The Sacramento Bee

Gavin Newsom’s first budget: Down payments made, but supporters still want more (January 15, 2019)
In his first week as California governor, Gavin Newsom promised something for nearly every key interest group that backed his campaign. Many of his supporters have cheered his proposals. But some say he still needs to do more to deliver on his promises now that he’s in office.

‘It was like a ton of bricks crushed me’: California grapples with historic clemency rejections (January 10, 2019)
The California Supreme Court blocked ten clemency actions in the final weeks of the Brown administration, the first time since 1930 that it has rejected pardon or commutation requests under consideration by a governor. The move stunned observers of the court and has left them grasping for answers about how to proceed.

‘No substitute for parents spending time with their children’: Newsom puts early focus on kids (January 6, 2019)
On his last day before being sworn in as California governor, Gavin Newsom played up his focus on education and children’s issues at a kid-friendly inaugural event at the California State Railroad Museum.

What’s different about Gavin Newsom’s inauguration? More stars, no broken legs (January 4, 2019)
The inaugural celebration for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, which begins this weekend, is the most extensive, star-studded and public for a California governor in two decades. Not that he’s had a lot of competition recently.

Gavin Newsom made these 10 promises on the campaign trail. Can he keep them? (January 3, 2019)
Democrat Gavin Newsom vowed while running for governor to tackle many of California’s biggest problems, from health care to homelessness to wildfires. We’re watching his efforts to keep his campaign promises.

From plastic straws to pet CPR: How new California laws could change your life in 2019 (December 26, 2018)
Here are some of the new policies – the useful, the controversial, and the downright quirky – that could change your life starting Jan. 1, 2019.

Misconduct claim involving Kamala Harris aide came to agency months before she left office (December 14, 2018)
A misconduct claim naming one of Kamala Harris’ top deputies arrived at the California Department of Justice three months before Harris left the attorney general’s office in early 2017.

Kamala Harris aide who resigned after harassment case was one of her closest confidantes (December 7, 2018)
In a brief interview, Harris called the situation “deeply unsettling and sad” and said she takes “full responsibility for what happened in my office.”

Kamala Harris aide resigns after harassment, retaliation settlement surfaces (December 5, 2018)
A longtime top staff member of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris resigned Wednesday after The Sacramento Bee inquired about a $400,000 harassment and retaliation settlement resulting from his time working for Harris at the California Department of Justice.

Democrats’ spending list needs to be ‘whittled down,’ Gavin Newsom says (December 5, 2018)
California lawmakers had been in session for just 24 hours by midday Tuesday, and majority Democrats had already proposed tens of billions of dollars in new state spending. As Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom made the rounds at the Capitol, he had a message for them: No.

Labor pushes to protect California ruling that redefines who is an employee (December 3, 2018)
Seeking to protect a legal victory they believe is the most important for California workers in a generation, organized labor and its allies on Monday will launch efforts to bolster a recent state court decision on independent contractors.

Gavin Newsom wants to redesign California’s tax system. It’s so hard, Jerry Brown didn’t try (November 19, 2018)
California likes to tax the rich. A lot. The downside is that when the stock market goes bust, so does California’s budget. Can Gavin Newsom change that?

Trump cites ‘total devastation’ in Paradise, pushes plan to thin forests; death toll rises to 77 (November 17, 2018)
President Donald Trump toured the damage wrought by California’s deadliest wildfire Saturday, visiting the ruins of a mobile home park and pressing his argument that the state’s forests must be managed more aggressively to prevent future disasters.

Tax credits to labor laws. What everyone wants from California’s new governor (November 7, 2018)
Democrat Gavin Newsom, who won election Tuesday night, has a different kind of financial challenge as he prepares to assume the governorship in January: state coffers that are overflowing on the strength of a growing economy.

16-year-olds can pre-register. Free postage comes next. California is all in on voter access (November 1, 2018)
As states across the country have moved aggressively to crack down on alleged voter fraud, California has shifted rapidly in the other direction, passing landmark legislation intended to make it easier to vote and to count as many ballots as possible.

#MeToo scandal becomes election strategy for California Republicans (October 22, 2018)
Following a tumultuous year at the California Capitol during which half a dozen lawmakers were publicly accused of sexual misconduct, several Republican challengers in legislative districts are using Sacramento’s #MeToo moment as a campaign issue to attack their Democratic opponents.

CSU system just set a record for graduations. And more students ‘Finish in Four’ (October 17, 2018)
California State University awarded a record number of bachelor’s degrees last year, amid an ongoing push to double its four-year graduation rate.

John Cox wants teachers ‘paid like rock stars and baseball players.’ Why they back his opponent. (October 15, 2018)
It’s a position that might make an educator’s ears perk up. But it often comes with an addendum that, if Republican John Cox is elected governor, puts him on a collision course with the teachers unions that dominate education policymaking in Sacramento.

$700 a year? Less than $10 a month? We analyze how much California’s gas tax increase really costs you (October 11, 2018)
Proponents of the gas tax repeal are using a staggering figure to make their case, but it’s based on extreme assumptions and faulty math. Most drivers are not looking at such a heavy hit to their pocketbooks.

How John Cox made the money he’s using to run for California governor (September 26, 2018)
Seeking crossover appeal in a heavily Democratic state, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox highlights his experience in the private sector as the salve for California’s problems.

