Prison pact

"However, the state is prepared to spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year to house inmates in private prisons and other facilities if the request for an extension is rejected by a panel of three federal judges."

 

"The judges, who have deemed California prisons unconstitutionally crowded, have given state officials until Dec. 31 to reduce the prison population by thousands. The deal on prisons resolves a dispute in the Capitol over how to handle the court order."

 

But the deal was received with skepticism by the inmates' lawyers, who said they didn't think the courts were inclined to offer more time.

 

From the LAT's Paige St. John and Chris Megerian: "Bien said it's unlikely the judges will grant Brown another extension -- the original deadline for reducing the prison population was June 30 -- if the request is not supported by the lawyers."

 

"Right now, he said, the lawyers are skeptical of allowing the state more time to meet the court order, which was originally issued in August 2009 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2011."

 

“We are supportive of the effort to reduce the total burden on prisons by changing California laws … but we have not agreed to the length of time," Bien said. Brown said he thought there was a chance the judges would go along with the state's revised plan."

 

Three prominent Sacramento political strategists -- Rusty Areias, Jason Kinney and Winston Hickox -- were fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission for lobbying without registering.

 

From the Bee's Laurel Rosenhall: "It's just the second time in recent history that the FPPC has prosecuted anyone for failing to register as a lobbyist, the settlement says. But it reveals a practice many Sacramento lobbyists say has become pervasive at the Capitol: "shadow lobbying" by former politicians and high-level staff members who leave government to consult for private industry without disclosing themselves as lobbyists."

 

"California Strategies released a statement saying the business "has already put stronger internal reporting controls in place."

 

"The firm takes full responsibility for this matter and all of our principals are committed to ensuring it never happens again," said a prepared statement emailed by managing partner Camden S. McEfee."

A major bill that would give the California Coastal Commission the power to directly impose fines on violators has stalled in the Assembly, after getting out of the Senate with no votes to spare. But the author said she'll try for another vote.

From the U-T's Michael Gardner: "I’m bringing it back,” San Diego Assemblywoman Toni Atkins said in an interview shortly after her Coastal Commission bill stalled five votes short of passage. She secured permission to ask for another vote before Friday."

"Atkins, a Democrat, said the Coastal Commission needs the power to fine violators who ignore orders to protect the coast and provide public access. The bill aims at those who “intentionally and knowingly” ignore commission edicts and gives property owners a 30-day grace period to make the fixes."

 

"Gonzalez, a Democrat, said too many homeowners have blocked public access to beaches illegally and have no fear of penalties given the commission is too short-handed to aggressively pursue claims in court."

 

Oct  1 is confirmed as a go for the kickoff of California's new health insurance marketplace.

 

From Reuters' Lewis Krauskopf: "California said it is planning for a full launch of its Obamacare online health insurance exchange on October 1, after testing its functionality."

 

"Last month, the state said it was considering a soft launch of the exchange if tests showed it was not ready for wide public access. But tests of the system last week were encouraging, said Dana Howard, deputy director of communications for the Covered California exchange."

 

"All of our testing so far indicates that there is not going to be a problem doing self-enrollment online on Oct 1," Howard said."