Items by California Progress Report

• San Francisco Leaders and Environmentalists Object to Water Legislation

  —California Progress Report

  While Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) called today’s signing of several water bills “historic,” several San Francisco leaders and environmentalists object to the water deal and believe that it is more of a 19th Century solution to a current day problem. “This water package is a bad deal for... [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:33am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Health Care Act Victory for California Families

  —California Progress Report

  By Art Pulaski Executive Secretary-Treasurer California Labor Federation Last night's vote in the House of Representatives to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act was a victory for all California families and an historic milestone on the road to meaningful health care reform. "The entire California Democratic delegation... " [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:28am EST
  by California Progress Report

• House Makes History on Health Reform

  —California Progress Report

  By Anthony Wright Executive Director of Health Access California Earlier tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.3962, a historic comprehensive health reform proposal, by a vote of 220-215. We thank ALL of California's Democratic Congressional Representatives for voting for this desperately needed comprehensive health reform. Given California's health crisis,... [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:25am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Has California Peaked?

  —California Progress Report

  By Robert Cruickshank Over the last few weeks a debate has raged online and in print about whether California is a failed state. By now you likely know my answer: it is, but we can and must revive the California Dream for the 21st century. Doing so, however, requires some... [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 9:23am EST
  by California Progress Report

• PCL Insider: Water Package Offers Subsidies - Not Solutions

  —California Progress Report

  By Traci Sheehan Executive Director Planning and Conservation League In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, while most Californians were sound asleep, the state legislature passed a package of bills and a bond that rewards bad actors instead of solving the water needs of real people and the environment.... [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 9:46am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Weekly Radio Address: Assembly Lead Water Negotiators Huffman, Caballero Discuss this Week’s Historic Agreement to Solve California’s Water Crisis

  —California Progress Report

  In this Democratic weekly address, Assemblymembers Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) discuss historic legislation passed by the Legislature this week to solve California’s water crisis. You may listen in English or Spanish. The transcript is below. Transcript: Hello, this is Assemblymember Jared Huffman, Chair of the... [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 10:03am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Feinstein Once Again Flirts With Entering the Governor’s Race

  —California Progress Report

  By Robert Cruickshank With Gavin Newsom dropping out of the governor's race and leaving Jerry Brown as the only Democratic candidate, speculation was sure to rise about Senator Dianne Feinstein and whether she would seek to avenge her narrow 1990 defeat and run for governor in 2010. Sure, most observers... [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:34am EST
  by California Progress Report

• A Good Health Care Bill Emerging from the House

  —California Progress Report

  By Anthony Wright Executive Director of Health Access California As the vote near on the House health reform bill, it is easy to sink into the specifics of the bill, be obsessed by the debate on key details, and mourn amendments that we really wanted but that weren't included. But... ' [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:33am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Schwarzenegger Applauds Passage of Peripheral Canal/Dams Water Package

  —California Progress Report

  By Dan Bacher Arnold Schwarzenegger, the worst Governor for fish and the environment in California history, today praised the Legislature for its passage of a water package including an $11 billion bond that provides a clear path to the construction of the peripheral canal and more dams. "Water is the... " [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:32am EST
  by California Progress Report

• "Historic" Water Deal Draws Both Praise and Criticism

  —California Progress Report

  by David M. Greenwald Editor California Progress Report While the Governor and Democratic Leadership are lauding the water deal as an historic achievement, local leaders and environmental groups are lamenting it as the prelude to a peripheral canal that will end the delta as we know it by diverting water... [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 9:56am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Republican State Senators Vote for Administrative Chaos, Backdoor Cuts in IHSS

  —California Progress Report

  by Doug Moore Executive Director United Domestic Workers of America It is sad that the governor’s Republican enablers in the State Senate have chosen to ignore the pleas of countless California counties as well as thousands of homecare consumers, providers and advocates by allowing the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS)... [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 9:55am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Assembly Budget Committee Follow-up Informational Hearing on Implementation on IHSS Program Changes

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network Citing major health and safety issues impacting over 462,000 children and adults with disabilities, the blind and seniors in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, the Assembly Budget Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (Democrat – Santa Rosa) will hold... [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 9:54am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Making War on the Drug War

