Search query: california

More Than a Uniform: Remembering Annie Covarrubias and the Crisis Facing Correctional Officers
More Than a Uniform: Remembering Annie Covarrubias and the Crisis Facing Correctional Officers
Last week, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials announced the sudden passing of Annie Covarrubias, a correctional officer at the Correctional Training Facility (CTF) in Soledad. She was 35 years old. In the words of her colleagues, Annie was a “dependable, professional, and kind” officer, known for her dedication to both her peers and the incarcerated individuals she worked with every day.
20 May, 2025
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2 min read
California Seizes $123.5M in Illegal Cannabis in Largest-Ever Enforcement Operation
California Seizes $123.5M in Illegal Cannabis in Largest-Ever Enforcement Operation
In its largest coordinated crackdown to date, California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force seized more than $123 million worth of illegal cannabis during a sweeping, multi-agency operation across the Central Valley.
20 May, 2025
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2 min read
Majority Rules: The Film Capturing America’s Most Radical Election Reform
Majority Rules: The Film Capturing America’s Most Radical Election Reform
Alaskans made history in 2020 when they passed the first-in-the-nation election system that not only eliminated party primaries but adopted a voting system for the general election that gave them the option to rank candidates in order of preference.
19 May, 2025
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3 min read
AB 955 Revisited: How to Expand Cross-Border Care Without Sacrificing Patient Protections
AB 955 Revisited: How to Expand Cross-Border Care Without Sacrificing Patient Protections
IVN recently examined AB 955, by Assemblymember David Alvarez. The bill seeks to expand a healthcare service program I created in 1998 as the author of SB1658.
14 May, 2025
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4 min read
Gov. Newsom Targets Prescription Drug Middlemen in New Reform Proposal
Gov. Newsom Targets Prescription Drug Middlemen in New Reform Proposal
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is reviving efforts to regulate the powerful and often opaque intermediaries at the center of the prescription drug supply chain. In a proposal unveiled as part of his revised May budget, Newsom calls for stringent oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), companies he says are driving up patient costs.
14 May, 2025
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2 min read
A History of California Criminal Justice and Prison Reform Initiatives (1994-2025)
A History of California Criminal Justice and Prison Reform Initiatives (1994-2025)
Over the past 30 years, California voters have repeatedly turned to the ballot box to shape criminal justice policy, responding to concerns about public safety, justice, punishment, and rehabilitation. 
13 May, 2025
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8 min read
Running for President as an Independent: How it Really Works
Running for President as an Independent: How it Really Works
Have you ever wondered why, in the greatest democracy in the world, almost no one runs for President of the United States as an independent? The answer is that running as an independent is extremely difficult, if not impossible. That is why very few people have attempted it, and none have won in modern history. 
12 May, 2025
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13 min read
Trump Pushes Alcatraz Revival as Calif. Audit Finds State Prisons Unprepared for Natural Disaster Evacuations
Trump Pushes Alcatraz Revival as Calif. Audit Finds State Prisons Unprepared for Natural Disaster Evacuations
As President Donald Trump calls for the reopening and expansion of Alcatraz Island to house the nation’s “most ruthless and violent offenders,” a new state audit raises alarms about California’s state prison system: most state-run facilities are not adequately prepared to evacuate during natural disasters.
05 May, 2025
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2 min read
Cross-Border Healthcare: A Complex Problem Meets a Bipartisan Solution
Cross-Border Healthcare: A Complex Problem Meets a Bipartisan Solution
While healthcare in California has seen massive investments in coverage and access, these gains often mean little to border residents who split time, family, or even residency across two countries
30 Apr, 2025
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3 min read
Insurance Markets Need More Choice and Competition
Insurance Markets Need More Choice and Competition
Every individual has different preferences and needs according to personal life circumstances. Governments typically offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Consumers overwhelmingly want more options.
24 Apr, 2025
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2 min read