As a former victim of rape myself, I humbly accept the request to stand up as a local progressive, bypassing Washington, D.C., to make the voices of the nation's fathers, mothers, daughters, and sons heard. I am proud to assist the great silver state of Nevada on this journey as a leading, progressive conscious state who won't stand for allowing a statue of limitations on such a gross injustice as rape.

Climate change feels real and personal in the mountains of Southern Oregon. Winter has disappeared for two years. Last summer a catastrophic forest fire burned seven square miles of forest in our neighborhood. If current trends continue, we expect even more terrible impacts. We feel that HB 3470 provides an exceptional opportunity for taking timely, effective action against greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. HB 3470 otherwise known as the Climate Stability and Justice Act, has passed the scrutiny of the Energy and Environmental Committee and is the only climate change legislation still alive in the current legislative session. Thanks to chief sponsor Rep. Phil Barnhart and Reps. Peter Buckley and Paul Holvey, who signed on early as co-sponsors, this bill has gained support among Democratic leadership and appears to have a chance to reach Governor Brown's desk. HB 3470 is modeled on California AB 32, enacted in 2006. Over the past eight years, AB 32 has capped new sources of greenhouse gas pollution, survived a referendum, and proved beneficial to California's economy. In other words, the AB 32 model has been tested and is viable. According to California EPA Secretary Matt Rodriquez, alternative energy is now the fastest growing sector of the California economy. At this point HB 3470 still has ‘legs’ in Salem. It moved out of the Energy & Environment Committee and has been referred to Rules. Rep. Val Hoyle, chair of Rules, favors 3470 and plans to send it on to Ways and Means. A cap and trade program could create jobs. The implementation of AB 32 in California has demonstrated that, once markets for renewable energy are guaranteed, venture capital flows in rapidly and creates new jobs based on alternative energy technologies. HB 3470 includes provisions that would allocate a portion of revenues generated from the sale of permits to mitigate the effects of the cap and trade program on disadvantaged communities. To learn more about HB3470, the Climate Stability and Justice Act, please go to: http://www.policyinteractive.org/HB3470_1pager.pdf or visit the OLIS website to read the full text and written testimony at: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3470

This month the 2015 California DISCLOSE Act, AB 700, faces its first key test in a vote of the Assembly Elections Committee. AB 700 is crucial to letting voters defend ourselves against the deluge of ballot measure ads from billionaires and other special interests that attempt to buy elections by deceiving voters. AB 700, authored by Assemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and Marc Levine and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign, will make ads for ballot measures clearly and prominently display their top three REAL funders. No hiding behind front groups with confusing names displayed in fine print. Assemblymember Travis Allen is on the Elections committee. Please sign our petition now asking him to vote for AB 700 to stand with the voters and against Dark Money!

This month the 2015 California DISCLOSE Act, AB 700, faces its first key test in a vote of the Assembly Elections Committee. AB 700 is crucial to letting voters defend ourselves against the deluge of ballot measure ads from billionaires and other special interests that attempt to buy elections by deceiving voters. AB 700, authored by Assemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and Marc Levine and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign, will make ads for ballot measures clearly and prominently display their top three REAL funders. No hiding behind front groups with confusing names displayed in fine print. Assemblymember Kevin Mullin has already said he'd like to coauthor AB 700. Please sign our petition now thanking him and asking him to do everything he can to help AB 700 pass!

This month the 2015 California DISCLOSE Act, AB 700, faces its first key test in a vote of the Assembly Elections Committee. AB 700 is crucial to letting voters defend ourselves against the deluge of ballot measure ads from billionaires and other special interests that attempt to buy elections by deceiving voters. AB 700, authored by Assemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and Marc Levine and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign, will make ads for ballot measures clearly and prominently display their top three REAL funders. No hiding behind front groups with confusing names displayed in fine print. Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas is the chair of the Elections committee, so AB 700's fate is in his hands. Please sign our petition now asking him to vote for AB 700, and to stand with the voters and against Dark Money!

This petition is dedicated to balancing the state budget within our means by examining and setting needs priorities for everyone first.

I am a victim and a former student of Everest University. The college misled and deceived numerous students, some of whom were low-income, veterans or single parents. The colleges also increased their tuition three times a year. Students were misled that they would be able to obtain employment in their fields, but they were deceived. There were loans taken out in their names, which none of them authorized.

We the people are no longer represented by the people in Congress elected to represent us. 95 percent of the population demand that big money be removed from our political process. We want democracy and true representative government restored! We will add an amendment to the Constitution limiting the amount of money being dumped into our political process by large, wealthy special interest groups and Congress will represent the people once more!

Initiative-122, Honest Elections Seattle, will amplify the voices of ordinary people and protect Seattle’s government and elections from the corrupting influence of big money. It would implement strong contribution limits and total spending caps for city elections. Honest Elections Seattle also features an innovative public financing system for all city offices – including mayor, city attorney, and at-large and district city council people to restore the power of small donors in elections. Together, these reforms will limit the corrosive impacts of big money in politics and ensure our elections aren’t controlled by a narrow set of wealthy people. You can read the full text of the initiative here: http://fusewashington.org/blog/Honest%20Elections%20Seattle%20Petition%202015.pdf Join us and let’s work together to ensure honest, accountable, and transparent elections in the city of Seattle.

Drug companies should be responsible for their products.

My wife and I took Keyla into our family in 2005, at the request of her family. In 2011, we had to leave Matamoros for the narco-war. Despite assurances by our federal government that we could apply for humanitarian parole for Keyla, she was taken into the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. In its custody she has been moved from Texas to Illinois to Pennsylvania and now to California. Her condition has significantly deteriorated since her seizure by our federal government.

Governor Haley refuses to work with other lawmakers and has threatened a veto on this issue. She thinks it's her way or no way. It's time for lawmakers to act on South Carolina road and infrastructure needs, and it's also time for Governor Haley to start working with our legislators to fix our state's problems.