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Results for " calmatters " 256 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Therapy in a tent: The healthcare many homeless Californians need but aren’t getting

Homeless Californians suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD at high rates; street therapy can be life changing, but access is limited.

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Jul 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
How crime and the politics of crime rise and fall in California

Over two decades, political pressure forced California lawmakers to toughen criminal penalties. Now that crime is down, what's next?

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Jul 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Tech devices in California's new cars create thorny political issues

Devices that record vehicle operational data for state air quality regulators could also violate privacy and be used to tax drivers by the mile.

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Jul 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Abortion pills could come to California community college health centers

A California bill would require community colleges with health centers to provide access to medication abortion.

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Jul 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Who is Steve Hilton? Here’s how he has rebranded himself multiple times

The GOP nominee for California governor wants to deregulate businesses and overturn environmental rules. He’s also praised liberal workplace policies and once made the British Conservative Party more green.

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Jul 6 • 8:30 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Calmatters: Top Science Research Jobs Lack Diversity. A California College Program Aims To Curb That

CalMatters

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Jul 5 • 8:20 AM EDT • Science • sfgate.com
Long Reads for the Long Weekend

(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards

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Jul 3 • 2:38 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
STEM isn't always welcoming to diversity. A California college program aims to curb that

A state-funded program is trying to diversify the sciences by providing mentors, relationship-building, stipends and more.

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Jul 2 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • calmatters.org
Gavin Newsom signs law limiting mental health diversion for people accused of crimes

A new California law gives just more flexibility to keep defendants in jail rather than releasing them to community-based mental health treatment programs.

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Jun 29 • 7:32 PM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
California health insurance tax hike: Will your premiums increase?

A balance act: To help fund the safety net, lawmakers have voted through a health tax extension that could increase premium costs for Californians with private insurance.

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Jun 27 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
California unions, hospitals strike deal — but billionaire tax heads to ballot

Two healthcare ballot measures are gone. One very contentious wealth tax isn't.

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Jun 25 • 9:50 PM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Billionaire tax, affordable housing: See the measures on California's November ballot

California voters will decide on 14 statewide policy proposals come November, from the controversial billionaire tax to an $11 billion affordable housing bond.

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Jun 25 • 9:31 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
LA's political coalitions have been shifting. Nithya Raman will shuffle them even more

As Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman look to attract new supporters, a fault line between older and newer Angelenos could emerge.

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Jun 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Kaiser's use of secret AI scribes sparks mental health privacy fears

Mental health professionals at Kaiser are raising concerns about an artificial intelligence tool that records medical appointments, saying it should have more safeguards.

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Jun 22 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
Calmatters: California Is Getting Ready To Increase A Health Insurance Tax. Will It Affect Your Premium?

CalMatters

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Jun 19 • 9:11 AM EDT • Health • sfgate.com
California is getting ready to increase a health insurance tax. Will it affect your premium?

Private plans say they'll pass the cost to consumers — meaning families could pay $400 more a year to help keep Medi-Cal afloat.

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Jun 18 • 3:35 PM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
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Single-payer healthcare in California is possible. An economic and political thicket stands in the way

A pathway to single-payer healthcare would require dozens — or even hundreds — of difficult economic and political choices.

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Jun 18 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Single-payer healthcare in California is possible. An economic and political thicket stands in the way

A pathway to single-payer healthcare would require dozens — or even hundreds — of difficult economic and political choices.

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Jun 18 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Your medical provider might be recording your mental health care visits

Mental health professionals at Kaiser are raising concerns about an artificial intelligence tool that records appointments, saying it should have more safeguards.

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Jun 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
CalMatters journalism honored as 'impeccable,' 'beautifully-written' and 'the definition of public service' in Golden State Journalism Awards

CalMatters won five of this year’s Golden State Journalism Awards, for public health reporting, criminal justice reporting, education reporting, courage in journalism and impact in journalism.

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Jun 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Newsom says he's on Trump's 'hit list' as Justice Department interviews governor's friends

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Trump administration appears to be investigating him and his wife. The Democrat said agents interviewed his friends and associates.

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Jun 15 • 3:24 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Newsom handpicked a generation of California politicians. Can they help him run for president?

An entire generation of California elected officials owe their current jobs and their political prospects to Gavin Newsom.

