WhatMatters

Why turn to artificial intelligence rather than a friend? For young people, it often comes down to not having to worry about what a peer or a parent thinks. That’s one takeaway from a new report by San Francisco-based Hopelab and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which surveyed 30 people between 14 and 22 […]

Compared to the rest of the country, California has been a pioneer in regulating potentially harmful uses of technology. But how does it compare to the rest of the world? That’s a question we’re increasingly interested in answering at CalMatters — and that we try and answer today, with a wide-angle look at how laws […]

Do you smell smoke? Inside California prisons, there are people assigned to do just that. As CalMatters’ Cayla Mihalovich explains, California’s 31 prisons have outdated, malfunctioning or inoperable fire alarm systems. But replacing all those systems, which include various detection devices, control panels and network connections, would cost $1.5 billion. To get around shelling out […]

Should California landlords be required to rent to tenants with federal housing vouchers?  They are under state law, but a Sacramento-based property manager is contesting that requirement in court with what has become a common legal refrain in challenges to such laws across the country. The Housing Choice Voucher Program, often dubbed “Section 8,” helps […]

Though it’s emblazoned on our state flag, the last California grizzly bear died more than a century ago. Now, a group of Democratic lawmakers wants to consider bringing back the species in the state — despite misgivings from communities that would be the most vulnerable to bear attacks if they return. As CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom knows that many Democrats across the country want to “eat the rich” with wealth taxes. But he can’t bring himself to stomach the meal when it comes to a November California ballot proposal that would do just that. What’s a guy who wants to run for president in 2028 to do?  Over […]

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took about three months to reverse his 2025 ban on remote work for state employees. But Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose return-to-office mandate has been in effect since July 1, shows no signs of backing down.  It’s a stance that has upset — and at times befuddled — some state workers who […]

I’m CalMatters reporter Ryan Sabalow, and I’m pinch hitting for Lynn today. Democratic Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains learned the hard way that being a maverick has consequences. In 2023, as a rookie lawmaker representing the oil-dependent Bakersfield region, Bains cast the lone Democratic vote against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bill that sought to penalize oil company profits. […]

As heat waves become more intense and last longer due to climate change, setting rules around when utilities can shut off power for people who don’t pay their utility bills is one of the top concerns for consumer advocates and state regulators, reports CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo. On Thursday the California Public Utilities Commission voted to […]

A new survey shows that Californians really don’t like artificial intelligence data centers. The latest Public Policy Institute of California poll of 1,578 adult Californians finds that 73% oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. Though the majority of both Democrats and Republicans disapprove of building data centers, Republicans are slightly more likely […]