‘It’s literally drill, baby, drill’: Did Jerry Brown’s climate crusade give Big Oil a pass? (September 13, 2018)
Coming to the end of a historic fourth term as California governor, Jerry Brown has been engaged in a flurry of activity to cement the crusade against climate change that has dominated his political agenda. But critics contend he has left a gaping hole in his environmental record: a refusal to curb California production of oil.

After women said #MeToo, here’s how California lawmakers confronted sexual harassment (September 1, 2018)
In this moment of reckoning, inside the building and society at large, lawmakers passed more than a dozen bills addressing workplace sexual harassment by the close of the two-year session. Whether that has led to sustained changes in behavior around the Capitol, however, remains to be seen.

Booze fuels business — and bad behavior — at California Capitol (August 30, 2018)
Mixing work with booze has been a fundamental part of the Capitol culture for decades. But the blurred lines between business hours and playtime have given way to bouts of excess, from drunken driving to sexual misconduct to addiction.

Jerry Brown signs bill eliminating money bail in California (August 28, 2018)
Gov. Jerry Brown signed sweeping legislation to eliminate cash bail in California that goes further than any other state in the country to remove money from pretrial detention.

A union president shoved him at a Sacramento fundraiser, lawmaker reports (August 21, 2018)
A California lawmaker reported to the Legislature earlier this month that he was shoved by a health care union president at a downtown Sacramento restaurant.

Secret DMV office near California Capitol serves lawmakers and their staff (August 9, 2018)
If you enter the Legislative Office Building in downtown Sacramento, pass through security and hook an immediate left, then walk to the end of the hallway and take another right, at the end of that hallway is an unmarked door with a peephole.

Who is an employee? New standard for 2 million workers spurs clash at California Capitol (August 6, 2018)
A recent California Supreme Court decision, adopting a new “ABC test” for defining employees, threw nearly three decades of legal precedent up in the air.

Fix California roads without the new gas taxes? Here’s what it would take (July 31, 2018)
Proponents of an initiative to repeal recent increases to California fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees are already planning a sequel to pay for road repairs. But a Sacramento Bee analysis determined that the prospective measure would require major spending cuts to other programs across state and local budgets.

What John Cox doesn’t want to talk about in his race for California governor (July 18, 2018)
Seeking to become the first Republican elected statewide since 2006, John Cox has focused his underdog campaign on two key promises that have galvanized the state’s conservative base — and refused to discuss his positions on just about anything else.

Why California business leaders are fighting to save the gas tax increase (July 16, 2018)
It’s not often the California Chamber of Commerce endorses a tax increase.

After ‘wake-up call’ from Supreme Court, California unions face tough political choices (July 3, 2018)
Facing potentially dramatic impacts from the Janus decision in the years ahead if membership declines, and with it their dues, unions are also revamping their operations for the 2018 election cycle and beyond.

California bans local soda taxes through 2030 to avert industry-backed initiative (June 28, 2018)
California cities and counties will be banned from creating taxes on soda and other sugary drinks for more than a decade under a measure signed Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Jerry Brown dined with soda industry representatives ahead of tax ban deal (June 26, 2018)
Weeks before negotiating a lucrative deal to ban new local taxes on soda and other sugary drinks in California for more than a decade, top representatives for the beverage industry met with Gov. Jerry Brown for a private dinner at the governor’s mansion.

A ‘rebellion’ mounts among community college professors as California pushes for change (June 12, 2018)
As California leaders prepare this week to change the way the state funds its community colleges, a revolt is growing among professors who say it’s too much too soon for a system already undergoing rapid transformations to improve dismal student outcomes.

Who is John Cox? Trump-backed Republican faces Newsom in California’s governor race (June 6, 2018)
Averting concerns of a Republican shutout at the top of the ticket, GOP businessman John Cox finished second in the California gubernatorial primary Tuesday night. He will face Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in November for the opportunity to lead the largest state in the country.

Paris, Japan, Mexico City, Brazil – legislative staff travel at taxpayer expense (June 4, 2018)
The California Legislature has spent more than $192,000 in public funds for about two dozens international trips by staff members over the past five years, according to a Sacramento Bee analysis of travel records since 2013.

Be more like Chipotle, Jerry Brown tells California universities (May 24, 2018)
Gov. Jerry Brown, who in his last two terms has pushed, often unsuccessfully, to reshape the state’s expansive higher education system, on Wednesday suggested that California universities should be more like Chipotle.

‘Campaign will continue’ against California lawmaker after harassment investigation ends (May 18, 2018)
An array of political forces mobilizing against Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia pledged to continue to challenge her re-election bid after she was cleared of sexual harassment allegations.

Groping allegation against Cristina Garcia not substantiated by Assembly (May 17, 2018)
An Assembly investigation did not corroborate allegations that Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia drunkenly groped a former legislative staff member.

California assisted death law overturned in court (May 15, 2018)
A judge in Riverside County on Tuesday overturned California’s controversial assisted death law nearly two years after it took effect, ruling that the Legislature improperly passed the measure during a special session on health care funding.

Former Gov. George Deukmejian dies at 89 (May 8, 2018)
Known as the “Iron Duke” for his tough-on-crime approach to governing, Deukmejian died Tuesday of natural causes.

California Republican activists favor John Cox for governor but remain divided (May 6, 2018)
California Republicans head into a critical election next month divided between the two candidates for governor.

