U.S. Supreme Court

California churches are coming out of the pandemic smelling like roses. The state agreed this week to two settlements that block it from imposing new coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship tougher than those for similar secular activities, CalMatters’ Ben Christopher and I report. It’s the latest legal blow churches have dealt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s […]

Welcome to open season. On Thursday, California will expand vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older — the same day the vast majority of counties will get the green light to resume indoor concerts, conferences, weddings and other gatherings under certain conditions. But the promising news comes amid some not-so-promising numbers: The Golden State’s vaccine […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, April 5. CalMatters politics reporter Ben Christopher here, filling in for Emily Hoeven. Emily will be back next week. Rife with indecision and inconsistencies As California nursing homes slowly recover from the COVID-19 siege that killed thousands, the role of state regulators in protecting the frail and elderly has come […]

Tech glitches have struck California’s beleaguered unemployment department once again. The Employment Development Department’s website was unable to process claimants’ information over the weekend and was still plagued with difficulties Monday. “Some customers are experiencing issues using these services,” a pop-up on EDD’s benefits registration webpage read Monday. “We’re working to restore service as soon […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, December 3. Calls to prioritize teacher vaccines It’s the question on everyone’s minds: When will Gov. Gavin Newsom announce a new stay-at-home order? The governor hasn’t made a public appearance since Monday, when he said he planned to be “ubiquitous” during “an incredibly important week in the history of this […]

California’s churches are on a roll. After more than a year of legal tussling with state public health officials over restrictions on indoor gatherings, houses of worship — mostly evangelical or Catholic and politically conservative — have been on a winning streak at the nation’s highest court.  Their latest victory came late last week when […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, November 10. Note: The newsletter will pause Wednesday in recognition of Veterans Day. I’ll be back in your inbox on Thursday. Health insurance on the line Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare — […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement comes as some county public health officers in California face severe pushback for their face mask orders.

Lea este artículo en español. The nation’s top court thwarted President Donald Trump’s plans to place more than 600,000 young people — including nearly 200,000 in California — in legal calamity today, ruling that his administration cannot for now dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. In a complicated 5-4 split, the U.S. […]

Amid the nationwide debate about race and justice, the latest attempt to repeal California's ban on affirmative action programs.