In the News 2010

Senate bill to shine a light on foundations is on governor's desk; he should sign it.

The state Senate wisely passed a bill requiring university foundations and other auxiliary fundraising organizations to open their books to public scrutiny.

Gov. Arnold Schwarze- negger should sign the bill, which addresses a concern he had last year when he vetoed similar legislation.

Senate Bill 330, written by Sen.

Wyatt Buchanan,Justin Ho, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Sacramento - A bill that would overhaul the way California manages sex offenders and another that would allow severely sick inmates to be paroled were among a flurry of proposals lawmakers sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Monday.

Today is the deadline for the Legislature to send bills to the governor's desk.

Chelsea's Law would increase the sentences and parole periods for some violent sex offenders, but also provide ongoing treatment for others.

by Aaron Kahn

The state senate is close to passing two measures that will require minors to wear helmets while on the slopes.

In response to rising numbers of snow sport related head injuries, the California Senate recently voted the bill, SB 880, into enrollment.

Earlier this year, state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, demanded to know how much the CSU Stanislaus Foundation was paying former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to speak at a June fundraiser.

The foundation refused to say.

At that point, the situation could have deteriorated into a war of political ideology. But the request sparked a revelation about the CSU campus foundations, which manage about $1.6 billion.

The foundations aren't at all transparent, and it appears that they aren't always responsible, either.