Kern County once again had the state’s highest homicide rate in 2021, at 13.7 homicides per 100,000 people. That was also the case last year, when the county’s homicide rate per 100,000 people was 12.7 in 2020 — the state’s highest — or about one for every 8,000 people. Statewide, the average homicide rate climbed to 6 people per …In summary. There won’t be much drama in campaigns for statewide office this year, but voters will face a clutch of high-dollar ballot measures. Last week’s primary election told us that there will be very little drama in November’s general election vis-à-vis California’s statewide offices. With one potential exception, Democrats will ...Jan 11, 2024 · The inside of an “emergency sleeping cabin” by the company Pallet Shelter on Jan. 9, 2024. The company recently won a contract by the state to address homelessness by providing temporary housing with the cabins. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters. The state requires each tiny home be at least 70 square feet for a single person and ... Jul 9, 2023 · The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs ... Aquifers in Spain, Iran, China and Chile top the list of the 100 most rapidly dropping groundwater levels. California’s Cuyama Valley, north of Santa Barbara, ranked 34th worldwide. Its underground basin has been dropping almost 5 feet a year, and residents, farmers and even the school district are locked in a court battle with carrot …Jul 9, 2023 · The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs ... In a milestone for creating a major new source of drinking water, California has approved its first standards for turning sewage into potable water supplies delivered to homes and businesses. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a unanimous vote today, outlined for the first time how water suppliers can treat recycled water and send it ... Round two: Garvey, Lee, Porter and Schiff clash at Senate debate. U.S. Senate candidates (from left) Rep. Barbara Lee, Steve Garvey, Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter during a televised debate at KRON4 studio in San Francisco on Feb. 12, 2024. Photo courtesy of NewsNation. A group of California lawmakers is tackling reparations for Black descendants of enslaved people with a set of bills modeled after recommendations that a state reparations task force spent years studying and developing. The legislative package — a set of 14 bills the California Legislative Black Caucus released Wednesday — addresses ...Nov 3, 2020 · Come rain, shine, pandemic or crippling recession, California voters can always count on one thing: a very long, very complicated ballot. Live election results beginning Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Though the presidential race will gobble up most of the attention, the choice between GOP President Donald Trump and former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden ... Fall-run Chinook populations — vital to commercial and tribal fishing — are collapsing across California, with numbers 43% below average between 2015 and 2020 in the Klamath Basin and 65% below average in the Scott, where they have been declining even faster. This year, all salmon fishing was canceled in …Grief, fear, and hopes for peace: California college students describe campus climates during Israel-Palestine conflict. Hillel, a campus religious group, hosts a rally calling for the release of kidnapped Israelis at UCLA's Wilson Plaza in Los Angeles on Nov. 7, 2023. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters.by CalMatters 2 mins ago. Gov. Gavin Newsom said today he supports President Biden’s call for a ceasefire in Gaza, citing the “ongoing and horrific loss of …On average, lecturer salaries at Cal State increased by 22% within the past 15 years, translating to a $13,000 pay bump for the system’s 3,000 full-time lecturers. In Fall 2022, full-time lecturers earned an average of $71,255. Meanwhile, professor pay has risen at a rate of 30% since 2007, going from an average of $93,643 to $122,016 in Fall ...Jul 9, 2023 · The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs ... This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. California State Auditor Elaine Howle speaks with CalMatters at her office in Sacramento on Nov. 9, 2021. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters. CalMatters: “We wanted to get your thoughts on the last 30-plus years that you’ve been doing this … and what prompted this transitionAs primary looms, California voting made simple. CalMatters has launched an election guide with everything you need to know about California voting for the June 7 primary. CalMatters is dedicated to explaining how state government impacts our lives. Your support helps us produce journalism that makes a difference. Donate now.California workers will be guaranteed five paid sick days a year starting Jan. 1, up from the three days that employers are currently required to provide, thanks to Senate Bill 616 . The bill, authored by Long Beach Democratic Sen. Lena Gonzalez, also extends protections against retaliation to workers who …Here are some of the most interesting new laws that take effect Jan. 1 in California: Many California undocumented students are missing out on financial aid. An easier, new application could get them more money. by Mikhail Zinshteyn December 22, 2023. Surprise ambulance bills put these families in debt. A new California law bans the …Rules for thee: How California Legislature skirts its own laws. by Sameea Kamal February 6, 2023. New California legislators stand to take the oath of office in the Senate chambers in the state Capitol on Dec. 5, 2022. