State GovernmentLast-minute deal: Wage hike for fast food workers, no ballot measure in 2024September 11, 2023A deal announced today by labor groups and the fast food industry would give workers a $20 minimum wage and pull a measure off the 2024 ballot. The Legislature has until Thursday to approve it.
State GovernmentCalifornia lawmakers ban most hand-count elections, targeting far-right Shasta CountySeptember 8, 2023Most California elections will be forced to use state-approved machines to count ballots under a bill that follows an attempt by right-wing supervisors in one county to hand-count future elections.
State GovernmentTikTok ban on state worker phones won’t happen in California this yearSeptember 7, 2023A bipartisan bill to prohibit TikTok on state phones is shelved until 2024. It had breezed through the state Legislature, but Gov. Newsom asked for the delay. It’s the latest social media regulation to get stalled in California.
State GovernmentA look at the latest 2024 California ballot measure proposalsSeptember 7, 2023 | Nicole NixonIf they qualify for the ballot, the measures would allow voters to weigh in on penalties for fentanyl dealers, cutting red tape to build housing, and personal finance classes for high schoolers.
BusinessAs more Californians allege on-the-job violations, labor groups say bosses retaliateSeptember 2, 2023More workers are filing claims with the state alleging employers are retaliating against them for engaging in legally protected activities, such as seeking overtime pay or reporting wage theft or discrimination.
State GovernmentEnding the suspense: Child trafficking, fentanyl bills can still become lawSeptember 1, 2023In rapid-fire votes in suspense file hearings, lawmakers determined the fate of hundreds of bills on crime, transgender students and more.
Health CareCalifornia ballot initiative will seek to restrict gender-affirming care for trans youthAugust 30, 2023 | Kate WolffeA small group of activists has filed proposals for three 2024 state ballot initiatives. Among them is a measure that would ask voters to decide whether trans minors should be allowed to medically transition in any way.
State GovernmentCalifornia state Senate leader says she will step down from leadership postAugust 29, 2023The leader of the California Senate says she will step down from her leadership post. Toni Atkins was the first woman and the first openly gay person to lead the California Senate. State Sen. Mike McGuire will replace her.
Health CareCalifornia’s medical board can’t pay its bills, but doctors resist proposed fixesAugust 26, 2023Patient advocates have long alleged the Medical Board of California is ineffective at policing doctors. But a proposal to beef up its budget and overhaul procedures faces stiff resistance from the doctors' lobby.
State GovernmentLegislation spurred by a ‘hot labor summer’ would let striking workers get unemploymentAugust 23, 2023 | Nicole NixonThe bill was amended late in the legislative session and would need fast-tracked approval in the Assembly and Senate before lawmakers’ September 15 deadline.