California governor signs major climate law

A day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing assisted suicides for the terminally ill in California, opponents filed papers to seek a referendum to overturn the measure on the November 2016 ballot. She reportedly spoke with Brown in the weeks before her death.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, center, arrives with Senate President…

“The signing fulfills a major promise Brown made earlier this year and continues California’s efforts to be at the forefront in the United States and the world in fighting climate change”.

Under the new law, renewable sources such as solar and wind will be required to generate 50 percent of California’s electricity by 2030.

If Rosales’ point is people are finding themselves in terminal conditions because of a lack of quality medical care, that’s a different issue entirely, and it should not be a reason to deny everyone the option to access a doctor’s help in ending their suffering.

“It’s monumental”, said Alex Jackson, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The boards’ members are mostly appointed by the governor and have broad influence over the state’s economic life.

California’s utilities favored the measure.

To that end, the Governor has spearheaded a global pact amongst cities, states and countries – called the Under 2 MOU – to limit the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius – the warming threshold at which scientists say there will likely be catastrophic climate disruptions.

A separate bill, which would have mandated an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels, was also pulled near the end of the legislative session but is expected to be reintroduced next year. He took his campaign around the world, even meeting with the pope in July.

Brown signed the bill Wednesday after losing a political battle against oil interests as he attempted to also cut petroleum use by half in the state.

Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, has said removing the proposed cap on oil use reflects how the state’s energy policy affects its competitiveness.

But Brown refused to give up what he sees as his executive authority.

The equal pay legislation, among the strongest in the nation, received broad support from both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. Images captured at the signing clearly show thick haze enshrouding the city of Los Angeles below.

“California is often known for leading the way and I feel that today we are embarking on a new chapter of focusing attention on why women need to be paid equally to men”, she said. Supporters of the new law say it sends those companies a signal that the state won’t back off its goals. This means that if the state government is able to achieve its ambitions, it would market a substantial improvement for the United States as a whole.