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters.U.S. abortion rate continues to fall — but California's is a mystery. In the years immediately following Roe v. Wade, the abortion rate skyrocketed across the country, reaching a high of 25 per 1,000 women of childbearing age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since that time, the rate nationwide has fallen by half.CalMatters covers the latest developments and trends in California politics, policy, and elections. Find stories, explainers, commentary, and events on topics such as health, …Decision day for hot-button bills. Assemblymember Adam Gray, a Merced Democrat, takes notes on the Assembly floor during the next-to-last day of the session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 30, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters. California’s legislative session ends tonight at midnight, but the intense lobbying … CalMatters covers how decisions by California politicians and officials shape your lives and the state's future. Find stories, data and tools on topics such as elections, housing, justice, education and more. California election districts have changed for 2022 and beyond. Type in your address and find out your new legislative and congressional districts. Hundreds of thousands of voters were shifted in the new California election districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission. A bushel of state …The idea of giving cash directly to people in need, known as guaranteed income, is swiftly gaining traction in California. Nonprofits, cities and counties throughout the …The following policies and guidelines govern acceptance of gifts made to CalMatters for the benefit of any of our operations, programs or services. We are committed to full transparency of all sources of funding. We publicly disclose all supporters who have given a total of $1,000 or more and their cumulative giving.Lockyer’s seven-figure war chest is among the largest of nearly 100 accounts belonging to state political candidates with leftover campaign cash, according to a CalMatters analysis of California campaign finance records. Collectively, they hold about $35 million — funds that never got spent on the campaigns for which they were raised ...Awards. Special Projects. CalMatters has carved out a leadership role as a trusted brand and “go-to” hub for in-depth news and information on statewide issues. Our work has led to changes in policy, new legislation and investigations and discussions at the Capitol, in political groups and beyond — and because of our collaborative …That rate would increase 3.5% annually until it reaches $25 in 2033. Community clinics would start the pay increase at $21 per hour in 2024, rising to $22 in 2026 and $25 in 2027. Other health care employers would increase their minimum wage to $21 per hour in 2024, $23 in 2026 and $25 by 2028. The new law will drive up state spending …California as of today is one of the first states with formal rules for government departments to follow when buying AI tools. The guidelines introduced this week are the product of an executive order aimed at challenges and opportunities from generative AI by Governor Gavin Newsom late last year. Generative AI produces text, imagery, audio, or ...How college admissions are changing after the end of affirmative action. by Carolyn Jones and Mikhail Zinshteyn November 3, 2023. Maya Murchison at Eastlake High School in Chula Vista on Oct. 23, 2023. Murchison, a high school senior, says the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action has …Gov. Gavin Newsom this year signed two union-backed bills that will boost fast-food and health care workers’ minimum wages. California-based fast-food workers for chains with 60 or more locations around the nation will earn at least $20 an hour beginning in April, $4 higher than the overall state minimum wage of $16 that will be effective Jan. 1.Jan 2, 2023 · Not to be outdone, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature passed this new law that allows private citizens to collect $10,000 by suing those who make or sell illegal “ghost guns” or assault-style weapons. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, could throw out the Texas law and ones like it, including California’s. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters. In summary. More than 4,000 state scientists have worked under an expired contract for three years. Average wages in 2020 were $83,586, 27% less than state engineers’ pay. The state filed an unfair labor practice charge to stop the strike. Hundreds of scientists working for …The new chemicals law follows California’s 2020 first-in-the-nation law banning 24 toxic ingredients, including mercury and formaldehyde, in personal care products. That ban is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2025. Last year, Maryland followed California’s lead and banned those same ingredients. Capitol. California Senate leader Mike McGuire picks his team. The new top Democrat in the state Senate announces his leadership team and new committee chairpersons. He rewarded some allies who helped him win the post, and filled five of seven leadership posts with women or legislators of color. By Alexei Koseff • February 8, 2024. California is eliminating its popular electric car rebate program — which often runs out of money and has long waiting lists — to focus on providing subsidies only to lower-income car buyers. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, in existence since 2010, will end when it runs out of money this year. In its place, the state will expand a program ...California households earning more than $180,000 a year would end up paying an average of $500 more a year on their electricity bills, according to the proposal from utility companies. The California Public Utilities Commission’s deadline for deciding on the suggested changes is July 1, 2024. The proposals come at a time when many …Prop. 1, the only proposition on California ballots this March, asks voters to green-light a $6.4 billion bond for treatment beds and housing units catering to people with mental illnesses and addictions. It also would restructure some current funding to funnel more mental health money toward housing. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has championed …Tents line up against a fence at a homeless encampment near Highway 180 in west Fresno on Feb. 11, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters. In summary. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that has implications for how much power California officials have over homeless camps. It will rule on current precedent later this …Updated: 8:35 AM PDT March 18, 2024. