Guns

Commentary

When California laws go too far, the courts intervene

California politicians are fond of enacting groundbreaking laws, but sometimes they go too far and violate federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution.

By Dan Walters • May 2, 2023

WhatMatters

A $5 billion ask for California public transit

From CalMatters’ state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal Now we know the price tag to keep California public transit agencies from going over a “fiscal cliff” — $5.15 billion over five years. As part of a budget proposal being unveiled today in the state Senate, transit agency officials and their supporters in the Legislature are seeking […]

By Lynn La • April 25, 2023

WhatMatters

California backlog persists on illegal guns

From CalMatters criminal justice reporter Nigel Duara: California’s first-in-the-nation program to take guns away from people prohibited by courts from owning them continues to tread water: A backlog of cases numbering between 23,000 and 24,000 people has stubbornly persisted, even as Attorney General Rob Bonta insisted on Monday that the program is making progress.  “That’s […]

By Lynn La • April 4, 2023

Capitol

A boom for concealed carry classes, but long waits for permits

Many more gun owners are seeking California concealed carry permits, even in blue, coastal counties. Gov. Newsom and Democrats in the Legislature are trying again to limit where weapons are allowed.

By Ben Christopher • March 21, 2023

WhatMatters

Labor hits back on business-led California ballot measures

From CalMatters state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal:  It’s become a key part of the big business playbook: If an industry doesn’t like a California law, it uses the referendum process to try and overturn it.  Already on the November 2024 ballot: the oil industry qualified a ballot measure to kill a law that bans new […]

By Lynn La • March 21, 2023

Commentary

Half Moon Bay shooting rehashes California’s historic resistance to humanely housing farmworkers

One of the farms where the Half Moon Bay mass shootings took place announced plans to build proper housing with codes and permits by next year. But why must it take a mass shooting to motivate a farm to humanely house its workers?

By Guest Commentary • February 13, 2023

WhatMatters

Will you have to pay federal taxes on your California tax refund?

Update: The Internal Revenue Service announced today that California taxpayers do not have to report the Middle Class Tax Refund on their federal returns. From CalMatters economy reporter Grace Gedye: When gas prices were soaring in 2022 and Califorina’s state budget had a ballooning surplus, lawmakers decided to send relief payments to millions of residents […]

By Sameea Kamal • February 10, 2023

WhatMatters

Relief for California’s gas price pains

Maybe the governor called a special legislative session for the wrong type of gas price. In the face of wallet-busting gasoline prices across the state last summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom convened a special session of the state Legislature in December to tax the “excessive” profits of California oil refiners. But since then, prices at the […]

By Ben Christopher • February 2, 2023

Newsletters

Can California go any stronger on gun laws?

Has California reached an upper limit on what it can do to regulate guns? Following a pattern as old as gun control itself, state lawmakers are responding to the back-to-back mass shootings that killed 18 people this week with more legislation: Democratic Sens. Catherine Blakespear of Encinitas and Nancy Skinner of Oakland announced Thursday they’re […]

By Ben Christopher • January 27, 2023

Commentary

California should be treating gun violence as a public health crisis

State and local officials are still asking law enforcement to prevent gun violence. Community leaders believe gun violence should be treated as a public health crisis, and incorporate prevention strategies that address the social factors in areas most at risk.

By Guest Commentary • January 24, 2023