State GovernmentCops have to treat marijuana in your car differently after new California Supreme Court rulingJanuary 30, 2026If you can’t easily consume it, having marijuana in your car does not give California police the right to search the vehicle.
State GovernmentMany L.A. fire survivors face insurance delays and can’t return home a year laterJanuary 8, 2026Despite billions in dollars of claims paid out, fires exposed problems in California’s beleaguered insurance market. All policyholders are likely to see premiums rise.
State GovernmentCalifornia’s Republican lawmakers emphasize how in sync they are with TrumpFebruary 6, 2025Some California Republicans have capitalized on the country’s new GOP administration by introducing (or reintroducing) legislation that they say align with President Donald Trump’s policies.
As California closes prisons, correctional officers land a $1 billion contract with raises and moreAugust 30, 2023Gov. Gavin Newsom has closed two state prisons and he has plans to shut two more by 2025. A new contract for correctional officers offers new perks to the guards who stay.
Health CareCalifornia bails out distressed hospitals, offers interest-free loans to 17 troubled providersAugust 26, 2023Some independent California community hospitals have struggled with rising costs since the COVID-19 pandemic. Three declared bankruptcy this year, prompting the state to distribute interest-free loans.
Race and EquityAfter farmworker’s death in Fresno-area heat, UFW and Sen. Padilla say it’s time for stronger protections at workAugust 22, 2023U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and the United Farm Workers union say a recent death in a tomatillo field was due to heat, but a coroner’s report doesn’t back that up.
State Government8 months after storms, California disaster relief slowly flows to undocumented workers who lost homes, incomeAugust 20, 2023Gov. Gavin Newsom promised $95 million would help undocumented workers rebuild after winter storms and floods. Months later, $18 million is being doled out and there are translation issues with the state’s website.
EnvironmentHardly anyone owns a hydrogen car. California may pay up to $300 million for fuel stations anywayAugust 19, 2023With only 12,000 hydrogen cars on the road, and just two models for sale, California lawmakers are debating how much state money should support them.
EducationWhy Cal State is pushing back on community colleges’ plans to offer bachelor’s degreesAugust 12, 2023A new law allows community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees, an option for students unable to attend a four-year institution. But California State University officials are objecting to many of those proposed programs.
Food and SustainabilityHow hungry is California? Millions struggle to eat well in an abundant stateAugust 12, 2023How bad is hunger in California? A lot depends on your access to food aid, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic but now is being reduced.
