The state is expanding mortgage relief to more California homeowners who are struggling through the pandemic. The program now covers second mortgages and loan deferrals, with a maximum total grant of $80,000.

State legislators sometimes exempt themselves from the laws they pass, but this session, they could change course on an emblematic bill: To allow their own staffers to form a union.

California Department of Justice can’t say how many cases it chose not to investigate during the past 18 months under a new state law, which aimed to ensure state oversight of police shootings.

The amended Senate Bill 8 was introduced following the mass shootings across the state in January. 

President Biden signed a law banning nearly 4 million federal employees from having TikTok on their government phones, over national security concerns. This week, New Jersey and Ohio joined at least 20 other states in restricting access to TikTok, amid fears that the Chinese government could use the app to spy on Americans. Will California jump on the TikTok ban bandwagon?

Environmentalists say the governor’s proposal to slash $6 billion in funding hurts the state more in the long run.

The California Legislature reconvenes with record diversity, but with several key questions and many significant challenges. A soaring homeless population. A bitter battle with the oil industry over gasoline prices.

The state says it has reserves to weather a tough year but a recession could deepen the deficit in years ahead.

The proposal would allow groups to bypass local zoning laws and California’s landmark environmental review process.

Nearly one-third of lawmakers — at least 37 of 120 — will be new to Sacramento, paving the way for new political dynamics and new legislative priorities.

California’s nursing agency has approved rules that will allow nurse practitioners to treat patients without physician supervision.

The new law makes California the first state that will automatically seal most criminal records for those who complete their sentences.

The governor threw communities into disarray two weeks ago by withholding $1 billion in homelessness funding for plans he saw as unambitious. Local officials said this discouraged ambitious programs. Now Newsom is yielding.

In the California Legislature, Democrats will continue to hold 3 out of 4 seats in both the Senate and the Assembly — enough to keep super-majorities that give them immense power over spending and legislation.

After manuevering for months, Anthony Rendon and Robert Rivas make a deal on who will be Assembly speaker in the next Legislature. Rendon will stay on, but Rivas will take over at the end of June 2023.

California colleges often reduce financial aid to students when they earn private grants, a practice known as scholarship displacement. A new state law bans the practice for low-income students starting next fall.