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With lingering uncertainty over the fate of a signature mental health proposal and the scope of …Apr 21, 2022 · U.S. abortion rate continues to fall — but California's is a mystery. In the years immediately following Roe v. Wade, the abortion rate skyrocketed across the country, reaching a high of 25 per 1,000 women of childbearing age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since that time, the rate nationwide has fallen by half. In summary. California has one of the nation’s broadest laws to clear criminal records, and it’s about to expand even more. Supporters say expungements give a fresh …Californians infected with COVID-19 may go about their lives without isolating or testing negative as long as their symptoms are improving, according to new and significantly loosened guidelines from the California Department of Public Health. California’s top public health official, Dr. Tomás Aragón, last week quietly …California doctors struggle to make payroll one month after ransomware attack. Dermatologist Dr. Margaret Parsons at her practice, Dermatology Consultants of Sacramento on March 18, 2024. The billing service used by the practice experienced a cyber attack in early February. Five weeks later, they are still having issues with their …Rules for thee: How California Legislature skirts its own laws. by Sameea Kamal February 6, 2023. New California legislators stand to take the oath of office in the Senate chambers in the state Capitol on Dec. 5, 2022. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters.CalMatters. Legislators wanted 1,100 reports on how California’s laws are working. Most haven’t arrived. A state senator works during session on suspense file day at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Sept. 1, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters. Given the state’s budget deficit, legislative leaders are calling for …In a milestone for creating a major new source of drinking water, California has approved its first standards for turning sewage into potable water supplies delivered to homes and businesses. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a unanimous vote today, outlined for the first time how water suppliers can treat recycled water and send it ...Denise Smith Amos leads our statewide California Divide team. Before joining CalMatters she was the editor of the watchdog and accountability team at the Union-Tribune in San Diego. She has been a reporter, columnist and editor at newspapers in Orlando, Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Jacksonville.Lorenzo Mays, jailed for nearly nine years without a trial. After his arrest on Aug. 5, 2010, Mays was assigned his first attorney, Dan Karalash. A few days later, he was arraigned along with his siblings. Ten months later, the four came before a judge again. During that time, Mays waited in jail.It was intended to be his knockout punch at Newsom on the issue of California’s spiraling homelessness crisis, which he said has gotten so bad that “human feces is now a fact of life” for residents. DeSantis blamed Democrats’ lax attitude. “You have the freedom to defecate in public in California,” DeSantis said.CALmatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. Environmental regulation, education, health care, criminal justice, economic inequality – the debates on these issues and others have a profound impact on the lives of 38 million Californians and beyond.In April, 30% of Black households in California were food insecure. Six months later, the figure was 40% — and nearly half of Black families with children. Anti-poverty advocates had feared a rise in hunger after the end of the aid boost this year, which affected the nearly 3 million California households that receive CalFresh, the federally ...Note: The 2023-24 base grant is $10,951 for grades TK/K-3, $10,069 for grades 4-6, $10,367 for grades 7-8, and $12,327 for grades 9-12. Prior to the funding formula, …Despite California’s ongoing water woes, even the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office had to give a thumbs down to the state’s proposal to limit urban water use, writes CalMatters’ Rachel Becker.. In August, the California Water Resources Control Board unveiled a proposal for more than 400 cities and water suppliers serving about …California doctors struggle to make payroll one month after ransomware attack. Dermatologist Dr. Margaret Parsons at her practice, Dermatology Consultants of …Prop. 1, the only proposition on California ballots this March, asks voters to green-light a $6.4 billion bond for treatment beds and housing units catering to people with mental illnesses and addictions. It also would restructure some current funding to funnel more mental health money toward housing. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has championed …CalMatters is an award-winning, nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture that explains how California’s government works and why it matters. We’re based in Sacramento, with journalists across California, covering both the decision-making that happens in the Capitol and the effects of those policies in all corners of the state.More than a year after California community colleges received $650 million in state COVID-19 relief money, schools have spent less than 20% of it. Colleges say they desperately need the money, but that they are reluctant to spend it because of ongoing uncertainty surrounding the state’s budget. Namely, they fear …Mar 8, 2024 · Dan Walters. California's capital city, Sacramento, has become a startling example of official sneakiness in how it conducts its business. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters writes about California and its politics. Read his column and sign up for his Weekly Walters email newsletter. Prop. 1 opponents called that strategy “sleazy” and “an attempt to manipulate the final vote count by harvesting the votes of only some partisans in certain areas.”