In 1982 the environmental movement achieved a stunning success. The IWC (international Whaling Commission) imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling, setting catch limits to zero. The IWC however has been dysfunctional and has not had the ability to control the limits they have set in place since countries like Norway...

Governor Arnold Schwarnenneger's proposed budget can be fairly described as a "cuts only" budget and a job killer. California cannot afford this. According to a UC Berkeley study published in March of this year, a $1 billion cut to the state's In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program will cost 215,000...

As a member of the Assembly Health Committee, I attended a recent informational hearing regarding Anthem Blue Cross's 39% recent rate hikes. These outrageous price increases are a startling and dramatic reminder of the need for comprehensive health reform.

Based on earnings reports and stock prices,...

I will be voting no to confirm Senator Abel Maldonado to the second highest constitutional office in the State of California, a heartbeat from the Governor, that of Lieutenant Governor.

Much has been made of his congenial personality, his friendly demeanor, and his one vote to increase the minimum...

As if you weren't already feeling the pinch in this time of need and economic uncertainty, hidden credit and debit card interchange fees are chewing a hole in your wallet.

Never heard of interchange fees? Don't feel lonely. Most people have never heard of them and the banks like...

All victims of violent crimes deserve our help. As a society, what kind of message are we sending when we say it is okay to stand by and not make a call when someone is being brutally victimized over and over again?

On October 24th, 2009 a young woman,...

If you live in California and care about the environment you should be worried. In 2009 I watched some of my colleagues vote for measures written at the behest of special interests to create precedent-setting exemptions from environmental laws and review. Some passed; others failed. Nonetheless, those interested in seeing...

On Thursday December 10, 2009, in the dark of night in Washington D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives was overcome with amnesia. They acted as though the financial crisis that has gripped this nation for the past two and half years never happened. The worst financial crisis since the Great...

The Schwarzenegger Administration and the California Department of Public Health have embraced the holiday season with a new set of proposed rules that will abandon low-income women and increase the likelihood their breast cancer will be undiagnosed, which can lead to increased disease and death.

According to the California Cancer...

In the wake of Lieutenant Governor, John Garamendi's election to Congress, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to appoint someone to fill this statewide elected position. The Office of Lieutenant Governor is important to the State of California -- he or she is, among other things, President of the State Senate,...

How bad does it have to get before the banks get serious? The crisis is real and it affects millions of America's working families. Home foreclosures continue to strip our communities of wealth and stability. California continues to have the third highest foreclosure rate in the nation, with one in...

Recent national events have highlighted the brutality of puppy mills, dogfighting, and animal cruelty. Working with The Humane Society of the United States, I authored three bills to protect animals. These measures raise the standards for humane treatment and are now on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk. Please join us in...