Articles

Blue Shield's $1.2 Billion Promise to Tell the Truth

Submitted by Carmen Balber on Thu, 10/08/2015 - 17:34

If you believe state HMO regulators, they extracted some big concessions from Blue Shield this week in order to gain the Department of Managed Health Care’s approval to spend $1.2 billion it has stockpiled from customers after years of excessive rate increases. DMHC gave Blue Shield the go-ahead to buy Care 1st, a Medi-Cal health plan.

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Big Privacy Victory As Gov. Brown Signs CalECPA

Submitted by John Simpson on Thu, 10/08/2015 - 16:04

Californians won a major privacy victory today that catches protections up with modern technology.  Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 178, the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (CalECPA), into law.

It will require that law enforcement get a warrant before poking around in our digital records.  If the cops want to search your desk for letters and files, they need a warrant.  But who relies on paper files and letters these days?

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Explosive Prime Lawsuit Allegations Could Be Kamala Harris Bomb & Scorsese Plot

Submitted by Jamie Court on Wed, 10/07/2015 - 15:52
Earlier this year, Capitol Watchdog wrote about how SEIU-UHW union President Dave Regan scuttled a deal between six financially struggling California Catholic community hospitals and Prime Healthcare out of spite. Regan used his political clout to stop Attorney General Kamala Harris's approval of the sale despite support from the California Nurses Association and SEIU members at the facilities, as well as from Consumer Watchdog (Capitol Watchdog's sponsor).

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Toxics Agency a Little Less Toxic Due to Legislation

Submitted by Liza Tucker on Mon, 10/05/2015 - 12:16
After years of criticism over lax oversight of polluters, the Legislature and governor have finally taken action and given more enforcement power to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). The legislation is a good move forward, but more could be done. 
 

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California Politics Drowning in Money

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Mon, 10/05/2015 - 11:31
Though the U.S. Supreme Court believes otherwise, the public is disgusted with the money that has swamped our political system and wants a major overhaul. A growing number of Republicans and Democrats alike want more restrictions on wealthy influence peddlers and more disclosure of donors who give to organizations that get involved in elections. 
 

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