WhatMatters

If the confusion and delays caused by self-checkout machines irritate you, California’s Legislature is considering a bill that aims to bring you some relief during your next shopping trip. But businesses say the proposal could drive up prices. As CalMatters’ Maya C. Miller explains, the measure would require stores to designate at least one employee […]

For consumers who want their personal data scrubbed from data brokering companies, removing your information isn’t always clear cut — despite a state law that aims to assist with just that. As CalMatters and The Markup’s Colin Lecher and Tomas Apodaca explain, California requires companies that make most of their money from selling consumer data […]

Today marks the first day of a planned three-day trial to determine whether the U.S. military unlawfully carried out civilian law enforcement when it was deployed to Los Angeles under President Donald Trump. As CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn explains, a California federal district court will take up the matter, which stems from a June lawsuit Gov. […]

By the time the winds started blowing the Palisades Fire from the Santa Monica Mountains toward Will Rogers State Historic Park on Jan. 7, California State Parks staff were boxing up artifacts where the famous 1930s vaudeville actor built his ranch house.  A color-coded sticker system marked which art, books, ceramics and other objects to […]

Let’s dive into some education news: CalMatters events: Join us Aug. 20 for a lunchtime discussion on the final days of the 2025 legislative session and what’s ahead for 2026. CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff will moderate a panel featuring Capitol community insiders Leah Barros, Keely Martin Bosler, Cesar Diaz, Ben Golombek and more. Register here to […]

From CalMatters deputy editor Adam Ashton: Gov. Gavin Newsom shouldn’t expect much pushback from the next city in line to lose a state prison.  Norco in Riverside County for years has been lobbying to close the California Rehabilitation Center, arguing the city can find a better use for the site. It was an art deco […]

Amid decreasing demand and rising costs, the U.S. and California wine industry have struggled in recent years. But while some in the industry regard President Donald Trump’s tariff policies as bad for business, others say they could help domestic wine makers, writes CalMatters’ Levi Sumagaysay. Since the beginning of August, the Trump administration has enacted […]

A Bay Area lawmaker wants to ban companies from charging prices based on information stored on customers’ phones, laptops or other hardware devices. The bill, which sits before the Assembly after advancing through the Senate in May, is one of the 30 measures the Legislature introduced this year to regulate artificial intelligence technology, writes CalMatters’ […]

California gun owners are eager to get their hands on ammunition after a federal appeals court struck down a state law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases, reports CalMatters’ Joe Garcia. Last week the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a blow to gun control advocates and California’s own policy framework when it ruled that […]

As the federal administration carries out what it says is the largest deportation effort in the country’s history, immigrants already struggling to make rent are facing greater housing challenges that experts say undermine the state’s tenant protection laws, write CalMatters’ Yue Stella Yu and Ben Christopher. In addition to including immigrants with no criminal background, […]