California lawmakers tried nine times to stiffen penalties for trafficking of a minor. The latest effort appeared to die — until a social media campaign forced Democrats to reconsider.

Truck manufacturers won’t file legal challenges over California’s controversial mandate, and in return, the state air board will relax some smog-fighting requirements.

After a prolonged transition, the Hollister Democrat was sworn in as Assembly speaker today, taking over from Anthony Rendon of Southern California. It’s been a meteoric ascent for the 43-year-old who grew up in farmworker housing, and worked as a high school counselor and community college teacher while serving as a San Benito County supervisor.

San Jose’s homelessness response team visited Houston earlier this year. They came away jealous of some advantages Houston has over California cities.

After weeks of negotiations, state legislators will start voting today on a budget deal that sets spending and policy across a wide range of issues affecting Californians.

While the President is at private fundraisers in Los Gatos and Atherton, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be raising money for his presidential campaign in a private event in nearby Woodside.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed US constitutional amendment includes four popular gun control policies.

More than 170,000 people are homeless in California. Some Democrats want to make the state the nation’s first to declare housing a human right, but opponents worry it would be costly.

Under the proposed state changes, recipients would gain greater flexibility to participate in activities such as going to school, domestic violence counseling, addiction treatment or mental health care, at an estimated cost of100 million.

As of May 30, FEMA approved assistance for applicants in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, including Pajaro and the city of Watsonville, but the state has yet to name nonprofits that deliver the aid.

Workers who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic and are enrolling in a college program have until June 15 to apply for a California relief grant to receive up to $2,500 as state lawmakers seek to cut programs to plug a budget hole.

Increasing CSU tuition up to $8,000 over a five-year period by 2030 might not be enough to cover the system's spending, as faculty press for 12% pay increases.

Under his May budget plan, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants the UC and CSU to get more state student housing in 2023-24, but the universities would have to borrow the money through bonds. The state would pay the interest on the bonds annually.

There are 50,000 humanitarian reasons for the state to follow through on its funding commitment. There is also a powerful economic incentive.

Monthly tax revenues came in billions of dollars below forecasts this spring, threatening budget cuts amid fears of a recession.

The revised budget proposal now provides a total of $452 million for statewide flood protection, including the hard-hit Central Coast.