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Jun 11 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Split verdict on California health taxes as cost-of-living anxiety takes its toll

LA County's Measure ER clung to a narrow lead while Contra Costa's similar measure went down in defeat — a divide experts attribute to growing anxiety over the cost of living.

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Jun 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Two huge California unions clash over money, political clout this election season

A union representing teachers and one representing health care workers took opposing stances on issues and with candidates for governor.

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Jun 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
This Bernie Sanders-endorsed Democrat will try to oust California’s toughest GOP incumbent

Voters rejected establishment politics in a Central Valley primary. Randy Villegas, a political newcomer, beat moderate Jasmeet Bains by focusing on change

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Jun 9 • 9:21 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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Election update: Republican Steve Hilton to face Becerra in November

The British former Fox News host has secured enough votes to advance to the November governor's race election

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Jun 9 • 7:45 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Can California afford to cover Ozempic for public employees?

California may require CalPERS health plans to cover Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. The insurer warns it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Jun 9 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
These teens have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Mental health is taking a nosedive

"Everyone is going through something," one California teen said about the prevalence of mental health concerns among his peers.

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Jun 9 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
California wants to cap business tax credits, alarming life sciences and tech industries

California's life sciences industry, and some lawmakers, urge state leaders to reject budget proposal to permanently limit R&D tax credits.

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Jun 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • calmatters.org
Democrat Becerra advances to November California election

The former federal health secretary has secured enough votes in California's primary election to advance. His challenger is still unknown.

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Jun 5 • 8:02 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Why CA’s top-two primary isn’t working the way voters intended

Most California elections still have a Democrat facing a Republican despite the state's shift to an open primary in 2010. We're just as partisan as ever.

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Jun 5 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
The top-two primary was supposed to change California politics. Did it flop?

California's top-two primary was designed to create moderate candidates and reduce partisanship. Instead, November races are as partisan as ever.

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Jun 4 • 4:40 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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5 things to know about California’s election, from Congress to the governor’s race

You won't see a Republican vs. Republican matchup in the California governor's race as Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton hold the top two spots.

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Jun 3 • 8:41 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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What about California’s other statewide races? Here’s a look at the offices on the ballot today

California voters today are determining the general election candidates for 8 statewide offices, including insurance commissioner, superintendent and lieutenant governor.

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Jun 2 • 7:10 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Will Trump's waning popularity pull down California Republicans? Today's election offers a clue

Democrats seek to oust even more Republicans in California legislative races. Many will move on to November

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Jun 2 • 10:05 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California voting ends Tuesday. The results? Don't expect them anytime soon

Why California takes so long to count votes: Mail-in ballots, signature verification and competitive races could delay election results for weeks

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Jun 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Top Democrats compete in wide-open primary for lieutenant governor

Fiona Ma, Josh Fryday, Michael Tubbs and Gloria Romero are the leading candidates for lieutenant governor in the California election.

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Jun 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California votes in most uncertain governor’s primary in years

Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer and Steve Hilton lead the polls in the final days of the California governor election. Results are coming in.

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Jun 2 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
More candidates are using their personal wealth to campaign than ever before. Should voters care?

All eyes are on one billionaire’s spending for governor. A CalMatters analysis shows the story may lie in the millions spent by down-ballot candidates.

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Jun 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Why a yearslong fight over gambling is good news for California politicians

A brutal fight over gambling in California shows no signs of letting up after a recent court ruling. That’s good news for politicians seeking campaign contributions.

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Jun 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Berkeley's soda tax success story deserves wider attention across California

After Berkeley voters first passed a soda tax in 2014, the city has invested millions of dollars into impactful health programs.

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May 29 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Follow the money: Who's backing California's next governor

Spending on the California governor’s race is breaking records, and it’s not just Tom Steyer’s $213 million in contributions

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May 28 • 8:10 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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Young survivors of gun violence find therapy helps. But will California do more?

In California, about 2,000 youth are killed or hospitalized annually due to gun violence. Advocates and experts say getting timely mental health care to young survivors and witnesses is critical.

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May 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
New California law bans law enforcement from interfering in state elections

The law bans law enforcement from interfering in elections. It takes effect just in time for the June 2 primary

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May 27 • 6:44 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
The form asked my permission to share my health data. Then it wouldn’t let me say no.

Dark patterns force patients to share their data with big healthcare networks, even when the privacy form they’re signing explicitly says they can opt-out.

