Capitol Alert

Gov. Gavin Newsom during a budget presentation on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Capitol Swing Space building. The governor’s effort to change how the state handles utility-caused wildfires is facing significant pushback. With just one week left until the end of the legislative year, California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom are negotiating a major change to how damages are paid for utility-caused wildfires that ravage homes and regional economies.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta holds a press conference near the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles as he announces a state lawsuit to block Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on July 13, 2026. Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled a Monday meeting with Paramount executives where he was set to discuss the company’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Brothers and potentially resolve a lawsuit challenging the merger.

State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, D-Panorama City, worries that when a new administration takes the White House in 2028, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers hired during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown might try to “jump ship” to local law enforcement. The officers Menjivar has in mind entered federal immigration enforcement during an extraordinary hiring push.

Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco participated in a California gubernatorial debate at Pomona College in Claremont on April 28, 2026. The California Supreme Court is considering the legality of Bianco’s seizure of about 650,000 ballots cast in last year’s redistricting election.

Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Yucaipa reacts to a conversation with Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. The raging debate over standardized test requirements in the University of California’s admissions policy may soon enter the California State Capitol. In a letter to university leadership, two Republican lawmakers urged the UC system to move quickly to reinstate the use of SAT and ACT scores in undergraduate admissions.

Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses electric vehicle rebates during a press conference at The Bridge Yard in Oakland on Aug. 7, 2026. On Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, Newsom endorsed the creation of Trump Accounts and encouraged California parents to enroll their eligible children in them. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday encouraged California residents to open federal savings accounts under a recent Trump administration program that offers $1,000 to babies born between 2025 and 2029.

Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Alameda, on the Assembly floor in 2024. Bonta, who authored AB 2624, has defended the bill in debates with Republican lawmakers claiming it would restrict independent journalism. After months of contentious debate, California lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance a bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk that would protect the confidentiality of immigration service providers.

The California Capitol on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Legislators are considering changes to a state law that expands the time and circumstances for claims of childhood sex abuse. Advocacy groups took to the California Capitol Thursday to decry a last-minute effort to modify a state law that greatly expanded who could file childhood sexual assault claims against public agencies.

In February, state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-West Sacramento, authored a bill that would ease restrictions on bachelor’s degrees that community colleges can offer. Over the last decade, community colleges in California have slowly entered into what has historically been the purview of the University of California and the California State University: providing bachelor’s degrees.

An aerial view of a 49.5 megawatt three-level data center under construction on July 8, 2026, in Vernon, California. A surge in demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country and around the globe.