Trump, Pruitt ‘want people to buy more gas, create more pollution,’ Jerry Brown says (May 1, 2018)
With the Trump administration expected to roll back the nation’s fuel economy standards, California took a preemptive strike Tuesday, suing to preserve regulations that will require automakers to produce significantly cleaner cars over the next decade.

Soda, oil companies back initiative to limit taxes in California (April 23, 2018)
Business groups are prepared to spend tens of millions of dollars this year on a California initiative that would make it more difficult to raise state and local taxes.

California Republicans confront a dire election scenario: No GOP choice for governor (April 16, 2018)
The California GOP is at risk of something unprecedented this year: With two serious candidates for governor competing for a shrinking share of the electorate, there may be no Republican standard-bearer on the ballot in November.

Police could only use deadly force when ‘necessary’ under new California proposal (April 3, 2018)
California lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday that would tighten the state standard for use of lethal force to “necessary” – when there are no alternatives for the officer to consider in that situation.

‘Best tool’ to prevent gun violence is rarely used in California (March 29, 2018)
Supporters say law enforcement agencies remain largely unaware of the gun violence restraining order and its potential to help stop a crime before it has been committed.

Police shootings raise plenty of outcry. Why California lawmakers don’t act. (March 23, 2018)
Even in a liberal state, where the governor has prioritized loosening old tough-on-crime policies, legislators say the enormous influence of law enforcement groups makes it nearly impossible to pursue bills on police shootings, misconduct and body cameras.

Nancy McFadden, Jerry Brown’s chief of staff, dies (March 23, 2018)
McFadden, who rose through the ranks in Washington and Sacramento to become Brown’s executive secretary during his final two terms in office, died Thursday night following a battle with ovarian cancer. She was 59.

Trump runs for reelection against California: ‘The place is totally out of control’ (March 13, 2018)
President Donald Trump’s harsh message during his first official visit to California revealed nearly everything you need to know about what he thinks of the country’s largest, and most proudly liberal, state – and why it may be his ticket back to the White House in 2020.

Hugging banned for California lawmaker after harassment investigation (March 8, 2018)
The California Senate has reprimanded Sen. Bob Hertzberg and told him to stop initiating his trademark hugs after an investigation determined that his behavior made two female legislators and a male sergeant-at-arms uncomfortable.

Trump ‘basically going to war’ with California, Jerry Brown says (March 7, 2018)
Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday slammed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for “initiating a reign of terror” against immigrants in California.

Sexual harassment could stop special treatment for some lawmakers’ records (March 5, 2018)
Sparked by the unfolding sexual misconduct scandal at the Capitol, the California Legislature could this year expand the open records law governing itself for the first time in more than four decades.

Rent control and health care: Liberals fight for the soul of the California Democratic Party (February 26, 2018)
Liberal Democratic Party activists in the nation’s most populous state are flexing their muscle, attempting to push the party even further left.

Spin the bottle game among newest allegations against female lawmaker (February 18, 2018)
A former employee of Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia filed a complaint with the state on Saturday, seeking to sue the Bell Gardens Democrat for allegedly firing him after he refused to play “spin the bottle” with her.

Women target seats held by California lawmakers accused of sexual harassment (February 15, 2018)
A national movement against workplace sexual harassment has rocked the Capitol over the past four months, driving at least two lawmakers from office, and the reverberations continue in politics statewide. Female lawmakers say it is helping inspire a new wave of candidates and momentum in their ongoing efforts to elect more women to Sacramento.

Assemblywoman leading #MeToo movement at California Capitol accused of sexual misconduct (February 8, 2018)
An outspoken California lawmaker who has been at the forefront of the Capitol’s anti-sexual harassment movement is herself under investigation for allegedly groping a former legislative staff member.

The next battle over affirmative action is about discrimination against Asian Americans (January 23, 2018)
A surge of activism has helped push to the highest levels of national discourse a question rarely asked in previous decades of debate, and Supreme Court cases, over affirmative action: Do race-conscious college admission policies disadvantage, or even discriminate against, Asian American students?

‘Jungle love’ comment resurfaces in Democratic endorsement fight over Jim Cooper (January 19, 2018)
Local Democratic activists are mounting an internal challenge to their party’s support for Assemblyman Jim Cooper, raising concerns about his voting record and a complaint about his workplace behavior toward a female employee more than a decade ago.

Is Tony Mendoza really gone? Lawmaker works on bills at Capitol while on leave (January 11, 2018)
Despite taking a leave of absence while under investigation for sexual harassment, Sen. Tony Mendoza returned this week to his Capitol office and attended a Sacramento event hosted by an interest group.

From buying bullets to job-hunting: How California’s new laws could change your life in 2018 (December 31, 2017)
Every year, the California Legislature passes hundreds of bills, ranging from technical clarifications to funding proposals that keep the state running. How have they changed your world this time?

Sexual harassment victims want assurances Capitol investigations will be independent (December 26, 2017)
Members of the We Said Enough movement are raising concerns that by hiring attorneys to conduct sexual misconduct investigations, legislative leaders are giving themselves legal cover to avoid certain disclosures and compromising the promised independence.

‘It was like dirty dancing’: Colleagues say Sen. Bob Hertzberg hugged them inappropriately (December 13, 2017)
Three current and former female lawmakers say Sen. Bob Hertzberg inappropriately hugged and touched them, including an incident that one woman says crossed the line into what she considered assault.

