Capital Notes is taking a brief hiatus until after Labor Day. I know what you're saying: it's the final week of the legislative session… and he's going on a vacation? It's true. Until early September, then…

Capital Notes is taking a brief hiatus until after Labor Day. I know what you're saying: it's the final week of the legislative session… and he's going on a vacation? It's true. Until early September, then…

A key to getting this year's state budget enacted on time was the removal of an element that legislative Republicans wouldn't accept: state subsidized health care for uninsured children, even if they happen to be undocumented immigrants. At the time, … Continue reading »

The answer: a lot, apparently, if you're running a campaign against an initiative, and your opponents have bought all of the obvious website names that you'd like to use. The campaigns for and against Proposition 87 on the November ballot … Continue reading »

Two interesting issues moved forward today at the Capitol… as a prominent Indian tribe's new gambling agreement cleared a big hurdle, and a deal was struck on the contentious issue of raising the minimum wage. First, Indian gaming… where the … Continue reading »

As a busy week in the race for governor winds down and Republicans gather in LA for this weekend's convention, a quick glance at campaign finance records shows the two main candidates have picked up their pace in the dash … Continue reading »

The morning headlines may have trumpeted legislative action to reform the redistricting process, but this afternoon those efforts died a quiet death for 2006, after the two houses of the Legislature reached an impasse over timing. The squabble was over … Continue reading »

That was the big closing thought from the main author of the proposal to again allow voters to weigh in on whether the Legislature should no longer draw its own district maps. And when the votes were tallied, the state … Continue reading »

[UPDATE, 3:38 pm: Well, who knows... the back and forth apparently isn't over. There is talk the Senate may still take up SCA 3 by Sen. Lowenthal tomorrow, though it would take 27 of the Senate's 40 votes to be … Continue reading »

A panel of law enforcement, victims rights advocates, and legislators has released its recommendations to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the status of high-risk sex offenders. The report recommends a number of changes– including a new definition of "high risk," more … Continue reading »