September 18, 2026
$1 million in homeless funds for a nightclub? New LA fraud cases allege bribery and theft
Prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching the books at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority?
September 17, 2026
CalPERS CEO lands seven-figure bonus — her first — as pension fund extends run of good returns
CalPERS Chief Executive Marcie Frost earned $387,000 in 2017. She'll take home at least $1.7 million this year after being awarded a record bonus.
September 17, 2026
California’s tough on crime law promised treatment. Here's why people are falling through the cracks
California's Prop. 36 gave certain people facing criminal charges an option to have their cases dropped if they complete drug treatment.
September 17, 2026
California wants to ban child marriage. Why are these civil rights groups trying to stop it?
Anyone under the age of 18 can get married in California. While lawmakers seek to restrict the practices, these liberal groups tried to block it.
September 17, 2026
He championed vaccine mandates. Will that record help him unseat a party-shifting conservative?
In one of California’s newly created congressional districts, candidates diverge sharply on healthcare issues, but most voters agree healthcare costs too much.
September 17, 2026
Judge: Immigration agents must stop the way they’re conducting warrantless arrests
A federal judge ruled that agents likely violated the law in conducting warrantless arrests without assessing flight risk.
September 16, 2026
How the most powerful woman in California government is making her mark on the Legislature
Consensus among Democrats defined Sen. Monique Limón’s first-year goal as Senate leader. That approach kept unity, but failed to net blockbuster wins
September 16, 2026
Data brokers have detailed files on you. Here’s what’s in them — and how it impacts you
Data brokers collect thousands of details about your finances, health and habits. See what’s in your profile, who buys it and how companies use it.
September 16, 2026
Who’s buying your personal data: Disney, GM, your insurer and bank. Here’s what they get
Consumers asked a major data broker for their personal files. What they got back shows interest in how fat they are, drinking habits and more
September 15, 2026
California high-speed rail consultants flew first-class, visited bars and a nightclub on taxpayers’ money
California’s high-speed rail authority spent $600,000 reimbursing outside consultants for questionable trips to gyms, a nightclub, a cigar lounge and more.
September 15, 2026
Newsom signs law to let these Californians get out of jury duty
Californians over age 80 will be able to get a permanent exemption from jury duty under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed.
September 15, 2026
New California law sets first-in-nation standards for smoke damage in homes
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws that detail insurers' responsibilities in addressing smoke damage in homes. They were inspired by survivors of the LA County fires.
September 15, 2026
Find a VotingMatters community discussion about California's 2026 election near you
CalMatters’ 2026 Voter Guide is coming to more than 35 free, in-person events across California. Here’s the full schedule — and how to host your own.
September 15, 2026
California K-12 schools with military-style rifles don’t always disclose them as law requires
CalMatters has found that the nine K-12 school districts in California that own military-grade weapons have not been reporting them annually.
September 15, 2026
How a gym, a farmers market and MMA fighters landed millions in Newsom’s last budget
California’s opaque process allows powerful Democrats to bring home millions of dollars while rural, Republican-led districts receive little to none
September 15, 2026
Sacramento Bee slashes staff as Gov. Gavin Newsom weighs state aid for news outlets
After a 144-year-old newspaper war, a bankruptcy and the internet gobbling its ad revenue, the Sacramento Bee is deeply cutting its staff, its owners announced.
September 15, 2026
California's community work isn’t a Band-Aid in times of crisis. It’s a resource deserving long-term funding
State government treats community organizations like temporary vendors, not long-term partners needing steady funding and a place at the table, a nonprofit consultant says.
September 15, 2026
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Trump's mail-in voting limits as November election nears
Gov. Gavin Newsom celebrated the Supreme Court's decision shooting down President Trump's plan to restrict mail-in voting before the November election.
September 14, 2026
Fears of AI doom emerge at CalPERS board as pension fund rides high on tech investments
"If we don’t have retirees, if we don’t have state workers because of AI, we don’t have a pension fund," said Theresa Taylor, the president of the CalPERS board.
September 14, 2026
CalMatters sues UC Berkeley to force university to disclose student-athlete pay data
Student athletes can earn six-figures or more at top-tier college sports programs. CalMatters is suing UC Berkeley to reveal how much it's paying athletes.
September 14, 2026
More girls are harming themselves. Only some show up in the ER
Emergency room visits connected to self-harm climbed through 2021, and the numbers remain elevated above pandemic-levels in California even as other indicators of mental distress have declined.
September 14, 2026
Drugs for autoimmune diseases are pricey. This bill could switch patients to a cheaper one
Nearly 25,000 Californians could get switched to a cheaper drug next year — unless their doctor objects.
September 14, 2026
California’s vote by mail system works. It’s worth fighting for.
Ballots mailed to homes and the option to vote by mail are linked to high turnouts. There have been few attempts to commit voter fraud, a state official says.
September 12, 2026
With mail-in rules uncertain, here’s how Californians can prepare to vote in November
The Supreme Court is weighing President Trump’s plan to limit universal mail-in voting with just seven weeks until the November election. California officials are urging people to vote early.