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May 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Get up to speed fast on the California election with our guide for the undecided

Californians are voting on a wide-open governor's race in a June 2 primary election. Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer are leading in polls.

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May 26 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Lawmakers stripped the Board of Equalization of power. Now they're fighting to join it

The Board of Equalization has very little power, but it's a launching pad to statewide political office in California.

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May 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
National Democrats said they'd stay out of this California race. Then they picked a side

National Democrats said they wouldn’t endorse in California's 22nd Congressional District. Then they backed the moderate over the progressive.

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May 21 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Even while courting moderates on voter ID, GOP leaders still push debunked fraud narrative

Republicans call their voter ID ballot measure ‘common sense’ to appeal to moderate voters, while alienating liberals with election conspiracy theories

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May 20 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Can you trust that post about Tom Steyer? How paid influencers are flooding into the governor's race

Billionaire Tom Steyer is paying influencers to boost his California governor campaign. State law requires they disclose it, but offers little accountability

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May 19 • 6:12 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Nancy Pelosi puts thumb on the scale in race for her successor. Here's who she endorsed

Pelosi’s surprise endorsement comes just two weeks from Election Day, six months after the former speaker announced she would retire

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May 18 • 6:51 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California colleges are seeing a rise of conservative voices. Some classes are tense

Turning Point USA chapters are growing on California campuses after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, as tensions rise both in and out of the classroom.

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May 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California governor debate: Rivals gang up on Democratic frontrunner Becerra

Xavier Becerra was attacked from all sides in California's final governor debate. His response? 'This is what happens when you take the lead.'

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May 15 • 1:25 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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California legislators kill new spending programs and blame Trump for funding cuts

The biannual ‘suspense file’ hearing is the Legislature’s most efficient tool for killing costly or controversial proposals without fanfare

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May 14 • 8:44 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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Trump officials hit California with ‘largest ever’ freeze on Medicaid funds

The Trump administration suspended $1.1 billion in California Medicaid funds over fraud claims, threatening home care for 900,000 seniors and people with disabilities.

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May 14 • 7:10 PM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
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California governor frontrunner Xavier Becerra's playbook: Never say you're sorry

While other California governor candidates apologize for past mistakes, Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra has a different strategy: dodge and dismiss.

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May 14 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
What Lil Nas X has to do with a debate over CA mental health law

Supporters of a California mental health law are pointing to singer Lil Nas X as an example of someone who benefited from treatment rather than incarceration.

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May 13 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Californian criminal suspects can trade prison for psychiatric care. Is it working?

Californians accused of crimes can receive mental health treatment rather than prison time. Lawmakers are revamping the rules following reports of violent offenses.

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May 13 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Panicked California Democrats are pushing a risky strategy: Wait 'til the last minute to vote

Liberal California activists are urging Democrats to wait until the last minute to vote in the race for governor, then support the frontrunner in the polls.

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May 12 • 8:30 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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California corrections budget benefits more than inmates from prison sports expansion

California lawmakers want to expand organized sports at prisons. An incarcerated journalist says the only winner would be the prison budget.

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May 11 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • calmatters.org
With more money than ever, California’s biggest pension funds are a political battleground

Should California pension funds invest in fossil fuels? How about Tesla and Palantir? Those debates are playing out at CalPERS and CalSTRS.

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May 11 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
For the lone woman left in the California governor’s race, it’s all about ‘temperament’

Katie Porter released an ad joking about her temper. But experts say the touchy issue reveals a double standard for women candidates.

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May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Gavin Newsom slow-rolled single-payer healthcare, leaving it to a successor

Gov. Gavin Newsom edged away from his campaign pledge to adopt single-payer healthcare. He got UCLA to study it and instead expanded Medi-Cal coverage.

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May 5 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
They answer the call for Californians in mental distress. The money is running out

California's mobile crisis teams have doubled in size. A budget proposal could undo that.

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May 5 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
In the six-way race to be California’s treasurer, it likely comes down to two Democrats

California's treasurer manages bonds, pensions, and billions in cash. These are the six people vying for the job in 2026.

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May 5 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California Republicans who flipped seats in 2024 are fighting to keep them

California Republicans made gains in the state Legislature two years. Now Democrats are trying to tie them to Trump's unpopularity in 2026

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May 4 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Legislature's adviser tries budget tough love to get California politicians to close huge deficits

Legislative Analyst Gabe Petek says state spending grew by $100 billion or so a year since 2019, outstripping revenues and resulting in current and future deficits.

