Here's your daily briefing...
Budget deal near: Breaking with tradition, legislators and the governor appear close to a deal on the state budget with nearly a week left before the constitutional deadline. After-school programs, higher education, dental care for Medi-Cal patients, and a state “Earned-Income Tax Credit,” appear headed for bumps in funding. Medi-Cal reimbursement rates remain a subject of discussion.
Brown returns from China: Governor Jerry Brown is back from Beijing, after a wide-ranging five-day journey to the world’s most populous nation. Brown talked clean energy, climate change, cooperation and joint investment with Chinese political, environmental, business and educational leaders. The trip appears successful with several conceptual agreements made.
Assessing the Right-to-Die: California’s assisted-suicide bill, aimed at allowing the terminally ill to end their lives on their own terms, took effect a year ago. Advocates say the law allows patients to end suffering, while opponents are suing for its repeal, saying some patients are being misled.
Corporate cannabis V local lids: Marijuana growers are laser-focused on legal minutia expected to become part of the state budget. The language could tip the growing battle between smaller, mom-and-pop pot farmers and corporate growers expected to take advantage of the 60-odd pages of legalese in last year’s legalization proposition. Lobbyists for the ‘independent’ growers are doubtful they’ll convince lawmakers to block “mega-chains” from seizing control of the retail trade, and are now focusing on rules that would enable small growers to form agricultural co-operatives.
And on the California Report ...California voter unhappy with state's new transportation law, tax hike…Los Angeles competes to host the 2024 summer Olympics…Local governments get millions from prison and jail savings…Republican Jeff Denham weighs in on Medi-Cal…and California lawmakers still working out the state's budget