Anthony Rendon

Capitol

Newsom’s biggest budget win? Lawmakers didn’t break his heart

State budget negotiations began as a love fest, but that didn't last long. How did rookie Gov. Gavin Newsom's experience compare with Jerry Brown's?

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• June 26, 2019

Photo of a Black Lives Matter protestor staring at a California Highway Patrol officer during a protest in Sacramento following the police shooting of Stephon Clark.

Politics

Deal: California poised to pass one of nation’s toughest police use-of-force standards

A historic deal to reduce police shootings will give California one of the nation's highest lethal force standards. Key will be defining 'necessary force.'

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 23, 2019

Man hand with a stack of hundred US dollars bills, close up

Politics

As more Californians borrow at shockingly high interest rates, will state crack down on ‘predatory lending’?

Loans of less than $10,000 with rates of over 100% have swelled to nearly one-third of California's non-bank consumer lending market. Consumer advocates say that lenders are profiting off of borrowers’ desperation or lack of financial sophistication, and often make a bad situation worse. The lenders say the charge up to 200% to cover the risks they incur. The Legislature is considering a bill to cap the interest rate for such "small dollar" loans.

By

Ben Christopher

• May 13, 2019

Lawmakers of both parties complain that bills that are objectionable—or just inconvenient—for powerful Democratic lawmakers have been dying in the Assembly without even a hearing. Photo of the California Assembly via Creative Commons.

Capitol

How powerful lawmakers are killing California bills—without a peep

Democrats who lead legislative committees are using a powerful new tool to kill bills before they even get a vote. The trick? Simply doing nothing.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• April 30, 2019

A Sacramento property owned by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon's wife. Rendon, who state documents show derives income from rental properties, has nonetheless supported some tenants' rights legislation. Photo by Matt Levin for CALmatters

Politics

Lawmakers and landlords: More than a quarter of California legislators are both

A CALmatters analysis reveals that at least 30 lawmakers—more than a quarter of the California Legislature— own at least one property that generates rental income.

By

Elizabeth Castillo

and

Matt Levin

• April 16, 2019

Capitol

After weeks of Trump trolling, California’s Capitol hits mute on the Mueller report

When the long-awaited report from Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III landed last week, that the response from California was more or less . . . crickets.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• March 28, 2019

Economy

Unionizing daycare? California’s child care workers seek a seat at the big kids’ table

Some at-home child care workers who depend on state subsidies are hoping to join forces with an unlikely ally: organized labor.

By

Ben Christopher

• March 15, 2019

Newsletters

Future disasters, future power, future Trump relations

By

Dan Morain

• February 14, 2019

Assemblymember Christy Smith is sworn in on the floor of the Assembly chambers. Photo by Max Whittaker for CALmatters

Capitol

On Day One, hints of California’s Democratic agenda to come

California's Democratic-dominated Legislature, which convened Monday, hinted at its coming agenda with first-day bills on issues from housing to wildfire.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• December 3, 2018

California Senate swearing-in ceremony for the 2019 legislature.

Capitol

A deep blue sea of California lawmakers takes oath of office

A new Legislature was sworn in at the Capitol on Monday, with a Democratic mega-majority in both chambers. But within that huge margin is historic diversity.

By

Elizabeth Castillo

and

Laurel Rosenhall

• December 3, 2018