AI-Assisted Investigation Exposes California's Fentanyl Legislation Battle
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3 Sources
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California's fentanyl fight: Politicians v. grieving parents
One of the hardest-fought political battles in 2024 happened inside California's Capitol between a group of grieving parents who lost their kids to fentanyl and a handful of powerful politicians who were opposed to increasing criminal penalties. This year-long investigation by CBS News California investigative correspondent Julie Watts' combines gripping statehouse investigative reporting with groundbreaking AI-assisted data journalism to provide an unprecedented look at how California's one-party supermajority legislature systematically avoids transparency and accountability by killing controversial legislation without voting on the record. They fought for fentanyl legislation, but it was killed before lawmakers even got to vote. Four grieving moms wanted to know why. We begin with their uncovering of the truth using a new AI tool designed to help everyday Californians hold lawmakers accountable. In 2024, CalMatters' new Digital Democracy Database gave us the tools to analyze hundreds of thousands of votes and dozens of hours of legislative hearings in ways that simply weren't possible before. But it was Alexandra's Law that gave us a case study exposing California's supermajority politics at its best, or worst, depending on who you ask. If you ask Alexandra's parents, they'll tell you lawmakers used their daughter as a political pawn. While California lawmakers would not increase criminal penalties for fentanyl, they did decriminalize fentanyl test strips, which were considered drug paraphilia until 2022. Along with Narcan, state law now requires test strips on college campuses. However, as fentanyl test strips are normalized, our testing found that test strips alone can provide a false sense of security.
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CALIFORNIA'S FENTANYL FIGHT: Politicians V. Parents
One of the hardest-fought political battles in 2024 happened inside California's Capitol between a group of grieving parents who lost their kids to fentanyl and a handful of powerful politicians who were opposed to increasing criminal penalties. This year-long investigation, led by CBS News California investigative correspondent Julie Watts, combines gripping statehouse investigative reporting with groundbreaking AI-assisted data journalism to provide an unprecedented look at how California's one-party supermajority legislature systematically avoids transparency and accountability by killing controversial legislation without voting on the record. They fought for fentanyl legislation, but it was killed before lawmakers even got to vote. Four grieving moms wanted to know why. We begin with their uncovering of the truth using a new AI tool designed to help everyday Californians hold lawmakers accountable. In 2024, CalMatters' new Digital Democracy Database gave us the tools to analyze hundreds of thousands of votes and dozens of hours of legislative hearings in ways that simply weren't possible before. However, it was Alexandra's Law that gave us a case study exposing California's supermajority politics at its best, or worst, depending on who you ask. If you ask Alexandra's parents, they'll tell you lawmakers used their daughter as a political pawn. While California lawmakers would not increase criminal penalties for fentanyl, they did decriminalize fentanyl test strips, which were considered drug paraphilia until 2022. Along with Narcan, state law now requires test strips on college campuses. However, as fentanyl test strips are normalized, our testing found that test strips alone can provide a false sense of security. That is one of the many lessons learned from the increasing number of fentanyl death investigations... Lessons grieving parents and law enforcement hope you'll share.
[3]
California's Fentanyl Fight: Politicians versus Parents - CBS Sacramento
California's fentanyl fight: Politicians v. grieving parents One of the hardest-fought political battles in 2024 happened inside California's Capitol between a group of grieving parents who lost their kids to fentanyl and a handful of powerful politicians who were opposed to increasing criminal penalties. This year-long investigation by CBS News California investigative correspondent Julie Watts' combines gripping statehouse investigative reporting with groundbreaking AI-assisted data journalism to provide an unprecedented look at how California's one-party supermajority legislature systematically avoids transparency and accountability by killing controversial legislation without voting on the record. They fought for fentanyl legislation, but it was killed before lawmakers even got to vote. Four grieving moms wanted to know why. We begin with their uncovering of the truth using a new AI tool designed to help everyday Californians hold lawmakers accountable. In 2024, CalMatters' new Digital Democracy Database gave us the tools to analyze hundreds of thousands of votes and dozens of hours of legislative hearings in ways that simply weren't possible before. But it was Alexandra's Law that gave us a case study exposing California's supermajority politics at its best, or worst, depending on who you ask. If you ask Alexandra's parents, they'll tell you lawmakers used their daughter as a political pawn. While California lawmakers would not increase criminal penalties for fentanyl, they did decriminalize fentanyl test strips, which were considered drug paraphilia until 2022. Along with Narcan, state law now requires test strips on college campuses. However, as fentanyl test strips are normalized, our testing found that test strips alone can provide a false sense of security.
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A CBS News investigation uses AI-powered tools to uncover the political struggle between grieving parents and lawmakers over fentanyl legislation in California, revealing issues of transparency and accountability in the state's supermajority legislature.
AI-Powered Investigation Uncovers Legislative Tactics
In a groundbreaking investigation, CBS News California has utilized artificial intelligence to shed light on the contentious battle over fentanyl legislation in California. The year-long study, led by investigative correspondent Julie Watts, combines traditional statehouse reporting with AI-assisted data journalism to expose how the state's one-party supermajority legislature operates
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.The Battle: Grieving Parents vs. Politicians
At the heart of this political struggle are grieving parents who lost their children to fentanyl, pitted against powerful politicians opposing increased criminal penalties. The investigation reveals how controversial legislation, including measures to combat the fentanyl crisis, was systematically killed before reaching a vote, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the legislative process
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.AI Tools Empower Citizens
The investigation leveraged CalMatters' new Digital Democracy Database, an AI-powered tool designed to help Californians hold lawmakers accountable. This innovative technology enabled the analysis of hundreds of thousands of votes and dozens of hours of legislative hearings, providing unprecedented insights into the workings of California's legislature
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.Case Study: Alexandra's Law
The report focuses on Alexandra's Law as a case study, exposing the intricacies of California's supermajority politics. Alexandra's parents claim that lawmakers used their daughter's story as a political pawn, highlighting the personal impact of these legislative maneuvers
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Legislative Actions and Their Limitations
While California lawmakers did not increase criminal penalties for fentanyl, they took steps to decriminalize fentanyl test strips, previously considered drug paraphernalia. New state laws now require these test strips, along with Narcan, on college campuses. However, the investigation found that reliance on test strips alone may provide a false sense of security, underscoring the complexity of addressing the fentanyl crisis
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.The Role of AI in Investigative Journalism
This investigation demonstrates the growing importance of AI in journalism, particularly in processing and analyzing large volumes of data. By employing these advanced tools, reporters were able to uncover patterns and insights that would have been challenging to discern through traditional methods, marking a significant advancement in investigative reporting techniques
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