Inter-City Express

GUEST COLUMNS

U.S. Supreme Court hands immigrants a rare victory

One of the most daunting issues for non-citizens seeking to become permanent residents or green card holders has been: whether the applicant "is likely to become a public charge."

Appellate delay: the Judicial Council moves forward

It is a common misconception that someone who submits a complaint to the Commission on Judicial Performance must maintain confidentiality of the complaint and any ensuing CJP investigation. Nothing in the CJP's rules requires such confidentiality.

Prison rehab: Can California learn from Norway?

Democratic Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua of Stockton read about the Norwegian model last year and offered up a scaled-down version this year for California.

Growing number of California cities are opening weed cafes

These cannabis lounges are opening (or reopening, after pandemic closures) in West Hollywood, San Francisco, Palm Springs and elsewhere. And many smaller California cities, including Ojai, a popular destination 90 minutes from Los Angeles, are considering allowing them as a means to increase tax revenue and attract tourists.

U.S. Supreme Court gives business a 'tort wars' win

In 2003, just four days after California voters decided to remove him from office, then-Gov. Gray Davis handed personal injury lawyers and unions a major victory by signing legislation called the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).

Will California ban involuntary servitude?

he state's constitution currently prohibits involuntary servitude "except to punish crime" — allowing the state prison system to pay inmates as little as 8 cents an hour for jobs including food service, custodial work and construction, according to a legislative analysis.

State's juvenile prison workers score $50,000 bonuses

The contracts represent one of the largest retention bonuses the state has ever offered to employees.

Move to limit pesticide use would be a mistake

Readers should consider the consequences when asked to support efforts to ban neonicotinoid pesticides such as Imidacloprid.

California can lead the nation by funding changes to school food program

School Meals For All, which Gov. Gavin Newsom championed in the budget since its inception, in concert with state Sen. Nancy Skinner's legislative proposal, is the largest free-meals program in the country, providing breakfast and lunch for 5.9 million students — many of whom depend on school food for the bulk of their nutrition, regardless of income.

Will California make up for UC Riverside being less popular with out-of-state students?

UC Riverside gets $8,600 in state support for instruction of each student, well below the systemwide average of around $10,000.

Calls overwhelm disability benefits call centers

Less than half of unique phone numbers calling the Employment Development Department's disability insurance branch call centers were answered on average between November 2021 and April 2022, according to department data. That's down from about 80% between May and October of 2021.

What you should know about managing aging parents' finances

If you're providing support to aging parents – or plan to in the future – here is some advice on how to handle the situation and prepare for what's to come.

California budget: Big surplus, big differences

The start of the next fiscal year looms on July 1, less than three weeks away. Yet the budget process will likely extend well beyond that date, as lawmakers pass follow-up measures amending provisions of their spending plan to reflect compromises with the governor.

Trademark protection and the lawful use requirement

One rarely litigated aspect of trademark law is that the use of the trademark must be for a lawful purpose.

California's health care workers are burning out; these universities want to help

Solutions are urgently needed: The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of as many as 139,000 physicians by 2033, particularly in primary care, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Why water use varies so widely across California

The average Californian used 83 gallons of water per day in April, compared with 73 in April 2020. That's far from the 15% decrease that Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for as our reservoirs and the snowpack dwindle.

Has California's top-two primary system worked?

The rising numbers of independent voters, registered in neither party, were discouraged from participating in primary elections, which affected the outcomes of other issues, such as ballot measures.

State needs to step up funding voter education, outreach

In the state's most recent midterm primary election, held in 2018, nearly three-quarters of the state's eligible voters — 72% — did not vote. Yet 2018 saw the highest midterm primary turnout in two decades.

Chen controls California controller race, but for how long?

Based on voter registration, it was widely expected that Lanhee Chen, the sole Republican in the race, would land one of two spots to advance to the general election. And as of Thursday night, Chen had 37.2% of the vote — one of the stronger showings recently for a Republican in a statewide top-two primary.