. But the foes said they’re launching a similar effort and refocusing their website to help voters confirm their ballots were counted and to assist voters whose ballots ...Fifty-six counties out of the state’s 58 are requesting permission to delay implementing the law, Tony Vartan, Stanislaus County’s Behavioral Health Director, told his Board of Supervisors this week. Only San Luis Obispo and San Francisco counties plan on beginning implementation next month, Vartan said. …The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new annual soot standard could throw seven new California counties out of compliance, totaling 29 counties, according to EPA information released today based on 2020 through 2022 data. San Diego and the rural counties of Mendocino, Mono, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Colusa could be added to …Mar 8, 2024 · Dan Walters. California's capital city, Sacramento, has become a startling example of official sneakiness in how it conducts its business. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters writes about California and its politics. Read his column and sign up for his Weekly Walters email newsletter. WhatMatters. The latest official tally from the Secretary of State’s office shows that more than 5.8 million ballots have been counted from California’s primary, with 1.7 million still to go. Based on today’s updated umbers, the total of 7.5 million votes means a turnout of about 34%, well below the norm for presidential primaries, but ...Dec 20, 2022 · In summary. CalMatters’ expert journalists around the state created this guide to the state’s efforts to meet the challenges of 2022 and prepare for 2023. Our mission at CalMatters is to help you understand the major issues in this big. state and to learn the how and why and who about the decisions made by our. policy leaders. WeeklyMatters Catch up on the top stories in California with a summary of our reporting and commentary from the past week. Weekly Walters Get a digest of new insights from veteran journalist Dan Walters, who holds powerful people in California accountable. WhatMatters Start your day with a comprehensive rundown of the most important stories in California …Sep 11, 2023 · Gov. Gavin Newsom is surrounded by lawmakers as he signs into law his oil profit penalty plan in Sacramento on March 28, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters. It’s California’s most diverse Legislature ever, and one-fourth of lawmakers are new. But some things never change: Legislators wait until the last days of the session to ... Part 1 All too often, California’s default mental institutions are now jails and prisons; Part 2 For families across California, a desperate struggle to get mental health care; Part 3 Overlooked mental health “catastrophe:” Vanishing board-and-care-homes leave residents with few options; Part 4 Californians aren’t getting the …Round two: Garvey, Lee, Porter and Schiff clash at Senate debate. U.S. Senate candidates (from left) Rep. Barbara Lee, Steve Garvey, Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter during a televised debate at KRON4 studio in San Francisco on Feb. …Note: The 2023-24 base grant is $10,951 for grades TK/K-3, $10,069 for grades 4-6, $10,367 for grades 7-8, and $12,327 for grades 9-12. Prior to the funding formula, …Prop. 1 opponents called that strategy “sleazy” and “an attempt to manipulate the final vote count by harvesting the votes of only some partisans in certain areas.”. But the foes said they’re launching a similar effort and refocusing their website to help voters confirm their ballots were counted and to assist voters whose ballots ...California community colleges – through our programs, operations, alumni impact and other activities – added $128.2 billion in income to our state’ s economy, or 4.2% of the total gross state product, according to the economic data analytics firm Emsi who analyzed 2018-19 data. For perspective, this impact is larger than the state’s ...Dec 21, 2021 · California’s citizens redistricting commission is designed to be nonpartisan, but party politics will be influenced by its final congressional and legislative maps. Most studies say Democrats will still have the upper hand. by Sameea Kamal and Jeremia Kimelman December 1, 2021. California renters, who are still struggling to pay the rent even as the pandemic wanes, will be shielded from eviction through Sept. 30, under a last-minute deal announced June 25 by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders. The agreement, which more fully opens up $5.2 billion to pay full back rent and rent …In summary. Learning loss during the pandemic hit California’s low-income students hardest. An agreement requires the state to focus spending there. California schools will have to spend $2 billion of their remaining Covid relief funds on tutoring and other measures to help high-needs students recover from learning loss, according to a …California isn’t on track to meet its climate change mandates — and a new analysis says it’s not even close. The AES power plant in Redondo Beach on Jan. 28, …Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters. In summary. More than 4,000 state scientists have worked under an expired contract for three years. Average wages in 2020 were $83,586, 27% less than state engineers’ pay. The state filed an unfair labor practice charge to stop the strike. Hundreds of scientists working for …Facing demands from the federal government, California water agencies offered today to cut back the amount of water they import from the Colorado River starting in 2023. After months of negotiations, water agencies wrote to federal agencies today offering to reduce California’s water use by 400,000 acre-feet every year through 2026.Assembly Bill 3121 cleared the Legislature last month and if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would establish a nine-person task force to study reparations proposals for more than 2 million African Americans in California, many undergoing migratory shifts. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber, directs the task force to study ... Commentary. Fewer students and higher absenteeism plague California’s public school financing. California's public schools depend on state aid for the lion's share of their operational income. Two trends – declining enrollment and high absenteeism – are creating financial headaches. By Dan Walters • March 8, 2024. In a milestone for creating a major new source of drinking water, California has approved its first standards for turning sewage into potable water supplies delivered to homes and businesses. