A California lawmaker has introduced a new bill that would make it illegal to distribute single-use straws to consumers at restaurants unless specifically requested.

Ian Calderon, the Democratic majority leader in California’s lower house, brought forth Assembly Bill 1884, citing environmental protection as a reason to discourage the use of “single use straws,” typically distributed with soft drinks, smoothies, and coffee, which are then disposed of after being used.

“AB 1884 is not a ban on plastic straws,” he added. “It is a small step towards curbing our reliance on these convenience products, which will hopefully contribute to a change in consumer attitudes and usage.”

Assembly Bill 1884 aims to update the California Retail Food Code.

As the law currently stands, punishment for violating the Retail Food Code ranges from paying a fine between $25 – $1,000 or jail time.

“Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, a person who violates any provision of the code to be guilty of a misdemeanor with each offense punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both.”

If passed, the law would modify the code to mark the provision of “single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer,” as a crime. – READ MORE

A new California policy set to go into effect on April 1 could potentially register a massive number of illegal immigrants to vote.

The policy would automatically register adults who obtain or renew a driver’s license to vote unless drivers who claim to be legal “opt out.” But, since 2015, California has granted illegal immigrants driver’s licenses. Thus far, some 1 million illegals have taken advantage and obtained such a license. According to Fox News, under the new policy, “anyone who already has a valid license and applies for renewal in person or by mail could potentially be added to the voter registration rolls by claiming they are legal.”

“You’re setting the state up for a disaster,” said True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht. “They don’t seem to have a process in place to verify that people are who they say they are. It’s a free-for-all, a process that can be manipulated.”

Engelbrecht’s organization unsuccessfully pressured Democratic Governor Jerry Brown to veto the law.

Linda Paine, who cofounded a nonpartisan organization called Election Integrity Project of California, is also worried about potential fraud.

“There are thousands and thousands of DMV workers across our huge state,” Paine told Fox. “They’re not all trained. There’s no actual protection to prevent noncitizens from being added to voter rolls. It’s not even that people who are ineligible want to be registered. They may not know that they have to select ‘Opt out.'” – READ MORE