Today on AirTalk, we'll discuss the proposed legislature that would make it a felony for California parolees to cut off their GPS monitors. We'll also talk about Michigan's right to work law, consider who should be liable for concussions in high risk sports, and look into the role of unmanned space planes. Later, NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba speaks with Larry about his experiences and the future of space travel.
Michigan faces union opposition to right-to-work legislation
Michigan, the home of the United Auto Workers, has always been a strong pro-union state. That’s why the recent passing of anti-union legislation came as such a shock to Michigan’s workers, and to the rest of the nation.
The new “right-to-work” bill would prevent public workers from being required to join a union as a condition of employment; a second bill, affecting the private sector, is currently under consideration. Michigan’s House of Representatives approved the bill without public comment, floor debate or committee hearings, despite its being unilaterally opposed by Democrats. Protestors in the thousands have descended on the state capitol in Lansing and outside the Ann Arbor home of Governor Rick Snyder to make their views known; Snyder is expected to sign the bill this week, making Michigan the 24th right-to-work state in the nation.
Supporters of right-to-work say it will improve the business climate and give workers more freedom; opponents decry it as a tactic meant to diminish the financial and political strength of unions. Similar anti-union legislation has recently passed in Wisconsin and Indiana.
Is this a sign of things to come for the country’s unions? Would you support a right-to-work law in California? Do you think unions have too much clout, or do they provide a necessary balance of power between corporations and workers?
Guest:
Chris Christoff , state and municipalities reporter for Bloomberg News, speaking to us from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan
California Senator Ted Lieu proposes increased penalty for parolees who cut off GPS monitors
California State Senator Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) is working on legislation intended to decrease the number of parolees who avoid GPS monitoring. Lieu alleges that parolees cut off their GPS tracking devices, and that the lax punishment for doing so is encouraging more disobedience.
Although the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation does not track the number of parolees cutting off their GPS monitors, Lieu claims the number has gone up in recent years – the state database currently lists 800 parolees who are supposed to be monitored, but aren’t.
Senator Lieu says that because there are too few consequences for parole violation, parolees who cut off their tracking devices are supposed to be sent back to prison for 180 days, but due to overcrowding, they are often released again right away. Lieu advocates changes to the policy regarding GPS monitors – if his legislation passes, it would make cutting off the device a felony.
Would Lieu’s proposed law deter parolees who consider breaking loose from their GPS bracelets? Should parole violation be considered a felony? How would this law affect rehabilitation for California parolees? Should parolees be tracked at all?
Guest:
Frank Stoltze, KPCC reporter
Celeste Fremon, Editor of WitnessLA.com; Senior fellow at the Institute for Justice and Journalism
Are contact sports too costly a liability for schools?
Concussion liability costs may go up. Athletes suffering concussions after playing high-risk sports are insured medically, but should insurers be required to pay any legal fees if the injured parties sue?
The debate over who is liable for injury-related legal fees has sparked a debate between leagues and their insurance providers. As a result, insurers may raise premiums to compensate for the increased risk of lawsuits filed by players who suffer concussions. The increased costs of insuring players may be small change for sports giants like the NFL, but the effect on smaller leagues and school sports could be much more pronounced.
Colleges, high schools, and club teams who can’t afford rising premiums may be forced to extreme measures: raising fees, requiring waivers from players, or even shutting down. How might holding primary insurance companies liable for legal fees change high-risk sports in the big leagues and in lower levels? Should insurers be held responsible for legal damages?
Guests:
Robert Boland, professor of sports law at New York University
William Wilt, president of Assured Research, an insurance advisory firm
Tom Fox, athletic director, Villa Park High School, which competes in Southwest Division, they made it to the CIF finals this year
Unmanned space drone takes flight for secretive mission
The U.S. Air Force will launch its third unmanned space drone today from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The experimental robotic space plane looks like a small space shuttle and is piloted from the ground. The Air Force has been fairly secretive about the drone’s mission and those of its predecessors, saying only that the planes are used to test technologies in space.
The first space drone was launched in 2010 and spent 224 days in space – the second spent over a year and a half. The only information released about these space drone missions was the launch and return dates. While some industry analysts say the secret space planes could be a precursor to space drone weapons, the Pentagon insists that they are only a “test bed” for new technology.
The craft launching today is designed by Boeing to orbit for 270 days, powered by solar panels. The design and building process has been closely guarded, and it is unlikely that the drone’s mission will be any less secretive. What purpose could unmanned space planes serve in the future? Is drone technology the best way to test equipment? How could these missions contribute to space exploration or military technology?
Guest:
Brian Weeden, Technical Advisor for Secure World Foundation
Shaping the business of legal marijuana
This past election cycle, both Washington and Colorado approved the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Supporters of legalization in both states celebrated by toking up in public. At the time, law enforcement agencies looked the other way.
But that approach can’t last forever. Now it’s down to citizens, businesses, trade associations and lawmakers to figure out the best way to actually roll out regulations and licensing protocol to allow for the production, processing and retail of legalized marijuana. Beyond parsing out the details on the state level, Washington and Colorado also must figure out how to reconcile their own laws with those of the federal government.
The U.S. has made no concessions or changes to its stance on recreational marijuana use; it’s still illegal to be bought, grown, sold and smoked at the national level. It remains to be seen how these sets of conflicting laws will interact.
How will Washington and Colorado dole out licenses for marijuana production, processing and retail sale? Which state board will oversee the new marijuana economy? Who will be influencing this policy? How will things change for marijuana users in those states? Could this development affect marijuana laws nationally?
Guests:
Muraco Kyashna-tocha, director of the Evergreen State Cannabis Trade Alliance, a registered non-profit committed to promoting a safe, legally regulated cannabis industry in Washington State
Kayvan Khalatbari
, part-owner of Denver Relief, a medical marijuana dispensary in Denver, ColoradoWhat's next for space exploration?
SoCal local Joseph Acaba is an Inglewood-born astronaut with quite a career under his belt. Acaba was chosen to become a NASA astronaut in 2004 after working as a hyrdogeologist, a teacher, and a Peace Corp volunteer.
Acaba’s spaceflight experience began in March 2009 with the 36th flight of the Discovery shuttle and spent 123 days at the International Space Station as a flight engineer with a Soyuz spacecraft. In May 2012, Acaba supported the arrival of the first commercial spacecraft, SpaceX’s Dragon, at the International Space Station.
What’s next for space travel? Is commercial flight important to the future of space exploration? How are astronauts preparing for new developments in their field? Acaba joins Larry to discuss his experiences in space and the future of space travel.
Guest:
Joe Acaba, NASA astronaut, educator, and hydrogeologist. Acaba has logged a total of 138 days in space during two missions.