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a unanimous vote today, outlined for the first time how water suppliers can treat recycled water and send it ...It was intended to be his knockout punch at Newsom on the issue of California’s spiraling homelessness crisis, which he said has gotten so bad that “human feces is now a fact of life” for residents. DeSantis blamed Democrats’ lax attitude. “You have the freedom to defecate in public in California,” DeSantis said. Round two: Garvey, Lee, Porter and Schiff clash at Senate debate. U.S. Senate candidates (from left) Rep. Barbara Lee, Steve Garvey, Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter during a televised debate at KRON4 studio in San Francisco on Feb. 12, 2024. Photo courtesy of NewsNation. Jan 18, 2024 · Prop. 1, the only proposition on California ballots this March, asks voters to green-light a $6.4 billion bond for treatment beds and housing units catering to people with mental illnesses and addictions. It also would restructure some current funding to funnel more mental health money toward housing. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has championed the ... Feb 9, 2024 · Feds leave California on the hook for $300 million in COVID homeless spending. Patient Steven Dombrowski “Cowboy” speaking with Physician assistant Brett Feldman in his hotel room at the L.A. Grand Hotel on Feb. 13, 2023. The hotel was turned into an emergency shelter for unhoused people through Project Roomkey. Campbell crossing, Orlando christian prep, Va department of game and inland, Countryside kitchen, Audrain auto museum, Boston prep, Leaflet missal company, Argentine dogo puppies, Ryans arcade, Where is butler university, Urban farmhouse, Bloomingdale illinois, Smart cruiser, Dave's cosmic
As primary looms, California voting made simple. CalMatters has launched an election guide with everything you need to know about California voting for the June 7 primary. CalMatters is dedicated to explaining how state government impacts our lives. Your support helps us produce journalism that makes a difference. Donate now.. Maplewood mn
It was intended to be his knockout punch at Newsom on the issue of California’s spiraling homelessness crisis, which he said has gotten so bad that “human feces is now a fact of life” for residents. DeSantis blamed Democrats’ lax attitude. “You have the freedom to defecate in public in California,” DeSantis said.Facing demands from the federal government, California water agencies offered today to cut back the amount of water they import from the Colorado River starting in 2023. After months of negotiations, water agencies wrote to federal agencies today offering to reduce California’s water use by 400,000 acre-feet every year through 2026.A record class of first-term lawmakers share their challenges, wins and lessons from the 2023 legislative session. They faced time management, transparency … CalMatters events promote non-partisan civic engagement and build awareness about important issues, politics and policies that shape California’s future. From intimate salon sessions at the CalMatters Studio in Sacramento to public events across the state, our events bring interesting and compelling content to Californians in person and online. On the surface, California’s economic recovery from the pandemic is looking rosier and rosier — but underneath, worker discontent is brewing. Today, nursing home workers are scheduled to hold events across the state — including a vigil at the Capitol — to honor California’s nearly 10,000 nursing home residents and employees lost to ...California election districts have changed for 2022 and beyond. Type in your address and find out your new legislative and congressional districts. Hundreds of thousands of voters were shifted in the new California election districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission. A bushel of state …In the California ‘reading wars,’ phonics is gaining. by Dan Walters November 7, 2022. State test results show California students overall performed much worse in math and English language arts than pre-pandemic, but a persistent achievement gap didn't worsen, as initially feared. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters.More than a year after California community colleges received $650 million in state COVID-19 relief money, schools have spent less than 20% of it. Colleges say they desperately need the money, but that they are reluctant to spend it because of ongoing uncertainty surrounding the state’s budget. Namely, they fear they’ll be asked to give it ...California is eliminating its popular electric car rebate program — which often runs out of money and has long waiting lists — to focus on providing subsidies only to lower-income car buyers. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, in existence since 2010, will end when it runs out of money this year. In its place, the state will … 2022 California election, propositions, Gov. Gavin Newsom and everything else about California policy and politics, our newsroom covers it. Our channel is all about explaining California politics ... A group of California lawmakers is tackling reparations for Black descendants of enslaved people with a set of bills modeled after recommendations that a state reparations task force spent years studying and developing. The legislative package — a set of 14 bills the California Legislative Black Caucus released Wednesday — addresses ...In summary. California has one of the nation’s broadest laws to clear criminal records, and it’s about to expand even more. Supporters say expungements give a fresh …The idea of giving cash directly to people in need, known as guaranteed income, is swiftly gaining traction in California. Nonprofits, cities and counties throughout the …Photo by Kendrick Brinson for CalMatters . Air quality remains unhealthful throughout much of California, with much more work to be