Google, oil companies and utilities helped push California lobbying to a record $540 million in 2024, up 10% from the year before.

A dozen bills proposed in Sacramento would make it harder to confront local officials at public meetings, shield more information from the public and relax rules on financial reports.

In the recurring legislative fight between affordable housing advocates and defenders of California’s signature environmental law, one bill could be a final legislative showdown.

Ramsey was immediately replaced by his top assistant prosecutor, Patrick Robbins, who will serve as acting U.S. attorney until the President names a permanent federal prosecutor to lead the high profile U.S. attorney’s office, based in San Francisco, which also serves Silicon Valley and San Jose.

The California state budget has been a rollercoaster over the past few years. Big deficits generally mean cutting plans and programs.

The increase in lobbyists this year means there’s now at least one lobbyist for every legislative staff member.

In addition to money Google spent lobbying the Legislature and governor from July through September during a media bill fight, it also showered elected officials with $107,500 in campaign cash on one day in September.

Gov. Newsom reluctantly signed a bill to reform the state’s lemon-vehicle law – co-authored by San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra – despite saying it has problems lawmakers will need to fix.

After months of negotiations, university officials and the faculty union remain far apart on key contract terms. Cal State provided a 5% general raise; the union wants 12% this year.

Why did the homelessness crisis become more dire in 2023, even as the Legislature passed more affordable housing laws? Home prices and rents are still increasing.

More than half a million California health care workers are expected to see a pay increase in January thanks to a law raising the minimum wage for their industry.

San Jose was known as the lowrider capital of California until 1986, when the city banned those cars and created “no cruising zones.” The city overturned its ban on lowriders in 2022, and on Sept. 1 of this year San Jose city officials joined car enthusiasts in celebrating the first Annual Lowrider Day.

Unions won major victories in this year’s legislative session on pay for fast food and health care workers, benefits for strikers and bargaining rights. Business groups say labor has too much power at the Capitol. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas says unions are counting on lawmakers to deliver results.

Mildred García confronts a budget shortfall, declining enrollment and complaints about how Cal State officials have handled sexual misconduct allegations.

On Monday, the Assembly finished its votes on Newsom’s series of infrastructure streamlining bills, although not without reservations. Today, the Senate is expected to take its final vote on the infrastructure package, agreeing to some Assembly amendments before sending it to Gov. Newsom’s desk.

The California Nurses Association, which led the coalition behind the high-profile 2017 push for a single-payer system, has re-branded its campaign with the slogan “Fight to Win Medicare-for-All."