WhatMatters

I’m CalMatters reporter Mikhail Zinshteyn, and I’m subbing for Lynn La today. Bills to regulate artificial intelligence tools in the workplace must clear a legislative hurdle that frequently fells expensive or politically dicey legislation. As Khari Johnson reports for CalMatters, more than a half-dozen AI-themed bills are on the suspense file in the Legislature. For […]

California will hold a special election on Nov. 4 after the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom passed a legislation package Thursday greenlighting a mid-cycle redistricting effort ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, report CalMatters’ Maya C. Miller and Jeanne Kuang. What started as a terse warning in July — Newsom floated the idea of retaliating […]

As California cities and counties become more aggressive with banning public camping, the need for consistent and clear encampment policies become more pressing. But local governments employ a patchwork of rules for encampment sweeps — exposing a vulnerable population to even more harm, reports CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall. CalMatters asked nearly three dozen cities and counties […]

President Donald Trump on Monday rehashed his disdain for mail-in voting — a method that Trump has often attacked as part of the reason he lost the presidential election in 2020.  During a meeting with Ukraine’s president, Trump said that lawyers are working to draft an executive order to end mail-in ballots before the 2026 […]

From CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall: Homelessness continues to be a major issue in California, but some places are reporting decreases in their populations. Santa Cruz County is the latest: It counted 1,473 people this year, down 20% from 2024. But despite that sign of progress, the number of “chronically homeless” people increased — suggesting […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to redraw California’s congressional maps is the marquee item on the state Legislature’s agenda, now that lawmakers are back today from summer recess and eyeing a frenetic schedule to decide the fate of hundreds of bills in the next few weeks. As CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff explains, Democratic officials released new maps […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday parodied some of President Donald Trump’s greatest hits as he attempted to drum up support to counter potential Republican gains in the next midterm election by redrawing California’s own congressional districts. The maps? They’re “beautiful,” according to the Governor’s Office. We’re supposed to see them later today when Newsom releases […]

Though a bill that would make it easier for some Californians to kill swans has been flying through the Legislature, it may soon face backlash if animal welfare activists were to intensify their opposition to the proposal, writes CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow. Native to Europe and Asia, mute swans are considered an invasive species in many […]

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 […]