WhatMatters

As California grapples with a $12 billion budget deficit, that state’s peer-run phone service that provides free 24/7 mental health support to thousands of residents across the state could face deep funding cuts, or even a shutdown. The California Peer Run Warm Line — which is different from 911 and the federal 988 mental health […]

From CalMatters politics reporter Yue Stella Yu:  Boos. Heckles. Accusations.  At the California Democratic Party convention in Anaheim over the weekend, some Latino Democrats waged a contentious referendum on their leaders — and won. Nilza Serrano, a Los Angeles consultant, was elected chair of the party’s Latino caucus, upsetting longtime activist Carlos Alcala, who had chaired […]

Last week the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives advanced a budget package gutting Medicaid spending by $700 billion in order to help offset the cost of extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthy. In addition to California potentially losing as much as $20 billion a year and 217,000 jobs because […]

Stanford scientists have recently confirmed California’s first known infection of a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant, known as NB.1.8.1. Detected in the state as early as April 17, its symptoms do not appear to be any more severe than earlier strains so far, and because NB.1.8.1 is an Omicron variant, the latest vaccines should provide some […]

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections in 2022, California lawmakers moved quickly to make the state a “safe haven” for reproductive health care. But while California has some of the strongest laws ensuring abortion rights, other states’ restrictions can make performing or seeking the procedure from California doctors more complicated. On Tuesday […]

State legislators on Friday halted hundreds of bills with new spending attached from advancing. Why? The Legislature again underwent its relatively opaque process known as the “suspense file.” Hanging over lawmakers’ heads is the expected $12 billion state budget deficit that is projected to worsen due to federal tariffs and increased state health care spending. […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking Memorial Day off and will return to your inboxes on Tuesday. California officials moved quickly to start another legal battle against President Donald Trump’s administration after the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to revoke federal waivers that allowed the state to phase-out gas powered cars and combat air pollution. Gov. Gavin […]

California’s ambitions to phase out gas-powered cars and curb air pollution will likely hit a major roadblock today. CalMatters’ climate reporter Alejandro Lazo reports that the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote this morning on halting California’s electric vehicle mandate, following approval by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month. If the Senate revokes […]

State legislators are clashing with Gov. Gavin Newsom and his call to speed up a $20 billion state water project.  During the unveiling of his updated state budget plan last week, Newsom called for legislation that would accelerate the Delta Conveyance Project, which aims to reroute more water from Northern California southward. That water would […]

Amid pledges from Democratic legislative leaders to make California more affordable, there is persistent evidence that the state’s high cost of living won’t get better anytime soon.  The latest comes from California’s housing department, which recently released its annual report detailing how much households can earn in each of California’s 58 counties to be eligible […]