Matt Dababneh will resign from California Assembly after sex assault allegation (December 8, 2017)
Facing complaints of sexual harassment and assault from two women, Assemblyman Matt Dababneh announced that he will resign at the end of the year.

Lobbyist names California lawmaker she says masturbated in front of her in hotel bathroom (December 4, 2017)
A Sacramento lobbyist said Monday that Assemblyman Matt Dababneh cornered her in a hotel bathroom in Las Vegas last year and masturbated in front of her.

Amid new groping allegations, Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra says he will not run for re-election (November 20, 2017)
Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra announced he would not seek re-election, shortly before six more women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

They reported sex harassment in state jobs and found ‘retaliation is alive and well’ (November 20, 2017)
Plaintiffs who have sued the state over sexual harassment describe a kind of David-and-Goliath ordeal that, in hindsight, wasn’t altogether worth it.

California Senate paid $89,500 to employee fired after argument over Colin Kaepernick (October 31, 2017)
The California Senate earlier this year reached a five-figure settlement with a former employee over allegations of discrimination and retaliation, including that he was fired for complaining about illegal political activities, sexual trysts and racist behavior in the office.

Culture of ‘fear’ stops women from reporting harassment at California’s Capitol (October 31, 2017)
A group of women who are calling attention to widespread allegations of sexual harassment and assault in California politics say they feel helpless and unable to speak up without risking their livelihoods.

​Capitol aide ‘felt very much like prey’ when California ​lawmaker groped her (October 27, 2017)
A longtime legislative staff member says she was groped by Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra at a public event eight years ago and continues to deal with repercussions of what she feels was an inadequate response by the Legislature.

Campaign grows against sexual harassment at California Capitol (October 20, 2017)
Female legislators, lobbyists, political consultants and Capitol staff members are calling out widespread “dehumanizing behavior by men with power” in California politics.

Harassment claim against California legislator cost taxpayers $100,000 (October 18, 2017)
The California Assembly has agreed to pay $100,000 to a former legislative staff member to settle a claim of harassment, discrimination and retaliation against former Assemblyman Steve Fox.

40 percent of CSU students take remedial classes. Why those courses will soon be gone. (October 3, 2017)
California policymakers, eyeing educational experiments across the country that improved student achievement, are pushing for sweeping changes to the traditional way colleges have helped students catch up.

Condemning Trump, ignoring antifa? How and why California lawmakers take a stand (September 21, 2017)
Resolutions remain an eternally popular exercise at the Capitol. So are these nonbinding declarations a valuable function of democracy or a pointless waste of time?

‘Free college’ is a new rallying cry in California (September 5, 2017)
Concern over soaring tuition rates and ballooning student debt has propelled a rapidly expanding campaign for free public higher education at the local, state and even national level.

Contemplating political death, California GOP clashes over party’s path (August 25, 2017)
With the ouster of Assembly GOP Leader Chad Mayes over dealmaking with Democrats on climate change legislation, Republicans are debating how to turn around their dwindling political fortunes in California.

Getting rid of California lawmakers’ cars actually did save some money (August 7, 2017)
Despite the Legislature’s protest that switching to a mileage-based reimbursement system would raise expenses, the 2011 elimination of a perk providing cars to lawmakers has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, according to a Sacramento Bee analysis of travel records.

Alleged affair between California Assembly Republican leaders fuels political attack (July 18, 2017)
Incensed that Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes supported a Democratic plan to renew a key climate change policy, California conservative activists are calling for his resignation and raising allegations of an affair with his predecessor.

Big student debt with no job? Trump blocks California’s fight on predatory colleges (July 14, 2017)
As the Trump administration takes a softer stance on for-profit colleges, California, which under former state Attorney General Kamala Harris investigated some of the industry’s biggest players for predatory practices and helped write a new loan forgiveness proposal, is fighting back.

What would get you to buy an electric car? California is working on it (July 6, 2017)
With accelerating sales mandates taking effect this year, California officials, automobile manufacturers and consumer groups agree more must be done to address customers’ concerns about going electric.

Can Jerry Brown fight climate change in his own backyard? (June 30, 2017)
Gov. Jerry Brown has made climate change the focus of his return to the governorship. Now he wants to convince two-thirds of the Legislature to extend his signature program.

Your drug costs might drop if lawmakers can agree on why they’re so high (May 29, 2017)
To tackle what California lawmakers say is a problem of drug affordability, they’ll first have to agree on who is to blame.

California politicians stole their money. Will that make them care about democracy? (May 7, 2017)
A vicious combination of voter ambivalence, sorely lacking oversight and human temptation has hollowed out local democracy in southeast Los Angeles County for decades.

UC kept secret $175 million reserve as it raised tuition, state audit finds (April 25, 2017)
The University of California’s central administration has systematically overcharged campuses to fund its operations, spent excessively on employee compensation and hidden $175 million in secret reserves in recent years, according to a blistering state audit.

Vote to increase California gas tax came to chaotic end (April 7, 2017)
For 13 minutes late Thursday night, it appeared as though Gov. Jerry Brown’s transportation funding deal might fall apart – and that came after a legislator was carted back from the hospital to cast a crucial vote for the politically perilous tax increase.

