Legislator Card

College Beat

College students with Hollywood dreams see industry strikes as key to livable careers

With the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on strike, Hollywood has shut down. As workers demand fair compensation and regulation over the use of artificial intelligence, college students hoping to break into the entertainment industry are caught up in the historic moment.

By Ryan Loyola • August 7, 2023

K-12 Education

When culture wars rip through California school boards, should the state intervene?

California grants school boards much local control, but some recent events have pushed the state to rein that in.

By Carolyn Jones • July 28, 2023

California Divide

The hidden cost of California’s hot workplaces: 20,000 job injuries a year

A workers comp study says one day above 100 degrees can cause 15% more accidents, costing workers and employers millions. A new advisory panel may help the state improve its work heat rules.

By Nicole Foy • July 25, 2023

Environment

Here’s how California’s electric cars can feed the grid and help avoid outages

Through bidirectional charging, owners of electric cars can sell energy to the grid or use it to power their homes. But will the technology, which is costly, become widespread?

By Alejandro Lazo • July 20, 2023

California Divide

Are major changes coming to your electric bill? 5 things to know

California’s electric rates are among the highest in the country. Three big power companies propose charging fixed rates based on income, saying low-income customers will save money. Critics doubt it’ll work.

By Wendy Fry • July 20, 2023

Mental Health

‘A lifesaving tool’: California’s new mental health crisis line sees a surge in calls

One California mental health crisis center grew its staff by almost 50% to accommodate that number of calls it’s been receiving since the state launched its 988 hotline.

By Anabel Sosa • July 19, 2023

Elections

What happened to the big changes to California elections?

The most sweeping bills to change California elections got shelved in the Legislature. Instead, lawmakers are focusing on ballot measure language, local redistricting, voting integrity and campaign finance tweaks before the 2024 election.

By Sameea Kamal • July 12, 2023

Politics

More sick days and family leave? California lawmakers push to improve work-life balance

Supporters say a series of bills before the Legislature would improve work-life balance by expanding sick days and family leave. But opponents say the proposals would hurt struggling small businesses.

By Rya Jetha • July 11, 2023

California Divide

California built a safety net for undocumented immigrants. Now deficits could leave some behind

As California gives immigrants access to more public programs, its poverty rate declines, some say. But budget and recession worries slow that progress.

By Jeanne Kuang and Nicole Foy • July 11, 2023

College Beat

Should universities share athletics revenue with players? California bill sparks backlash.

A proposal to set up degree completion funds for California student athletes has met with stiff opposition from universities and the NCAA. College athletes could earn a share of the revenue they generate under the bill — as much as $25,000 for each year that they played their sport. But the bill’s author has delayed it until 2024 after opponents charged the fund would draw money away from less lucrative sports like gymnastics and swimming.

By Ryan Loyola • July 10, 2023