WhatMatters

California’s carbon market was supposed to help the state cut pollution and reach its ambitious zero-emissions climate goals. But 20 years after its creation, some environmental advocates argue recent changes to the program will greatly diminish its effectiveness, and the fallout could land at the feet of the next governor.  As Emma Foehringer Merchant explains […]

Some low-income seniors and people with disabilities are being forced to draw down their savings to retain their healthcare coverage under a new Medi-Cal asset limit, writes CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang. The new limit kicks certain groups off of Medi-Cal if they have more than $21,000 in savings as of July 2027. State lawmakers lowered the […]

Perhaps today is not the best day to go to the DMV. California state workers are planning a one-day strike today in multiple cities including Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. They’re protesting what they say are unfair labor practices by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. The work stoppage could affect services at the DMV, unemployment […]

After Baljit Singh killed a 26-year-old man on a motorcycle with his semitruck, the California Department of Motor Vehicles didn’t suspend his commercial drivers license.  Eleven months later, he crashed his truck again, killing Jenny Chow, a mother of two on the way home from visiting colleges with her son. The DMV still didn’t take […]

Why do we vote on judges, and how are we supposed to decide? It’s a recurring question we’re hearing in our conversations with voters this fall. Judges aren’t exactly household names, although one on your ballot shares a name with a certain multiplatinum-selling musician. They generally don’t campaign, either.  The simple answer to the question, […]

California needs to build a lot more housing. But to do that, it’s going to need a lot of money.  Proposition 1 would enable the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing, but where exactly would the money go if it passes? As CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall explains, Prop. 1 would fund housing for veterans, homeless […]

These days you can find Gov. Gavin Newsom on just about any media platform.  With less than three months until he finishes his final term as California governor, you can catch Newsom on X picking fights with right-wing media, posting on Substack and interviewing guests on his podcast.  As a potential 2028 presidential hopeful, he’s […]

As tropical storms and El Niño usher in heavy rains to California, a new report finds that 57 dams across the state are in poor or unsatisfactory condition — posing a hazard to nearby communities, reports CalMatters’ Rachel Becker.  The state auditor’s report, released Monday, said that aging dams “continue to pose a risk to […]

Roughly a mile north of San Francisco, on Alcatraz Island, thousands gathered in the early hours of Monday to celebrate Native American resilience, reports CalMatters’ Melanie Henshaw. The event, which took place on Indigenous Peoples Day, commemorates the 19-month occupation of Alcatraz from 1969 to 1971 by the Indigenous advocacy group, Indians of All Tribes. […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking Indigenous Peoples’ Day off and will return to your inboxes Tuesday. With more e-bikes on roads and sidewalks, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed three new laws that aim to strengthen safety for riders and pedestrians. One of the laws sets sidewalk speed limits and another cracks down on electric […]