“Despite a budget surplus of $22 billion, the record $215 billion budget framework that the Legislature approved today is contingent on more costly tax increases,” Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) said. “For example, imposing a tax on U.S. citizens and legal immigrants who do not have health...

Despite the rejuvenated women’s movement and recent electoral gains, achieving full parity in the Legislature will not be easy. Sen. Bates, for one, believes many women find the current confrontational political arena – exacerbated by social media – distasteful.

And legislation is pending from State Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, that would require testing for cannabis in all fatal crashes.

For years, residential treatment facilities and sober living homes have taken over neighborhoods up and down the state.

What state Sen. Patricia Bates sees as a loophole looks like an ATM to many of her colleagues.