California’s half-baked privacy law needs some work

California lawmakers have developed a habit of passing laws that are designed to provide far-reaching protections for workers and consumers — and serve as a model for other states or the federal government.
Despite their high pretensions, these laws often are half-baked and result in vast and troubling costs and repercussions.
The most pernicious recent example is Assembly Bill 5, which bans many companies from using contractors as workers. Freelancers now are losing their jobs. Industries