Privacy

Uber Faces Tougher Screening, But The Occasional Criminal Could Still Get Through

September 29, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="first-para" style="">A new law signed yesterday by Gov. Jerry Brown will subject Uber and Lyft drivers to tougher security screening. But the measure doesn't take background screening to the depths faced by taxi drivers in the city of Los Angeles, where <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fingerprint-based checks</a> against California Department of Justice and FBI databases are mandated for cabbies.</p>

Hard-Fought Victory For East Bay Family In Battle To Change California Law

September 28, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=eyJtIjoiZXBmb3giLCJwIjoiZGVmYXVsdCIsInYiOiIzMDUzMTMiLCJwbHVnaW5zIjp7ImRmcCI6eyJjbGllbnRTaWRlIjp7ImFkVGFnVXJsIjoiaHR0cDovL3B1YmFkcy5nLmRvdWJsZWNsaWNrLm5ldC9nYW1wYWQvYWRzP3N6PTY0MHg0ODAmaXU9LzYzNzkwNTY0L2t0dnUvbmV3cyZjaXVfc3pzPTMwMHgyNTAmaW1wbD1zJmdkZnBfcmVxPTEmZW52PXZwJm91dHB1dD12YXN0JnZwb3M9cHJlcm9sbCZ1bnZpZXdlZF9wb3NpdGlvbl9zdGFydD0xJnVybD1bcmVmZXJyZXJfdXJsXSZjb3JyZWxhdG9yPVt0aW1lc3RhbXBdJmRlc2NyaXB0aW9uX3VybD1odHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3Lmt0dnUuY29tJTJGbmV3cy

Danville Parents’ Long Road From Grief To A ‘Good Day’ At Kids’ Death Site

September 28, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="article-body"> <div class="body-copy"> <p>Bob Pack was doing what dads do: watching football on a late Sunday afternoon. His kids, Troy, 10, and Alana, 7, were doing what kids do: short-circuiting their father’s best-laid plans.</p> <p>So Pack did what really cool dads do.</p> <p>“The kids were getting rambunctious and making a lot of noise,” recalled Carmen Pack, Bob’s wife. “He suggested we go out for ice cream.”</p>

Editorial: Picker, PUC Still Operating In Secret

September 28, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Restoring public trust in the California Public Utilities Commission should have been Michael Picker’s primary mission when he was appointed president by Gov. Jerry Brown nearly two years ago.</p> <p>Instead he appears to have not taken steps to address issues that were the trademark of his predecessor, Michael Peevey. Based on a scathing report by the state auditor, Picker and the PUC haven’t done nearly enough to improve the commission’s tattered reputation.</p>

Governor Signs Bill Targeting ‘Doctor-Shopping’ For Opioids

September 27, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California doctors will be required to check a database of prescription narcotics before writing scripts for addictive drugs under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed Tuesday that aims to address the scourge of opioid abuse.</p> <p>The measure attempts to crack down on a practice known as "doctor-shopping," in which addicts visit multiple providers to obtain prescriptions for addictive drugs. The action by the Democratic governor comes amid an intensifying national focus on the problems that stem from prescription and illegal opiates.</p>

New California Law Aims To Curb Doctor Shopping By Opioid Addicts

September 27, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SACRAMENTO — Almost 13 years after a driver hooked on prescription painkillers drove into Bob Pack’s two young children on a sidewalk, killing them both, the Danville father on Tuesday finally got the call he has been waiting so long to receive.</p> <p>Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 482, which will require doctors to check a database for a patient’s prescription history before prescribing opioids and other potentially dangerous drugs.</p>

‘Doctor Shopping’ Targeted In New Law Signed By Gov. Brown To Curb Epidemic Of Opioid Overdose Deaths

September 27, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="widget widget-text" data-widget-id="57903"> <p>Faced with a spike in opioid overdose deaths, Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed legislation requiring all prescribers to check a state database to see whether their patients have also received drugs from other physicians.</p>

Self-Driving Cars Raise Privacy Concerns

September 26, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>As automakers and technology companies race to deliver self-driving and driverless cars to market, motorist associations and privacy advocates fear they’re leaving something behind: protecting consumer privacy.</p> <p>“It is a data mine of where we go and what’s happening as cars pass us by,” said <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Watchdog</a> President Jamie Court.</p>

Watchdog Investigates California Democratic Party Cash Flow

September 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's campaign finance watchdog is opening an investigation into the state Democratic Party after a consumer advocacy group alleged the party illegally funnels money from oil companies to Gov. Jerry Brown.</p> <p>The Fair Political Practices Commission told Consumer Watchdog Friday that it will open an investigation in response to information the group presented in August.</p>

Feds Release New Self-Driving Vehicle Policy: How Safety Advocates See It

September 22, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>Safety advocates are relieved that NHTSA has released a new policy for autonomous vehicles, but they're not thrilled with the lack of details.</strong></p>

Federal Govt Releases New Policy on Driverless Cars

September 21, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span style="float:left">Listen to story -  </span>Download: <a class="powerpress_link_d" href="https://ia601502.us.archive.org/30/items/20160922ReeseErlich/2016_09_22_Jamie_Court_FINAL.mp3" rel="nofollow" title="mp3">mp3</a> (Duration: 18:10 — 16.6MB)</p> <p>FEATURING JAMIE COURT – The Department of Transportation this week released a long-awaited set of federal policy guidelines on driverless or self-driving cars. The guidelines came just months after a high-profile fatal accident of a Tesla car whose driver was using its autopilot feature.</p>

U.S. DOT Introduces Automated Vehicles Policy

September 21, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>To the delight of auto manufacturers and tech companies and the dismay of certain consumer and safety groups, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced its much anticipated policy regarding automated vehicles.<br /> <br /> Policies are targeted at highly automated vehicles, which are vehicles that “can take full control of the driving task in at least some circumstances,” according to DOT documents. The new policy is broken down into four components: vehicle performance guidance, model state policy, current regulatory tools and modern regulatory tools.<br />