Compiled by the El Reportero’s staff
Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. will join with an industry whistleblower at a news conference to announce a suit against seven private laboratories — including five based in Los Angeles — to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal overcharges to the state’s medical program for the poor.
The lawsuit responds to the whistleblower’s allegation of massive Medi-Cal fraud and kickbacks and contends that the seven medical labs systematically overcharged the Medi-Cal program over the past 15 years.
This case is being brought to stop the rampant Medi-Cal fraud in the clinical laboratory industry, carried out over a period of years by some of the largest medical laboratory companies in the United States. This overcharging and fraud has diverted critical funds for essential services to the neediest Californians.
Back room deals give gun ban law new life
After pressure from gun rights group helps bill get pulled, insignificant changes bring it back for vote.
Lately, it seems like every time voters speak loud enough to prevent a bill from passing, it gets new life because Congress is insistent that they know better.
Senate Bill (S22) is no different. Known as the “Land Bill”, its passage is going to be attempted with the same tactics.
Bill (S22) appears to be even another way for the feds to try to undo the Second Amendment by increasing the amount of land owned by the government that already has a strict gun ban.
S22 is actually a compilation of over 190 bills, many of which were never even debated on their own merits.
Here are just a few examples of land expansions in the bill:
- Section 5204 of the bill establishes the Washington-Rochambeau Route as a Historic Trail. This dual trail begins in Rhode Island and travels 650 miles to Yorktown, Virginia. The trail includes parts of major thoroughfares on the east coast such as Interstate 95 and US Route 1, meaning the gun ban could effect hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting gun owners each day.
- Section 5301 authorizes the federal government to buy private land adjacent to national parks and trails. Such land would be controlled by the NPS, and thus be subject to the agency’s anti-gun regulations.
- Section 7002 makes the birthplace of William Jefferson Clinton a National Historic Site. Perhaps it’s fi tting that the legacy of former President Clinton, who was responsible for so many anti-Second Amendment laws, will include yet another “gun free” zone.
The bill came to the floor before noon, on March 11, and advocates of the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees the people the right to bear arms, call on everyone to denounce those Congressmen who are trying to expand gun control through the House guised in a language that does protect the Second Amendment.
Sup. Chris Daly to introduce renters economic relief package
While millions have been diverted to help keep homeowners in their homes during the economic crisis, little attention—and even less money—has been paid to renters who are also losing their homes as wages and jobs disappear, according to Sup. Chris Daly.
Making life even more difficult for renters is that San Francisco rents continue to rise and are projected to increase by about 7 percent in 2009.
To provide some economic relief to tenants, Sup. Chris Daly will introduce a Renters Economic Relief Package at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting today. The package of amendments to the city’s rent control law consists of three parts:
- Suspend any rent increases which will cause a tenant’s rent to exceed 33% of their income.
- Limit the amount of “banked” rent increases which can be imposed in any one year.
