Episode 46 California’s “Reopening” and the Future of Public Meetings Under the Brown Act

Episode 46 California’s “Reopening” and the Future of Public Meetings Under the Brown Act

With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and California’s “reopening,” host Sloan Simmons has a timely discussion with Lozano Smith Governance Co-Practice Group Leader, Anne Collins and Lozano Smith Technology and Innovation Practice Group Leader Travis Cochran regarding the state of the law and future of public meetings under the Brown Act in light of pending …

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Episode 45 Charter School Reforms in the COVID-19 Era

Episode 45 Charter School Reforms in the COVID-19 Era

Host Sloan Simmons facilitates a timely and interesting discussion with Lozano Smith Charter School Practice Group Leaders, Ed Sklar and Erin Hamor, regarding the status of charter school reform legislation and the impacts of COVID-19 on the same. Show Notes & References 2:10 – Review of charter reform legislation over the last two years 2:31 …

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Episode 44 EIFD and Tax Increment – A Public Finance Practitioner Discussion of the Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Financing Tool

Episode 44 EIFD and Tax Increment – A Public Finance Practitioner Discussion of the Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Financing Tool

Lozano Smith attorneys Constantine Baranoff and Daniel Maruccia join host Sloan Simmons in an informative and detailed discussion of how Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts have evolved in California with attorneys who focus on public finance and who have formed EIFDs throughout the state. They also discuss available financing structures and explore projects (including freeway overlay …

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Episode 43 Catching Up, and Looking Forward: Student Issues After a Year of COVID-19 and Heading Back to School in 2021-2022

Episode 43 Catching Up, and Looking Forward: Student Issues After a Year of COVID-19 and Heading Back to School in 2021-2022

Host Sloan Simmons joins Lozano Smith attorneys Ruth Mendyk and Joshua Whiteside to discuss updates to district policies and practices during the 2020-21 school year, pending legislation on student retention and grading issues for 2021-22 and proposed curriculum and kindergarten / preschool related issues for future years. Show Notes & References 2:30 – Assembly Bill …

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Episode 42: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Student Athletics Issues (Part 3)

Episode 42: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Student Athletics Issues (Part 3)

Host Sloan Simmons talks with Lozano Smith attorneys Ruth Mendyk and Chelsea Olson Murphy about the latest developments on COVID-19 and student athletics, with a focus on the most recent guidance from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), as well as other state public health directives and guidance heading into the 2020-2021 school year. Updates UPDATE …

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Episode 41: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Special Education Issues (Part 2)

Episode 41: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Special Education Issues (Part 2)

Host Sloan Simmons talks with Lozano Smith Special Education attorneys Alyssa Bivins and Marcy Gutierrez about the latest developments on COVID-19 and special education, with a focus on Senate Bill 98 and the most recent state and federal directives and guidance heading into the 2020-2021 school year. Show Notes & References 1:40 – California Department …

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Episode 40: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Student Issues (Part 1)

Episode 40: Return to School in the COVID-19 Era – Student Issues (Part 1)

Host Sloan Simmons talks with Lozano Smith attorneys Desiree Serrano and Aimee Perry about the latest developments on COVID-19 and students, with a focus on Senate Bill 98 and the most recent state agency directives and guidance heading into the 2020-2021 school year. Show Notes & References 2:18 – Requirements for in-person instruction 2:40 – …

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Episode 39: Suicide Awareness and Prevention – From ACSA’s ECC Symposium to the COVID-19 Crisis

Episode 39: Suicide Awareness and Prevention – From ACSA’s ECC Symposium to the COVID-19 Crisis

While on location at the Association of California School Administrators’ (ACSA) 2020 Annual Every Child Counts Symposium (ECC), host Sloan Simmons talked with Lozano Smith attorney and ECC presenter Jennifer Baldassari, and Nathan Moreno, Director of Special Education at Soledad Unified School District (as of July 1, 2020, Director of Special Education at Guadalupe Union …

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Episode 38: California’s Uniform Complaint Procedures: What You Need to Know in 2020

Episode 38: California’s Uniform Complaint Procedures: What You Need to Know in 2020

Host Sloan Simmons talks with Lozano Smith attorneys Marisa Lincoln and Carolyn Gemma about California’s Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP).  Their discussion covers increasingly important legal parameters and best practices for complying with the State’s UCP, and how the UCP interacts with best practices in investigations and other complaint processes, such as that before the U.S. …

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Episode 37: The New Year Brings A Huge Wave of Affordable Housing Legislation: What Does It All Mean for California Cities?

Episode 37: The New Year Brings A Huge Wave of Affordable Housing Legislation: What Does It All Mean for California Cities?

In this episode, Jenell Van Bindsbergen and William P. Curley III, co-chairs of the firm’s Municipal Practice Group, talk about the unprecedented crush of affordable housing legislation enacted by the California Legislature in 2019.  The team discusses what the new laws mean for city governments, and how the legislation strikes at local control and other …

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