Transportation is pushing for roundabouts. Merced Sun-Star article
Other areas
Stockton Record: Fight on blight – Controversy is inevitable — and should not be dismissed out of hand — whenever you’re talking about the property of citizens. But there is absolutely no doubt Stockton needs a tough and active code enforcement team. Stockton Record editorial
Lemoore urges homeowners to fix trees, curbs, sidewalks – If you’re unhappy about the way the city maintains the sidewalks and parking strips in front of your home, you may be in for a harsh reality check. You are responsible for fixing them. Hanford Sentinel article
Michael Fitzgerald: A Master’s glass in charity — In 2013 we met Larry Brown, a Stockton man so obsessed with collecting fine glass that he filled his home to bursting with it — then donated a truckload, 105 boxes, to charity. About $45,000 worth, from oil lamps to Waterford crystal, went to the astonished Assistance League of Stockton. Come Friday, 75 percent of Brown’s collection finally goes on sale. Fitzgerald column in Stockton Record
Berkeley tightens building code after fatal balcony collapse – Balconies on Berkeley, California, apartment buildings will be inspected every three years under new regulations adopted by the city in the wake of a balcony collapse that left six people dead. AP article; LA Times article; San Francisco Chronicle article
Will Fresno ever host a Triple-A All-Star game? – So why haven’t the Fresno Grizzlies hosted an All-Star Game? Perhaps the more burning question is: Will the Grizzlies ever host one? Managing General Partner Chris Cummings and General Manager Derek Franks said the Grizzlies will make a push to host one in the future — possibly in four years. Fresno Bee article
Fresno Adult School students protest exercise room relocation — Around 23 seniors who participate in the Fresno Unified School District Adult School’s physical education classes gathered inside the Manchester Shopping Center on Wednesday to express their frustration over being relocated to a new room in the mall for their exercise classes. Fresno Bee article
NAACP calls News & Review’s cartoons of Kevin Johnson ‘racist’ — The local chapter of the NAACP on Tuesday called cartoons of Mayor Kevin Johnson in last week’s edition of the Sacramento News & Review “racist” and demanded an apology from the publication. Sacramento Bee article
Valley Editorial Roundup
Fresno Bee – Texting while driving is deadly; Judge Lawrence K. Karlton protected people at society’s lowest rungs.
Sacramento Bee – Four state Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would have allowed law enforcement to collect DNA from people convicted of certain misdemeanors, potentially helping violent criminals avoid capture; Texting while driving is deadly.
Stockton Record – Controversy is inevitable — and should not be dismissed out of hand — whenever you’re talking about the property of citizens. But there is absolutely no doubt Stockton needs a tough and active code enforcement team; The state’s latest plan for the Delta tunnels is a scaled-down version of more of the same.
Upcoming Events
- West Hills Community College District will hold an event, “Shifting Ground — Adapting the San Joaquin Valley Economy to a Changing Climate,” on Oct. 8 at Harris Ranch in Coalinga. Senior leaders from business, agriculture, government agencies and nonprofits will gather to launch immediate actions and provide near-term guidance to create next generation jobs in a region battered by drought and struggling with multiple challenges. Visitwww.essentialelementsseries.com for details of this no-fee policy series.
Interactive
Next 10: UPDATED California budget challenge – For the first time in a decade, California’s budget is largely in balance. However, the state has outstanding debts of $28 million, not counting long-term pension and retiree health care costs. Budget choices affect us all. Take the Challenge and decide how much should be spent on programs and where the money should come from. Next 10 California Budget Challenge
Next 10: Federal budget challenge — The Federal Budget Challenge is based on The Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities budget exercise, which has been used in numerous town hall meetings across the country by members of Congress from both parties, as well as in hundreds of high school and college classrooms. Next 10 Federal Budget challenge atwww.federalbudgetchallenge.org.
Next 10: California Water Challenge – As our state faces some of the most severe drought conditions in its history, Next 10 wants to issue a new challenge to Californians: can you create a plan to make sure there’s enough water for everyone? Next 10 California Water Challenge
LEGISLATORS’ VOTING RECORDS: How often has a California legislator broken party ranks, abstained or switched sides? The Sacramento Bee has a database of the voting records of every member of the state Senate and Assembly. Enter a lawmaker’s last and first names to see how he or she voted, or enter a bill number to see how every legislator voted on it. Check it out at this link. http://www.sacbee.com/votingrecord/
Maddy Institute Updates List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials – The Maddy Institute has updated its list of San Joaquin Valley elected officials. The list is available here.
Maddy Institute on Facebook and Twitter – To learn about Maddy Institute activities (e.g. The Maddy Report tv show, The Maddy Associates’ Luncheons, the Maddy Legislative Intern Program), become a fan of the Maddy Institute on Facebook or log on to http://twitter.com/MaddyInstitute. And if you have a Facebook or Twitter account, please add us and follow us!
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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