State GovernmentCalifornia’s firefighter union is poised to get a rare perk: Guaranteed raises, foreverJuly 2, 2023After several years of devastating wildfires, California lawmakers want to give hefty raises to Cal Fire firefighters. The deal could tie the governor’s hands in contracts.
EnvironmentWill California’s largest pensions, CalPERS and CalSTRS, divest from fossil fuels?July 2, 2023Climate activists and some lawmakers want two of California’s pension funds to shed about $15 billion of fossil fuel holdings. They say the move would reduce oil and gas companies’ political power, but opponents say it would be a bad move financially
EnvironmentBuilding California: How will the infrastructure deal affect development, wildlife?July 2, 2023Environmentalists and project proponents agree: Infrastructure bills crafted by legislators and Newsom are a good compromise. The package aims to speed up lawsuits for solar farms, reservoirs and other infrastructure.
EnvironmentCalifornia lawmakers wage Delta water war with NewsomJune 21, 2023Legislators threatened to reject Newsom’s infrastructure package if he won’t remove the Delta water tunnel. The issue could be ammunition as the budget deadline looms.
EducationCalifornia professors test out AI in the classroom, even as cheating debate continuesJune 18, 2023While some California college professors remain concerned about students using generative AI such as ChatGPT to cheat in class, a growing number are choosing to encourage its limited use in classroom assignments.
Education‘Everybody assumes that it’s like the rest of California and it’s not’: Rural LGBTQ students and administrators describe campus strife.June 18, 2023In rural and conservative-leaning towns and cities across California, LGBTQ+ student groups are small in number and face homophobic and transphobic incidents on and off campus. Some help is on the way.
Health CareWhy ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ will be California’s next abortion battlegroundJune 17, 2023California legislators have passed a slew of laws to protect abortion rights. But after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, many fear attempting to regulate “crisis pregnancy centers” is legally risky.
Race and EquityA small world: How caste discrimination came to CaliforniaJune 11, 2023A bill to ban caste discrimination in California brings a global conflict to the Legislature. While many South Asian groups support the measure, some say it could backfire.
California rent relief is still available for thousands of tenants who were denied COVID assistanceJune 7, 2023Thousands of Californians who lost work during the pandemic are struggling with debt. A new settlement makes COVID rent relief available to tens of thousands of tenants.
Health CareCalifornia’s digital privacy battle: It’s police vs. civil libertarians, with an abortion twistJune 3, 2023California is considering banning the use of “reverse search warrants,” which compel tech companies to disclose the identities of individuals based on the location of their phone and internet search history. Abortion activists call it vital.
