California Legislature

The Legislature is approving lots of significant bills in the final days of the session. But the final call is up to the governor, and he isn’t shy about using his veto pen.

It’s the final week of the 2023 legislative session, so anyone connected to the state Capitol — lawmakers, staffers, lobbyists and, yes, reporters — will be super-busy.  Key dates: Thursday (or early Friday) — the Legislature is set to end its session with about 740 active bills to get through. And today — the final […]

California would penalize school boards that ban books based on inclusion of certain groups under a bill the governor is expected to sign into law. But some fear unintended consequences.

With adjournment edging ever closer next Thursday, legislators are continuing to push through bills to beat the deadline.  On Thursday:  Gun tax: After years of failed efforts, the Legislature sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a measure to tax firearms and ammunition to fund gun violence prevention in California, CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff reports. Assembly Bill 28 by […]

A bipartisan bill to prohibit TikTok on state phones is shelved until 2024. It had breezed through the state Legislature, but Gov. Newsom asked for the delay. It's the latest social media regulation to get stalled in California.

State lawmakers are passing many, many bills before they end the legislative session next Thursday. But under California’s system of direct democracy — and happening at the same time — advocates for various causes are trying to go straight to the voters when their elected representatives won’t do what they want. Tuesday, victims’ families filed […]

From CalMatters state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal: After many twists and turns  — intra-party drama, xenophobic comments against its author and division among some South Asian communities — the first-in-the-nation bill to ban caste discrimination in California’s housing and employment laws completed its journey through the Legislature Tuesday with a 31-5 vote in the Senate.  […]

In rapid-fire votes in suspense file hearings, lawmakers determined the fate of hundreds of bills on crime, transgender students and more.

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would extend pandemic-era rules allowing governing bodies to hold half their meetings online. Opponents worry the legislation will diminish the public's voice and limits how the press can cover important decisions.

More workers are filing claims with the state alleging employers are retaliating against them for engaging in legally protected activities, such as seeking overtime pay or reporting wage theft or discrimination. The state’s waitlist for investigations and hearings is growing, and few workers have won their claims.