Capitol

Sen. Scott Wiener's SB 50 is back with more local control for the cities and suburbs that twice helped sink it. Will the third time be the charm?

As California lawmakers return for a new year, Anthony Rendon (the Assembly leader, not the ball player) talks wildfires, housing, ballot measures, the gig economy, affirmative action, Gov. Gavin Newsom and supermajorities. And babies. And home runs.  

California's new data privacy law is the nation's toughest. Here's what it will and won't do to help you control the use of your data online.

Public companies headquartered in California have until Jan. 1 to name at least one female director. The new law has prompted some widely anticipated  lawsuits — and some surprising boardroom diversity. 

As Republican Party popularity plummets in California, two moderate legislators —Chad Mayes and Tyler Diep — take opposite tacks to try to keep their jobs. Politicos will be watching.

A former California Republican leader left the party this week, the latest GOP defection in what’s become a trend among Trump-era moderates.  Assemblyman Chad Mayes re-registered without party preference, becoming the second California lawmaker this year to leave the Republican party. Assemblyman Brian Maienschein became a Democrat in January, and California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye […]

Some 800,000 kids have lost as much as three weeks of class time this autumn. Public schools cherish local control in California, but they're asking the state to step in.

California police officers will soon have a new legal standard tightening the rules about when police can use deadly force. Starting Jan. 1, police can legally use deadly force only when “necessary in defense of human life.” That’s a higher standard than prosecutors apply now, when officers are permitted to use such force when it […]

As wildfires become more frequent and ferocious, state officials recommend that homeowners do more to harden property in high-risk areas. Fireproofing can be pricey, but some solutions are no more expensive than basic home repairs. 

Starting next year, Californians who take out consumer loans of between $2,500 and $10,000 can be charged an interest rate no higher than 35%. With annual fees, the maximum cost can pencil out to as high as 46%. That’s still significantly lower that the 100%-plus interest rates lenders have been charging — legally. The new […]