done. But the biggest barrier to figuring out the impact of cap and trade on local communities is a lack of data and few studies. The air agency is working to fix that as it implements …Californians infected with COVID-19 may go about their lives without isolating or testing negative as long as their symptoms are improving, according to new and significantly loosened guidelines from the California Department of Public Health. California’s top public health official, Dr. Tomás Aragón, last week quietly …Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters. In the 2019-20 school year, more than 3.6 million California students received free or reduced price meals — nearly 60% of all students in the state, according to the California Department of Education. In the 2020-21 school year, even during the pandemic, about 3.5 …Neither the draw of making California the first state to pass such a law, nor the month-long hunger strike by supporters persuaded Gov. Gavin Newsom to add caste to the list of categories in the state’s housing, education and employment discrimination laws. In his veto message on Oct. 7, Newsom said the bill was “unnecessary.”.Mar 4, 2024 · California’s snowpack is now officially above average. On March 4, after a three-day blizzard battered the Sierra Nevada, the statewide snowpack reached 104% of average for that date. Even better news, the mountains are close to reaching their average for the entire winter. Even if no more snow drops by then, the snowpack is at 94% of average ... The death penalty in California could be on the precipice of a dramatic change. On Wednesday, the California Supreme Court will begin hearings in a case challenging the state’s application of the death penalty.The state’s highest court will consider whether to raise the bar for when a jury can sentence a defendant to …California doctors struggle to make payroll one month after ransomware attack. Dermatologist Dr. Margaret Parsons at her practice, Dermatology Consultants of …Overall suicide rates dropped in California and across the U.S. in 2020, but the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a spike to a record-high of nearly 50,000 nationwide suicides in 2022. Federal data shows that firearm suicides also surged to an all-time high in 2022.Jul 9, 2023 · The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs ... Dec 31, 2019 · About 8,000 families and 12,000 children were homeless in California last year. In Los Angeles, their number spiked by 45.7%. As a result, family homelessness was the main focus of the 2021-22 state budget; Newsom announced a goal of zero family homelessness in the next five years. Nov 12, 2021 · This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. California State Auditor Elaine Howle speaks with CalMatters at her office in Sacramento on Nov. 9, 2021. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters. CalMatters: “We wanted to get your thoughts on the last 30-plus years that you’ve been doing this … and what prompted this transition Nov 8, 2020 · And, when voters elected Democrats Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in 1992, California became the first state in the nation to send two women to the United States Senate . But such ceiling smashing has not happened in Sacramento. When it comes to women leading in state politics, California lags other parts of the nation. A record class of first-term lawmakers share their challenges, wins and lessons from the 2023 legislative session. They faced time management, transparency …That rate would increase 3.5% annually until it reaches $25 in 2033. Community clinics would start the pay increase at $21 per hour in 2024, rising to $22 in 2026 and $25 in 2027. Other health care employers would increase their minimum wage to $21 per hour in 2024, $23 in 2026 and $25 by 2028. The new law will drive up state spending …Fifty-six counties out of the state’s 58 are requesting permission to delay implementing the law, Tony Vartan, Stanislaus County’s Behavioral Health Director, told his Board of Supervisors this week. Only San Luis Obispo and San Francisco counties plan on beginning implementation next month, Vartan said. …Denise Smith Amos leads our statewide California Divide team. Before joining CalMatters she was the editor of the watchdog and accountability team at the Union-Tribune in San Diego. She has been a reporter, columnist and editor at newspapers in Orlando, Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Jacksonville.Mar 15, 2024 · WhatMatters. The latest official tally from the Secretary of State’s office shows that more than 5.8 million ballots have been counted from California’s primary, with 1.7 million still to go. Based on today’s updated umbers, the total of 7.5 million votes means a turnout of about 34%, well below the norm for presidential primaries, but ... Dan Walters, a veteran journalist, covers the state of California and its politics for CalMatters, a nonprofit news organization. Read his opinion columns on topics such as elections, homelessness, …Become a CalMatters member with a tax-deductible donation today to stay informed, bolster our journalism and expand how many people we reach across California. One of the most pressing issues in California is inequality. Sign up for …Gov. Newsom puts on a tough face about California crime, defends past reforms and proposes $350 million-plus to stop organized retail thefts. When it comes to law and order, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants California voters to know that he feels your pain — no matter what the statistics say. Newsom announced today he …Together, they’ve spent more than $188 million lobbying the state government since 2005, making them the third and first largest spenders on hired advocates since then. Oil companies have had plenty of challenges in California, a state with ambitious climate goals including a ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.California doctors struggle to make payroll one month after ransomware attack. Dermatologist Dr. Margaret Parsons at her practice, Dermatology Consultants of Sacramento on March 18, 2024. The billing service used by the practice experienced a cyber