Jerry Brown

The criminal justice pendulum continued its swing away from tough-on-crime attitudes as the Legislature sought to end cash bail, increase transparency on policing, and pass a major revision to the “felony murder” rule.

Amid speculation as to why Jerry Brown has waited so long to make his fourth appointment to the California Supreme Court, the governor has said he does not want to rush. The decision will shape how future historians evaluate the Brown era.

The Assembly approved the nation's toughest clean energy legislation, committing California to 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045, and Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark bail reform into law.

Legislation to scrap California’s money bail system and give judges more say on whether to free defendants went to the governor and Gov. Jerry Brown all but promised to sign it.

Gov. Jerry Brown can undo a mistake from his first term by signing legislation—assuming it is approved by the legislature—that would maintain protections that officers enjoy regarding personal information while allowing the public to evaluate the performance of officers who have previously run into trouble.

Civil rights advocates who once led the charge for bail reform are now lobbying against it, saying it replaces one problem with another—and may perpetuate racial bias.

Legislators have the opportunity to end the isolation that limits California’s ability to quickly and affordably deploy renewable energy. They need to pass Assembly Bill 813. Or not.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to limit electric utilities’ liability costs for future fires faced tough questions at a committee hearing even as utility representatives said the change is needed to keep them solvent.

Legislation that would alter liability law for California utilities whose equipment sparks wildfires faces a show-down today before a special two-house legislative conference committee.

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.