CalMatters

Top Democrats say they won’t just ‘Trump-proof’ California — they’ll make it affordable again (December 2, 2024)
Gov. Newsom wants the California Legislature to prepare for the Trump administration, but its leaders also say they heard voters’ message on lowering the cost of living.

Gavin Newsom pledged to release his tax returns every year. The last one was for 2020 (November 19, 2020)
Gov. Newsom just bought a $9 million house in Marin County, but his sources of income haven’t been made public recently. He had pledged to release his tax returns.

Why no one spent more than Google to lobby California officials this summer (November 13, 2024)
The tech giant spent $10.7 million lobbying the Legislature and governor from July through September during a media bill fight. It also showered elected officials with $107,500 in campaign cash on one day in September.

Don’t expect Kamala Harris’ loss to boost Gavin Newsom’s presidential prospects (November 6, 2024)
California’s governor faces a lot of obstacles to a plausible run for president in 2028, even if he does help lead the resistance to Donald Trump.

Return of the Resistance State: What another Trump presidency will mean for California (November 5, 2024)
Expect four more years of combative showdowns between California’s Democratic leadership and a second Trump White House.

In the heart of Black Los Angeles, the future of Latino political power emerges (October 25, 2024)
An Assembly election in South L.A. captures the shifting dynamics of ethnic political power in California. One candidate is biracial and pledges to build bridges between Black and Latino voters.

Abortion isn’t on the ballot in California, but state candidates can’t stop talking about it (October 15, 2024)
Democrats in key legislative races say that abortion rights are under threat nationally so it’s a relevant issue. It could also be a winning issue.

Gavin Newsom has not solved California’s housing crisis. Three lessons for Kamala Harris (September 25, 2024)
Kamala Harris pledges to build 3 million affordable homes and apartments in her first term as president, but Gov. Newsom has fallen short on a similar campaign promise in California. What lessons can she learn?

California Democrats strike back against local conservative rebellions on LGBTQ rights, abortion (September 3, 2024)
Some California communities are resisting progressive policies from Sacramento. Democrats in the Legislature say they are going too far and are responding with bills to shut them down.

Gavin Newsom, once Biden’s biggest cheerleader, inches into the Kamala Harris campaign (August 14, 2024)
California’s governor stood by President Biden to the bitter end, but is taking a less visible role in the Harris campaign so far. His speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention could signal how prominent he will be until Election Day.

As LGBTQ library material comes under fire, California may ban book bans (August 5, 2024)
Fresno County is about to appoint a library review committee that critics say will censor children’s books. But a bill before the Legislature would outlaw such groups in California.

California Democratic delegates, with more sway in wild election, rally behind Harris (July 21, 2024)
With President Joe Biden announcing today he won’t seek reelection and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, some California Democratic delegates quickly went along. Gov. Gavin Newsom also endorsed Harris.

Gavin Newsom is ‘all in’ for Biden as defections grow. He’s playing the ‘long game’ (July 19, 2024)
A growing number of Democrats are saying President Biden can’t win and should step aside. But California’s governor is standing steadfastly behind him — and that could boost Newsom’s future political prospects.

Gavin Newsom for president? Tallying up his assets and liabilities (July 10, 2024)
As Democrats have panicked over President Joe Biden’s lackluster debate performance and looked elsewhere for a potential replacement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is the talk of the town. But how would he fare on the national stage?

Why Gavin Newsom’s gun control constitutional amendment hasn’t gone beyond California (June 7, 2024)
Since Gov. Newsom proposed a 28th Amendment one year ago, there has been far more progress on online petitions than in other state legislatures. His team says the effort will pick up speed in 2025.

Forget the first 220 failures to split California. This developer has a new plan to secede (June 3, 2024)
The latest bid to break up California is the brainchild of a real estate developer in San Bernardino County. It taps into growing resistance to the state’s liberal governance by more conservative residents.

An abortion fight in Beverly Hills exposes the limits of California’s ‘reproductive freedom’ (April 29, 2024)
A proposed clinic that would have performed later abortions was blocked from opening in Beverly Hills. As Gov. Newsom focuses on access for Arizona women, officials are overlooking barriers for providers in California.

Gavin Newsom says baseball saved him. But the legend of his career doesn’t always match the reality (April 4, 2024)
Public biographies of Gov. Gavin Newsom have long touted his baseball career, including that he played at Santa Clara University. But he was never on the roster, among other misperceptions of his accomplishments. Newsom has not corrected the record.

