PRI’s second annual “California Ideas in Action” conference was held a few weeks back. This year’s conference featured PRI scholars, policy experts, and real life changemakers discussing how free market ideas can address the new decade’s major challenges in California – homelessness, the future of work, education, health care, and preventing future wildfires. In case you missed it, we present the best of this year’s conference today on “What We’re Watching.”
Keynote Address – The Hon. Janice Rogers Brown
Judge Janice Rogers Brown gives the keynote address at the 2020 PRI California Ideas in Action conference. Judge Brown was confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 8, 2005. From 1996 to 2005, Brown was an Associate Judge of the California Supreme Court. Previously, she served as an Associate Justice of the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento and as the Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Pete Wilson. PRI President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy Sally C. Pipes gives welcoming remarks before Judge Brown’s address. Judge Brown is introduced by PRI Board Member, the Hon. Daniel Kolkey.
The Hon. Dan Kolkey
The Hon. Dan Kolkey gives a presentation on the topic, “Preventing Future Power Outages and Wildfires Through the Governor’s Executive Powers,” which was the subject of an op-ed he published late last year in the Orange County Register.
Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity
As the nature of work evolves amidst the technological revolution, policymakers and economists are debating the future of work in California. This legislative session, the issue has manifested itself with the debate over who is an independent contractor and who is an employee. Other state policies amount to legislated barriers to opportunity for many Californians. A panel of distinguished speakers will explore how free-market reforms can empower more Californians to be their own bosses, set their own work schedules and move up the economic ladder, address displacement brought about by technological disruption, and inspire the next great California innovation. Featuring PRI Fellow Damon Dunn, John Kabateck of Kabateck Strategies and Lorraine Salazar of Sal’s Mexican Restaurants. Moderated by PRI’s Tim Anaya.
How School Choice Can Help Special Needs Students Beat the Odds
As the nature of work evolves amidst the technological revolution, policymakers and economists are debating the future of work in California. This legislative session, the issue has manifested itself with the debate over who is an independent contractor and who is an employee. Other state policies amount to legislated barriers to opportunity for many Californians. A panel of distinguished speakers will explore how free-market reforms can empower more Californians to be their own bosses, set their own work schedules and move up the economic ladder, address displacement brought about by technological disruption, and inspire the next great California innovation. Moderate by Lance Izumi, Senior Director of PRI’s Center for Education. Featuring Carrie Carlson, regional coordinator for an independent student charter school in Northern California; Sarah Bailey of Love of Learning; and Bill Lucia of EdVoice.
Homelessness in California
California’s growing homeless crisis is impacting nearly everyone, especially those living in big cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. In Governor Newsom’s recent State of the State address, he reportedly spent 35 of his 42 minute speech on the homeless crisis. On the same day, PRI held an A-list panel of policy experts to discuss the homeless. Chris Rufo is a PRI adjunct fellow and director of the Discovery Institute’s Wealth and Poverty Center, Joseph Tartakovky, also a PRI adjunct fellow, practices appellate and constitutional law at Gibson Dunn, and economist Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow, was unable to make the panel, however PRI’s Tim Anaya summarized Wayne’s discussion. Finally, PRI California Fellow Kerry Jackson served as moderator.
