You can tell primary day is getting close when you can’t escape the political ads.
Melanie Mason reports in the Los Angeles Times: “As the June 3 primary election draws near, business interests, labor groups, environmentalists and wealthy individuals have poured more than $20 million into television and radio commercials, mail ads and other campaign aid for their preferred candidates in campaigns for state offices.”
“The vast sums are partly a reflection of California's primary system, in which the top-two candidates, regardless of party, advance to the November ballot.”
Legislation to dismantle California’s ban on bilingual education is causing a rift among Republican legislators.
Patrick McGreevy reports in the Los Angeles Times: “The bill divided Republicans, with Senate GOP leader Bob Huff of Diamond Bar supporting the measure for giving school districts local control “so innovation can take place.”
"But eight other Republicans, including Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber, voted against the bill, saying it would worsen the state’s high drop-out rate, which is partly caused by a large number of students being unable to read and understand English.”
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones defends a health insurance initiative on the November ballot that would give his post the authority to reject excessive rate increases.
Lisa Aliferis reports for KQED: “Jones also noted that 35 states have given their insurance commissioners “the authority to reject health insurance rate hikes, but not California.”
“It’s a measure that likely sounds appealing to plenty of voters, but a report earlier this month determined that, if passed, the initiative could destabilize Covered California, the state’s Obamacare exchange.“
Lawmakers are looking to give locals the ability to manage their groundwater levels.
Juliet Williams reports for the Associated Press: “Gov. Jerry Brown also wants to enact statutory changes to the state's groundwater management policy as part of the state budget that lawmakers will take up in June, according to a legislative analysis of Pavley's bill.”
“The Senate approved SB1168 24-12, sending it to the Assembly.”
The state Senate, still reeling from a recent series of scandals, approved a constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to withhold a suspended lawmaker’s pay.
Fenit Nirappil reports for the Associated Press: ” The bill, SCA17, passed Tuesday on a 31-3 vote, following a stir when a Republican lawmaker blasted the Senate leader's response to the scandals and proposed halting tax collection for the constituents of the suspended lawmakers.”
“The amendment would go before voters on the November 2014 ballot if two-thirds of the state Assembly approves it.”
Now you can see where in California the GOP is shrinking the most on a map.
Phillip Reese reports for the Sacramento Bee: “Traditionally Democratic areas like San Francisco and Marin counties saw the largest proportional drop in Republican voters. No county in the state is now majority Republican. Only two small counties -- Lassen and Modoc -- increased the proportion of voters registered as Republicans over the last decade.”
“This map shows the change in the rate of Republicans -- Republicans per 1,000 registered voters -- from 2004 to 2014.”
