California lets students wear tribal regalia at graduations. Why it’s still controversial
CALmatters is a Sacramento-based nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. It works with more than 130 media partners throughout the state that have long, deep relationships with their local audiences, including Embarcadero Media (publisher of the Palo Alto Weekly, Mountain View Voice, Pleasanton Weekly and The Almanac in Menlo Park and their websites.)
Here are the most recent stories reported by CALmatters' team of journalists:
CA Democrats save face on sex trafficking bill
From CalMatters politics reporter Yue Stella Yu: In the state Legislature, an open rebellion sometimes does wonders. Two weeks ago, Assemblymember Maggy Krell, a first-year Sacramento Democrat, publicly defied Democratic leaders in attempting to pass harsher penalties for soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds. Joined by some moderate Democrats and Republicans, the fight laid bare […]
Fri, May 16, 2025 6:00 am
Faced with budget woes, Gavin Newsom wants more tax credits for Hollywood
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest budget proposal lays out deep cuts to public universities and health care. It also seeks to more than double the tax credits for Hollywood studios — an expansion moving smoothly through the state Legislature.
Fri, May 16, 2025 5:35 am
Google’s $125 million deal with California for local news is already shrinking
Google and California struck a deal last year to fund local news. Now the state is pulling back some of its commitments. Google could follow suit.
Fri, May 16, 2025 5:30 am
Listen: What happens when California cops refuse to respond to mental health calls?
A new podcast episode revisits CalMatters' recent story on police stepping back from mental health calls, and what that shift means for crisis response systems.
Fri, May 16, 2025 5:30 am
Californians would lose AI protections under bill advancing in Congress
House Republicans want to ban state AI regulations for 10 years. California leaders are alarmed.
Fri, May 16, 2025 5:30 am
Democratic candidates for California governor shy away from state’s anti-oil crusade
All of the Democratic contenders for California governor promised unions they would be less aggressive than Gov. Gavin Newsom has been with oil industry.
Fri, May 16, 2025 12:01 am
Health care, prisons and more cut in Newsom’s new budget plan
When Gov. Gavin Newsom released his preliminary $322 billion state budget plan in January, he projected a “modest surplus.” But many things have changed since then: A general economic slowdown in the U.S. economy; an estimated decline in income tax revenue due to the stock market fallout from President Donald Trump’s tariffs; and an unprecedented […]
Thu, May 15, 2025 6:00 am
Rejection of Inland Empire warehouse project signals a retreat from California’s decadeslong boom
Local and state leaders in California are breaking with decades of inertia and reining in warehouse development. A recent decision in Riverside cemented the shift and elated activists who spent years opposing a major project.
Thu, May 15, 2025 5:30 am
Is the secret to housing affordability in California buried in the building code?
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would pause updates to state housing standards. Is the building code to blame for California's housing crisis?
Thu, May 15, 2025 5:30 amStay informed.
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