Final Vote on UC Tuition Hike Follows Student Protests
A final vote is expected Thursday on a controversial plan to hike tuition at the University of California by 5 percent a year over the next five years. A special committee tentatively approved the proposal Wednesday, despite objections from Gov. Jerry Brown and angry students who protested outside the UC Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco.
California Revenues Up as Reserves Continue to Grow
A new report from the Legislature's independent analyst predicts the state will have more than $4 billion set aside by the summer of 2016. Half of it, says Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, will be used for a cash reserve and half to pay off short-term debt.
Kaiser Mental Health Clinicians Consider Strike
Last week, it was the nurses who went on strike. On Thursday, a union of 2,500 mental health clinicians at Kaiser will release the results of a strike authorization vote. Two months ago, Kaiser agreed to pay a $4 million fine levied by state regulators. The Dept. of Managed Health Care found patients were subject to excessively long wait times between therapy appointments, or were shuttled into groups when they wanted individual therapy. Some Kaiser mental health workers say recent fixes, like after-hours appointments, still aren't meeting demand.
Undocumented Asian Immigrants Eagerly Await Presidential Action
President Obama will announce his executive action Thursday night, likely granting temporary protection for some undocumented immigrants. Latinos have been at the forefront of calls for immigration reform. But undocumented Asian immigrants also have lot riding on the president's announcement.