Xavier Becerra

california hospital strikes
WhatMatters
For California workers, ‘Striketober’ turns into ‘Strikesgiving’
Wins are mounting for California workers as “Striketober” morphs into “Strikesgiving” and as the state cracks down on companies it says are violating labor laws. Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced an agreement with Amazon that, if approved by a judge, would require the e-commerce giant to pay California $500,000 to help enforce consumer […]
By • November 16, 2021
California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Commentary
Koch brothers win legal duel with California
Industrialists David and Charles Koch won their duel with California's attorney general when the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a regulation aimed at forcing the brothers' non-profit political group, Americans for Prosperity, to reveal its donors.
By • July 5, 2021
The River Fire destroyed nearly 3,000 acres and threatened 1,500 structures in Salinas, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2020 after an early morning lightning storm. Photo by David Rodriguez, The Salinas Californian
WhatMatters
Fire risk amid a housing crisis — California’s challenging new reality
California has a lot of moratoriums it needs to worry about. Even as Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers rush to extend California’s eviction moratorium before it expires next week, another big deadline looms on the horizon. In November, the state’s moratorium on insurance companies dropping coverage for Californians living in wildfire-prone areas is set […]
By • June 22, 2021
For the past year and a half, Newsom has dominated the pandemic headlines, whether receiving adulation or harsh criticism. But what has his life been like behind the scenes? Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
WhatMatters
Newsom spills on his pandemic life
Good morning, California. It’s Friday, June 18. Behind-the-scenes look Gov. Gavin Newsom is peeling back COVID-19 restrictions and handing out prizes, but as California tries to regain its balance, much of the fallout is landing at his feet. Cal/OSHA, the state’s workplace safety agency, voted Thursday to allow most fully vaccinated workers to forgo face […]
By • June 18, 2021
California's April unemployment rate indicates the paradox the state is confronting. Image via iStock
WhatMatters
California’s unemployment paradox: openings and joblessness
Despite California’s high unemployment rate, many positions at restaurants, bars and retail stores are going unfilled — causing some business owners to fear they won’t be able to fully reopen even when the state gives the green light on June 15. The Golden State’s unemployment rate remained unchanged between March and April, holding steady at […]
By • May 24, 2021
Apedestrian passes a mural reading: "When out of your home, Wear a mask over your mouth and nose," in San Francisco on Nov. 21, 2020. Photo by Jeff Chiu, AP Photo
WhatMatters
To mask or not to mask? California’s conundrum
Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a mask dilemma. If he updates the state’s mask guidance to align with that of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — which on Thursday announced that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks or physically distance in most places — he risks contradicting his own […]
By • May 14, 2021
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference after getting vaccinated for COVID-19 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles on April 1, 2021. Photo by Shae Hammond for CalMatters
WhatMatters
Newsom wants to send stimulus checks to two-thirds of Californians
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election, wants to use the state’s sizable budget surplus to put money in the majority of Californians’ pockets.  The governor today will unveil an $11.9 billion proposal that would send $600 stimulus checks to two-thirds of Californians and an additional $500 to families with kids. Details, including […]
By • May 10, 2021
WhatMatters
An unprecedented day for California
Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, April 27. Census + recall What a day Monday was. First, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that California will lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in the state’s 171-year history. Then, Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced that supporters of the effort to […]
By • April 27, 2021
The coronavirus pandemic led to an unprecedented drop in public school enrollment in California. Image via iStock
WhatMatters
Public school enrollment hits 20-year low: Biggest dip in youngest grades
California’s public schools lost more than 160,000 students amid the pandemic, the largest enrollment drop in two decades and a likely harbinger of serious educational and financial challenges. The sharp 2.6% decline, announced Thursday by the California Department of Education, doesn’t capture the full effects of the pandemic. The enrollment tally comes from a one-day […]
By • April 23, 2021

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