Ian Calderon, the former Assembly majority leader, has announced his candidacy for governor of California, pledging to integrate Bitcoin into the state's fiscal strategy. He aims to include Bitcoin on California's balance sheet and to enable crypto payments for state programs. Calderon, a Democrat, emphasized the necessity of modernizing government responses to align with contemporary payment methods like Bitcoin, contrasting them with traditional financial approaches. His previous legislative work includes advocating for blockchain policies, and he has collaborated with the Satoshi Action Fund. Calderon's ambitious proposal, amidst evolving crypto regulations in the state, highlights a shift towards recognizing Bitcoin within state policy. Current legislative efforts in California, specifically Assembly Bill 1180, are evolving to facilitate crypto transactions by state agencies; however, they do not currently allow the state to directly hold Bitcoin, differing from Calderon's vision. This shift indicates a growing dialogue around cryptocurrency in political spheres, with Calderon positioning himself firmly in support of Bitcoin adoption as a step towards innovation and leadership in technology.

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