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Christopher Nelson

Checking in: Where does prison realignment in California stand right now?
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As is always the case, nothing this complex, involving billions of dollars of funding and a shift of tens of thousands of prisoners across 58 counties, is strictly black and white.

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Following the Dark Money
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Campaign finance disclosure is a critical pillar in the overall discussion of transparency in government during Sunshine Week

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What does transparency mean to you?
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One week from Monday marks the start of Sunshine Week, a global recognition of transparency efforts and an opportunity for watchdog organization to issue scorecard reports on local municipalities, states, and countries. Examples are all around us as to why such a week is necessary. It’s an ideal as a standard but the gap between desire and reality is quite large.

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Pew study finds common ground in California with SOTU address
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The country’s eyes are trained squarely on the election process in 2013. President Obama’s State of the Union speech confirmed as much when he announced a bi-partisan commission to conduct election oversight across the country.

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Video: Ann Ravel and the FPPC are keeping elections honest
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We had a chance to sit down for an extended and very frank conversation with Ann Ravel, Chair of California’s Fair Political Practices Commission.

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Gov. Brown wants the Supreme Court out of California prisons
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Gov. Jerry Brown made a bold yet calculated play this week to challenge the Federal Court’s continued jurisdiction over the California prison system as part of a ruling that mandated a reduction in the state prison population.

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Building on 2012’s successes in 2013
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The fiscal outlook this year is better, thankfully, and there is great momentum carrying over to 2013 in oyher areas as we look to determine the big issues we’ll need to face as a state.

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Taking year-end inventory of government transparency in California
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Looking back over the past year, the citizenry of California scored some wins in government accountability with upgrades like citizen redistricting and online voter registration. But the halls of state government are still being obscured by dark campaign money and shady legislating, such as the infamous gut-and-amend. Will 2013 be the Year of Transparency?

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