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

WhatMatters

When will the Legislature vote on California reparations?

From Wendy Fry of CalMatters’ California Divide team and CalMatters politics intern Rya Jetha: Next Thursday, California’s first-in-the-nation task force on reparations plans to hand over to the state Legislature its extensive report and recommendations for how to compensate eligible Black Californians for the enduring harms of slavery. As historic a moment it may be, […]

Lynn La

• June 23, 2023

WhatMatters

How many ways does homelessness impact California? Here’s another

Most of what Californians experience with homelessness occurs along public spaces and city streets. With more than 170,000 unhoused people in the state, residents often see the crisis reflected in encampment tents along a roadside or panhandling on street corners. But one aspect of homelessness has surprisingly presented itself in Ojai, a small mountain valley […]

Lynn La

• June 22, 2023

WhatMatters

Big proposals by Gov. Newsom, big pushback

Two of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s major initiatives that he’s trying to jam through the Legislature are facing blowback this week. And as environmentalists and children’s advocates rally against his proposals, legislators are trying to wrap up budget negotiations with the governor before the new fiscal year starts July 1. First: Disagreements over the proposed Delta […]

Lynn La

• June 21, 2023

WhatMatters

Why Juneteenth isn’t a full California state holiday

In 2021, President Biden recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday and the state of California followed suit last year. But many state workers were on the job Monday, and the Legislature was in session. So what gives? The answer, in short, is that Juneteenth is not one of the 11 paid holidays that all state […]

Lynn La

• June 20, 2023

WhatMatters

Will Newsom’s Delta tunnel plan hold up the budget?

Scheduling note: WhatMatters will observe the Juneteenth holiday on Monday and be back in your inboxes on Tuesday. From CalMatters politics reporter Alexei Koseff: As legislative leaders continue to negotiate a budget deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of the start of the fiscal year on July 1, expansive “trailer bills” proposed by the governor […]

Lynn La

• June 16, 2023

WhatMatters

More momentum on California rent control

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 […]

Lynn La

• June 15, 2023

WhatMatters

Case isn’t closed on California’s police killings law

From CalMatters politics intern Rya Jetha: In the aftermath of the police killings of Stephon Clark in Sacramento and George Floyd in Minneapolis, California passed a law requiring the Attorney General’s office to investigate every fatal use of force by police officers against unarmed people. The 2021 law was meant to take power away from […]

Lynn La

• June 14, 2023

WhatMatters

Is destination in sight for California public transit?

From CalMatters’ state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal and climate policy reporter Alejandro Lazo: The budget agreement that legislative Democrats plan to pass Thursday partly addresses the major concerns facing some public transit agencies in California, which have pleaded for state assistance as they continue to deal with a statewide $6 billion deficit due in large […]

Lynn La

• June 13, 2023

WhatMatters

Legislature faces deadline week for CA budget

The state’s 2023-24 budget has been subject to a lot of political wrangling this year as California faces a $31.5 billion spending gap. The constant push and pull of balancing the budget means that if one program, agency or proposal receives funding, something else could lose out. The Legislature plans to pass its budget by […]

Lynn La

• June 12, 2023

WhatMatters

Gavin Newsom wants constitutional amendment on guns

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared Thursday he will crusade for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on gun control — and if he wanted more national attention, he certainly got it as supporters praised and critics slammed his bold ambition. As CalMatters colleagues Ben Christopher and Alexei Koseff explain, the amendment is pretty straightforward: It […]

Lynn La

• June 9, 2023