Huntington Beach on collision course with California over voter ID requirement (March 7, 2024)
Voters in Huntington Beach are passing measures for voter IDs and against gay pride flags to make the city a conservative bastion. But the state could take the city to court.

California lawmakers, raising fears of political violence, want to shield their properties (January 29, 2024)
A bill would let state legislators, who say they fear for their safety, shield their property holdings from disclosure forms. But critics say that could conceal potential conflicts of interest.

California picks its next governor in more than 1,000 days. Why the race is already so crowded (January 19, 2024)
More than two years until the first votes are cast, Senate leader Toni Atkins becomes the fourth big-name Democrat to jump into the governor’s race. She is seeking to become the first female and openly gay chief executive.

The Pride flag is gone. Library books are under review. It’s a new era of backlash politics in California (November 15, 2023)
Lacking power at the state level, conservatives are leaning into local governance to protest California’s progressive politics. The fight in Huntington Beach could be a harbinger of what’s to come.

Bashing Republicans for ‘rights regression,’ Newsom sidesteps protections for marginalized Californians
Gov. Newsom vetoed bills to outlaw caste discrimination and to consider gender affirmation in child custody cases. Advocates wonder if he’s thinking about his national political profile.

California gunmakers fear their ‘expiration date’ in a state that doesn’t want them (September 28, 2023)
Gov. Newsom just signed a tax on firearms and ammunition, among other new gun control laws. California’s remaining gun manufacturers wonder if they have a future.

Why a Colorado ambulance company wants to limit California taxes (August 24, 2023)
American Medical Response has poured more than $3 million into a November 2024 initiative to raise requirements for levying taxes and fees. The company says it’s looking out for patients, but local officials say it’s about the money.

This L.A. Democrat is a ‘New Testament kind of guy’ — and one of California’s most powerful voices on criminal justice (August 14, 2023)
As the California Legislature reconvenes for the final five weeks of its session, the leader of the Assembly Public Safety Committee is under the spotlight. But Reggie Jones-Sawyer isn’t backing down.

Medical cannabis paved the way for legalization in California. Now patients feel left behind (August 1, 2023)
Frustration runs deep among medical cannabis patients and advocates who say the commercial market created by Proposition 64 in 2016 isn’t meeting their needs.

She lost her home. She doesn’t want to lose her city council seat (June 22, 2023)
An Ojai City Councilmember moved out of her district after losing her home and is in danger of losing her seat. She and her supporters say it’s a dramatic demonstration of California’s affordable housing crisis.

This law should reveal who’s paying for California legislators’ travel. It’s only been used twice (May 18, 2023)
A 2015 law to bring more transparency to paid trips for California legislators has led to only two disclosure forms being filed by the sponsoring groups. The law’s author says it is being wrongly ignored.

How free trips for California legislators lead to bills (May 4, 2023)
Members of the California Legislature took nearly $1 million worth of trips sponsored by interest groups in 2022. The California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy accounted for 40% of the travel spending. Over the years, some of its trips led to legislation.

Tobacco sales phaseout withers in California without support from anti-tobacco advocates (April 13, 2023)
A bill to phase out all tobacco sales in California has been shelved, and anti-tobacco groups won’t say why they didn’t offer support. The bill was amended to focus on enforcing an existing ban on flavored tobacco.

A failure to communicate: California government cuts back press access (April 6, 2023)
Accelerated by the COVID pandemic, a shift by state officials toward emails and written statements is making it more difficult for journalists to be watchdogs for Californians.

‘Dream big’: Cannabis workers search for new futures as Emerald Triangle economy withers (February 27, 2023)
Cannabis growers are laying off employees and closing farms. As the impact cascades through surrounding communities, workers are trying to find their next jobs. But opportunities are scarce.

Emerald Triangle communities were built on cannabis. Legalization has pushed them to the brink (February 27, 2023)
Cannabis has been king in this rural area of northern California. But as prices plummet, communities and business owners are hurting, with no clear solutions in sight. Many blame Proposition 64 for undermining small growers.

Buried treasure: California politicians stash $35 million in leftover campaign cash (December 21, 2022)
Nearly 100 committees are sitting on $35 million in leftover campaign funds. Candidates could give the cash to charity or return it to their donors, but many hold on to the money to retain political influence or to possibly run again.

