State GovernmentUnderstanding how a California bill dies without public debateMay 16, 2023 | Nicole NixonThe twice-yearly procedure releases hundreds of bills to the Senate and Assembly floors, allowing for debate before the entire chamber. But for other bills, the suspense hearing provides a quiet, anticlimactic end. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Health CareCalifornia debates extending PTSD coverage to more first respondersMay 14, 2023A state Senate bill would extend workers’ compensation coverage of post-traumatic stress injuries for firefighters and police officers. But a separate bill to cover paramedics and EMTs is unlikely to be heard.
State GovernmentCan California find better paying jobs for people with disabilities?May 14, 2023A new state law aims to ensure workers with disabilities earn at least minimum wage. But some worry that the state doesn’t have enough resources to help these workers compete for jobs.
State GovernmentHow Gavin Newsom wants to close California’s $31.5 billion budget shortfall May 12, 2023 | Chris Nichols | Nicole Nixon | Manola Secaira | Kate WolffeThough the budget deficit has grown to nearly $32 billion, Newsom said he does not plan to dip into the state’s rainy day fund, instead proposing a mix of funding delays, cuts and renewing a tax on health insurers.
State GovernmentSen. Dianne Feinstein returns to Washington following an absenceMay 10, 2023Feinstein, 89, returns to work after being away for months to recover from shingles. She last voted in February, and her absence has spurred calls for her to resign.
State GovernmentA larger deficit, economic uncertainty and unclear revenues: California’s boom turns bustMay 9, 2023 | Nicole NixonA year after spending a $100 billion surplus, California lawmakers must fill a deficit. Recent bank failures, climbing interest rates and a high-profile fight over the federal debt limit all pose considerable risks to the state's economy and budget.
EnvironmentFacing California deadlines, automakers race to produce electric carsMay 7, 2023A look inside the factory that assembles Ford’s F-150 electric pickup. As the industry invests $40 billion in new US electric car plants, the rapid transformation raises labor and supply chain issues. Automaker says “we’re all-in.”
Health CareAbortion rights groups say California lawmakers must stay ‘nimble’ ahead of anticipated challengesMay 4, 2023 | Kate WolffeThe national director of an abortion rights organization says policy makers are working in uncharted territory with “backdoor bans” and an adversarial climate in the U.S.
State GovernmentAfter a lawsuit, here’s how to comment on proposed changes to the California state CapitolMay 4, 2023 | Nicole NixonThe state has again opened public comment on a controversial $1 billion-plus facelift of the California state Capitol following a court order.
State GovernmentNewsom administration sues Elk Grove for denying affordable housing projectMay 3, 2023 | Chris NicholsThe suit is California’s latest effort to enforce state housing laws against local governments it says are illegally rejecting new developments as residents struggle to pay for skyrocketing rents and mortgages.
