California - Independent Voter News (Page 17)

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.

By Cara Brown McCormick

May 20, 2025

California Seizes $123.5M in Illegal Cannabis in Largest-Ever Enforcement Operation

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.

By Steve Peace

May 14, 2025

AB 955 Revisited: How to Expand Cross-Border Care Without Sacrificing Patient Protections

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

By Tori Stevens

May 14, 2025

Gov. Newsom Targets Prescription Drug Middlemen in New Reform Proposal

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.

By Cara Brown McCormick

May 13, 2025

A History of California Criminal Justice and Prison Reform Initiatives (1994-2025)

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 dis

By Cara Brown McCormick

May 5, 2025

Trump Pushes Alcatraz Revival as Calif. Audit Finds State Prisons Unprepared for Natural Disaster Evacuations

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

By Chad Peace

April 30, 2025

Cross-Border Healthcare: A Complex Problem Meets a Bipartisan Solution

In Oakland, Barbara Lee's RCV Strategy Seen as Critical to Mayoral Victory

In a dramatic shift following the April 15 special mayoral election in Oakland, former U.S. Representative Barbara Lee has been declared the winner, pulling into a commanding lead over former Councilmember Loren Taylor, as vote counting continues.

By Cara Brown McCormick

April 18, 2025

In Oakland, Barbara Lee's RCV Strategy Seen as Critical to Mayoral Victory

Analysis: Popular Oakland Ranked Choice Voting System Used to Decide City's Next Mayor

On Tuesday, Oakland, CA used ranked choice voting (RCV) in special elections for mayor and City Council District 2 – marking Oakland’s 5th mayoral election using RCV. A 2024 poll found that 77% of Oakland voters are satisfied with the election method.

By Bryan Huang

April 16, 2025

Analysis: Popular Oakland Ranked Choice Voting System Used to Decide City's Next Mayor

On Top of New Tariffs and Proposed Vape Ban, Calif. Cannabis Retailers Also Face an Excise Tax Hike

As California’s legal cannabis industry heads into the second half of 2025, store owners are facing a combination of rising costs that could further disadvantage them against the state’s still-thriving illicit market.

By Cara Brown McCormick

April 16, 2025

On Top of New Tariffs and Proposed Vape Ban, Calif. Cannabis Retailers Also Face an Excise Tax Hike

Oakland Votes in Pivotal Mayoral Election with Ranked Choice Voting at the Center

In a critical special election, Oakland voters are casting their ballots on April 15 to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao. The election will be decided using ranked choice voting (RCV) and determine who leads the city through 2027, as Oakland faces mounting challenges.

By Cara Brown McCormick

April 15, 2025

Oakland Votes in Pivotal Mayoral Election with Ranked Choice Voting at the Center

Barbara Lee Embraces Ranked Choice Strategy as Oakland’s Mayoral Race Enters Final Stretch

With Oakland’s high-stakes special mayoral election coming up on April 15, former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee has released a video outlining a ranked choice voting (RCV) strategy — officially urging her supporters to rank multiple names on their ballots.

By Cara Brown McCormick

April 14, 2025

Barbara Lee Embraces Ranked Choice Strategy as Oakland’s Mayoral Race Enters Final Stretch

Tariffs and Vape Ban Could Push California’s Cannabis Market Further Underground

California’s legal cannabis industry, long weighed down by high taxes and regulation, is facing new threats: steep federal tariffs on key imports and a proposed statewide ban on disposable vapes.

By Cara Brown McCormick

April 11, 2025

Tariffs and Vape Ban Could Push California’s Cannabis Market Further Underground