How California could count every vote faster (November 17, 2022)
California has expanded voting access and participation, but that can delay election results. Are there ways to count votes faster without undermining election security?

Would Prop. 1 allow abortions after fetal viability? Legal experts say no (October 31, 2022)
Opponents of Proposition 1 argue it would expand California abortion law to allow late-term procedures for any reason, but the measure’s supporters and legal experts dispute that interpretation.

Gavin Newsom’s reelection campaign looks more like a run for president (October 25, 2022)
California’s governor is spending more time and money on two ballot measures and a possible presidential run than his own reelection campaign.

Hope and prayer: California churches battle abortion ballot measure (October 3, 2022)
Religious opponents of abortion, led by the Catholic Church, are mobilizing against Proposition 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot. But the numbers in fundraising and in the polls are against them.

Inside the team pioneering California’s red flag law (September 19, 2022)
“Red flag” laws have been slow to take off in many places, but San Diego’s program shows how advocates hope gun violence restraining orders can be used to prevent tragedy.

‘Forcing the hand’: Gavin Newsom leans into legislative agenda as first term nears end (August 31, 2022)
In his first three years as governor, Newsom mostly acted through executive orders or the state budget. This year, he’s pushing more legislation as he builds his resume for reelection and, possibly, higher office. Key bills focus on climate change and homelessness.

Force multipliers: How one donor network is pushing the envelope on California campaign money (August 4, 2022)
Govern For California is using a network of local chapters to amplify the influence of its donors on legislative races. Among the biggest beneficiaries so far is Assemblymember Robert Rivas, who wants to become the next Assembly speaker.

California’s next cannabis battle may be coming to a city near you (June 21, 2022)
Some California cannabis companies are going directly to voters to get around local officials opposed to dispensaries. The epicenter for the effort is in Manhattan Beach and three nearby cities in Southern California.

Chesa Boudin recall is not a death knell for California criminal justice reform (June 9, 2022)
While San Francisco voters recalled progressive DA Chesa Boudin, other criminal justice reform proponents did well in the California primary. The message sent by voters was far more nuanced than the national narrative.

As Asian American voters ascend, a key battle in Orange County (June 3, 2022)
In California’s June primary, two battleground U.S. House races in Orange County could come down to a runoff between Asian American candidates. Both parties are invested heavily in outreach to the community, a signal of the ascent of Asian American voting power in California.

California Democrats lean into abortion rights as ‘defining issue’ (May 5, 2022)
Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats are counting on abortion rights to drive their voters to the polls. But some may still care more about crime, homelessness and inflation.

‘When you don’t know where to go, you come here:’ California preps to be a haven for abortion rights (May 2, 2022)
California abortion rights groups, providers and Democratic lawmakers are all getting ready for a potential influx of out-of-state women. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to dramatically scale back, or even end, the constitutional right to abortion.

Where’s Trump? A campaign fixture in some states, his name is nearly absent in California (April 28, 2022)
Republican candidates across the country are appealing to voters by claiming their allegiance to Donald Trump. But in California, many won’t even say if they voted for him.

‘People don’t think clearly in crisis:’ California law enforcement turns to mental health clinicians on toughest 911 calls (March 28, 2022)
California law enforcement agencies are embracing new approaches to mental health crisis calls. But some activists still want a solution without police, including volunteers in Nevada County who came together after a fatal shooting.

Progressives struggle for influence among California Democrats (March 7, 2022)
Progressive activists have found themselves on the losing end of recent California Democratic Party fights over single-payer health care, endorsements and donations from fossil fuel companies. Those tensions were on full display at the party’s annual convention.

Is this another way to end California’s death penalty? (February 9, 2022)
Instead of outright abolition, opponents of the California death penalty are pushing legislation to limit death sentences. But the blowback to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to dismantle Death Row at San Quentin demonstrates the political risk.

Why single payer died in the California Legislature, again (February 1, 2022)
A bill for single-payer health care in California didn’t even get a vote in the state Assembly after its author couldn’t round up enough support before Monday’s deadline. Advocates are incensed.

Gavin Newsom was the face of legal cannabis in California. Can he fix its problems? (January 31, 2022)
The governor championed the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. The struggling legal cannabis industry is now calling on him to cut state taxes, but his office says the solution isn’t that simple.