State imposes sweeping ban on pumping river water in San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area

The cutbacks, announced Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board, will affect about 4,500 water rights in the Delta watershed, including 400 or more held by 212 public water systems, beginning Wednesday.

Extend Cal Grant program to give more students a leg up

The single-best investment they can make is to strengthen the Cal Grant program, the financial aid program for lower-income students.

You're never too young for a Roth IRA

It may seem odd to think about retirement savings when your child could still be wearing braces. But putting money now into a Roth IRA means your child will have decades for the money to grow, tax free.

California Supreme Court rules missed break premiums are "wages"

This decision dramatically increases the value of meal and rest period claims in class actions and representative actions under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA).

Smart moves to manage an inheritance

If you are set to receive money or other assets from a loved one who has passed away, you may benefit from the counsel of a financial advisor, estate attorney and tax expert who can help you determine the best course of action to wisely manage the gift you've been given. Here are some factors you might want to consider with their help.

Could Boudin recall spell trouble for Attorney General Bonta?

Bonta, a progressive Democrat appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, will likely face off in the November general election against one of two Republicans: Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who had 18%, or Eric Early, a lawyer to the right of Hochman with 16% of the vote.

Fewer gun laws, more shootings and viable solutions elude law enforcement

Now SCOTUS is looking to expand Second Amendment rights through its consideration of the pending case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

What is a design patent?

Design patents protect only the appearance of the article, not any aspect of functionality.

What would Shellenberger do as governor?

"I'm a liberal in my compassion for the vulnerable. I'm libertarian in my passion for freedom. I'm conservative in my belief that civilization is required for both," Shellenberger said during a 90-minute interview last week at the CalMatters office in Sacramento.

Unjust sentencing law is overdue for reform

With the passage of SB 300, people could not be sentenced to death or life without parole if they did not kill anyone or intend for anyone to die, though they still would be sentenced to at least 25 years to life. The bill also would allow judges to consider all circumstances, such as intimate-partner violence, abuse or trafficking, in their sentencing decisions.

Democratic factions vie for power in state Assembly

Robert Rivas, an assemblyman from Salinas, touched off such a clash late last month when he met with Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, claimed that he had support from a majority of Democrats and demanded that Rendon step down.

What has Thurmond done as California schools chief?

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has raised more than 10 times as much money as all his other competitors combined, and he's earned endorsements from powerful teachers unions and interest groups, making him likely to glide easily into a second four-year term.

Twitter could become a safe haven for cyberbullies

The public debate around free expression and censorship ramped up when COVID skeptics, election deniers and conspiracy theorists hijacked the major platforms to further their agendas.

Prime contractors need to ensure subcontractors are licensed

On Sept. 28, 2015, Hoffman and his crew began to remove the tree. Before they could finish, however, Todd told Hoffman and his workers to stop. Todd also contacted the police.

Grumpy old guy finally bows to technology

Keeping up with changes in the law practice, including law tech's benefits and risks, makes good business sense.

State's reparations task force is reprising mistakes of past

Under its guidelines, only descendants of people enslaved in the United States or freed from enslavement in other countries before 1900 will receive a payment.

Thirty-year-old Medi-Cal income limit leaves some seniors without needed care

Individuals with significant medical expenses — but whose income is too high to qualify for free Medi-Cal — may still access the program if they pay some of the costs.

Remote worker onboarding challenges

Although employers may electronically deliver most onboarding documents to remote employees with consent, the requirements vary regarding how employees must complete and return the forms.

Anaheim scandal continues SoCal syndrome

Todd Ament, the former chief executive of Anaheim's Chamber of Commerce and the central figure in the alleged cabal, faces federal charges of lying about his assets in the purchase of a Big Bear Lake vacation home.

Could role of California Assembly speaker change hands?