Should your criminal history be on job applications? Lawmaker says no (March 17, 2017)
Building on a 2013 law that prohibited public employers from asking about criminal history on the initial job application, a bill this session would expand the policy to private companies.

Jim Cooper got Paul McCartney tickets, $8,600 more in gifts from lobbyist employers in 2016 (March 7, 2017)
Every year, lobbyist employers shower lawmakers and their staff with free meals, tickets and goodie bags – but no one got more in 2016 than Assemblyman Jim Cooper, according to a Sacramento Bee analysis of lobbying filings.

California senator removed from floor after criticizing late lawmaker Tom Hayden (February 23, 2017)
The California Senate was thrown into chaos and anger on Thursday when a Republican member was forcibly removed from the floor for allegedly speaking out of turn during a session.

Amid Oroville emergency, California Legislature moves to make flood-control fixes (February 22, 2017)
As heavy winter storms continue to hammer California, the Legislature is launching a review of dam and levee safety and bracing for major investments necessary to shore up flood control throughout the state.

Donald Trump ignited a massive protest movement. Will it work? (February 21, 2017)
Trump’s upset victory in Novembe has fired up the opposition. Can the flurry of activity help protesters, whom the Trump administration has largely dismissed as paid operatives or sore losers, accomplish their aims?

California Senate gives 10 percent raises to 71 employees to close gender pay gap (February 14, 2017)
Capping a yearlong assessment of pay equity among its ranks, the California Senate late last year gave 10 percent raises to 71 employees to shrink a lingering gap between what male and female employees earn.

California considers an end to bail: ‘We’re punishing people simply for being poor’ (February 4, 2017)
On any given day, most inmates in California jails have not yet been convicted of a crime. For state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, the problem is clear: Bail is “just too expensive.”

Where have California’s black college students gone? (December 26, 2016)
Over the past decade, a surge of African American enrollment at California colleges, driven particularly by rapid expansion of the for-profit sector, just as quickly reversed course.

Uber’s head of self-driving cars helped develop law DMV says the company flouted (December 23, 2016)
A fight with the Department of Motor Vehicles over whether it falls under California rules for testing self-driving cars has forced Uber’s pilot program off the state’s roads. It was Uber’s head of autonomous vehicles who made the initial push for that regulation in 2012, when he held a similar role at Google.

‘I’m not that kooky’: Josh Newman trades bear suit for sport coat as new senator (December 8, 2016)
The Fullerton Democrat rode unconventional tactics to an underdog victory in the traditionally Republican 29th Senate District.

Where California and Trump could clash over the next four (or more) years (November 21, 2016)
President-elect Donald Trump was soundly defeated in California, where Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won by the largest margin in 80 years. It underscores a tension between deep-blue California and the wave that swept Trump to the White House, which will likely only intensify throughout his term.

California has upheld the death penalty. Now what? (November 9, 2016)
For the second time in four years, California voters rejected an effort by critics to repeal the death penalty.

Where is the NRA while California moves toward ammunition control? (October 29, 2016)
Despite being a favorite boogeyman of California liberals, the National Rifle Association is actually a relatively minor political player in the Golden State, where the voice of gun rights has traditionally been represented by state groups.

California correctional officers launch pro-death penalty campaign (October 25, 2016)
With polls showing California voters poised to abolish the death penalty in just two weeks, the state correctional officers’ union is underwriting a major drive to save capital punishment.

California’s gun control initiative would toughen already-strict laws (October 20, 2016)
California already has some of the nation’s strictest gun regulations, and they could get even stricter if voters pass Proposition 63 this November. Here’s what you need to know about the ballot measure.

‘Chessman’ explores crucial moment for Brown family, California death penalty (October 13, 2016)
The new play attempts to capture the international, O.J. Simpson-like frenzy and divisiveness that surrounded Caryl Chessman for more than a decade, while also asking the audience to look beyond its cast of iconic California figures to a family split by a deeply personal, ethical dilemma.

‘Finish in Four’ is new mantra for California State University (September 30, 2016)
Across its sprawling 23-campus system, California State University is looking for new ways to boost four-year graduation rates that are increasingly under fire as unacceptably low.

Sentenced to die? Depends on the county in California (September 21, 2016)
As California voters weigh two ballot measures this fall to either abolish the death penalty or institute changes that aim to expedite it, fewer counties are sending murderers to death row. A Bee analysis of death row records found that the verdicts since 2011 come from just 14 of California’s 58 counties.

Liberal allies spar over Planned Parenthood bill on secret videos (August 29, 2016)
California lawmakers’ response to the controversial series of videos that purported to show Planned Parenthood breaking the law has alienated some liberal allies of the organization, which is now negotiating changes to save its bill in the final days of the session.

In California’s Democrat-dominated Capitol, it’s Senate vs. Assembly (August 24, 2016)
Welcome to the state Legislature’s annual civil war. Forget Democrats and Republicans – the divide most likely to make an impact on the outcome of this session is the perpetual rivalry between the Senate and Assembly.

Bilingual education back on ballot 18 years after voters rejected it (August 8, 2016)
Sen. Ricardo Lara is leading a push to reverse a law that he said put a “handcuff” on multilingual education in California when a globalizing economy has made knowing two or more languages a valuable asset.

UC spent $158,000 on campaign to counter critical state audit (June 28, 2016)
In the wake of a scathing state audit released in March, the University of California mounted a $158,000 publicity campaign to dispute claims that its admissions policies had disadvantaged resident students.