  —California Progress Report

  By Peter Schrag Columnist California Progress Report A half generation after California began the national swing to legalizing the medical use of marijuana, the Golden State is becoming the central front in the drive to legalize, regulate and tax recreational and all other adult uses of the drug. Last week,... [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:12am EST
  by California Progress Report

• IHSS Delay Fails by Four Votes in Senate

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network With the State’s water crisis dominating attention at the State Capitol, the State Senate reconvened its floor session at 11:35 PM, over 8 hours since it recessed Tuesday afternoon, but failed to pass SB 69, a bill that would have... [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:11am EST
  by California Progress Report

• CAVALA: Bored Pundits Seek To Stir Up More Competition In Contest For Governor

  —California Progress Report

  By Bill Cavala A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento Mayor Gavin Newsom’s decision to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of California has forced the state’s pundits to face the uncomfortable fact that they are stuck with a field of Poizner, Whitman, Campbell... [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:10am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Proposed Ballot Measure Filed to Protect California State Parks & Conserve Wildlife

  —California Progress Report

  An exploratory committee comprised of parks supporters today filed a proposed statewide ballot measure, called the “California State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010,” which would create a stable, reliable and adequate source of funding to protect state parks and conserve California wildlife. The committee, Californians... [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:09am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Report Shows Longer Wait Times at DMV Due to Furloughs

  —California Progress Report

  The Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes released a report today that shows the Governor’s furlough program has caused longer wait times and an overall deterioration of services at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The average time a walk-in customer waits for service has gone from 27 minutes to 45... [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:49am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Sierra Club California Urges Legislators to Vote No on the Water Package

  —California Progress Report

  By Dan Bacher Sierra Club California is strongly urging everybody to take action NOW to stop legislation that could authorize the construction of two dams and a peripheral canal approximately the size and length of the Panama Canal around the Delta. "We need your help today in order to stop... " [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:47am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Senate Could Take Action on SB 69 Bill That Would Delay November 1 IHSS Worker Requirements Today

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network The State Senate adjourned its long Monday evening floor session dealing with major bills addressing the State’s water crisis and will meet again Tuesday morning at 11:30 AM. The State Senate could take final action on SB 69 sometime on... [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:46am EST
  by California Progress Report

• The President’s Ambivalence

  —California Progress Report

  By Clint Reilly Barack Obama must succeed. After so many young people and first time voters invested their hopes in his presidency, his failure would elicit a level of despair that would plague the Democratic Party for decades to come. The Democratic message was resurgent in 2008. Millions of new... [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:45am EST
  by California Progress Report

• It Could Happen Here in California

  —California Progress Report

  By Sam Gold A California Injured Worker There is no amount of corruption, incompetence and ineptitude sufficient to make it acceptable to take hostages at gunpoint in an office building, as an Edmonton, Alberta injured worker is alleged to have done last month. That much should be obvious. It... [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 9:07am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Facing Tough Health Care Choice with Our Children

  —California Progress Report

  By Beth Capell The New York Times reports on a study that found that children without health insurance who are hospitalized are much more likely to die—how much more likely? Well, almost half the kids who died after hospitalization were uninsured, far out of proportion to their numbers in the... [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 9:02am EST
  by California Progress Report

• CAVALA: Legalizing ‘Tommy Guns’ For Street Gang Members?

  —California Progress Report

  By Bill Cavala A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento Well, he didn’t really say that. But he wrote a law review article that concluded that if you can carry it, you can bear it (Constitutionally). Which means the decades old ban on automatic weapons should be repealed (we... [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:57am EST
  by California Progress Report

• PCL INSIDER: Assemblymember Nava Calls On Big Oil To Pay Its Fair Share

  —California Progress Report

  By Traci Sheehan Executive Director Planning and Conservation League On Monday, the Planning and Conservation League (League) joined Assemblymember Pedro Nava as he announced the introduction of new legislation designed to ensure that big oil companies that operate in California compensate the state for extracting oil. The bill, known... [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 7:54am EST
  by California Progress Report

• Weekly Radio Address: Evans, De La Torre Discuss Action to Correct Administration’s Mishandling of IHSS Reforms

  —California Progress Report

  In this Democratic weekly address, Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Budget and Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review, discuss the new threat to In-Home Supportive Services clients and providers. They discuss actions... [...]
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  Posted: October 31, 2009, 8:45am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Administration Missteps Cause Confusion for Workers and Californians Who Rely on Home Care Services

