Economy

California's 2019 legislative session commences, lobbyists crowd a lobby after a swearing in, a sign of the stakes, McKesson leaves, and a Hall of Famer.

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

Now that California voters have given Gavin Newsom the job he has sought for eight years, he is about to discover that winning was the easy part. Here's his plans for California's most pressing issues.

California income taxes, gas taxes, campaign spending, climate change, automobile emissions, Mary Nichols, Xavier Becerra, Grump's EPA, Fresno, Paul Ryan, renewable energy

California has the toughest clean air standards and some of the world's most ambitious climate policies. It also has more clean energy jobs, attracts more clean energy investments, and drives more innovation in renewable energy and energy efficiency than any other state.

Gov. Jerry Brown has on his desk Senate Bill 1406 by Sen. Jerry Hill, a San Mateo Democrat, that would allow students to begin their bachelor’s degree programs as late as the 2022-23 academic year and graduate by July 2026. He should sign it.

Income inequality skyrockets as more of our nation’s gains go to an increasingly smaller group. Workers need a seat at the table. The future of work must not be determined by the wealthiest among us.

Bird, created in 2017 with venture capital backing, hired a Sacramento lobbyist to push one bill, exempting adults who rent and ride motorized scooters from having to comply with the state’s otherwise strict helmet law.

Lobbyists for ride-sharing companies are scrambling to delay until next year (and the next governor's administration) a far-reaching California Supreme Court decision that would protect workers at firms such as Lyft and Uber—and, businesses fear, undermine the entire gig economy.

Actress Jane Fonda and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, appearing on a panel across in Sacramento from the Capitol, called for passage of legislation to limit forced workplace arbitration agreements.