Articles

Exxon's Torrance Explosion Could Have Been A Catastrophe

When Exxon’s Torrance refinery exploded last February, it injured four workers and took down an air pollution filtration system twelve stories high. That hobbled a refinery feeding Southern California 20 percent of its gasoline, and exacerbated a gasoline price spike. Californians wound up paying $10 billion more for their gasoline than elsewhere in 2015 as refineries gouged and gorged on swollen refining profits.
 

Google’s Robot Car Report Shows DMV Is Right

There is new proof that California's Department of Motor Vehicles is getting it right with its proposed regulations for the general deployment of self-driving robot cars. Ironically, the evidence comes directly from Google itself, which has said it is “gravely disappointed” by the draft rules.

Kaiser Gets Away with Hiring Regulator Who Worked on Mental Health Failure

If Kaiser Permanente can't evade the state's scrutiny into its mental health fiasco, it will just buy the regulators doing the scrutiny. And get away with it when caught. 

On Thursday, the Fair Political Practicies Commission approved a fine for a state official who was involved in the 2012 audit of Kaiser's mental health plan and then a month later started at the HMO and worked on responding to the survey.

Capitol Watchdog: Upcoming Meetings to Watch

A Medical Board task force (it's called Patient Notification, when it really should be Physician Probation Notification) will be discussing possible protocols for notifying patients about doctors on probation.

One Chance for CA Regulators to End Outrageous Aetna Premium Hikes

California health plan regulators have a rare opportunity to protect consumers from excessive and unjustified premium hikes by one of the worst offenders in the state. But will they use that power? 
 

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