Lawmakers predict their newly proposed $9 billion bond to fund school construction would take care of districts’ needs for about five years, if it makes it to the November ballot.
John Fensterwald reports in Ed Source: “With bipartisan support in the Assembly and a coalition of the building trades unions, the construction industry and business and education groups behind a new school bond, Buchanan is confident of getting a two-thirds majority approval in the Legislature to put the measure on the ballot.”
“Winning Gov. Jerry Brown’s backing, however, could prove harder. In the state budget he proposed in January, Brown dedicated $188 million of one-time money to reimburse districts for emergency repairs. At the same time, he criticized the current system of funding K-12 construction and indicated he was re-evaluating schools facilities funding, “including consideration of what role, if any, the state should play in the future of school facilities funding.”
Students from seven low-performing schools are suing the state and its top education officials for lost teaching time compared to more affluent kids.
Jill Tucker reports in the SF Chronicle: “While other state education lawsuits have focused on ensuring that all students have equal access to tangible resources - funding, quality teachers, safe facilities or even textbooks - this one is different.”
“It addresses a more fundamental part of a public education: the time it takes to learn. The lawsuit claims that for students in the seven schools, including Fremont and Castlemont high schools in Oakland, a lot less time is spent on real learning.”
Senate Democrats look to change how the mentally ill are treated in the criminal justice system in the wake of the Isla Vista massacre.
Jessica Calefeti reports for The Mercury News: “"There were so many moments this man's behavior could have and should have been identified," said Sen. Hannah Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara. "The notion that law enforcement went to his home without the full panoply of resources available to identify this young man's intentions while he was fomenting this crime is unacceptable."
“Senate Democrats want to redirect $12 million already promised to local police departments in next year's budget and use it to train officers how to safely deal with people who are mentally ill, homeless or addicts. They also want to use $24 million from the general fund to train prison guards and other prison staff.”
The Bay Area leads California in economic recovery, while Sacramento and the Central Valley bask in the trickle down benefits.
Allen Young reports in the Sacramento Business Journal: “The Bay Area has been “on a remarkable run,” said center director Jeff Michael. The Central Valley is benefiting from some migration to the area, “both in people as commuters as well as some businesses that are sensitive to those costs. …There definitely has been some movement of those centers into the inland areas that are serving the Bay Area market.”
“For example, retail giant Amazon began hiring last year for its distribution facility in Patterson, which is part of the Modesto area.”
If state lawmakers approve online poker, it could be an economic boon for California.
Samantha Gallegos reports in Capitol Weekly: “In five years, a legal intrastate online poker market would bring $845 million in state revenue to California and an additional 2,657 jobs.”
“The firm used previous studies by companies that examined the issue and incorporated new data provided by the industry experts that takes into account recent changes in the illegal Internet poker market.”
State senators will continue today to mull over a bill that would require GMO labeling in California.
Jennifer Chaussee reports for Reuters: “Proponents of the bill had sought to make California the second state in the country after Vermont to require GMO labeling, but the measure failed to pass the state Senate by two votes.”
“Democratic Senator Noreen Evans, the bill's author, was planning to push a reconsideration vote on Thursday before the end of the legislative session.”
Yes, the State of Jefferson is still a thing.
Juliet Williams reports for the Associated Press: “The current county secession efforts are merely advisory, encouraging local officials to further study the idea. The steps involved in trying to become the country's 51st state are steep, first requiring approval from the state Legislature, then from Congress.”
“The counties that could opt in — as many as 16, according to supporters — make up more than a quarter of the state's land mass but only a small portion of its population.”
