Health CareCalifornia considers allowing doctors to prescribe abortion drugs anonymouslySeptember 10, 2025Under the measure, which the legislature is considering this week, doctors, pharmacists and others authorized to prescribe the drugs to end a pregnancy could leave their name off the prescription label.
Housing and HomelessnessBudget carveout appears to stymie apartment construction in powerful Democrat’s districtSeptember 10, 2025A bill released in the final days of the legislative session creates a carve-out from more permissive building rules and appears to target just one project: a proposed apartment building in Sen. Monique Limón’s district.
Health Care‘I will do it again’. Mom of California overdose victim pledges to keep fighting in CapitolSeptember 9, 2025After a CalMatters investigation, lawmakers asked Christine Matlock Dougherty to testify on behalf of bills to regulate mental health insurance. They didn’t pass this year.
State GovernmentRemembering California’s 'progressive warrior': The legacy of John BurtonSeptember 8, 2025 | Vicki Gonzalez | Jen Picard | Sarit LaschinskyThe longtime Democratic lawmaker and state party chair died Sunday at the age of 92. A former Sacramento Bee reporter who co-authored Burton’s memoir remembered his colorful language and desire to work across the aisle.
State GovernmentEx-staffer sues California Assembly speaker, alleging retaliation for reporting briberySeptember 4, 2025A former press secretary for California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas alleges in a lawsuit that she was retaliated against for reporting alleged bribery and other misconduct to the Legislature.
EnvironmentCalifornia holds off on penalizing oil companies for price gougingSeptember 2, 2025 | Manola SecairaGovernor Gavin Newsom supported the price gouging penalty when he signed it into law in 2023 as a way to stop unnecessary gas price spikes. Now the governor and the energy commission have decided to put it on hold.
State GovernmentBig money and names power the campaign to influence California voters over a new congressional mapSeptember 2, 2025California voters will decide in November whether to OK a new congressional map that would benefit Democrats. The campaign to influence voters has already begun.
State GovernmentTrump broke the law by sending National Guard to L.A., federal judge rulesSeptember 2, 2025A 19th Century law called the Posse Comitatus Act defines what the military can do on U.S. soil. President Trump broke that law by sending the National Guard to L.A., a federal judge rules.
State GovernmentMeet the Sacramento architect behind California’s new proposed congressional mapsAugust 29, 2025 | Vicki GonzalezCalifornia’s contentious proposal to redraw congressional maps has drawn heated debate. But data consultant Paul Mitchell says his company’s maps still respect good governance principles and criteria laid out by the state’s redistricting commission.
State GovernmentNewsom deploys ‘crime suppression’ teams statewide while mocking Trump’s threatsAugust 28, 2025As President Donald Trump ramps up threats of military action to “clean up” Democratic-led cities, Newsom said local communities can best tackle crime in their communities.