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May 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Who’s running for Congress in California? These races could determine the majority

Ballots are in the mail for California’s primary election. These are the congressional races CalMatters is watching closely — and the candidates fighting for their political lives.

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May 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Should a California union dictate how clinics spend money? Employers sue to block ballot measure

California health clinics are suing to stop a union ballot measure that would dictate how they spend money — and they say it could force hundreds of clinics to close.

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Apr 30 • 8:35 PM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
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Supreme Court ruling on voting won't change California districts, but could hurt Democrats

The U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed the Voting Rights Act over the past decade. The law in California was primarily used to help Latinos gain political representation.

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Apr 29 • 7:51 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
How tariffs and war are hurting California small businesses

Small California businesses — facing tariffs and rising fuel and shipping prices from war — wonder how long they can survive.

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Apr 29 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • calmatters.org
California's race for secretary of state shows partisan divide over how to count ballots

Shirley Weber says accuracy matters more than speed. Her GOP challenger says the delays undermine trust. It could take a month to certify June's results.

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Apr 29 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Candidates target Steyer, Becerra in free-wheeling California governor debate

Six Democrats and two Republicans attacked each other but struggled to offer clear alternatives in a chaotic debate that left one student voter "more confused than ever."

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Apr 29 • 12:50 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
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Can LA Mayor Karen Bass survive her mistakes and climb the political ladder?

If her stumbles during and after the wildfires stop Mayor Karen Bass at one term, she'd be joining other LA mayors who went no further than City Hall.

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Apr 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Community as cure: Mental health help for homeless Black people is losing funds

Typical mental health efforts missed many Black Californians who are homeless, but some organizations made progress until Trump’s recent funding cuts.

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Apr 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Plans to fix gaps in Newsom’s mental health court reopen divisions over involuntary care

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court struggles to serve Californians in acute mental health crises. Two bills are moving forward to change that.

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Apr 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Voter ID initiative qualifies for California's November election

California makes it easy to vote, with mail-in ballots and registration at the DMV. An upcoming ballot measure would add new voter ID requirements compelling people to prove their citizenship before they cast a ballot.

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Apr 24 • 7:15 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Billionaire blitz: Steyer's $132 million campaign dwarfs rivals in California governor race

Steyer has spent $132 million of his own money on his California campaign, but he remains in a tight race with less-funded Democrats and Republicans.

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Apr 24 • 1:31 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
California election officials face false choice: count votes quickly or count them right

California is famous for its slow ballot counting. That’s because of the state’s security fixtures and efforts to ensure every vote is counted. Experts don’t agree on a fix.

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Apr 24 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
CARE Court should refocus on mentally ill homeless people, the hardest to help

California's mental health initiatives sometimes bypass individuals with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, often the most expensive to treat.

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Apr 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
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Lagging in polls and fundraising, Betty Yee drops out of California governor’s race

Yee's departure from the race for governor leaves six leading Democrats in the running with two leading Republicans.

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Apr 20 • 2:26 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Voting rights are health rights. That's why California must reject the SAVE Act

People of color, naturalized citizens, and low-income voters are less likely to have birth certificates, passports, or other ID that the SAVE Act would require.

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Apr 20 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
California Democrats can’t decide on a governor. Don’t count on Newsom or Pelosi for help

Even with Rep. Eric Swalwell’s downfall, California Democrats face a glut of gubernatorial options. Party heavyweights won’t save the day.

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Apr 17 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Woman alleges violent sexual assault by Eric Swalwell: 'He raped me’

A day after Rep. Eric Swallwell said he would resign from Congress, a Beverly Hills woman detailed what she described as a violent sexual encounter with the Democratic lawmaker.

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Apr 14 • 1:11 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Trump wanted California Republicans to back Steve Hilton. They didn’t listen

Republicans at their state party convention couldn’t coalesce around one of their two candidates for governor, ending in no endorsement

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Apr 13 • 8:30 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Rep. Eric Swalwell suspends campaign for California governor after sex assault allegations

Rep. Eric Swalwell faced intense pressure to drop his bid for California governor after reporting Friday that prompted many supporters to drop their support for him

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Apr 12 • 9:06 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (14%)
wow
71%
love
29%
California Republicans caught between Trump loyalty and winning swing districts

California Republicans embrace Trump at their convention while candidates in competitive races keep him at arm's length to win over voters.

