A nurses' union urged state lawmakers Wednesday to set a minimum level of charity care for all nonprofit hospitals in exchange for their lucrative, tax-exempt status. "We are calling on state officials to pass legislation to rein in the abuses we have seen," said Michael Lighty, public policy director for the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.

Nonprofit hospitals in California are facing new scrutiny over whether they are doing enough for the public to justify their tax-exempt status.

Conservative activists in California are promoting a deceptive ballot proposition that would increase the ability of business groups and billionaires to dominate state elections. The measure, Proposition 32, claims to be an even-handed effort at campaign finance reform – but nothing could be further from the truth. Prop. 32 (or “Stop Special Interest Money Now,” as its big money supporters prefer to call it) would cripple the ability of unions to participate in politics, but have little or no impact on unlimited spending by corporate executives and other wealthy individuals.