California lawmakers approved a first in the nation bill that prompts court-ordered mental health treatment and support for individuals suffering from severe mental illness, but there is concern about how it will work. The Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court program sailed through the state Legislature, with a unanimous vote in the Senate and only...
State funding rains on Silicon Valley cities
Three cities in Santa Clara County are receiving a windfall in state funding for a number of community projects. Assemblymember Alex Lee secured nearly $32 million for the five cities in his district—the largest allocation the area has seen, according to the elected official. San Jose received the lion’s share with $10 million to build...
Some Silicon Valley schools ahead of state in early education
Schools are implementing a statewide movement for universal transitional kindergarten this year, but districts will have to do much more before all of Santa Clara County’s youngest learners can sit in a classroom. California is pushing for widespread access to transitional kindergarten (TK) through its universal pre-kindergarten initiative passed in 2021. This grade level will be...
Silicon Valley law to end unruly behavior on Newsom’s desk
A California bill that would allow public officials to remove disruptive individuals from meetings is poised to become law after gaining bipartisan support. State Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymember Evan Low introduced a bill earlier this year to update and strengthen the 69-year-old Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. The state legislators say...
In heated Silicon Valley contest, Assemblymember Alex Lee leads the pack
In a competitive race for a highly-coveted California Assembly seat, Assemblymember Alex Lee and Bob Brunton appear to be headed to a November runoff. As of Monday afternoon, state election results show Lee led the pack of five candidates with 38.9% of the vote. He was followed by Brunton, who netted 21.4% of the vote...
South Bay politician poised to become State Assembly speaker
A progressive South Bay legislator is poised to become the next speaker of the State Assembly, marking the first time this powerful position has been held by a politician from a rural district. Assemblymember Robert Rivas announced Friday he’s secured enough votes from the Democratic Caucus to become the Assembly’s next speaker. The speaker is a...
Election 2022: The race for California Assembly District 24
Five candidates with various elected office experience are fighting to represent a California Assembly district with the largest Asian voting bloc in the state. Assembly District 24 includes Milpitas, Fremont, Newark and the Berryessa area in North San Jose. The new district boundaries were adopted through a redistricting process that happens once a decade. Roughly 53.81% of...
Bay Area poll shows support for high-speed rail
A new poll suggests strong public support for California’s ambitious high-speed rail project, but the challenges of stretching it to San Jose are daunting. UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies reported voters in California favor continuing the high-speed rail project by a five-to-three margin. The poll, which examined a range of issues voters want the state...
Silicon Valley high school grads could get universal basic income
In an effort to disrupt the cycle of homelessness in California, another population may be getting guaranteed funding: low-income high school seniors. State Sen. Dave Cortese’s recent bill SB 1341, which cleared the California Senate Education Committee last week, would provide $1,000 per month unconditionally to roughly 15,000 high school seniors who have experienced homelessness. This guaranteed income would start...
Former Silicon Valley judge leads shift in state juvenile justice
This story was originally published by The Imprint, a national news outlet covering child welfare and youth justice issues. Katherine Lucero—a daughter of farmworkers and longtime juvenile court judge who calls for compassion and support rather than jail and foster care—is now leading the most populous state toward a once-unimaginable goal: a future without youth...