California doesn’t really need 2,600 new laws, right? Nevertheless, state lawmakers proposed 500 new bills on Friday, the 2023 session’s introduction deadline, bringing the total to about 2,600. That’s the most in more than a decade, according to veteran Capitol lobbyist Chris Micheli. More than 1,000 are “placeholder” bills without specific language. Reminder: More bills […]
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Posted inWhatMatters
Heat wave tests state’s communications strategy
Communication is everything. That seemed to be the key takeaway Wednesday as California officials assessed their response to the long-running extreme heat wave that pushed the state’s power grid to the edge of rolling blackouts Tuesday night. (The situation improved Wednesday as temperatures dipped slightly, though conditions were still dire enough for the California Independent […]
Posted inCalifornia Divide: Workplace
Newsom signs bill to regulate wages for fast food workers
The governor announced his decision on Labor Day. Supporters swayed moderate Democrats by removing a provision that would have put fast food corporations on the hook for labor violations at franchise locations.
Posted inChildren and Youth
Children’s day camps: Attend at your own risk
California day camps operate without background checks, CPR training, child/adult ratios or required reporting of injury and death. A family whose daughter drowned at a camp is working to change that.
Posted inWhatMatters
Get ready for another gas tax increase
July 1 is shaping up to be a big day for California. That’s when the Golden State’s sky-high gas prices are set to tick up even more due to a scheduled increase to the excise tax rate, which will tack nearly 3 cents per gallon onto prices at the pump. On Wednesday, drivers were already […]
Posted inWhatMatters
Labor’s top ally resigns from Legislature
Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, a key union backer in the California Legislature, will step down to take over the California Labor Federation.
Posted inPolitics
California politicians owe $2 million in campaign fines, don’t get punished
A CalMatters analysis shows the state has a broken system to collect unpaid penalties for late campaign reports.
Posted inCalMatters en Español
Los políticos de California deben $2 millones en multas de campaña, no sean castigados
Un análisis de CalMatters muestra que el estado tiene un sistema roto para cobrar multas impagas por informes de campaña tardíos.
Posted inWhatMatters
Election calendar crunch: Census count is running late
California election officials are running out of time. Let’s work backwards through the process: Before the state holds its primary election in 2022, it has to give candidates the opportunity to file to run; Before that, it has to create district maps so that those candidates know who and what they’ll actually be running to […]
Posted inPolitics
Mandate diversity? California bill would ban all-white corporate boards
A bill in the Legislature aims to require people of color in the boardroom. Some say it’s unconstitutional, others say it is necessary to ensure diversity.