January 13, 2012, 12:05 AM
When John A. Pérez was sworn in as speaker of the California Assembly in 2010, he celebrated by giving out rubber duckies bearing his name and the Assembly seal. Pérez's collection of hundreds of rubber duckies – from Statue of Liberty duck to firefighter duck – stems from an inside...
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November 3, 2011, 12:05 AM
Lobby spending in Sacramento already is on pace to touch new highs this legislative session, according to third-quarter filing totals released by the secretary of state’s office. Interest groups last quarter spent more than $72 million lobbying state government, a dip from the $77...
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November 2, 2011, 12:05 AM
Democrats in the state Legislature face a tantalizing opportunity: They could waive campaign contribution limits to help fellow Democrats hit by the Kinde Durkee fraud scandal. The catch is that they would need Republican support to meet a two-thirds vote requirement. Durkee, who...
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September 6, 2011, 12:05 AM
The lobbying database we launched last week already has received a fantastic response – in part, no doubt, because it allows you, the readers, to take a peek behind the curtain of legislative influence to see what bills are important to special interest groups. Inevitably, those interest...
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September 1, 2011, 12:05 AM
The end of the California legislative session is once again upon us, and that means it's time for the annual courtship ritual between lawmakers and lobbyists to reach its always-colorful climax. If you've ever been in the halls of the Capitol during the last week of session, which this...
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September 1, 2011, 12:05 AM
California interest groups have filed nearly 7,000 reports this year disclosing what bills and issues they have lobbied in state government. Use this form to see which bills interest groups have lobbied in the Legislature.
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July 29, 2011, 5:28 PM
The California Citizens Redistricting Commission approved the final drafts of the state's controversial new district maps today, setting off what many expect to be a flurry of lawsuits over the next two weeks. The commission now has until Aug. 15 to formally certify the maps and present...
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June 24, 2011, 12:05 AM
There was plenty of talk among lawmakers in the Capitol yesterday, but with less than a week before the start of the next fiscal year, there is still no budget deal in sight. After an unprecedented week of action – including the first majority-vote budget to come out of the legislature...
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June 16, 2011, 4:21 PM
Gov. Jerry Brown wasted little time today when he vetoed the budget package California legislators presented him less than 24 hours prior. Brown said in a statement that the budget – which lawmakers passed with a simple majority yesterday and without any Republican support – was...
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June 14, 2011, 12:05 AM
It turns out that Speaker John A. Perez isn’t the only college dropout in the California Legislature. In data posted yesterday, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that four California lawmakers left college without getting a diploma, and three more never went to college. The...
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June 9, 2011, 12:05 AM
Last week was a busy one for state legislators, who scrambled to act on hundreds of bills before the midterm deadline to pare back their list of legislation to act on this summer. It was also a busy week for campaign finance and government ethics watchdogs. Buried amid the flurry of votes cast...
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March 17, 2011, 12:05 AM
As legislators begin voting on elements of Gov. Jerry Brown’s half-taxes, half-cuts budget proposal, it has quickly become clear both to decision-makers and those of us watching at home that bipartisanship under the Capitol dome is no easy feat to achieve. In fact, given the voting...
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December 9, 2010, 12:05 AM
It's only been a few days since the Legislature reconvened under the Big Dome, and while the spotlight has been on the budget, a handful of lawmakers are hoping to shine some light of their own into the darkest corners of the Sactosphere. At least eight of the 130-plus bills introduced...
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September 2, 2010, 12:05 AM
Tuesday at midnight marked the rancorous end to yet another legislative session here in California. And like many sine dies before, it was filled with hours of last-minute wrangling to cram through as much unfinished business as possible. By our count, 98 bills were passed and sent to...
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August 31, 2010, 12:04 AM
Sitting members of the California Legislature have raised more than $380,000 during the last five days, as lobbyists and special interest groups scramble to push their bills through the Assembly and Senate before this year's legislative session draws to a close. Before we dig in deeper...
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