State Government

U.S. state government news from the Neotrope News Network

Bill to Modernize California’s Election System Approved by State Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — The California State Senate today approved SB 361 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) on a bipartisan vote of 29 to 9. The bill would modernize California’s voter registration system and increase online access to elections information. The bill now goes to the Assembly for consideration. “While many states provide online [...]

California Comprehensive Anti-SWATting Legislation Passes Assembly

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) legislation to criminalize the dangerous and increasingly prevalent crime known as “swatting”, was approved by the California State Assembly today by a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 76-0. The bill, AB 47, is the legislature’s most comprehensive legislation to address the issue, and the only [...]

Local South Bay Schools to Receive $2 million in Calif. School Construction Grants

TORRANCE, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi congratulated schools on successful applications. The State Allocation Board has approved nearly $2 million in grant funding for four school construction projects in the 66th Assembly District. The projects are shovel-ready and include facility improvements to modernize the campuses, improve security, address accessibility shortcomings or [...]

Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s Bill to Protect Small Businesses Unanimously Passes California Assembly

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) legislation to reform Prop. 65 and protect small businesses from meritless lawsuits passed the Assembly today with a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 71-0, well in excess of the 2/3 threshold necessary to amend the proposition. The bill, AB 227, would allow small-business owners who receive [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Joins Global Scientists to Call for Action on Climate Change

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Warning that Earth is rapidly approaching a “tipping point” at which human impacts are causing alarming levels of harm to our planet, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today joined more than 500 world-renowned researchers and scientists to release a groundbreaking call to action on climate change and other [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown announces appointments to California Superior Courts for May 21, 2013

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced various court appointments throughout the State of California, including San Diego County Superior Court, the San Bernardino County Superior Court, San Francisco County Superior Court, and others. Governor Brown Appoints Two to San Diego County Superior Court Patricia Guerrero, 41, of San [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for May 21, 2013 to 30th District Agricultural Association

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Andrew Alejandre, 25, of Corning, has been appointed to the 30th District Agricultural Association, Tehama District Fair Board. Alejandre has been the creative director for Cave Clothing Brand since 2010. He was a graphic designer at Native Threads [...]

Bill to Protect Local Calif. Governments from Dog Park Liability Passes Assembly

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced that his bill to help local governments create dog parks for their residents, passed the Assembly Floor with a bipartisan vote of 75-0. The idea for the bill came from Glendale City Councilmember Laura Friedman, who told Gatto that liability concerns were preventing [...]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan announced by SF Mayor Lee

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced a $4.1 billion capital improvement plan for San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The long-term infrastructure plan provides funding for terminal improvements, facility enhancements, and the creation of an on-site luxury hotel, pending environmental approval. The plan is expected to create more than [...]

California slated to be first state in the nation to provide voter registration through Health Benefit Exchange similar to ‘Motor Voter’

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — California Health Benefit exchange is one of hundreds of state offices required to offer voter registration services under Senate Bill 35 by Calif. Senator Alex Padilla. Last year, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 35, authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), which expands voter registration by requiring that California come into [...]

San Francisco Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.4 Percent in April 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee issued the following statement on San Francisco’s unemployment rate dropping to 5.4 percent in April from an adjusted 6.1 percent in March, based on preliminary unemployment numbers released by the California Employment Development Department (EDD): “San Francisco’s steady economic recovery is the result [...]

Bill to Allow Out-of-State Voting for California’s Emergency Workers approved by Calif. Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, the Calif. State Senate has approved SB 362 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). The bill was passed with a bipartisan vote of 30 to 7. The bill would empower the Governor and the Secretary of State to establish alternative means for emergency personnel to obtain a ballot and vote [...]

Parking Meter Justice Bill Passes California State Assembly – legislation prohibiting local governments from fleecing motorists who park at broken meters

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced that his legislation prohibiting local governments from fleecing motorists who park at broken parking meters moved one step closer to becoming a reality. The California State Assembly approved the bill by a vote of 71-0. The bill, AB 61, seeks to stop the [...]

Calif. Governor Brown Announces Appointments for May 15, 2013 including State Council on Developmental Disabilities

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Max Duley, 45, of Fairfield, has been appointed to Area Board IV of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and as representative of Area Board IV to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Duley has served on Area [...]

California and Nevada Renew Partnership to Preserve Lake Tahoe Region

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced an agreement that renews Nevada and California’s bi-state partnership to help preserve and enhance the Lake Tahoe region. Under the agreement, developed with legislative leadership from both states, amendments will be introduced to bills in the Nevada [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Boosts Investment in Schools, and Calls for ‘Fiscal Restraint’ in Revised State Budget

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. released a revised and balanced state budget that strengthens California’s fiscal integrity by investing in California’s schools, chipping away billions from the “Wall of Debt” and maintaining a prudent reserve. When Governor Brown took office, the state faced a $26.6 billion budget deficit, [...]

Kicking off San Francisco’s Small Business Week, SF Mayor Lee Announces New Loans to Boost Small Businesses

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced the launch of the “Emerging Business Loan Fund” which will make $12 million in affordable loans available to support small business, boost the local economy and create jobs. The Emerging Business Loan Fund (EBLF) program expands accessible financing to businesses that cannot [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring May 2013 Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued a proclamation declaring May 2013 as “Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month” in the State of California. In an ongoing effort to strengthen California’s economic and cultural ties to Asia and the Pacific Rim, Governor Brown met with President Park Geun-hye of the [...]

Calif. Assembly Bill to Help Open More California Dog Parks Passes Assembly Local Government Committee (AB 265)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced that his bill to “help local governments create dog parks for their residents” passed the Assembly Local Government Committee on Wednesday with a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 8-0. The idea for the bill came from Laura Friedman, a Glendale City Councilmember, who [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring May 9 as Korea-California Friendship Day

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, in a meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. presented a proclamation declaring May 9, 2013 as “Korea-California Friendship Day” in the State of California. The full text of the proclamation follows: PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHEREAS, California [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Legislation to Reform California’s Health Insurance Market

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, helping put an end to the practice of denying health care coverage to Californians with pre-existing conditions, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed legislation to protect consumers and reform California’s private health insurance market as required by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). “This legislation helps [...]

Measure to Save the California Constitution Passes First Major Legislative Hurdle

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced that his initiative reform measure to protect the “fundamental rights of Californians and prevent the pet projects of special interests from being enshrined in the California Constitution” passed its first major legislative hurdle, clearing the Assembly Elections Committee by a vote of [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown, Obama Administration Commit to Oct. 1 Deadline for Draft Water Plan

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, the State of California and the Obama Administration agreed to a formal deadline of October 1, 2013 for the release of the draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and accompanying environmental documents for public review and comment. The BDCP will enable the state to make significant progress toward achieving [...]

Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for May 8, 2013 including California Native American Heritage Commission

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Grace Arupo Rodriguez, 35, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed deputy director of legal affairs at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Arupo Rodriguez has been senior deputy city attorney for the City of Sacramento since [...]

SF Mayor Lee Announces Recipients of 2013 Mayor’s Teacher of the Year Award

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On Monday, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced five recipients of the 2012-2013 Mayor’s Teacher of the Year Award. The award recipients will be recognized this evening during a San Francisco Giants’ home plate ceremony at AT&T Park. “Our public school teachers are true champions in San Francisco,” said [...]

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