The bleeding heart progressives’ sympathy for prisoners sentenced to a life behind bars continues to make Californians subject to more pain and suffering.

The California Board of Parole Hearings has adopted regulations that fundamentally alter California’s sentencing framework without authorization from the state Legislature or a vote of the people. In crafting these regulations, the board created a process that undermines the finality of sentences and victims’ rights. The regulations took effect Thursday.

So what does that mean? It means there will be new pathway for “eligible” prisoners after 25 years of continuous incarceration to have the governor commute sentences. They do not authorize the board to release prisoners directly; further action by the governor or a court would be required. The Parole Board anticipates beginning reviews next July and hearings in July 2028.

Republicans are fighting this as should the Democrats (who aren’t). On Thursday state Senator and Senate Republican Leader-elect Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), public safety leaders, and victims’ families united on the Capitol ground to stand behind the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation’s (CJLF) which is challenging the new regulations.

At Niello’s presser last week California Association of Highway Patrolmen President Jake Johnson spoke about the families of murdered CHP officers Tom Steiner and Earl Scott of Hughson, describing the lasting cost of losing an officer and the anguish of facing renewed release proceedings.

Johnson said: “When that worst day comes, the least a decent state can do is keep its word. Life without parole is not cruelty. It is the only mercy left for the living: the mercy of not having to fight the same battle on repeat.”

Others who attended were district attorneys, Estella Hulbert, the Kings County mother of Ryan and Zachary Hulbert, whose killer received two life-without-parole sentences; the family of 17-year-old murder victim Justine Vanderschoot; and Eric Carlson, brother of Frank Carlson, murdered in San Francisco in 1974. Frank’s wife, Annette, survived rape, torture and an attempt to burn their home. After the killer’s death sentence was converted to life without parole, the family endured 17 parole hearings. An 18th is scheduled for April 2027.

Where is the compassion and sense of justice for those who were murdered brutally? Why do libs think the evil deserve to be free let alone live?

* * * * *

As predicted, at the only gubernatorial debate Steve Hilton gave a number of incredible ideas to turn California around while opponent Xavier Becerra went on a broken record of blaming Trump and he proposed nothing new. So, if you think California is on the wrong track – and polls indicate a majority do – get rid of the anti-Republican bias, open your mind and vote for Hilton. We have absolutely nothing to lose and a state’s prosperity and lower cost of living to gain.

* * * * *

My son in Grand Rapids texted me last week: “How much are you paying for gas these days? I just fueled up and paid the most for my Civic by a long shot: $57.43. Absolutely outrageous.”

Funny timing as I just gassed up at Costco and it was $5.89 per gallon and a fill-up cost me $62.74.

I answered him with a photo of the gas pump price and he replied: “I suppose I should count my blessings, then. My goodness.”

Gas cost my Michigan son $4.66 per gallon the same day I spent $5.89. There should be no good reason why we pay $1.23 per gallon more for gas in California while those living in other states pay far less. But the difference is Democrats in Sacramento have waged war on oil and gas companies and closed down refineries in the state. And how they keep getting elected BLOWS MY MIND!

Imagine what kind of state we could have if we balanced power in the state Legislature. Today we have 60 Democrats and 19 Republicans in the state Assembly. In the state Senate there are 29 Democrats and 10 Republicans. That’s exactly how Democrats run roughshod over conservative ideas.

Their ways are not working.

* * * * *

California lawmakers continue to water down educational expectations. It’s all an effort to appease the underachievers because underachievers need government assistance forever and that means Democrats keeping power. Remember Paul will always support the ones who rob Peter.

Here are some examples:

• Assembly Bill 2490 makes it easier for substitute teachers to get emergency credentials and teach in a single classroom for up to 70 days. Previously, applicants had to show they had worked 90 days as a substitute in order to get an Emergency Career Substitute Teaching Permit. Now, college graduates are eligible for the permit as long as they have five hours of professional development, an orientation training and an assigned mentor,
• A large number of students may jump from English learner status to fluent and proficient in English status as soon as this month. Under Assembly Bill 2555, students who achieved a proficient score on the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) in 2025-26 will be eligible to be reclassified immediately without having to meet any other criteria.
• University of California and California State University still no longer require SAT exams for admissions yet the number of SAT test takers who were among the graduating class of 2026 rose about 12.6% from the prior year. Many other universities are reinstating their test requirements after pausing them during the pandemic.
• SB 1048 creates good little environmental activist soldiers out of our kids with the State Seal of Climate Literacy, joining seals for civic engagement and biliteracy. While California continues to turn out illiterate students who can’t write or do common math problems, the state is more concerned about attaching to a student’s diploma a seal that would recognize they have been indoctrinated into the belief that man is causing changes in the Earth’s climate system, not just that the earth has a natural ebb and flow to climate.

