Proof of Insurance Through Smartphones OK Under New Law

California drivers will have the option to present proof of  insurance in electronic form under a bill signed September 7 by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The bill — AB 1708 by Asssemblyman Mike Gatto, a Los Angeles Democrat — allows auto insurers to issue  proof of insurance  in electronic form, if  a policy holder requests it.    Read more »

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Assemblywoman Linda Halderman, a Fresno Republican and Physician, Wins at Least One Round of the Assembly’s 2012  Legislative Bingo Tournament By , As Challenged, Incorprating the names of All Seven of Snow White’s Dwarves in a Single Floor Speech.    Read more »

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No Way Out

“If you work in either journalism or politics — or both, like I do — there is no way to duck it:

“You will be flogged for being right and flogged for being wrong.

“And it hurts both ways.

“But it doesn’t hurt as much when you’re right.”

–Hunter S. Thompson, Gonzo Journalist    Read more »

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History Suggests Lawmakers Voting “No” on Workers Compensation Bill Made the Right Call

John Burton, former Senate President Pro Tempore and now head of the California Democratic Party, is fond of saying “you can never get in trouble voting ‘no’ on a big bill.”

In the final hours of the legislative session the Senate and Assembly approved – on lop-sided votes – a 160-page measure that its supporter’s claim will increase benefits by some $860 million for injured workers and reduce expenses in the costly and cumbersome state workers compensation system by $1 billion.    Read more »

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Facebook Becomes a Bigger Drag on the State Budget

On September 4, Facebook shares closed at $17.73. After-hours trading did bring the share price back to $18.05, however.

When the social media giant went public in May, the opening price was $38.00.

Facebook’s steady erosion in share price has a direct impact on the state budget.

Projections by Gov. Jerry Brown’s Department of Finance upon which the current budget is premised say in November Facebook stock will trade at $35.    Read more »

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The Assembly Plays Legislative Bingo

The last days of the Assembly session are filled with mischief and the passage of numerous bills with little or no debate.

Listeners and viewers of the proceedings in the lower house during those final hours might have been struck by a largish number of seeming non sequiturs punctuating the speeches made by Assembly members.    Read more »

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Vote “Yes” on Proposition 37

By Dr. Michelle Perro, Rebecca Spector and Grant Lundberg 

Voting yes on Proposition 37 means three things:

You will have the right to know what’s in your food and whether your food is produced using genetic engineering.

Food will be labeled accurately. Food labels will have to disclose if the product was produced through genetic engineering.    Read more »

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