California Insurance Commissioner candidate Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, is pushing his new bill, SB 174, to amend existing state law that would allow the appointment of any resident over the age of 18 to a civil office regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Another election season, another increasingly bizarre redrawing of the electoral map. In states across the U.S., voting districts are elongated and chopped, stretched like taffy to cover certain state regions and amputated to avoid others.

All these calculations and measurements work to ensure that our democratic system of government doesn’t function the way it is intended. The process of redrawing favorable district lines — affectionately termed “gerrymandering” — is an unfortunate outgrowth of our nation’s electoral system.

It was announced last week that the president’s nominee for Secretary of the VA, Dr. Ronny Jackson was withdrawing from consideration amid a slew of accusations of misconduct.

A Michigan ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana received enough valid signatures to qualify for a vote in November.

When the required number of ballot signatures was certified by the State Board of Canvassers, the 4-0 decision of the board was met by cheers from supporters of the initiative who were present, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Did you participate in the National Week of Conversation?

The Bridge Alliance, along with 100 sponsoring organizations, community organizers, elected officials, and more, held hundreds of events -- public, online, and private -- in cities across the country from April 20-28 with one goal in mind: Put partisan bickering aside, mend divides, and have meaningful conversations about the biggest issues facing the country.

The battle over data privacy is heating up in California as opposition to a data privacy measure is growing.

AT&T, Google and Facebook are leading the opposition to the California Consumer Privacy Act.

"DON'T DISCONNECT CALIFORNIA"

The Marshall Plan was an American investment in the economy and infrastructure of the war-torn continent of Europe after WWII. Vladimir Putin was born four years after the Marshall Plan ended into the world it created.

The goal of this plan was to spread democracy, mutual trust, and trade between countries in Europe. Germany, who held most of Europe’s industrial capabilities even after World War II had ended, was a particular focus.

In an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News, Ned White rightly points out the future of ranked choice voting (RCV) is once again in the hands of voters. After 52 percent of Maine voters supported the implementation of RCV in 2016, the Maine legislature passed a law to delay the implementation until 2022.

A commander and 33 year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, Dave Myers, is now a candidate for Sheriff and running against the incumbent Bill Gore. The two will be on the June ballot.

Sheriff Gore has held the seat since 2009 when Bill Kolender stepped down.

IVN San Diego's request to interview Sheriff Gore was declined.

I sat down with Erin Mazursky, Founder and CEO of Rhize, to talk about her work as a movement builder and her experience as a Florida Obama for America organizer in 2008. It was a fascinating conversation.