Carmen Balber's blog

CURES Database Will Be Vital in Preventing Opioid Deaths but Faces Powerful Special Interest Opposition

Submitted by Carmen Balber on Mon, 05/07/2018 - 00:00

Every doctor in California will soon be required to use the most powerful tool we have to identify and prevent opioid abuse: the state prescription drug database known as CURES. Beginning in October, doctors will have to check the database and review a patient’s prescription history before prescribing opioids and other dangerous drugs.
The California Medical Association fought patient safety advocates for six years to stop this mandate from taking effect. 

California's $2000 initiative poll tax?

Submitted by Carmen Balber on Sun, 07/12/2015 - 22:55

Even as the Secretary of State and legislative leaders are championing legislation to make it easier for Californians to register and turn out to vote (for them), lawmakers don't seem to want Californians to be able to vote on ideas of their own.

A bill to increase the ballot initiative filing fee tenfold could pass the State Senate next week.

Multiplying the filing fee from the current $200 to $2000 would make proposing a ballot initiative in California more expensive than any other state.

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