Project Spotlight
California’s unemployment crash
A year-long CalMatters investigation finds that the state was primed for disaster by years of missed red flags and failed reforms.
Commentary Spotlight
Voices: What should California do about homelessness?
To better understand the solutions and areas of consensus, CalMatters asked a few of the people involved to weigh in.
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Derek, Sacramento
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CALIFORNIA DIVIDE
A statewide media collaboration to raise awareness about poverty and income inequality through in-depth journalism and community outreach.
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Commentary
Brownsville, Texas, to Los Angeles: The migrants forced to travel through American politics
Since June, nearly 1,000 migrants have been bused from Texas to Los Angeles as a political stunt. A patchwork system has emerged to provide care, services and a humane entry to U.S. life once they reach California.
ENVIRONMENT
Commentary
California wants to rollback environmental rules for cannabis. That won’t help ailing growers
California’s environmental regulations are not to blame for the struggles of small pot farmers. County permitting decisions, the local political climate, and the inability of law enforcement to eradicate illicit cultivation have been much bigger hurdles.
POLITICS AND THE CAPITOL
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Commentary
Newsom deserves credit for doing what few Democrats will, confronting GOP in DeSantis debate
Democrats need to push back more aggressively against the GOP, argues veteran strategist Garry South. Gavin Newsom has been doing this in so many ways, and the debate with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was part of that.
Californians want lawmakers to safeguard elections from artificial intelligence
Consensus is rare, but nearly all Californians agree on stopping AI and disinformation’s potentially disastrous impact on upcoming elections. This should be a wakeup call for the California Legislature.
EDUCATION
Commentary
School book bans and anti-trans policies teach California children the wrong lessons about acceptance
In parts of California, school boards are attempting to restrict access to certain books and pass controversial parental notification policies. A queer college student and political consultant says these efforts not only endanger students but teach children the wrong lessons about acceptance.
ECONOMY
Commentary
Ticket resellers have upended live music. California must restore power for artists and fans
Industrialized, third-party resellers have upended the live entertainment ecosystem in California with harmful tactics that hurt fans and artists alike. A proposed reform would rightly ban some of the worst practices.
HOUSING
Commentary
The private sector is failing to address California’s housing crisis. Social housing shows promise
There are many explanations for why California lacks affordable housing. What they add up to: the private market is failing to address the crisis. The state needs solutions like social housing, for example, that reckon with that reality.
JUSTICE
Commentary
San Quentin Prison is decaying and California would rather ‘transform’ it than fix it
California’s whopping $14.4 billion prison budget and the governor’s $360.6 million price tag to “transform” San Quentin into a rehabilitation center seemingly overlook the existing…
HEALTH
Commentary
Despite Newsom veto, California should still provide free condoms to public school students
A bill that would’ve required public schools to give students access to free condoms was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but young advocates worried about the rise in sexually transmitted infections are vowing to keep pushing for access.
COMMENTARY
Guest Commentary
Why questioning certain material in California schools isn’t about banning books or hate
In parts of California, school boards, parents and activists are pushing to restrict access to certain books, most often involving LGBTQ topics. An activist says reasoned debate about possibly obscene material is a worthwhile discussion for school boards.
As hospitals and maternity wards close, here’s one way California can prevent stillbirths
Expectant parents are losing access to prenatal care or driving long distances with so many California hospitals closing maternity wards to cut costs. A mother whose first child was stillborn shares her story and an important practice that public agencies should raise awareness about.
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DAN WALTERS
Successful reading skills upgrade offers a lesson for California politicians
A new study found that spending $53 million on upgrading the reading skills of third graders had a positive effect. It’s a lesson that politicians should heed.
EXPLAINERS
Explore CalMatters’ explainer “card decks” to discover the data-driven context you need to make sense of big issues confronting California.
COLLEGE BEAT
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California’s budget deficit could hit record next year
If you thought California’s $30 billion-plus budget deficit for 2023-24 was bad, the projection for 2024-25 from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office paints an even bleaker picture. In its fiscal…
