California Wildfires
Firefighters’ mental health is at risk. A California bill could help
After unanimously clearing the Senate, a bill expanding first responders' access to workers’ comp for PTSD moves to the Assembly.
New bill would stop DMV from making millions off auctioned cars without telling the owners
The bill is inspired by a CalMatters story that revealed state law allows the DMV to collect money from towed cars in secret.
Judge begins to unwind conflicts in Ventura County conservatorship cases
Following a CalMatters investigation, a new judge has ordered Angelique Friend to stop hiring her husband’s companies with her clients’ money.
‘It’s time’: California leaders unveil biggest crackdown on drunk drivers in decades
A bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers has introduced 10 bills, an unprecedented package designed to stop deadly drivers.
Rural California gets a lifeline in school funding as Congress restores money it cut
A century-old program pays for schools, roads and other services in 39 California counties.
Water
As floods endanger the San Joaquin Valley, Newsom cuts funding for floodplains
The governor eliminated $40 million for restoring floodplains, halting projects that help protect vulnerable, disadvantaged communities like Stockton. San Joaquin Valley legislators are pushing back.
California Divide
California workers can’t get timely hearings on wage theft claims. State orders audit.
It takes the state nearly 800 days — four times longer than is legal — to handle wage claims. Lawmakers ordered an audit to start Sept. 1, if agency issues aren’t addressed by then.
Environment
California keeps sending toxic soil to out-of-state landfills — Newsom and legislators are slow to change course
California sends toxic soil to landfills in Utah and Arizona, including sites near Native American reservations. Will lawmakers step in to keep the waste in state?
Justice
State Justice Department hasn’t probed — or even logged — all police shootings of possibly unarmed people
The department told CalMatters it can’t say how many cases it chose not to investigate during the past 18 months under a new state law, which aimed to ensure state oversight of police shootings.
Politics
Lost in translation: How many languages for California election ballots?
The Secretary of State's office moved toward requiring election ballots and other voter information to be translated into fewer languages. Advocacy groups are alarmed and urging action in time for the June primary. On March 1, the secretary of state reversed course.
Higher Education
Do-over: Cal State resubmits application, increasing affordable student housing projection by 800 beds
Cal State resubmitted an application for state money to be used for student housing. The new application, which follows a CalMatters report on Cal State misreading the fine print, should produce 800 more affordable beds.
Health
Call 988: California finds $20 million to help pay for new crisis hotline
After a push from advocates, California officials agreed to help fund a 988 network — a "robust statewide call center" for mental health.
Economy
Bank of America sued over EDD unemployment debit card fraud
A class-action lawsuit accuses Bank of America of exposing unemployed California workers to large-scale fraud and cutting off access to jobless benefits during the pandemic.
Economy
California may change how unemployment gets paid
Could jobless Californians soon receive benefits by direct deposit? State legislators are considering reforms and asking Bank of America for answers following a CalMatters investigation into payment problems impacting more than 350,000 unemployment debit cards.