California lawmakers are holding up money the Newsom administration requested for a nationwide driver license database over concerns that the information could lead to deportations.
StateWatch
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California Democrats threaten to block Newsom priorities over imperiled climate deal
Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed new carbon market rules that could drastically shrink the state’s funding for climate projects, threatening the spending deal he struck with legislators last year. Senate Democrats aren’t having it.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
How a George Floyd-inspired California law accidentally weakened police accountability
Investigations into fatal shootings by California police now take so long that officers often can’t be decertified or prosecuted, a CalMatters investigation shows.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California insurance commissioner race is set: Jane Kim vs. Ben Allen
Two Democrats will compete in November to regulate the insurance market amid increasing climate change risks and the aftermath of the 2025 Los Angeles fires.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California’s slow ballot count makes it a target for critics; it doesn’t mean elections are rigged
Days after the state’s primary, California voters are in a familiar position – waiting to find out which candidates will go on to the general election in their most high-profile races. The state routinely takes days, or even weeks, to fully tally races.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A California housing bill would raise wages to $28. Why do some unions hate it?
Legislation that would kick aside regulatory barriers to building townhouses marks just the latest spat between two rival construction unions over the future of California housing policy.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Five things to know about California’s election, from Congress to the governor’s race
California’s wild and wide-open primary election came to a close Tuesday with voters consolidating behind leading candidates for their parties.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California primary election 2026: Downballot statewide races
In addition to local races, Santa Cruz County voters had a variety of statewide races on their primary ballots. Here’s where you’ll find the latest on the governor’s race, and read on for stories from our content partners at CalMatters, the Associated Press and more.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A chemical tank nearly exploded. Did California’s regulators miss the signs?
A tank at a Garden Grove aerospace plant came within a crack of exploding and forcing a toxic chemical cloud over 50,000 evacuated residents — here’s what regulators knew before it happened.
Posted inEducation
‘I felt like I wasn’t learning’: Community college students struggle with online education
About 40% of California’s community college courses are online now, redefining education. These courses are more accessible, college officials say, but they come with serious drawbacks.