How much should Californians know about police shootings? (June 14, 2016)
As activists push for more transparency on police use of force and as new technology thrusts these cases into the spotlight more than ever, a national battle over accountability and privacy has reached the Capitol.

Ex-California senator Ron Calderon to plead guilty to mail fraud (June 13, 2016)
Capping a wide-ranging corruption case brought by federal prosecutors, former state Sen. Ron Calderon will plead guilty to one count of “mail fraud through the deprivation of honest services.”

Sanders supporters shut out results, celebrated at California rally (June 8, 2016)
Even as Bernie Sanders lost the California primary, his election night rally in Santa Monica had the feeling of victory.

De León underscores, emphasizes his leadership of California Senate (June 6, 2016)
Whether in a floor speech, an interview or a press conference, you’re likely to hear California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León “underscore and emphasize” a point.

Are Bill Dodd and Mariko Yamada headed for a November faceoff? (May 28, 2016)
With an overwhelming registration advantage, a Democrat is almost certain to win the 3rd Senate District this November. But which one? And could it be decided by the upcoming June primary?

Jerry Brown raises California smoking age to 21, tightens vaping rules (May 4, 2016)
Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday enacted California’s most significant new tobacco regulations in decades, signing laws that will place tight restrictions on use of the increasingly popular e-cigarette and make California the second state to raise its smoking age to 21.

Some UC majors see balance shift toward out-of-state students (May 4, 2016)
A recent state audit of the University of California raised concerns that the number of out-of-state and international students in the system was increasing even as resident enrollment in some popular majors dropped.

CSU faculty will receive 10.5 percent raise over next two years (April 8, 2016)
Just days before California State University professors were expected to walk out on the job, Chancellor Timothy White and the California Faculty Association jointly announced Friday a tentative contract agreement far more expansive than the 5 percent raise teaching staff sought for nearly a year.

University of California funds generous home loans for faculty (April 3, 2016)
Since 1984, more than 6,000 UC professors and nearly 200 executives have saved thousands of dollars a year through a university program to assist them in purchasing residences near the campuses where they work.

Documentaries like “Blackfish” influence California’s Capitol (March 31, 2016)
For lawmakers and advocates alike, movies have become a popular way to generate public awareness, promote legislation and reach those under the dome who have a say on the issues they care about.

State auditor blasts UC over tuition policy (March 29, 2016)
The University of California has disadvantaged resident students with its recent emphasis on recruiting applicants from out of state and overseas, leading to a drop in the number of Californians enrolled at UC. That was the highly critical conclusion of a state audit released Tuesday.

When every bicyclist’s nightmare comes true (March 27, 2016)
When you get hit by an automobile while riding your bike, you expect the driver to stop and check that you’re OK. You don’t expect them to get out of their vehicle and shove you.

Road to California tax checkoff paved by legislative connections (March 21, 2016)
The seed for one California tax checkoff benefiting a well-connected charity was planted at a warehouse in Martinez.

‘Excessive water users’ fine would elevate drought-shaming to California policy (February 19, 2016)
As California enters its fifth year of a historic dry period, a novel strategy adopted by an East Bay water utility that turned the spotlight on the region’s most wasteful consumers — among them the rich and famous — could become the basis for statewide policy.

California public universities consider tuition hikes you can count on (February 14, 2016)
The tuition freeze at California’s public universities is set this fall to stretch into its fifth year. But nothing lasts forever.

CSU faculty to strike for five days if contract deal isn’t reached (February 8, 2016)
The California State University faculty union announced Monday that it will strike for five days across all 23 campuses if an ongoing contract dispute is not resolved by the middle of April.

Resident enrollment dropped at University of California last year (January 14, 2016)
Following a blistering budget battle last year that stirred debate about tuition increases and recruiting out-of-state students, about 1,600 fewer California students enrolled at the University of California’s nine undergraduate campuses last fall as compared with fall 2014.

California politicos to watch in 2016 (January 1, 2016)
In front of the cameras and behind the scenes, these seven figures will have big roles in state politics over the next 366 days.

Battle over abortion rights in California shifts to crisis pregnancy centers (December 6, 2015)
As the national debate has once again been inflamed by restrictive new laws in many states and a controversial series of videos released this summer about Planned Parenthood’s practice of selling fetal issue, supporters of abortion rights have pushed back with fresh scrutiny of crisis pregnancy centers.

Inside California lawmakers’ paid trips to Maui (November 18, 2015)
The California Independent Voter Project’s annual conference has once again arrived at this $360-a-night hotel on Maui’s southwest shore, bringing together 21 lawmakers and dozens of corporate sponsors for five days of policy discussions and schmoozing.

Food pantries for hungry students spread at California colleges (October 26, 2015)
Recognizing that many students skimp on meals to cover their school expenses, dozens of California colleges have opened food pantries on campus in recent years.

Sacramento State program tackles college achievement gap among Asian students (October 14, 2015)
Tucked away in a corner of the university library building, just beyond the bustling Java City coffee shop, the Full Circle Project office is a small haven for many of Sacramento State’s Asian American students.

What you need to know about California’s new assisted-death law (October 9, 2015)
Now that assisted death is set to become legal in California, what does it mean for you? Here’s a primer.

