California Legislature

Health

Democrats eye more health care for California’s undocumented

California’s Democratic legislators want to extend health benefits to undocumented young adults, the continuation of an effort that ushered children without legal status into the state’s publicly funded health care system last year. It is unclear when the program would start or how much the state would spend if the proposal, which could cost up […]

By

Elizabeth Aguilera

• June 7, 2017

Economy

Bridging the foster care gap: Lawmakers weigh more funding to help families take in children

Amy Woods got a call last year from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, informing her that the mother of her 2-and-a-half-year-old foster son had just given birth to another boy. The newborn needed a home: Would she take him in? Woods was given 24 hours to make the decision, but […]

By

Ben Christopher

• June 7, 2017

Nurses leader RoseAnn DeMoro has been front and center in the universal health care debate and a host of other issues.

Politics

In health care debate, nurses union boss doesn’t play nice—and that’s the way she likes it

The day after Democrats in the California Senate passed a proposal for a universal health care system, RoseAnn DeMoro took to Twitter to call out those who voted against it. Her tweet read: “23 CA senators stood up for guaranteed healthcare, 17 did not – some of whom are Dem. Check if your senator is […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• June 7, 2017

Consumer advocates say people should know what’s in everyday products; industry lobbyists say too much information on labels can create fear and harm sales.

Environment

In California battles over product labels, industry usually wins

(Update: On Oct. 15, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law SB 258. Manufacturers will now be required to list chemical ingredients on cleaning-product labels.) Nail polish and hair dye. Cleaning products. Plants and flowers for the garden. California lawmakers have been considering new labels for them, triggering an annual conflict in the state Capitol over […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 31, 2017

Economy

Lawmakers may wait on Gov. Brown’s ambitious pension plan – one he wants now

As Sacramento kicks off its yearly scramble to pass a state budget, lawmakers have yet to agree whether one controversial provision will make the cut: an untested $6 billion scheme that the governor says could save the state billions more but that some analysts warn has received too little scrutiny. As part of his revised […]

By

Ben Christopher

• May 24, 2017

A view of the east side of Los Angeles, The Burlington Northern Hobart Yard — the largest intermodal freight yard in the U.S., located in City of Commerce, on the East side of Los Angeles. Photo by Doc Searls via Flickr

Environment

California Capitol focuses on environmental injustice—but will it lead to real results?

A new generation of legislators and the growing clout of eco-advocates from urban communities is changing the focus of environmental debates in California. Once sidelined as a fringe voice of activism, the “environmental justice” perspective—focused on how environmental decisions impact poor communities and people of color—is now at the center of high-profile deliberations.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 17, 2017

California's Capitol building in Sacramento IMAGE BY MAX WHITTAKER FOR CALMATTERS

Politics

Foes into friends: Lobbyists make amends to lawmakers with “make-up money”

“Make-up money” is what it’s called in Sacramento—the contributions that flow to newly-elected officials from interest groups that backed a losing candidate during the campaign. It’s a completely legal way of saying, in political terms, “Let’s kiss and make up.”

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 10, 2017

Right-leaning Democratic Sen. Steve Glazer and left-leaning Republican Assemblywoman Catharine Baker at a town hall this month in the East Bay.

Politics

Purple Reign: Two legislators from opposite parties host town halls together

The right-leaning Democrat, Sen. Steve Glazer, and the left-leaning Republican, Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, represent overlapping suburban districts some 40 miles east of San Francisco. Once opponents who ran for the same seat (she won), the pair have forged an unusual bipartisan alliance driven by their centrist approach to politics.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• April 26, 2017

Justice

New look at how local jails lock up deportable immigrants

Update: On Oct 5, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a scaled-down version of SB 29— placing a moratorium on local governments entering into new immigration detention contracts with federal immigration authorities or private corporations. Trash-strewn cells, moldy showers, broken telephones, excessive use of solitary confinement, and “slimy, foul-smelling lunch meat.” These are the conditions that detainees […]

By

Ben Christopher

• March 28, 2017