Late Friday, just as legislators — and everyone else in the state — were preparing to check out for the long holiday weekend, an earthquake rocked the California political world: Assemblymember Robert Rivas, a Salinas Democrat, announced that he had "secured enough votes" to become the next speaker of the California Assembly.

Private colleges want more power to police trespassers. Here's what you need to know.

Court considers limits to attorney participation in drafting reports

Plaintiff Munchkin sought to exclude the opinion of defendant TOMY's technical expert, Jesse Darley, who offered opinions regarding noninfringement.

As drought persists, water rights on agenda

Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board imposed a statewide ban on watering of "non-functional" turf, such as grass around commercial buildings, and directed local water agencies to implement water use restrictions.

State needs to keep Diablo Canyon Power Plant running

Institutional environmentalist groups, which came of age largely before climate change was widely recognized as a global threat, have been pressuring governments to shut down zero-emissions nuclear power plants for decades.

Cal State raises issue with Cal Grant expansion

Officials from the California State University Chancellor's Office warned the Board of Trustees on Tuesday that while it projects a net increase of nearly 29,000 students overall who'll receive the free-tuition grant, it would also see a decrease of roughly 39,000 future middle-class students — even as some 68,000 low-income students would be newly eligible for the grant.

A strong summer job market for teenagers

The predicted employment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds this summer is 32.8%, the highest since the summer of 2007, according to the annual summer job outlook for American teenagers published this month by the Drexel University Center for Labor Markets and Policy.

Your Health Savings Account can be a retirement planning tool | Personal Economy | By Ryan Onishi

If an HSA is available to you, you may want to explore its potential benefits.

Newsom, legislators given stark budget warning

The Legislature's own budget advisor, Gabe Petek, is warning the politicians that they should be very careful because the budget could be in big trouble in the years ahead. If they ignore his advice, there could be a fiscal meltdown of epic proportions.

California needs to put its money where its mouth is on public transportation

Today, half of all greenhouse gas emissions in California come from transportation.

Special interests spend big in state primary

Though contributions made directly to political candidates are capped by state law, no such limits apply to "independent expenditure" committees — so long as those outside influences are, in fact, independent and don't coordinate with the campaigns they're trying to help.

Sham copyright reform bill takes aim at the Walt Disney Company

The bill would only affect entities with market caps exceeding $150 billion, which for practical purposes demonstrates that it is unambiguously intended to punish the Walt Disney Company for Disney's recent stance against the "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida.

Klamath Basin dam removal needs a science-driven oversight plan

Removal of the dams will be an important first step — albeit with many steps to go — in improving salmon and steelhead stocks in the basin.

When is your tax return filed? 9th Circuit tax win helps

The Ninth Circuit majority opinion said: "The IRS wants the ability to direct taxpayers to submit delinquent returns to its authorized officials, while maintaining the power to unilaterally decide whether the returns are 'filed' for statute-of-limitations purpose. We reject this nonsensical position and instead follow the ordinary meaning of the Tax Code."

In San Diego, Remain in Mexico revamp is a due process disaster

A Nicaraguan asylum seeker who had been returned to Mexico with another asylum seeker I interviewed paid $3,000 to a person in Mexico claiming to be a U.S. immigration lawyer. The supposed attorney disappeared with the man's money, leaving him to apply for asylum alone

How voters put limits on state budget spending

Collectively, they imply that politicians can't be trusted to spend billions of dollars wisely. The three measures have particular impact when the Capitol is dominated by expansionist-minded Democrats and the treasury is overflowing with tax revenues, as it is now.

In California for years, but still can't qualify for in-state tuition

At California State University, a non-resident student pays nearly $10,000 more than a California resident with the same 12-unit class load; at a community college, it can be up to about $7,500.

What's next for California's last nuclear power plant

The nuclear plant has been dogged by concerns about nearby fault lines and radioactive waste, and its closure was intended to push California toward relying more on renewable energy sources.