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Lynn La

Newsletter Writer

Lynn La is the newsletter writer for CalMatters, focusing on California’s top political, policy and Capitol stories every weekday. She produces and curates WhatMatters, CalMatters’ flagship daily newsletter with more than 150,000 subscribers.    

In the newsletter, Lynn analyzes the state’s policy issues for a broader audience, through original reporting and by summarizing and compiling stories from CalMatters and other news sources. Recently, she has reported on bills to address California’s worsening fentanyl epidemic, tackle retail theft and legislate happiness. She also reveals more about lawmakers by interviewing them for an occasional series on first-term legislators in 2023 and new committee chairpersons in 2024. 

Through WhatMatters, Lynn also plays a crucial role in CalMatters election coverage, helping to keep track of daily developments in key campaigns, including legislative and congressional races and ballot measures.  

Prior to joining CalMatters in March 2023, she wrote for the education technology startup Guild and was a senior editor at CNET. She also covered public health at The Sacramento Bee as a Kaiser media fellow and was an intern reporter at Capitol Weekly. 

Lynn is based in the Bay Area. She graduated from UC Davis and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Other languages spoken: Vietnamese (basic)

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Latest Stories

Three small, weathered buildings sit side by side on a wet street in a mountain town. The structures show signs of age, with faded paint, boarded windows, and moss-covered roofs. Bare trees stand behind them, and a misty forested hillside rises in the background under an overcast sky. The scene is quiet and damp, evoking a sense of stillness and isolation.
Students in a class at Lake Marie Elementary School in Whittier on Nov. 17, 2022. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters
A close-up view of a phone and an over-the-ear headset lying on a table. In the background is a row of computers with the screens lit up.
A person, wearing a cowboy hat and a pink shirt, stands in front of a lectern with a sign in front of it that reads "California Democratic Party." The California state and American flags can be seen behind the person.
Two people sit across from each other at a white table in a brightly colored room. One person, wearing a blue blazer, types on a laptop while the other, seated in a folding chair, listens attentively. Papers, a notebook, a red wallet, and a phone are spread out on the table. Empty chairs and a table are visible in the background near a yellow and blue hallway.
Planned Parenthood Dr. Jessica Hamilton inside a consultation room at the health center in Sacramento. California abortion providers are preparing for an influx of patients from other states, if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe vs. Wade case. Feb. 1, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Several lawmakers and state Capitol staff sit behind a two-row dais during a legislative hearing. A large oval image of the California State Assembly seal can be seen hung up on the wall behind them.
A white electric vehicle is parked at a charging station, with charging cables connected to the vehicle. The station displays green accents and a digital interface. The words "EV Charging Only" are painted on the asphalt, indicating the designated parking area for electric vehicle charging. The background includes a building and bare tree branches.

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