Under a system that has long prioritized local control for school districts. state officials now are fighting some recent board decisions regarding LGBTQ students.
The battle over LGBTQ+ students in California public schools and parental rights is heating up again — and this time Attorney General Rob Bonta is going to court. Bonta on Monday announced that he has filed a lawsuit against Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education over its recent policy to require district teachers […]
From CalMatters state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal: It was a case that some said threatened to erode California’s voting rights law. But after a ruling by the state’s Supreme Court on Thursday, some of its protections are reaffirmed, for now. The case, filed by the Pico Neighborhood Association and others in 2016, alleged that Santa […]
During the 2022 campaign, CalMatters state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal wrote about how the state Republican Party — struggling to win statewide office in deep-blue California — decided to focus on local school boards with its “Parent Revolt” program. The GOP’s goal: To capitalize on parents’ anger over COVID-19 shutdowns and concerns about “critical race […]
While the Legislature is on summer break until Aug. 14, Gov. Gavin Newsom is signing bills into law — or, in the case of one unfortunate proposal, vetoing them. He said “no” to Senate Bill 275, which would require state Senate confirmation of California’s oil and gas supervisor. In his veto message, the governor said […]
There’s policy, then there’s politics. That played out Thursday in some high drama at the Legislature — during its last day before a month-long summer vacation — as lawmakers resuscitated a contentious criminal justice bill. Assembly Republicans tried to force a floor vote on the bill — which won unanimous approval in the state Senate […]
Is the tide turning in favor of California’s renters? Some signs say yes. On Wednesday, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that a San Jose-based developer and property manager must refund more than $331,000 to 20 tenants in overpaid rent. It’s the first use of a 2019 law, explains CalMatters’ housing reporter Ben Christopher, but “it […]
From CalMatters reporter Marisa Kendall: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration took credit Tuesday for shipping 36 asylum-seeking migrants to Sacramento over the past week, prompting another round of political shots between Florida officials and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In a written statement, a spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management characterized the migrants as […]
In some ways, there are two Californias. Depending on your values and political views, the state is either a bastion of diversity and inclusion, or a treacherous place for minorities and marginalized groups. On one side, many in California embrace its diversity with open arms. Today, advocates and lawmakers will kick off the Transgender Week […]