Paris Hilton, the latest celebrity to lobby the California Legislature, persuaded it to pass a law that brings more transparency on the use of restraints and seclusion rooms.
StateWatch
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California got millions to train workers in disaster relief, but it’s leaving money on table
When disaster strikes, California gets federal funding to hire temporary workers to clean debris. But the jobs are tough, and some agencies struggle to manage the grants.
Posted inLatest News
Federal health care dollars are helping to house homeless Californians. Trump could stop that
Gov. Gavin Newsom launched an ambitious program that uses Medi-Cal to help Californians access housing, healthy food and more. Now, its fate is in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
ICE is looking for a new detention center in blue California. The state probably can’t stop it
With President-elect Donald Trump promising mass deportations when he takes office, a possible migrant detention facility within two hours of San Francisco has some lawmakers concerned.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Californians pay billions for power companies’ wildfire prevention efforts. Are they cost-effective?
After utility equipment sparked tragic wildfires, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric received state approval to collect $27 billion from ratepayers. As California electric bills soar, questions have emerged about oversight and costs.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
California falling short of enrollment goal as mental health courts roll out statewide
CARE Courts, California’s new initiative to compel treatment for some of the state’s most severely mentally ill residents, is rolling out to all 58 counties this month. But officials in counties that have already launched the program said the low number of cases reflects the amount of time it takes — sometimes weeks or months — to find people and persuade them to enroll.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California’s budget is ‘roughly balanced,’ but growing deficits expected
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office projects a $2 billion shortfall for 2025-26, but says the state can’t afford big new programs. Gov. Gavin Newsom has complained about attention on the office’s deficit estimates.
Posted inHousing & Development
How a Trump administration could affect California’s housing crisis
President-elect Donald Trump’s housing policy for his second term is vague at best. But based on available information, many California housing experts are not optimistic about what it could mean for the state’s crisis.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
One issue Trump and Newsom agree on? California homelessness
Experts predict funding cuts and policy changes in Donald Trump’s second administration. But Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom appear to agree on encampment sweeps.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
The California Legislature set a record for women in office and could see historic gender parity
California’s Senate will reach gender parity, but depending on the outcome of some close contests, that could extend to the whole Legislature.