attack in early February. Five weeks later, they are still having issues with their …Jun 30, 2023 · The institution on Thursday published its proposal to begin raising undergraduate and graduate school tuition by 6% annually starting in the fall 2024 academic year. For undergraduates, that would mean an increase of $342 in the first year. However, nearly 60% of Cal State’s students would be unaffected by the tuition hikes because they ... In summary. Recent polls show many Californians were undecided heading into Election Day on Gov. Newsom’s Proposition 1, which would fund new mental health treatment facilities. Opponents to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $6.4 billion plan to build mental health treatment beds and housing today conceded that his ballot measure is likely to pass. CalMatters’ journalists explain the most important issues in California. Enter your email address below to sign up for our free newsletters and receive reporting that helps you stay informed and engaged in your community. By signing up, you agree to the terms. Inequality Insights Your weekly must-read to stay on top of inequality, one of ... Demand has plunged 80%. by Julie Cart January 26, 2024. Ken Wells runs O&M Solar Services, a small residential solar company in South Los Angeles, where he works with disadvantaged communities. But a new state rate structure for rooftop solar has decimated his business. He had to lay off all 20 employees. Photo by Lauren Justice for …Decision day for hot-button bills. Assemblymember Adam Gray, a Merced Democrat, takes notes on the Assembly floor during the next-to-last day of the session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 30, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters. California’s legislative session ends tonight at midnight, but the intense lobbying …Sameea Kamal is a reporter at CalMatters covering the state Capitol and California politics. She joined CalMatters in June 2021 from the Los Angeles Times, where she was a News Desk editor. Sameea was... More by Sameea Kamal. New members of the California Legislature count some victories in representing constituents, but criticize the …These new California laws take effect in 2024. by CalMatters December 27, 2023. But a host of new laws will make it more difficult for opponents of proposed housing projects to use the California Environmental Quality Act to delay certain types of housing projects. Oakland Democratic Assemblymember Buffy …A CalMatters analysis shows that California’s offshore wind projects carry a host of implications and uncertainties: Energy companies will need hundreds of millions of dollars in state subsidies or bonds to assist with the extreme costs of construction and operation. Each wind farm could cost about $5 billion to develop, …Feb 6, 2023 · Rules for thee: How California Legislature skirts its own laws. by Sameea Kamal February 6, 2023. New California legislators stand to take the oath of office in the Senate chambers in the state Capitol on Dec. 5, 2022. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters. Nov 8, 2020 · And, when voters elected Democrats Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in 1992, California became the first state in the nation to send two women to the United States Senate . But such ceiling smashing has not happened in Sacramento. When it comes to women leading in state politics, California lags other parts of the nation. Photo by Kendrick Brinson for CalMatters . Air quality remains unhealthful throughout much of California, with much more work to be done. But the biggest barrier to figuring out the impact of cap and trade on local communities is a lack of data and few studies. The air agency is working to fix that as it implements …California isn’t on track to meet its climate change mandates — and a new analysis says it’s not even close. The AES power plant in Redondo Beach on Jan. 28, …Gov. Newsom puts on a tough face about California crime, defends past reforms and proposes $350 million-plus to stop organized retail thefts. When it comes to law and order, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants California voters to know that he feels your pain — no matter what the statistics say. Newsom announced today he …Coastal elites. Just shy of 1 million people live in California’s coastal zone, according to an analysis provided to CalMatters by Nicholas Depsky, a climate change … CalMatters covers quality of life issues, holds leaders accountable and explains state government to 39 million Californians. Learn about its mission, funding, diversity, ethics and accessibility. Why the race is already so crowded. State Senate leader Toni Atkins kicked off her gubernatorial campaign with an event in San Diego on Jan. 19, 2024. Photo by Bryan Giardinelli, Breathe New Winds. More than two years until the first votes are cast, Senate leader Toni Atkins becomes the fourth big-name Democrat …Jan 18, 2024 · California will dole out $250 million more in down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers this spring, while making changes to its 1-year-old program aimed at reaching a more diverse group of borrowers across the state. Last year frenzied homebuyers hoovered up nearly all $300 million budgeted for the California Dream for All loan program ... Nov 3, 2020 · Come rain, shine, pandemic or crippling recession, California voters can always count on one thing: a very long, very complicated ballot. Live election results beginning Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Though the presidential race will gobble up most of the attention, the choice between GOP President Donald Trump and former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden ... In summary. Learning loss during the pandemic hit California’s low-income students hardest. An agreement requires the state to focus spending there. California schools will have to spend $2 billion of their remaining Covid relief funds on tutoring and other measures to help high-needs students recover from learning loss, according to a …Gov. Gavin Newsom this year signed two union-backed bills that will boost fast-food and health care workers’ minimum wages. California-based