California weighs banning concealed handguns on campuses (October 4, 2015)
Already praised by many gun control advocates for having the strictest firearms laws in the country, California is once again considering a move to tighten its restrictions with a ban on the concealed carry of handguns at colleges and schools.

Which bills will Jerry Brown sign? (September 17, 2015)
After a flurry of action by California lawmakers in the final weeks of the legislative session, the attention now shifts to Gov. Jerry Brown, who will act on an estimated 640 bills over the next month.

California Senate overnight drivers still on payroll (September 11, 2015)
Three months after California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León ended an overnight ride service for senators, the two part-time drivers are still on the payroll.

California makes ‘aggressive’ push to combat campus sexual assaults (September 3, 2015)
Half a dozen proposals are moving through the Legislature this year that aim to increase the response to sexual assaults at California colleges.

California prison population drops under Proposition 47, but public safety impact still unclear (August 7, 2015)
Continuing the recent trend away from decades of tough-on-crime policy, nearly 60 percent of voters last November supported Proposition 47, which reduced from felonies to misdemeanors offenses including drug possession for personal use. Only a spotty picture has emerged of the law’s early effects.

Proposed bobcat trapping ban feeds debate over government’s role (August 2, 2015)
The California Fish and Game Commission will consider a statewide ban on bobcat trapping this week, a proposal that has reignited debate over wildlife protections and the power of regulatory agencies.

UC raising minimum hourly wage to $15 (July 22, 2015)
The University of California will raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next three years for all employees, including part-time and contract workers. The policy comes amid the national “Fight for $15” campaign, led by labor unions.

California reckons with honoring complicated past (July 21, 2015)
It’s a sentiment echoed across the country and throughout time as Americans struggle to balance the memory of an often-ugly past with sensitivity to those for whom its commemoration is offensive. Should we be honoring figures who committed terrible deeds? Is relegating them to books and museums tantamount to erasing our history?

Fort Bragg stands firm in debate over Confederate connection (July 13, 2015)
A California senator’s efforts to wipe the names of Confederate heroes from public spaces will now exclude cities, a reprieve for the tiny town of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County. Residents have met the controversy with a collective shrug of disinterest in the concerns of an interloper.

California assisted death bill appears finished for the year (July 7, 2015)
With votes lining up against the measure, California’s controversial assisted death bill was pulled from the Assembly Health Committee schedule Tuesday for the second time in two weeks and appears done for the year.

California’s controversial assisted-death bill divides doctors (July 7, 2015)
Nearly 18 years after Oregon enacted the country’s first assisted-death law, doctors remain strongly divided over the ethics of the policy. Does it provide patients with a personal choice to end their suffering, or violate a physician’s oath to do no harm? The answer can be deeply personal.

Former state Sen. Leland Yee pleads guilty to corruption charge (July 1, 2015)
Former state Sen. Leland Yee faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after a deal in federal court Wednesday in which he pleaded guilty to one felony count of racketeering.

California Senate sends mandatory vaccines bill to governor (June 29, 2015)
After months of packed committee hearings and lengthy floor debates, California’s controversial mandatory vaccinations proposal now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown for consideration.

California Senate’s liberal agenda faces uphill climb in Assembly (June 28, 2015)
It’s been a year for high-profile liberal legislation in the California Senate, but many await a tough slog in the Assembly.

Budget deal brings major changes to University of California pension system (June 25, 2015)
The highly public funding battle between the University of California and Gov. Jerry Brown that began last fall centered primarily on tuition levels and enrollment slots for students. But a budget deal reached this spring holds the biggest changes for future university employees.

New California senator Steve Glazer walks political tightrope (June 16, 2015)
The Democrat from Orinda won his suburban East Bay district promising independence from unions, the business community and other special interests that traditionally are California lawmakers’ biggest political backers.

California Senate approves assisted death law (June 4, 2015)
In an emotional vote on Thursday, the California Senate advanced a controversial proposal allowing terminally ill people to seek life-ending medication.

California Senate offers 24-hour rides for lawmakers too drunk to drive (May 29, 2015)
California Senate officials earlier this year hired two part-time employees to provide late-night and early-morning rides for members while they are in Sacramento, a 24-hour service that follows high-profile drunken driving arrests involving lawmakers in recent years.

California gambling interests face off over future of Internet poker (May 26, 2015)
Is this the year California finally legalizes Internet poker? It’s a long-shot bet.

Looking to the Capitol, outside money drives nasty East Bay special election (May 18, 2015)
When voters here elect a new state legislator Tuesday, they will be making a decision likely to reach far beyond the 7th Senate District’s East Bay borders.

California legislators blast UC over financial aid for out-of-state students (May 13, 2015)
Lawmakers slammed the University of California on Wednesday for spending $32 million last year to provide financial aid to out-of-state and international students. While only a small portion of the university’s multibillion-dollar operations, the money hits at a deep mistrust that has developed between the state and UC during a combative budget process over the last six months.

More than Calderon, Yee calendars at stake in newspaper lawsuit (May 5, 2015)
What began as a push by two California newspaper groups for the calendars of indicted former Democratic state Sens. Ron Calderon and Leland Yee may ultimately broaden public access to legislative business and change the way lawmakers operate at the Capitol.

University of the Pacific in talks to continue Drexel programs in Sacramento (March 26, 2015)
Continuing the transformation of its Sacramento campus, the University of the Pacific revealed Thursday that it has entered negotiations with Drexel University to continue some of its graduate programs after Drexel leaves the region over the next two years.

