Impact

Illustration of a silhouette of a person in freefall, set against a background of concentric circles composed of insurance health claim forms in bold orange and black

Mental Health

Insurance denials can devastate mental health patients. California is considering how to fix that

'Everybody’s been denied some form of care,' said one California mental health advocate. Now, lawmakers are advancing new bills on behavioral health coverage.

By

Jocelyn Wiener

• March 20, 2025

A tall doom-like structure made out of tarps and other materials can be seen next to an area with several personal belongings for unhoused residents including bicycles, shopping carts, boxes, an American flag and more.

Homelessness

Bay Area city backs down after proposing ban on ‘aiding and abetting’ homeless encampments

Fremont reverses course, jettisoning a move that legal experts said could have been used to punished people for "aiding and abetting" homeless encampments.

By

Richard Procter

• March 5, 2025

A view of a plane on the tarmac of an airport through the windows of a terminal. In the foreground of the photo is two silhouettes of people in the airport, one sitting down working at their laptop while the other walks by with their luggage. In the reflection of the glass, more people can be seen waiting in the airport terminal.

Politics

Who’s paying for California politicians’ travel? After CalMatters’ report, audit proposes a legal fix

The audit by the state's Fair Political Practices Commission followed CalMatters’ revelations that a law requiring trip organizers to annually disclose their major donors had been used only twice in seven years — even as interest groups continued paying millions for lawmakers' travel.

By

Alexei Koseff

• February 14, 2025

A group of fast food workers protest inside a restaurant, holding signs and flags advocating for workers' rights. Some individuals are chanting, while others display expressions of determination. The signs feature bold colors and text, including phrases like 'Your Rights' and 'Fast Fair.' A yellow flag with the words 'Fast Food Workers' is visible in the background.

Economy

CalMatters’ reporting helps inspire wage theft legislation

Lawmakers are pushing potential remedies in the wake of a CalMatters investigation, which discovered that even after California victims of wage theft win their claims, only about one in seven judgments are paid.

By

Jeanne Kuang

• February 12, 2025

Assemblymember Evan Low speaks with lawmakers on the Assembly floor at the state Capitol in Sacramento on April 29, 2024. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Politics

California regulators allege this Silicon Valley ex-lawmaker violated campaign finance law dozens of times

The report laid out dozens of potential violations by Evan Low involving a non-profit tech foundation for which he raised a half-million dollars. The regulators' findings are the result of a five-year state probe — launched immediately after CalMatters published an investigation into the relationship between Low, the foundation and its donors.

By

Yue Stella Yu

• February 7, 2025

A person in a plaid shirt and baseball cap, wearing a face mask, examines a bag while seated at a table. In the background, another individual sits at the table, wearing a headset and smiling. In the foreground, the back of a person wearing a shirt with "LAHSA" printed on it is visible. The setting appears to be indoors, with natural light filtering through a nearby doorway.

Inside the Newsroom

CalMatters lawsuit forces LA officials to turn over secret homeless shelter complaints

Internal reports on deaths, disease, abuse and overdoses will give the public a rare glimpse inside taxpayer-funded shelters.

By

Lauren Hepler

and

Byrhonda Lyons

• January 27, 2025

An overhead view of a person with blonde hair sitting in a chair looking at a computer on a desk filled with various papers.

Economy

California’s employment safety net is still broken. Will anyone fix it?

Out-of-work residents fight new fraud battles. The system bleeds money. And a $1 billion technology overhaul marches on.

By

Lauren Hepler

• December 4, 2024

Sally K., right, thirty-eight weeks pregnant, talks to midwife Andrea Bergleen, left, during a check-up at the Best Start Birthing Center in San Diego on March 20, 2024. Photo by Ariana Drehsler for CalMatters

Health

California birth centers are shutting down. A lawmaker has a new plan to help them

Birth centers are midwife-run facilities that deliver babies outside of hospitals. They have struggled to stay in business in part because of strict state licensing requirements.

By

Kristen Hwang

• December 2, 2024

Four people, a mix of lawmakers and officials, sit behind a dais in a conference hall with attendees.

Show Your Work

How we investigated California’s campaign finance watchdog

Despite inconsistencies and flaws in the Fair Political Practices Commission’s enforcement data, we found 15% of investigations took more than two years to resolve.

By

Jeremia Kimelman

and

Yue Stella Yu

• October 24, 2024