SacTown Talks by The Nooner W/ Scott Lay

Today we welcome three guests for a labor law regulations panel: Tom Sheehy of the Sheehy Strategy Group, Ashley Hoffman, Policy Advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce, and John Kabateck, California State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business and President of Kabateck Strategies. We discuss new California mandates on worker leave and their effects on employers of all sizes, as well as unfunded liabilities, California’s unemployment fund, and how each of them have been working with clients during covid. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua from the 13th Assembly District, encompassing the cities of Stockton, Tracy, Thornton, and Mountain House. He discusses his path to the Assembly, including a great story about having a supervisor come to him after being confronted by angry seniors. He talks about campaigning during covid, being new to the capitol, what his bill package looked like this term, and much more! SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Luz Rivas of the 39th District encompassing the northeastern San Fernando Valley, running up into the San Gabriel Mountains. We discuss her background in engineering, going to MIT, and how that led to her STEM non-profit (https://www.diygirls.org) and her entry into politics. We then segue into a detailed discussion of her budget asks, what some of her bills look like, including her work on housing, homelesness, school nurses, and remove the word “alien” from the California legal code, as well as her work as chair of the Natural Resources Committee. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Our guest this week is Stacey Gordon, the Chief Diversity Strategist at Rework Work. We have a fascinating discussion of implicit and unconscious biases, why we have them, how to test for them, and what we can do about them. Her book, UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work debuted at #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Release list and is also available at Barnes & Nobles, and wherever books are sold. Stacey is also the creator of the second most viewed course across the LinkedIn learning platform. Check out: https://reworkwork.com/blueprintSacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California State Senator David Min of Senate District 37 covering Orange County. We discuss how he went from a policy guy to a politician, campaigning during covid and why he thinks his district wanted a change. Then we discuss Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders both a voting block in his district and across CA, as well as how we can all work together to stop the racial hatred and violence against the AAPI community. Finally we talk about his political priorities as a new senator going forward. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome a very special guest, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. D.A. Schubert has announced her candidacy for California Attorney General and we discuss her background, why she decided to run now, and why her experiences make her the most qualified candidate for California Attorney General. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome Jamie Zoller and Matthew Silver of the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO). They explain what code enforcement is, how it’s different from being a peace officer, how the CACEO is professionalizing California code enforcement, why the job has become more dangerous and legislation that can help.   SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome State Senator Susan Eggman of the 5th Senate District, representing Stockton California. The senator touches on transitioning from an Assembly Member to a Senator, the upcoming budget, and how covid affected her district. She also discusses her Right to Repair bill, mental health and homelessness, and the balancing act that is water rights in the state. There is also a lively discussion about bread making! SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analyses by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California State Senator Patrica “Pat” Bates of the 36th Senate District to the program. Pat was also a former Assembly Member and we discuss the changes she has seen between her time the Assembly in the early aughts and now, why compromise and collegiality is still the key to success in California politics, and her legislative priorities around fentanyl sentencing and Proposition 19 delays, and concludes with her ideas of how the GOP can succeed statewide again in California. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome political consultant and leader of the Ronin Project Bill Wong. Bill joins us to discuss the rise of anti-Asian hate in California and across the United States, why this moment is a turning point for politically minded Asian Americans, and what type of cost his organization is going to exact from those that use hateful rhetoric. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Miguel Santiago of the 53rd Assembly District, which covers downtown and east side Los Angeles. Assemblymember Santigo joins us to discuss his background and how his district is one of the poorest in California, while also being one of the most culturally rich. Then they discuss a key issue for the Assmebleymember: human trafficking and how his budget request can help to combat it in California.SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Our guest this week is former California Assemblymember Mike Gatto to discuss all things Appropriations Committee. As a former chair during the Great Recession, Mike can explain all the nuances of how and why bills get passed and debunks the four greatest myths of the committee that even legislators still believe.   SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Mike Gipson of the 64th Assembly District. We discuss why he sees his transition from police officer to labor leader and politician as a continuation of public service, how giving someone a job can stop a bullet, his priorities of community building and reimaging policing, and why he chose the bowtie for his signature sartorial look. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today’s interview is with political consultant Shawnda Westly. She tells her heartbreaking story of medical malpractice and an in-depth look at California’s Medical Insurance Compensation Reform Act. MICRA limits the amount of money patients can receive in damages. She discusses how MICRA works, including some parts that are relatively unknown, why the laws should be changed, what type of resistance there is to change the law, and how monopoly power affects change. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we welcome two experts from the California Budget & Policy Center, Monica Davalos and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, to discuss the recently released Budget Center report urging California policymakers to declare racism as a public health crisis. We explore why they think this is necessary and how racism affects housing, the environment,  employment, health care, the justice system, and education.SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy, and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Our guest this week is former Assemblymember Man Gatto and we do a deep dive on Bitcoin, blockchain, and all things cryptocurrency!  We discuss the murky origins, why the price has risen so much, how cryptocurrency works, and what the future might be. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy, and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today’s interview is with Dr. Micah Weinberg of California Forward. We discuss a multitude of issues facing California, including broadband for all, wildfire prevention, housing and homelessness, and why California should spend one-time expenditures on things that can pay dividends in the future.SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today’s interview is with California Senator Bob Wieckowksi. This episode features a lot from climate policy from wildfire preventions and recycling, to cap and trade and carbon sequestration. We also discuss his bills on arbitration and why he thinks every high school student will have a summer job in forest management in the future. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we interview California Senator Steven Bradford where he discusses his work as the Chairman of the Black Legislative Caucus, why California needed a Committee on Reparations and updates on his priorities for the legislative session.  SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Today we have a powerful episode. We are excited to have the first California Native American elected to the Legislature, Assemblymember James Ramos. He discussed how he got to elected office, how more native people can be elected, how California needs to understand its past to fully embrace the diversity of its future, how tribal governance prepared him for the California legislature and more! Book recommended in this podcast: Benjamin Madley, An American Genocide, The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe Elias Castillo, A Cross of Thorns, The Enslavement of California’s Indians by the Spanish Missions,SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!