Laurel Rosenhall

Laurel covered California politics for CalMatters, with a focus on power and personalities in the state Capitol. She's been included in the Washington Post’s list of outstanding state politics reporters and was named Journalist of the Year by the Sacramento Press Club. Laurel helped launch CalMatters in 2015 after more than a dozen years covering politics and education for the Sacramento Bee. A lifelong Californian, Laurel holds a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.

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Politics

Boys’ town? California just sent even fewer women to its Capitol

On a night many believed would be a milestone for women in politics, Cristina Garcia donned a Hillary Clinton T-shirt and a gray pantsuit and left her house in southeast Los Angeles. “Buenas noches,” the Democratic assemblywoman from Bell Gardens greeted her neighbors as she walked to an election-night party. Garcia was hopeful not only […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • November 10, 2016

Elections

Dueling Dems: 4 issues may hinge on what brand of Democrat wins

In a turbulent election year full of surprises, this much is certain: When it’s all over next week, broad swaths of California will still be represented by Democrats. The pressing question in many parts of the state: What kind of Democrat will voters send to Sacramento?Sixteen legislative races—from Northern California’s Wine Country to SoCal’s Inland […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • November 3, 2016

Politics

Aiming for supermajority, California Democrats play Trump card

The one shred of power Republicans hold in the California statehouse—enough seats to block Democratic lawmakers from a “supermajority”—is on the brink in this election. Already California is one of only seven states in which Democrats control the legislature and the governor’s office (as compared to 23 states where the GOP holds both). Here, Republicans […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • October 26, 2016

Climate Change

Trio of corporate interests spend big, urging Californians to just vote no

In California’s Democrat-dominated statehouse, big business usually plays defense. Liberal groups—like labor unions and environmentalists—typically push for new bills, while corporate interests work to kill them. Legislators feel that push and pull. A similar dynamic is now at play on California’s ballot, where major industries are spending big bucks to defeat policies backed by progressives. […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • October 12, 2016

Elections

Virtual landlord unlocks campaign websites—for a fee

Andrew Naylor was working at a digital advertising firm in Silicon Valley when the “a-ha” moment struck. It was 2008, and money—more than $83 million—was gushing into the advertising world as Californians prepared to vote on Prop. 8, the measure to limit marriage to heterosexual couples (later ruled unconstitutional.) “I saw what was happening with […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • October 5, 2016

Elections

Budding confusion: Split over whether Prop. 64 allows on-demand marijuana delivery

The slick website offers many ways to get high. Three pre-rolled joints will cost you $30. A gram of hash is $45. Blueberry, pineapple or brownie-flavored cannabis treats go for about $12 a bag. (“Caution,” the label says, they are “very strong.”) It takes just few taps on a smart phone to place an order, […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • September 28, 2016

Elections

Hey Big Spenders: Three multimillionaires stake a claim on state’s ballot

California has more billionaires than any other state, and an abundance of direct democracy. Those two facts intersect during election season, when spending by wealthy donors helps determine which initiatives make it on the ballot, and how many TV commercials and mailers campaigns can buy. Their donations carry the potential to influence state policy for […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • September 14, 2016

Politics

Political Paradox? Prop. 59 asks Californians to condemn a big-money system long used here

Six years after Citizens United—the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that says corporations and unions have a 1st Amendment right to unlimited campaign spending—presidential candidates across the spectrum have condemned the campaign finance system it shaped. “Corrupt,” says Bernie Sanders. “Pernicious,” says Hillary Clinton. “A broken system,” says Donald Trump.The issue is getting extra attention […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • September 7, 2016

Health

Dental victory tempered for grieving family: “How many more kids have to die?”

As a bill named in memory of his 6-year-old son heads to Gov. Jerry Brown, Tim Sears looks at his family’s foray into Sacramento politics with mixed emotions. “I’m both happy and proud of the amount of progress we’ve made and I think this bill will really help,” said Sears, whose son Caleb died last […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • August 24, 2016

Politics

On the Offense: Transgender Californians aim to pre-empt ballot struggle

One after another they stepped to the podium telling stories of liberation through transformation. There was the man, in suit and bowtie, who once played college basketball on a women’s team. There was the woman, in a red lace dress, who said attaining a female physique was like “holding a prize in my hand.” Gone […]

By Laurel Rosenhall • August 17, 2016