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As the 2018 elections approach, California officials are taking steps to combat foreign interference, with or without the help of the federal government.

With its new Super Tuesday election in 2020 and demographic dominance, California is the ultimate prize in presidential elections not only for candidates, but also for enemies of democracy.

The latest intelligence reports conclude that this enemy is mostly Russian. Though Russian interference in the 2016 election had no quantifiable impact on vote tallies themselves, it was an unprecedented attempt to undermine confidence in our democracy.

Though Gov. Jerry Brown may have shied away from his usual tack of emphasizing fiscal responsibility and an impending economic downturn at his final State of the State address Thursday, his remarks highlighting the state’s progress on environmental issues, funding for transportation projects and criminal justice reform were received warmly by local lawmakers.

Consistent with a fiscally-prudent legacy Gov. Jerry Brown will leave behind after his final year in office, Wednesday’s unveiling of his $1.37 billion budget proposal was welcomed news to local lawmakers.

San Mateo County representatives cheered a spending plan that outlines filling the state’s rainy-day fund, increasing funding for schools, and allocating the first full round of new gas tax revenue toward transportation.

Here’s what interest groups and political leaders are saying about Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget:

As 2017 comes to a close, the new year brings implementation of new laws.

Three state legislators representing the local electorate collectively championed a range of new rules that touch on education, elections, housing, public safety, transportation and more.

The California Master Plan for Higher Education of 1960 is a testament to California’s commitment to accessible, affordable, high quality higher education. However, much has changed in California since the state detailed its vision for higher education 57 years ago. Population growth, increased diversity, technological advancement, and the rise of new industries have altered student needs and boosted demand for higher education.

Amidst all the dreary news of sexual harassment and assault coming out of Hollywood, the Golden State got some good news. On Thursday, Oct. 12, California became the latest state to pass the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights, giving much-needed protections to survivors of sexual assault. The bill provides a number of provisions that are designed to make the process of reporting an assault to authorities and pursuing criminal cases easier.

Knowledge is power. When a person meets with us, argues for or against legislation, and asks for our votes, we and our legislative colleagues insist on knowing who they are representing, because that’s critical in helping us assess the credibility of the arguments.

But when voters do the same thing we do – vote to make laws through ballot measures – it's not always clear who’s asking for their votes. Special interests often hide on campaign ads behind happy-sounding committee names that leave voters in the dark about their real agendas.

Here’s a nifty little scam for you: Someone knocks on the door after turning your water main off. He says he was just checking your neighbor’s water pressure and was wondering if you would like yours checked. You let him in, he “checks” it and it’s quite low. He offers to fix it for $200. You agree, he turns it back on, checks it again, you pay him and he’s on his way.