  —California Progress Report

  Laphonza Butler Trustee SEIU United Long Term Care Workers Union Following a federal court order halting the implementation of severe cuts to home care for 130,000 Californians, new information presented during a Capitol hearing demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet its own Nov. 1 deadline to implement... [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:55am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• State Needs To Delay Nov 1 Implementation of IHSS Worker Requirements

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network • Counties across the state – both urban and rural – have notified the State through official letters and in testimony October 28th in a legislative hearing at the State Capitol of “chaos and panic” that will grow even worse... [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:46am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Congressman McNerney Urges Governor to Drop Canal Plan

  —California Progress Report

  By Dan Bacher In a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 23, Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) criticized plans to build a peripheral canal and the exclusion of input from Delta residents in the current Delta/water bill package now being considered by the California legislature. The letter reiterates the Congressman’s... [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:42am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Administration Says It Will Go Forward With Nov 1st Implementation Date For IHSS Worker Requirements

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network Despite testimony from counties who report “chaos and panic” from thousands of In-Home Supportive Services recipients, providers and county workers because counties aren’t ready to implement new In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) worker (provider) requirements , Schwarzenegger Administration officials said today... [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 10:13am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• New Judicial Branch Rules, New Calls for Scrutiny

  —California Progress Report

  By Terry Francke General Counsel and Founder Californians Aware With 5 p.m. Friday set as the deadline for submitting comments on proposed new rules providing public access to administrative records of judicial branch agencies, legislative scrutiny of statewide court administration is reaching an unprecedented pitch this week. Yesterday, reports Robert... [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 10:08am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Bay Area Council Files Constitutional Convention Initiatives

  —California Progress Report

  By Robert Cruickshank After a year of public discussion and behind-closed-doors drafting, the Bay Area Council has filed their two initiatives for the November 2010 ballot to allow Californians to call a Constitutional Convention. The first and fairly noncontroversial initiative would change the existing constitution to allow voters to themselves... [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 9:53am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• What Ails California? What Doesn’t?

  —California Progress Report

  By Peter Schrag Columnist California Progress Report When it comes to diagnosing, and prescribing remedies for, the state’s fiscal and governmental problems, last week was clinic week in California. On Thursday, the legislature’s grandly named Select Committee on Improving State Government heard a panel of incumbent and retired politicians, academics... [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 9:20am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Counties Warn Governor of “Chaos” If It Moves Forward On New IHSS Worker Requirements

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network Several counties – representing both urban and rural areas of the state – have sent official letters to the Schwarzenegger Administration warning of “chaos” for county workers and dire consequences for hundreds of thousands of people who receive and work... [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 9:15am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Court Victory on Care for Autism

  —California Progress Report

  By Beth Capell We are pleased to see that a Superior Court has agreed with our colleagues at Consumer Watchdog that the refusal of the Department of Managed Health Care to refer denials of care for autism to independent medical review was an underground regulation as well as a violation... [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 9:04am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Reading the Fine Print on Prescription Drug Labels

  —California Progress Report

  By Elizabeth Abbott Project Director Health Access California Have you ever had to squint at the tiny print on a prescription label or have to give advice to an elderly family member to interpret their instructions for taking pills? California is in the process of helping to take some of... [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 11:01am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Update on California’s Water Situation

  —California Progress Report

  By Brian Leubitz Founder and Publisher Calitics On Friday, I was privileged to speak with former Assembly member John Laird and Senator Lois Wolk on the issues facing California's water future. Well, today, some sort of water plan was released as SBX7-1, and SacBee has a copy of the language... [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 10:57am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• The Political Animal

  —California Progress Report

  By Clint Reilly My friend Joe Scott writes a popular blog on politics called “The Body Politic.” In some ways, it is a natural outgrowth of his renowned newsletter from an earlier era, “The Political Animal.” A former political writer for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Scott cites a famous... [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 10:54am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Language For Water Package Circulates Capitol: Delta Representatives/Community Leaders Barred From Preview

  —California Progress Report

  By Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Campaign Director Restore the Delta When Governor Schwarzenegger began his role in office, he was quite proud of being California's premiere salesman - selling the California economy, geography, and lifestyle to court corporations throughout the world. Many Californians responded positively to the Governor's ongoing overtures made... [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 10:06am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• CAVALA: P.G.& E. Rate Increase Flim-Flam

  —California Progress Report

  By Bill Cavala A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento Pacific Gas and Electric is installing new “smart meters” in the homes of ratepayers, beginning in the Central Valley. They have created a whirlwind of protests because of dramatically higher bills. Anecdotal evidence collected by the Fresno BEE showed... [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 10:02am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Why Would Anyone Want to Be Governor of California?