fast-food workers for chains with 60 or more locations around the nation will earn at least $20 an hour beginning in April, $4 higher than the overall state minimum wage of $16 that will be effective Jan. 1.Gov. Gavin Newsom has amassed more than $14.2 million in a campaign war chest for his hallmark mental health initiative, which will appear on the March 5 primary ballot, a sum that eclipses the resources of the measure’s opponents. He’s drawing from longtime allies in health care, unions and tribes to …Imperial has the largest proportion of vaccinated residents in the entire southern half of the state. About 73% of Los Angeles County residents and 50% of Kern County residents, for instance, have received at least one shot, compared to Imperial’s 86%. El Centro, with a population of 44,000, is the …When the California Supreme Court upheld Brown’s Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act in July of 2020, it directed the state’s 20 county-run pension funds to comply with it. The law reduced the potential retirement income of government employees hired after 2013 by changing pension formulas. It also restricted a variety of financial ...A CalMatters analysis shows that California’s offshore wind projects carry a host of implications and uncertainties: Energy companies will need hundreds of millions of dollars in state subsidies or bonds to assist with the extreme costs of construction and operation. Each wind farm could cost about $5 billion to develop, …The new chemicals law follows California’s 2020 first-in-the-nation law banning 24 toxic ingredients, including mercury and formaldehyde, in personal care products. That ban is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2025. Last year, Maryland followed California’s lead and banned those same ingredients.Explainers. California is the first state to tackle reparations for Black residents. What that really means. California’s first-in-the-nation task force on reparations is handing lawmakers dozens of recommendations, including a proposal that the state apologize for slavery and racist policies, and make financial amends.Breakdown: California’s mental health system, explained. Mental health advocates have long described California’s fragmented mental health system with words like “struggling” and “broken.”. Evidence of its consequences can be found in our jails and prisons, our hospitals and clinics, our schools and colleges. The problem touches ...A new federal student aid application is blocking some students from completing their forms. Now California legislators are trying to extend the deadline for state student aid. Students seeking state financial aid have just two weeks remaining to beat a California deadline, even as thousands have been locked out of …Assembly Bill 3121 cleared the Legislature last month and if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would establish a nine-person task force to study reparations proposals for more than 2 million African Americans in California, many undergoing migratory shifts. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber, directs the task force to study ...Jul 9, 2023 · The 2022 report revealed that the state’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1% since 2021, and property crime was up 6.2%. Homicides dipped very slightly, but robberies jumped by 10.2%. Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a low-key statement with the data release, saying, “While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs ... Lockyer’s seven-figure war chest is among the largest of nearly 100 accounts belonging to state political candidates with leftover campaign cash, according to a CalMatters analysis of California campaign finance records. Collectively, they hold about $35 million — funds that never got spent on the campaigns for which they were raised ...In summary. Accelerated by the COVID pandemic, a shift by state officials toward emails and written statements is making it more difficult for journalists to be watchdogs for Californians. Like so much else about California, its state government is large: A $300 billion budget. More than 230 departments and agencies. More than 234,000 …Feb 5, 2024 · Your CalMatters 2024 Voter Guide is a team effort, made possible by the following: Reporters: Kristen Hwang, Sameea Kamal, Alexei Koseff, Yue Stella Yu Web producer: Liliana Michelena Lower cost, slower gains: California prepares controversial new climate strategy. by Nadia Lopez April 28, 2022. The state's climate change scoping plan would force use of renewable energy. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave Desert is the world's largest solar plant. Photo by Bing Guan, REUTERS. Become a CalMatters member with a tax-deductible donation today to stay informed, bolster our journalism and expand how many people we reach across California. One of the most pressing issues in California is inequality. Sign up for a weekly must-read to stay informed on critical issues. Nov 8, 2022 · Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom cast their ballots on election day at the California Museum in Sacramento on Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by MIguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters. Results: Gavin Newsom, 59%. Brian Dahle, 41%. Aquifers in Spain, Iran, China and Chile top the list of the 100 most rapidly dropping groundwater levels. California’s Cuyama Valley, north of Santa Barbara, ranked 34th worldwide. Its underground basin has been dropping almost 5 feet a year, and residents, farmers and even the school district are locked in a court battle with carrot …Gov. Gavin Newsom has amassed more than $14.2 million in a campaign war chest for his hallmark mental health initiative, which will appear on the March 5 primary ballot, a sum that eclipses the resources of the measure’s opponents. He’s drawing from longtime allies in health care, unions and tribes to …by Ana B. Ibarra February 8, 2024. California's new Office of Health Care Affordability is charged with capping price increases for consumers. It set a preliminary goal of limiting increases to 3% a year. 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