California’s Electric Car Mandate Blocked by US Senate in Historic Vote
So, like, the U.S. Senate just totally voted today to block California’s plan to phase out gas-powered cars, which is a major setback for the state’s goal of transitioning to electric vehicles. This decision...
Innovative Strategies for Supporting California College Students: 5 Creative Ways to Provide Assistance
California's colleges are facing a major issue with students not being able to afford food. It's a real problem, guys. A report from 2023 by the California Student Aid Commission found that more than...
Newsom Criticizes Senate Waiver Vote and Trump: Doubling Down on Stupid
California officials were quick to jump into another legal battle against President Donald Trump’s administration following the U.S. Senate's decision to revoke federal waivers allowing the state to phase out gas-powered cars and tackle...
California Lawmakers Reject Hundreds of Bills in Fast-Paced Hearings
California lawmakers recently rejected a slew of proposals in an effort to save costs amidst a $12 billion budget deficit. This rejection included ideas such as tax credits for parents of young children, funding...
Economic Disparity in California: High Living Costs vs. High Poverty
California, a state known for its diversity and economic opportunities, has seen significant changes over the past few decades. Back in the day, I penned a bunch of articles for the Sacramento Bee, highlighting...
Google reduces support for California local news following Newsom’s lead
Alright, so get this: a bunch of people gathered at Made By Google for some new product announcements on August 13, 2024. Just imagine the excitement in the air as everyone waited to see...
Sen. Sabrina Cervantes Arrested for DUI While Allegedly Under Drug Influence
State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, looking a bit confused in the midst of a floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMattersHey there, folks! So,...
Delta Tunnel Project: Clash Between Newsom and Lawmakers Sparks $20B Fight
State legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom are currently at odds over a $20 billion state water project that aims to reroute water from Northern California to Southern California, bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta....
California Congress Debates EVs and Taxes: Implications and Impact
Four months into Donald Trump’s second term, the GOP leaders are trying to score some big wins for him. They're pushing for two controversial bills that could have a huge impact on California.One of...
Newsom’s Budget Cuts Anger Allies and Leave State’s Chronic Deficit Unresolved
So, last week Governor Gavin Newsom dropped a bombshell by revealing his revised state budget. And let me tell you, it did not sit well with some big interest groups who usually have his...
California Gubernatorial Candidates Avoid State’s Anti-Oil Campaign
Seven Democratic candidates for governor gathered at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento on May 12, 2025 for a lively event hosted by the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, and the State Building...
Proposed Legislation Threatens AI Protections for Californians
House Republicans are causing a stir in California by proposing a 10-year ban on state regulations for artificial intelligence (AI). This move would invalidate more than 20 laws passed by California's Legislature last year...
When California Police Don’t Respond: Impact on Mental Health Calls
A Sacramento County Sheriff's Department car parked outside a church where a man fatally shot four people, including three of his children, before turning the gun on himself on February 28, 2022. The tragic...
Google’s $125 Million Local News Deal in California: Impact and Trends
Google and California made a deal last year to help out local news, but now California is kind of backing out of the deal. And hey, Google might do the same thing, who knows?California...
Gavin Newsom Proposes Increased Tax Credits for Hollywood
Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California governor, just dropped a bombshell with his latest budget proposal. He's planning to slash funding for public universities and health care services in the state. But hold on to...
California Democrats successfully pass comprehensive sex trafficking legislation
Assemblymember Maggy Krell, a Sacramento Democrat, caused quite a stir in the state Legislature recently. She led a charge to pass stricter penalties for soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds, defying Democratic leaders in...
California Allows Students to Wear Tribal Regalia at Graduations: Exploring the Controversy
California High School Regalia Bill: A Game Changer for StudentsSo, like, eight years back, California was all like, "Hey schools, let your students wear cool cultural stuff at graduation, okay?" But turns out, more...
Uncovering the Housing Affordability Secret in California’s Building Code
California lawmakers are thinking about a bill that might hit the pause button on updates to state housing standards. Is the building code really to blame for California's housing mess?In a rush to speed...
California’s Inland Empire Warehouse Project Rejection Marks Shift from Long-term Economic Growth
The folks living in a troubled Riverside neighborhood got together Monday night for a meeting that was pretty darn important. It had big implications for their lives, the future of their community, and, like,...
California Governor Newsom’s Budget Plan: Cuts to Healthcare, Prisons, and More
Governor Newsom was in the spotlight once again as he addressed the media during a press conference revealing his updated budget proposal for 2025-26 at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento. The event...
