WhatMatters

The Trump administration proposed to revamp—and loosen—fuel mileage standards, challenging California’s authority to regulate air pollution within its borders, and enraging California officials.

Gov. Jerry Brown warned that the high cost of liability for wildfires could be the end of private utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric.

Ten California Congress members sent a letter to the Trump administration warning that the escalating trade war is damaging farm exports. Some could pay a price if they can't persuade Trump to come to farmers' aid.

After touring the Carr fire devastation in Redding, Assembly Republican leader Brian Dahle added urgency to his call to thin forests to prevent fires. He has an ally in Assemblyman Jim Wood, a Democrat whose district was devastated by fire last year.

A suit can proceed challenging California schools over a failure to teach African-American and Latino kids to read. Eleven of the 26 lowest performing school districts in America are in California, the suit says.

PG&E says Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to ease liability for future fires is "insufficient." The question is how much are legislators willing to give.

Legislators begin to tackle the complex law surrounding fire liability, without knowledge of the cause of the most devastating fire in California history. One legislator questions whether they should act without that information.

Gov. Jerry Brown proposed Tuesday that the state ease the liability standards when electricity providers’ equipment sparks fires that destroy property. Utility stock rose. Insurance industry blasts the idea.

Democratic Assemblyman Ed Chau became so verbally abusive toward workers for the Secretary of State this spring that one of them pressed a “panic button.” Security officers who escorted Chau out of the building.

California schools may need to use more than half of all new tax revenue to cover growing pension obligations, leaving little extra for classrooms. The unfunded pension liability is $107 billion.