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Apr 12 • 4:27 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (13%)
wow
67%
love
33%
Candidates for California governor call on Swalwell to drop out after allegations of sexual assault

The Democratic congressmember came under pressure after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a former staffer alleged the congressmember sexually assaulted her.

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Apr 10 • 6:16 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Trump's divisive role in California politics is on display as GOP prepares election endorsements

Trump's endorsement of Steve Hilton for governor over Chad Bianco has upended the California GOP's strategy, forcing the party to refocus on other races.

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Apr 10 • 8:15 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (10%)
wow
63%
love
37%
Bitter medicine: How California’s hospital bills end up depressing your take-home pay

Hospitals are suing a state agency that limits their cost increases. Their bills inflate health insurance premiums, leaving employers with less money for wages.

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Apr 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
California’s crisis in rural health care is also a chance for transparency

Drug discounts aimed at rural hospitals serving uninsured or low-income patients actually profit hospitals that don’t serve those patients.

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Apr 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Battles over business regulation resume in California's Capitol with new legislation

Lawmakers discussed bills that allow lawsuits against business monopolies and businesses that affect climate change.

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Apr 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • calmatters.org
Democrats are eager to flip Issa’s seat. But his Republican successor is a ‘formidable opponent’

Leading Democrats are throwing personal jabs to distinguish themselves in a crowded primary for the competitive district that could tilt who controls Congress.

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Apr 6 • 8:30 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Two Republicans are fighting for California governor. Why a tie is their best strategy

California's top-two primary creates a paradox: The only way Republicans win governor is if both advance to November. But neither is playing nice.

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Apr 2 • 8:30 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (12%)
wow
69%
ahah
31%
‘Give me another solution.’ Counties resist mental health centers, betraying patients and families

Here's what happened when one county halted development of a mental health center?

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Mar 31 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Big Tech joins Big Oil as big CA politics spenders

Tech companies spent $39 million to influence California politics last year, making 2025 a blockbuster year of spending for Meta, Google and others.

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Mar 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Big change for California small businesses: No more SBA loans for non-citizens

Non-U.S. citizens lose access to SBA funding for small businesses, which provide the bulk of new jobs in California.

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Mar 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • calmatters.org
Ruby Ridge Book Explores Roots of American Conspiracy Politics at Vroman’s Tonight

Author Chris Jennings will discuss his critically acclaimed book “End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America” at Vroman’s Bookstore on Monday, March 30, in a 7 p.m. conversation with journalist and author Jim Newton, a Pasadena resident. The book, published in February by Little, Brown and Company, examines the 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff — in which federal agents surveilled a cabin in Boundary County, Idaho, as part of an operation to arrest white separatist Randy Weaver — and traces a line from that 11-day siege to the conspiratorial politics that now mark American public life. By the time Weaver surrendered, his wife, his son, and a U.S. Marshal were dead. Jennings, a former editorial staffer at The New Yorker and the author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism,” argues that the strain of apocalyptic Christianity that gripped the Weaver family can be traced to biblical prophecy readings dating to the 1870s and through the rise of 20th-century fundamentalism, according to the publisher’s description. The events at Ruby Ridge, Jennings contends, acted as an accelerant for this worldview. The New York Times Book Review called the book a thoroughly researched chronicle written with precision, according to a review published in February. Kirkus Reviews described it as a vivid reconstruction of a pivotal moment in the history of right-wing extremism. Newton, who will lead the conversation, spent 25 years at the Los Angeles Times as a reporter, editor, bureau chief, and columnist, including a stint as editor of the editorial pages from 2007 through 2010. He is the author of four books, including biographies of Chief Justice Earl Warren and Gov. Jerry Brown. Newton teaches at UCLA, where he founded Blueprint magazine, and is a columnist for CalMatters. He received the American Political Science Association’s

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Mar 30 • 7:45 AM EDT • Politics • pasadenanow.com
Tech giants are spending more than ever to shape California politics. See how much

Tech giants involved in AI and cryptocurrency spent $39 million last year to influence lawmakers and policy. It's the start of what could be a spending blitz in the upcoming election.

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Mar 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Judge rejects Green Party candidate’s bid to appear on California governor ballots

California Green Party candidate Butch Ware failed to submit correct tax returns in time to appear on the June ballot for governor, a judge ruled Thursday.

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Mar 26 • 8:56 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org