March 2023

CalMatters en Español

CalPERS pagará $800 millones en acuerdo judicial por reclamos de que engañó a los jubilados sobre los costos del seguro de atención a largo plazo

EN RESUMEN Los trabajadores jubilados del gobierno de California obtendrán decenas de miles de dólares si renuncian a su seguro de atención a largo plazo. Read this article in English. CalPERS se está preparando para pagar aproximadamente $800 millones para resolver reclamos de que engañó a los jubilados cuando comenzó a ofrecer seguros de atención […]

By Adam Ashton • March 20, 2023

CalMatters en Español

Los parques de casas móviles son un refugio contra la escasez de viviendas en California. ¿Pero quién los supervisa?

Read this article in English. Bobby Riley se mudó a Stockton Park Village para vivir sus días en paz. En 2018, este trabajador de la construcción jubilado de 87 años metió su tráiler usado en el lote más alejado del complejo de casas móviles que tienen forma de herradura y en una calle arbolada en […]

By Manuela Tobias • March 20, 2023

Politics

Homelessness, rehabilitation and health care: What to know about Newsom’s legacy tour

Gov. Gavin Newsom starts defining his legacy on a four-day statewide tour that focuses on priorities interrupted by crisis and the COVID pandemic, including homelessness, criminal justice and health care.

By Sameea Kamal and Alexei Koseff • March 20, 2023

Health

CalPERS to pay $800 million settlement over claims it misled retirees on costs of long-term care insurance

Retired California government workers will get tens of thousands of dollars if they give up their long-term care insurance.

By Adam Ashton • March 20, 2023

Commentary

AI poses difficult policy questions. California lawmakers will want to answer them

Artificial intelligence will pour gasoline onto existing tech battles while also introducing a whole new set of policy problems. With partisan gridlock hindering Washington D.C., the early battles could be waged in Sacramento.

By Jarrett Catlin • March 20, 2023

Economy

Court ruling opens door to gig driver unionization bill, union says

A court ruling last week upheld much of a 2020 gig-worker initiative, but found part of the measure was invalid. The part the court struck down opens the door to driver unionization legislation, according to labor advocates challenging the initiative.

By Grace Gedye • March 20, 2023

WhatMatters

Who’s watching out for residents of California mobile home parks?

It’s no surprise that California has an affordable housing crisis. It has squeezed 500,000 people out of the state and forced tens of thousands onto its streets.  But there’s an oft-overlooked group of Californians — 1.6 million of them — who live in mobile home parks. They tend to be older and poorer than the […]

By Lynn La • March 20, 2023

Commentary

After court ruling, California’s gig worker battle takes new turn

A California appellate court ruling added a new twist to the legal and political battle over the status of gig workers, which dates back to 2004. However, the conflict is likely just shifting to another arena.

By Dan Walters • March 20, 2023

Commentary

Marion Joseph’s literacy crusade for teaching phonics in California is paying off

Marion Joseph battled for years to improve the reading skills of California youngsters through phonics instruction. She died last year but phonics is becoming the state's favored method of overcoming California's literacy crisis.

By Dan Walters • March 19, 2023

Commentary

Waiving California environmental rules for Delta water equates to a civil rights issue

Despite reversing course last week, the February decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom and state water officials to bypass environmental rules for water storage allowed greater harm to salmon populations already besieged by drought. Native American tribal members argue that such environmental harm amounts to a civil rights violation.

By Guest Commentary • March 17, 2023