blog post Video: Assessing California’s Redistricting Commission By Mary Severance Mar 21, 2018 In a radical departure, California empowered an independent commission to create new electoral maps. A new PPIC report assesses the maps' fairness and competitiveness to both major political parties.
event Assessing California’s Redistricting Commission Mar 16, 2018 The creation of the Citizen Redistricting Commission (CRC) in 2008 marked a radical departure for California. Many expected the commission to be fairer to the two major parties and lead to more competitive elections. Has the first CRC plan met these expectations? PPIC researcher Eric McGhee will describe the measures he used to evaluate fairness and competitiveness—including his own measure, the “efficiency gap,” which is used in litigation currently before the Supreme Court—and outline his findings.
blog post Reforming Water Management for the Environment By Jeffrey Mount Nov 14, 2017 It’s time for California to rethink how it manages water for the environment. Three reforms could reduce conflict and improve freshwater ecosystems.
blog post Partisan Gerrymandering and the Role of Social Science in the Courts By Eric McGhee Oct 23, 2017 The Supreme Court has invited social science to play an unusually significant role in the Wisconsin gerrymandering case.
blog post New Laws Ease Funding and Improve Accounting for Water By Henry McCann, Caitrin Chappelle Oct 18, 2017 It was a busy year for water policy in the California Legislature. Here’s a summary of newly signed bills.
Report Building Drought Resilience in California’s Cities and Suburbs By David Mitchell, Ellen Hanak, Ken Baerenklau, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Jun 12, 2017 California’s urban water suppliers have become increasingly adept at drought management thanks to investments in diverse supplies, cooperative efforts with neighbors, and programs to manage water demand. But in the face of extreme hot and dry conditions, questions arose over preparedness for ongoing drought, and the state took the unprecedented step of ordering mandatory water conservation in 2015. This report looks at evolving state and local roles in managing urban water supply during drought, and lessons to help us better prepare for droughts of the future. This research was supported with funding from California Water Service, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