Also, a group called Defending Education has come out with a report that lists California at 48th place out of 50 when it comes to evaluating state policy across Gender and sexuality policy, DEI (Diversity, equity and inclusion), parental rights, teacher policies and foreign influence and funding in education.

Dr. Terry Stoops, Director of Government Affairs at Defending Education said “If your state is at the bottom, then your elected officials have sacrificed educational excellence at the altar of social justice. For parents in bottom-feeder states who value rigor over ridiculousness, the choice is either fight or flight.”

California, my friends, is near the bottom. Illinois is rock bottom. It gets dinged for promoting sexual deviant lifestyles, body mutilation (sex changes, as if you can change gender without removing or adding parts), promoting boys competing against girls in sports, use race as an excuse for underperforming or using race to promote, doing nothing about Jew hating, and hiding from parents their students’ on-campus charade of pretending to be of the opposite gender.

They also looked at states’ approaches to hiring teachers. But we all know there is a symbiotic relationship between legislative Democrats and the all and powerful California Teachers Association.

Likewise, if you live in Tennessee (at the top) or any state at the top like Alabama or Florida, Stoops offers congratulations: “You live in a state with public school policies that prioritize sound academics over shameless antics.”

* * * * *

State Senator Anna Caballero is concentrating her efforts on her favorite constituencies – the border jumpers.

She just boasted about how about Newsom signed her Senate Bill 942 which is a bend-over-backwards move to cater to illegal aliens. Her bill creates a Bill of Rights for criminal aliens held in civil detention facilities in California to “ensure they are treated humanely while in custody.” Why not for she and her cohorts want us to mollycoddle convicted murderers and rapists and let them out early to keep doing their dirty deeds?

Give me a break, like ICE is waterboarding detainees I am sure. If they were CNN and MSNBC would be there with cameras to explain how ORANGE MAN BAD.

According to Caballero, detainees are at “great physical and mental risk while in custody.” I don’t know about the “great physical” torture methods in play like she does but I’m sure there are sweating bullets over being arrested and likely sent back to the country of origin. Apparently Caballero is one who wants Uncle Sam to forget about immigration laws.

SB 942 is a grandstanding effort and unnecessary move that attempts to usurp federal detention facility policies. She wants detainees to get the best medical care (medical care that isn’t being denies), adequate food and sanitation (they get that while some taxpayers don’t), religious practice (they can pray all they want in their cells without attending Holy Mass), communication with loved ones (detainees already can make outgoing phone calls, but incoming calls) and access to legal counsel (which they already get due process). According to ICE, phone, tablet, and mail systems are restricted to communicating with family, legal representatives, consulates, and approved community organizations.

* * * * *

Congressman Adam Gray made some interesting remarks to the Sacramento Bee. He spoke about the virtue signaling that goes on in the halls of Congress, like “symbolic votes against Trump” and talk of impeaching Trump.

Out of the other side of his mouth, Gray said he opposes Trump’s approach to ridding the country of foreign invaders, calling it “irresponsible, reckless, dangerous.”

Curiously he talked about the few U.S. citizens shot and killed by ICE and said “somebody’s not providing leadership.”

He’s right – there was failed leadership in the blue states where governors and mayors ordered police to not support ICE detention raids. Instead of local police cordoning off areas where ICE operations were conducted off, protestors were allowed to interfere with federal agents – they are trained officers (not mercenaries the term used by Xavier Becerra) – and they were a threat to them and were killed. So it wasn’t Trump who failed at leading.

The Bee asked Gray about his vote against a GOP resolution that would have condemned socialism in all its forms. He then co-sponsored a political pledge, which said “we are capitalists, not socialists.”

He suggested that the GOP resolution was “insincere, just political nonsense” while “actually challenging every other Democrat in this country to sign a pledge that says we are capitalists, not socialists, because I believe in capitalism.”

In other words, he didn’t want to offend his socialist buddies in the House like AOC.

Gray also opined on the need for universal healthcare. That’s not what Obamacare was all about?

Gray was asked about his opponent, Kevin Lincoln, a Republican.

While acknowledging Lincoln is a “nice man,” Gray stated “he’s run for a bunch of stuff. So he seems like he’s looking for a place to that he can win.” Yeah, like how Gray was not content to stay in the state Legislature and was looking for a place to win in 2024 and 2026.

Gray is right in this: Voters want somebody who’s going to always put the Valley first,”But I don’t know of any local congressman lately (Bernie Sisk, Tony Coelho, John J. McFall, Gary Condit, Jeff Denham and John Duarte with the exception of Josh Harder) who didn’t put the Valley first in terms of advocating for additional water storage.

This column is the opinion of Jeff Benziger, and does not necessarily represent the opinion of The Ceres Courier or 209 Multimedia Corporation. How do you feel about this? Let Jeff know at jeffb@cerescourier.com