  —California Progress Report

  by Joseph Palermo One Republican candidate who wants to be California’s next governor is Steve Poizner, whose economic prescriptions for healing the state’s fiscal maladies are like a quack doctor who “bleeds” his patient by attaching leeches. Poizner’s PR people came up with a catchy “10-10-10″ slogan. He throws up... [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 10:01am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• AFSCME Calls for Reform of California’s Enterprise Zone Program

  —California Progress Report

  By Willie L. Pelote, Sr. Assistant Director ASFCME Earlier this week, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to block $82 million worth of cuts to California’s In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) program, which provides home-based care to seniors and the disabled. As local jurisdictions and the grassroots look to take... [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 11:00am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Hayashi, Coto Discuss Distribution of H1N1 Vaccines, Preview Flu Town Hall

  —California Progress Report

  In this Democratic weekly address, Assemblymembers Mary Hayashi (D-Hayward) and Joe Coto (D-San Jose) discuss efforts to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, including the distribution of H1N1 vaccines that began this month and the H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu Healthcare Town Hall that Hayashi will host... [...]
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  Posted: October 24, 2009, 10:57am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Poll of Police Chiefs Shows Death Penalty Ranked Least Among Crime-Fighting Priorities

  —California Progress Report

  by David M. Greenwald Editor California Progress Report A report was released earlier this week by the Death Penalty Information Center. It concludes that states are wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on the death penalty, draining state budgets during times of economic crisis when money could be used more... [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 10:08am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Schwarzenegger And Legislature Allow Developer To Build Massive Stadium

  —California Progress Report

  By Traci Sheehan Executive Director Planning and Conservation League Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation giving Majestic Realty a full exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), allowing them to push ahead with the construction of a 75,000-seat stadium in the City of Industry. AB X3 81, authored by... [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 10:02am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Survey Shows Electorate Backs California Fair Elections Act

  —California Progress Report

  Contrasting sharply with a recent Field Poll which said voters are deeply frustrated with the Governor and state legislature but are unsure of proposed solutions that would get California back on track, a new statewide survey shows that voters are ready to change the way California politicians finance their... [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 9:58am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Hospital Worker Attacked and Denied Care

  —California Progress Report

  Russell Glauber Denial of Care Certified nurse assistant Amelia Mendoza, 52, of West Covina, was attacked twice in the same week by the same patient while working at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena earlier this year. Amelia suffered injuries that resulted in her suffering a stroke in April, falling into a... [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 10:10am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• It’s The Provider Fraud, Stupid!

  —California Progress Report

  By Sam Gold A California Injured Worker Employee Workers' Comp fraud is really sexy. The drama of catching a worker on video water skiing when they claim to need a cane to walk.; Using night vision photography to catch a worker moving tools in and out of his truck... ' [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 10:05am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Medi-Cal “Optional Benefits” Lawsuit To Be Heard Thursday By Federal Appeals Court

  —California Progress Report

  By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network The issue of whether California is in violation of the federal economic stimulus act and other federal laws when the Legislature and Governor permanently eliminated 9 Medi-Cal benefits for adults, including adult dental and podiatry services will be the focus... [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 10:01am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Jobless in California: What the Numbers Don’t Say

  —California Progress Report

  By Peter Schrag Columnist California Progress Report The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release the September unemployment numbers today -- by the time you read this, they may already be out. But we already know from September data released last Friday by EDD, the state’s Employment Development... [...]
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  Posted: October 21, 2009, 9:40am EDT
  by California Progress Report

• Day Of Action For Health Reform

  —California Progress Report

  By Anthony Wright Executive Director of Health Access California Tuesday was a major day of action for health reform, with well over 100,000 calls made to Congress, and events around the country. This included several cities in California, from an overnight vigil in front of the federal building in Sacramento,... [...]
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  Posted: October 21, 2009, 9:37am EDT
  by California Progress Report