California Legislature

California Republicans are zeroing in on the three issues on which they say Democrats may be most vulnerable heading into the Nov. 8 election: The rising cost of living, crime and homelessness. On Tuesday, 26 of the 28 current Republican lawmakers asked the Democratic leaders of the state Assembly and Senate to “immediately” reconvene the […]

The state is a national leader in labor law, experts say, but its agency enforcing wage theft rules in California still struggles to staff up.

A disproportionate share of catalytic converter thefts happen in California. Here’s what lawmakers are trying to do about it, and why one law-enforcement backed approach didn’t make it out of Sacramento.

Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special legislative session on rebates to offset high gas prices funded by a windfall profits tax on oil companies. The session will be Dec. 5, timed with the swearing-in of the new Legislature.

As California gas prices approach record highs — though costs could soon drop by as much as $1 per gallon — there’s “9.5 billion reasons I think people should be appreciative that the state’s recognizing the stress and strain that families are going through,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. The governor’s comments — made during […]

The principles under which California water rights were assigned during the 20th century simply don’t hold up in the 21st century. The Legislature must change the laws so that sinister legal decisions don’t burden California’s most vulnerable communities and native species with trying to survive with extremely limited water.

The bill increases leave payments to 90% of paychecks for lower-income workers in 2025, so more of them can afford time off for maternity leave or to care for ill family members.

Remember when Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers struck a deal a couple of months ago to send millions of California taxpayers between $200 and $1,050 to help cover the rising cost of living? Well, a week from today, the state is set to begin depositing the first round of payments in Californians’ bank accounts. […]

Two days before deadline, after vetoing a similar bill last year and resisting months of marches, vigils and posturing, including a note from President Biden, Newsom changed his mind on a farmworker labor bill.

The bill by two Assembly Democrats followed a CalMatters investigation that exposed serious flaws in the state’s nursing home licensing system.