QUICK NEWS, March 30: THE SPECIAL TERROR OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR WOMEN; FLA COURT TO REVIEW SOLAR FREEDOM MEASURE; THE CALIFORNIA PEOPLES’ UTILITY?

THE SPECIAL TERROR OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR WOMEN Lefty Lawmaker Warns: Climate Change Makes Women Prostitutes; Without food, they'll do anything to survive, Dem says

Cheryl Chumley, March 27, 2015 (WND)

“Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., one of the most liberal members of Congress, issued a dire warning this week about the consequences of failing to properly address climate change: It’ll make women prostitutes, she said…[T]o counter this scenario, she pressed House colleagues to vote for her resolution, recognizing the threat and emphasizing the need to take immediate steps to fight global warming…[W]omen with limited socioeconomic resources may be vulnerable to situations such as sex work, transactional sex, and early marriage that put them at risk for HIV, STIs, unplanned pregnancy and poor reproductive health…[What are needed are] more gender-specific climate change policies and regulations…In mid-2013, [Lee] introduced House Concurrent Resolution 36, saying the exact same…[but] was roundly mocked in the media…[She expressed frustration at] the failure of media to see the clear danger she was outlining…” click here for more

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FLA COURT TO REVIEW SOLAR FREEDOM MEASURE Florida Supreme Court To Review Solar Energy Ballot Initiative

Kyle Swenson, March 30, 2015 (Broward Palm Beach New Times)

“…Backers of [the statewide push to get a solar power proposal on the 2016 ballot have] secured enough initial signatures to send the proposal to the Florida Supreme Court. It's an important first step for backers of the proposal, which seeks to cut-out Florida's powerful utility companies from the solar equation. Considering the opposition the utilities have mounted against efforts to set up a progressive policy for sun power in the Sunshine State, many solar industry folks feel the ballot is the state's best shot…If the highest court OKs the language, the ballot's backers will need to hit the road and gather an additional 600,000 signatures before February 2016…Under this proposal, a homeowner who can't front the cost for their own solar instillation could have a company set one up on their property, then buy the electricity their home unit is producing from the company until the instillation is paid off…[This] basically removes the utilities from the process…” click here for more

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THE CALIFORNIA PEOPLES’ UTILITY? Petition Effort Underway to Replace Private Electric Companies with State Utility; Backers of an initiative to create public utility have been given permission to start the signature gathering process.

Paige Austin, March 17, 2015 Pacific Palisades Patch

The California Electrical Utility District Act, which will become a state-wide ballot measure for the 2016 election if adequate validated signatures are collected by September 10, would create a statewide publicly owned utility. The Electric Utility District, to be governed and operated by an elected Board made up of Directors from its 11 wards, would replace Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric, and the state’s other investor owned utilities. Municipal utilities like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District could participate or work with statewide utility. Former SMUD Rate Advisory Board Member Ben Davis, who leads the effort, said the new entity would lower costs to electricity consumers and create other economic benefits by removing regulatory complexities and shareholder profit considerations. It will create a substantial change in state and local finances, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimate. Davis said public utilities have 15% lower rates on average nationally than privately owned utilities. SMUD’s rates, he added, average 25% lower than California’s IOU rates. click here for more

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