For California laws, the buck does really stop at Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. While the Legislature approves hundreds of bills each session — and will add to that list before adjourning Saturday — Newsom decides whether they become law. As of Aug. 15, Newsom had signed 164 bills and vetoed four....
Some California Dems Want an Arms Embargo on Israel. How Far Will They Push Kamala Harris?
CHICAGO — What will Kamala Harris do about the Gaza war if she's elected president? To some Californians watching, the best indicator might be what she's doing now. The vice president seemed to take a stronger stance against Israel's military response since Hamas' attack on Oct. 7 — calling for...
If Harris Wins the Presidency, Does That End Newsom’s White House Dreams?
CHICAGO — Many voters have gotten to know more about Vice President Kamala Harris in the past few weeks. But, having come up politically during the same time one county over, Gov. Gavin Newsom has seen her star rise for the last 20 years, he said this evening during the...
Bullard High Cellphone Ban Inspired Newsom’s Push to Keep Them Out of Classrooms
At Bullard High School in Fresno, it's easy to see the benefits of banning students' cellphones. Bullying is down and socialization is up, principal Armen Torigian said. Enforcing the smartphone restrictions? That's been harder. Instead of putting their devices in magnetically locked pouches, like they're supposed to, some kids will...
What 9 Cases From Kamala Harris’ Past Say About Her Record as a CA Prosecutor
In campaign mode, Kamala Harris doesn't refer to herself as a politician, but as a prosecutor. Her rise in Democratic politics began in California's courtrooms. Voters elected her first as San Francisco's district attorney and then as the state's attorney general. She battled multinational corporations on behalf of Californians, but...
Do CA Legislators ‘Shop’ for Lobbying Jobs Before They Exit?
With some of the year's biggest decisions still pending, nearly a quarter of California's 120 lawmakers may soon be unemployed. Many of them are thinking about their next job as the Legislature wraps up this month. If past experience is any guide, at least one in five departing lawmakers will...
Californians: Your Rent May Go Up Because of Rising Insurance Rates
Like single-family homeowners in California, landlords are facing higher insurance premiums, too. And they're passing along some of those costs to their tenants. Many insurance companies have stopped writing policies in the state because of increased wildfire risks, but that's not the only reason. They say in the case of...
California Seeks Biden Administration Approval for Controversial Diesel Truck Ban
California's top air quality regulator today urged the Biden administration's Environmental Protection Agency to "immediately" approve the state's regulation phasing out diesel trucks. Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph was among more than 250 people who signed up to speak this week at a virtual hearing focusing on whether the...
Californians Will Vote on $18 Minimum Wage. Workers Want $25 and More.
California touted a victory for working people in 2016 when it enacted a sweeping series of minimum hikes, making sure the lowest-wage workers would earn at least $15 an hour by 2022. Then-Gov. Jerry Brown, while signing the law, spoke of "giving people their due;" then-Senate leader Kevin de León...
California Rent Control Back on the Ballot, Twice
Sky-high rent is among Californians’ biggest concerns. Nearly 30% of tenants spend more than half their income on rent; and the median rent is $2,850 a month, 33% higher than the national average. Two propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot address this issue — though one does so in a rather roundabout way. The...