More than money at stake in University of California budget negotiations (March 23, 2015)
This year’s back-and-forth with Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers not only has unleashed unprecedented fiscal scrutiny of the 10-campus system, it has also placed on the table the previously unthinkable option of stripping UC’s constitutional independence.

UC computer project behind schedule, millions over budget (March 5, 2015)
The University of California said a new computer system would make the multi-campus system more efficient and save money, but the payroll project has already cost $50 million more than expected and the financial benefits of the overhaul are unclear. UC is forging ahead, with no end date in sight.

University of California plans to limit resident enrollment (March 3, 2015)
University of California President Janet Napolitano said UC will cap the number of California students next year pending the outcome of budget negotiations.

As Latino population grows, so does push for place at California universities (February 10, 2015)
With large proportions of Latino students, most campuses in the University of California and California State University systems are now considered Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The designation can bring financial benefits and perhaps a new identity.

Auditor questions California judiciary’s administrative spending (January 7, 2015)
Questionable financial and operational decisions by administrators of California’s judiciary has limited the amount of money available to state courts, Auditor Elaine Howle reports.

Hope – and some anxiety – as immigrants seek new California driver’s licenses (January 2, 2015)
As the California Department of Motor Vehicles began accepting applications for a new immigrant driver’s license on Friday, busy Sacramento offices overflowed with emotion.

California colleges poised to perform well on federal ratings system (January 1, 2015)
As new details emerge on a controversial rating system to promote college affordability, California higher education leaders have concerns, but sense opportunity.

Janet Napolitano pushes UC to front line of California budget battle (December 29, 2014)
When University of California President Janet Napolitano broadsided Gov. Jerry Brown last month with a threat to raise tuition by more than a quarter over the next five years unless UC receives more money from the state, she launched one of next year’s most contentious budget battles.

Rising retirement costs help drive UC plan to raise tuition (November 16, 2014)
Swelling retirement costs are a factor in the University of California’s quest for more money – either from the state Legislature or through proposed tuition increases.

University of California plans annual tuition increases for five years (November 5, 2014)
The University of California will unveil a plan Thursday to raise tuition 5 percent annually over the next five years unless the state increases budgetary support beyond expected levels.

State schools chief Tom Torlakson touts experience in tight re-election battle (October 18, 2014)
California’s superintendent of public instruction race has become an unexpected battleground for national conflicts over teacher protections. Incumbent Tom Torlakson hopes his experience and institutional support will lift him over fellow Democrat Marshall Tuck.

State schools chief challenger Marshall Tuck wants to change Sacramento, if he can get there (October 5, 2014)
Marshall Tuck, a former Los Angeles schools executive, held a small lead over incumbent Tom Torlakson when the first public poll on the state superintendent of public instruction’s race was released last month. But Tuck faces an uphill battle to actually win in November – in a nonpartisan race, with little name recognition, pushing a platform of educational change opposed by the state’s Democratic establishment and especially the California Teachers Association.

California weighs community college baccalaureates to close degree gap (August 27, 2014)
Driven by shifts in technology and educational expectations across industries, California’s higher education leaders know they face an unexpected economic challenge just six years after the recession ravaged the state’s workforce: a potential shortage by 2025 of 1 million bachelor’s degrees.

University of California steps up out-of-state recruiting (August 11, 2014)
Pushed to look for alternative sources of revenue amid the deep budget cuts of the economic recession, schools in the UC system increasingly are recruiting nonresident applicants, who likely will make up a fifth of all freshman for fall 2014.

Bill would allow underage winemakers to sip and spit (June 5, 2014)
Many students in California’s winemaking and beer-brewing programs are under the legal drinking age and cannot participate in classroom or extracurricular tastings that would allow them to get a firsthand understanding of theory, develop their palates and network with industry representatives who visit campus.

Controversial ‘student success fees’ enter budget debate (May 29, 2014)
Running several hundred dollars per semester, new charges have cropped up at more than half of the campuses in the California State University system in recent years to generate revenue for initiatives that improve student success and completion rates. The millions in additional funds have paid for hiring faculty, adding course sections and technology upgrades. They have also inspired a wave of controversy.

Big money pours into California schools chief race as challenger gains steam (May 19, 2014)
Just weeks from the primary election that could decide California’s next superintendent of public instruction, teachers unions and education advocates are jumping into a heated battle.

Admission rates fall at UC campuses as international presence grows (April 18, 2014)
Even as the University of California accepted a record number of freshman for fall 2014, admission rates at its most selective campuses reached new lows. Huge increases in the number of applicants, changing admissions processes and a growing emphasis on out-of-state and international students are driving them down.

California public colleges collaborate on fix to broken transfer process (April 14, 2014)
The community college and California State University systems have embraced a new associate degree as an opportunity to fix the broken transfer process. But despite progress in implementing the degree program over the past few years, many challenges remain — most notably, actually getting students to participate.

University of California updates sexual violence policy (March 8, 2014)
The University of California announced Friday a new sexual violence and harassment policy that will expand protections for victims, increase reporting requirements for campuses and introduce new training and education across the system.

Californians to watch 2014: Tani Cantil-Sakauye tries to rebuild California’s massive court system (December 30, 2013)
How do you solve a problem like the California judiciary?