Capitol Alert

The Dixie Fire burns near Highway 70 on July 21, 2021, in the Feather River canyon in Plumas County. Insurance commissioner candidates discussed Thursday: Can California fix its insurance crisis? State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim both agree that California’s property insurance market needs fixing.

An Egghead sculptures stands near Mrak Hall, the campus administration building, on Jan. 31, 2026, at UC Davis. President Donald Trump’s administration has launched an investigation into nine universities, including the University of California, Davis, over potential visa fraud. It marks the latest in a series of probes and lawsuits the federal government has unleashed against higher education institutions since 2025.

Former state Sen. Richard Pan and Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Rocklin, debate for California’s 6th Congressional District at Sierra College in Rocklin on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Rocklin, and former state Sen. Richard Pan struck a largely cordial tone at the start of their Thursday morning candidate forum. Before long, however, the two candidates for the 6th Congressional District were back to the attacks that have defined their campaign against each other.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and GO-SERVE Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday speak to the press after announcing an initiative to find new ways to engage young men in an effort to address high rates of male loneliness and suicide during a news conference at Florin High School in Sacramento on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. California Volunteers, the agency within Gov.

Eric Jones, left, is running against incumbent Mike Thompson, right, in the newly-configured 4th Congressional District primary race. The two Democrats must appeal to different constituencies in the Napa and Sacramento valleys. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and challenger Eric Jones sparred over affordability, health care and data centers in a Wednesday night debate for Northern California’s sprawling 4th Congressional District.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Sacramento. The Yes on Proposition 38 campaign has raised more than $38 million and spent nearly $20 million of it on television advertisements in support of the $8.4 billion immunology research bond on the November ballot. The No on Proposition 38 group had raised less than $640 by Sept. 19. Instead of funding ads, the group is focused on letter-writing campaigns to highlight possible issues with the ballot initiative. On Oct.

Members of Congress leave the GEO Adelanto ICE Processing Center following a visit on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. The GEO Group filed a lawsuit challenging a new California law. A new California law attempting to establish protections for people in federal immigration detention centers is being challenged by a major private prison company. Senate Bill 942 aims to guarantee detainees have the right to mental health services, medical care and adequate food.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and head of the National Design Studio and the first chief design officer of the United States, during the America.gov launch event at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Sept. 29, 2026 in Washington, D.C. A former Democrat who co-founded Airbnb contributed $8 million Tuesday toward a measure that would require voters to show government-issued identification before casting their ballot.

Dana Williamson, center, enters the Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento, where she pleaded guilty to bank fraud, filing a false tax return and lying to the FBI in a corruption scandal, on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Williamson previously advised both Gov. Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra. The federal authorities prosecuting Dana Williamson, Gov.

Rep. David Valadao will face off against Randy Villegas, right, in California’s 22nd Congressional District race on Nov. 3. In their first and only debate of the campaign Tuesday night, Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, and progressive challenger Randy Villegas laid out sharply different strategies for winning over Central Valley voters. Villegas repeatedly attacked Valadao’s record, calling it a failure for working families while pushing for a new leadership not beholden to corporations.