States Leading Budget Protection Without Cutting Services
The Assembly floor was buzzing with anticipation before the session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on March 28, 2025. A photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters, captured the scene perfectly, setting the stage...
California Prisons’ Emergency Plans Exposed by Floods: Are They Prepared?
In 2023, there was a lot of rain and snow in the southern San Joaquin Valley, which caused two prisons, California State Prison, Corcoran, and the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, to be at risk...
Santa Cruz Implements Soda Tax Despite State Law
Coca-Cola soda was proudly displayed at a Walmart Super Center in Compton on Jan. 10, 2017, as captured in a photo by Mike Blake of Reuters.Last week, the small beach town of Santa Cruz...
California State Bar Scandal: New Lawyer Exam Debacle
Alright, so like, is there something in California’s water that makes the state’s bureaucrats mess up big time? It sure seems like it, considering all the major screwups that have gone down. Many of...
Advocacy for Improved Mental Health Treatment Coverage
State lawmakers were doing their thing, pushing their bills through committee hearings and asking people to come and share how their lives have been impacted by the issues on the table. One such person...
California Lawmakers Lag Behind on Urgent Affordability Measures
So, there's this customer strolling past a display of fresh eggs at a grocery store in the San Anselmo area of Marin County on September 25, 2024. The scene was captured by Justin Sullivan,...
LinkedIn & Google Sued for Unauthorized Health Data Access
A Covered California Enrollment Center in Chula Vista was the site of a major controversy on April 29, 2024. A photo taken by Adriana Heldiz captured the chaos unfolding at the center, with allegations...
Law Enforcement Shifts Away from Mental Health Responses
So there's this lady named Susanna, who didn't want to give her last name, posing for a picture in Roseville on March 24, 2025, taken by Miguel Gutierrez Jr. Seems like she's got a...
Federal Aid for Los Angeles County Fires: What You Need to Know
Gov. Gavin Newsom was spotted hanging out at a Cal Fire press conference at Sacramento McClellan Airport in McClellan Park on April 24, 2025. The photo was snapped by Louis Bryant III for CalMatters,...
Judge Rules Against Trump’s DEI Funding Cut in Schools
California got $2.4 billion in federal Title I money for low-income schools. They also received about $1.3 billion for special education and $250 million for after-school programs. This is big news because a judge...
Toxic Gas Threat in California: What You Need to Know
A container of some dangerous gas, probably methyl bromide, was spotted at the outer docks at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro on April 8, 2025. This is the latest CalMatters investigation...
California Crime Victim Fund Under Fire for Inaction
California Crime Victim Fund Faces Backlash for Lack of ActionRuby Marichalar's heartbreaking experience with California's crime victim compensation fund sheds light on the challenges faced by many survivors. Denied an in-person meeting after her...
Californians at Risk of Homelessness Due to Rent Program Changes
The federal rental assistance program, designed to aid vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, is facing a critical shortfall in funds. This scarcity could potentially result in a surge of Californians facing homelessness in...
California Homeowners: State Farm Rate Hike Pause and Need Proof
California Homeowners Face Uncertain Future Amid State Farm Rate Hike PauseCalifornia Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has made a groundbreaking decision to grant State Farm’s request for a 22% increase in home insurance premiums, under...
State Farm California Homeowners Rate Increase Policy Update
California Regulator Grants Conditional Approval to State Farm for Homeowners Rate IncreaseIn a groundbreaking move, California's Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara, announced today that he would grant State Farm's request for a 22% average increase...
Opposition to Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports: Newsom’s Stance
In a surprising turn of events, Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a rightward stance on the issue of transgender athletes in women's sports, much to the dismay of LGBTQ supporters. This shift in position...
California Considers Protecting Wetlands From Trump Order
California Contemplates Protection for Wetlands Amid Policy ChangesAmidst changing federal regulations regarding the protection of waterways, the state of California finds itself at a crossroads in safeguarding its invaluable wetlands. The Trump administration's recent...
K.W. Lee: A California Hall of Fame Pioneer
K.W. Lee: A California Hall of Fame PioneerIn the bustling world of California politics, there are few who can claim the level of impact and influence that K.W. Lee had during his time as...
California Teen Gains Engineering Career Through Robotics Training
California Teen Forges Engineering Career Through Robotics TrainingNikhil Kaul, a 17-year-old senior at Amador Valley High School in the Bay Area, is not your typical teenager. Both of his parents are engineers, and he...
Is refusing late rent payment legal in California?
A California Dilemma: The Legalities of Late Rent Payments ExploredIn the heart of San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, Bradford Berger found himself hunched over on the sidewalk, sifting through crumpled legal documents in a worn...