CalMatters
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. Yet, mirroring trends across the country, there has been a significant decline in the number of journalists covering the Capitol in Sacramento. This has meant fewer eyes on decision makers, and a public that feels disconnected from its state government.
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The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case about homeless camps later this year. It could have major implications for California. -
California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office projects a 2024-25 budget deficit twice as large as 2023-24. It says the state could dip into reserves and cut some one-time spending. -
Black women are three times more likely than any other women to die during or immediately after pregnancy. California lawmakers passed a law in 2019 requiring hospitals to train labor and delivery staff on unconscious bias in medicine. -
California’s new U.S. senator says she won’t seek a full term in 2024. She says she can better serve the state by focusing on key issues, not a campaign. -
California’s COVID-era rent relief program, long saddled with delays, criticisms and legal woes, appears to be running out of money. What does that mean for the more than 100,000 renters still awaiting help? -
Gov. Newsom vetoes what would have been a first-in-the-nation law banning caste discrimination in education, housing and the workplace. The bill divided South Asian communities in California. -
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara unveils a plan to shore up the California insurance market for homeowners. Insurers would return to wildfire zones, but would have an easier path to rate increases. -
Abortions increased at Planned Parenthood clinics near California’s border with Arizona after the end of Roe vs Wade. Workers have joined a union. -
Despite the agreement that the California insurance market needs fixing, legislators weren’t able to find a compromise this session. -
It’s a confusing time in the COVID pandemic. A new booster is on the way, but cases are rising and you might want more protection now.
