Three previous California governors have announced their endorsement for a proposed initiative to alter the state's death penalty appeals and execution process.
Maura Dolan reports for the L.A. Times: "Former governors George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and Gray Davis will announce at a news conference the launch of an initiative drive for signatures to qualify the proposed constitutional amendment for the November ballot."
A fifth Californian congressional member has announced he is not planning to seek reelection.
Jeff Horseman writes in The Press-Enterprise: "Rep. Gary Miller, whose label as the most vulnerable House Republican in the country made him a prime target of liberal activists, announced Wednesday, Feb. 12 he would not seek re-election, giving a huge boost to Democrats who already felt confident about winning the San Bernardino County seat."
Speaking of campaigns, the crowd is growing for those want to succeed Ted Lieu: Two more Democrats have announced campaigns to run for Sen. Ted Lieu's soon-to-be vacant seat when Lieu makes a run for Congress.
Patrick McGreevy in the L.A. Times: "The field of candidates competing for the coastal Senate district seat being vacated by Ted Lieu grew Wednesday with former Assemblywoman Betsy Butler and Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth, both Democrats, announcing their candidacies."
"They join other Democratic candidates who previously announced plans to compete for the 26th Senate District seat: women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke, Santa Monica-Malibu school board member Ben Allen and Vito Imbasciani, a state surgeon for the California Army National Guard."
One lawmaker proposed a bill in reaction to the record large fine for lobbyist Kevin Sloat.
From the Sac Bee's Laurel Rosenhall: "Assembly Bill 1673 would prohibit lobbyists from hosting fundraising parties at their homes and offices. Under current law, lobbyists may host fundraisers that cost up to $500 -- even though they are prohibited from making monetary campaign contributions of any amount to candidates for offices they are registered to lobby."
"It really makes no sense that a lobbyist can't buy lunch for a legislator for over $10, but can provide elaborate, exclusive dinner parties simply by stating that it is under the $500 limit," Garcia, a Bell Gardens Democrat, said in a prepared statement."
Lawmaker also introduced a series of bills aimed at breaking percieved government outsourcing abuse.
Sacramento Business Journal's Allen Young writes: "The bills are part of a greater movement among states to stop contracting out in cases when the work is seen as better suited for public employees -- an effort largely organized by the nation’s largest public services employees union, AFSCME."
Republicans are taking a critical look at Covered California's spending practices.
Christopher Cadelago reports in the Sac Bee: "In recent weeks, Republican officeholders challenged the state exchange over its spending, calling for a top-to-bottom audit of its finances. Separately, Assembly Republicans want a legislative hearing to probe why the agency allowed felons, including people convicted of forgery and welfare fraud, to help enroll customers in health insurance plans. And Gaines panned the infomercial, which featured a cameo by 65-year-old health and fitness guru Richard Simmons, dancing with a rose in his teeth."
“I am not sure to what degree Richard Simmons connects with millennials,” Gaines said."
CalPERS and Gov. Jerry Brown are expected to butt heads over how the agency should start increasing consumers' rates.
Dale Kaiser in the Sac Bee: "The CalPERS staff, in a report to its board Wednesday, outlined a plan for raising rates starting in fiscal 2016-17. The increases, covering the state as well as several thousand local government agencies and school districts, would be phased in over five years under the staff recommendation."
"The recommendation could meet with more friction from Brown. Responding to a preliminary CalPERS report issued in December, Brown last week labeled as “unacceptable” the plan to delay implementation until 2016."
The prison doctor linked to unauthorized female sterilizations has a history of controversey.
The Center for Investigative Reporting's Corey G. Johnson reports: "Dr. James Heinrich also has a history of medical controversies and expensive malpractice settlements both inside and outside prison walls. Female patients have accused him not just of trying to dictate their reproductive decisions, but also of unsanitary practices and botched surgeries that injured them and their infants."
"Despite that history, Heinrich was not only hired by the prison system, but also kept on once a federal judge appointed a receiver to clean up the prison’s medical system."
Finally, the bigger the Buddha... the better? China's influx of extravagant monuments to the diety are bringing in big bucks.
From CNN's Jason Miks: "Massive Buddha statues have been built around the country over the past few decades. The 160-foot Buddha in the video towers over crowds, almost as much as another 300-foot Buddha in eastern China does. In 2002, the tallest statue in the world – the 500-foot Spring Temple Buddha – was unveiled in China. It is almost 200 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty!"
"So why is Buddha on steroids? One word: Tourists."
"Last year, this Buddha reportedly brought in 3.8 million visitors and $200 million."