September 11, 2026
Tech companies are selling kids’ data. A new California law aims to protect their privacy
The new law prohibits technology companies from using student data to train or develop AI models and limits how companies can use that data.
September 11, 2026
Newsom signed 13 new laws to protect kids from technology. Will they work?
Even a decade ago, the horror stories behind some of the online protection bills Newsom signed Thursday seemed the stuff of fiction. No more.
September 11, 2026
California math scores are far below grade level. This screener will test students’ skills early
A California proposal would test the math skills of all kindergartners through second-graders and provide tutoring for those who need it.
September 11, 2026
After a backlash over votes on sex offenders, two California parole board members were dropped
The two commissioners were let go following their decisions to release men convicted of sex crimes against children
September 11, 2026
California's future water supplies depend on the outcomes of four intertwined battles
State conflicts are brewing over Colorado River water, the Sites reservoir project, the proposed Delta tunnel and San Joaquin River diversions.
September 11, 2026
If the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal survives, California's antitrust fix: The company's board
If the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal happens, California should restructure the merged company's board.
September 10, 2026
California enacts laws restricting chatbots and banning teens from ‘addictive’ social media
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a set of bills intended to protect children by regulating internet use, including limiting chatbot sessions.
September 10, 2026
She put money into CalPERS for decades. It demanded she repay $1 million over a part-time job
Government retirees who go back to work must follow strict pension laws or risk serious consequences with CalPERS. Several faced enormous bills.
September 10, 2026
California law that helped students sleep more before school is getting high marks
Middle and high school students who get more sleep have fewer mental health issues and are doing better in math and English, says new study.
September 10, 2026
California sues over Trump's changes to Endangered Species Act, arguing they threaten habitat
The Trump administration reinterpreted the Endangered Species Act to counter what it called "federal overreach." California is suing to block its changes, arguing they threaten vital habitat.
September 10, 2026
California has one-quarter of all the nation’s death sentences. Will Newsom commute them all?
More than 560 people still face death sentences in California, despite a longstanding moratorium on executions.
September 9, 2026
Medicaid expanded beyond the population it was meant to serve. Its cost needs scrutiny, too
The fallout of Medicaid cuts deserve scrutiny, but the program's impact on federal debt should be part of the discussion.
September 9, 2026
Will Gavin Newsom raise public safety pensions? It may hinge on his presidential hopes
A bill to boost pension benefits for public safety workers could cost state and local governments — and taxpayers — more than $8 billion.
September 9, 2026
What California's insurance commissioner does — and how it affects your wallet
Californians will soon vote for a regulator with the power to affect everything from insurance premiums to fire recovery.
September 9, 2026
California sanctions insurer after it cut assisted living coverage to thousands
State regulators found eight violations after Health Net's abrupt benefit cuts endangered vulnerable Medi-Cal patients.
September 8, 2026
Democrats have lost Silicon Valley. Here's what it will take to win it back
If Democrats want to become the party of the future again, they need to stop treating the people building the future like political enemies.
September 8, 2026
Medi-Cal won't pay for assisted living in most of California. One brother fought back
A brother spent 9 months fighting Medi-Cal so his sister could get assisted living near home instead of a nursing home.
September 5, 2026
California could be first in the nation to create smoke-damage standards
After a fire, survivors and insurers battle over testing and cleanup of standing homes. CA lawmakers passed two bills that aim to help.
September 4, 2026
California's political hopefuls remain silent on state's job losses, unemployment
California has lost jobs and its workforce. By many measures, it has some of the highest unemployment or underemployment rates in the country.
September 4, 2026
How California can do data centers differently and win back community trust
Californians can accept data centers if Big Tech plans transparently, benefits host communities and uses more clean energy, less fossil fuel.
September 4, 2026
CalMatters journalism recognized as ‘deeply human’ and ‘innovative’ in Online Journalism Awards for video series and explanatory storytelling
The contest recognizes innovative digital storytelling amongst major media outlets, international and independent news websites, and individuals telling stories online.
September 4, 2026
Community colleges suddenly oppose plan to let them offer more bachelor's degrees
California community colleges initially backed two bills to help them issue more bachelor’s degrees. Last-minute changes killed their support.
September 4, 2026
California's healthcare affordability office claims power to punish overspending hospitals
The state's new penalty framework could fine hospitals and insurers up to 125% of overspending, with enforcement starting as early as 2028.
September 4, 2026
Fact check: Is Sam Altman right that almonds use more water than ChatGPT queries?
Open AI's CEO claims data center water concerns don’t hold “up to scrutiny.” Artificial intelligence companies are fighting legislation to disclose water use.
September 3, 2026
As California debated sharing data on drivers, Homeland Security subpoenaed 17 million records
Privacy advocates raised alarms as California lawmakers voted to share driver license information with a national nonprofit database. Then, the Trump administration sought trucker records from the organization.
September 3, 2026
Clock is ticking as LA Olympics organizers plan massive spending spree to retool venues
LA28 officials are stockpiling money and preparing to spend it fast. Organizers have effectively built a Fortune 500 company in downtown L.A.