California has 6 weeks of gas supply. After that, it gets expensive

Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon this week.

Has psychiatric care become a get-out-of-jail-free card in California? The debate is heating up

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

How to fix a ‘giant county bureaucracy’: San Diego County debates competing charter reform plans

San Diego County wants an ethics commission and fiscal watchdogs. LA County is adding more supervisors. Both want better budgets. How California counties are updating their charters.
CalMatters

Where does California rank in homelessness? The federal report that could tell us has been delayed for months

Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most ...
CalMatters

California has a public defender crisis. A new bill seeks to force the state to confront it

Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most ...
CalMatters

Money for clean drinking water threatened by Newsom administration’s climate overhaul

Roughly 600,000 Californians still lack access to safe and reliable drinking water supplies. The problem will cost billions to fix. So why is the Newsom administration considering a climate overhaul ...
CalMatters

Few Angelenos thought Xavier Becerra could one day outshine Antonio Villaraigosa

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former United States Health Secretary Xavier Becerra raise their hands when answering a question at the NUHW Governor Candidate Forum at the Hyatt ...

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 ...
Opinion

Democratic legislators weigh new taxes and blame Trump for California’s deficit

California lawmakers are spinning tall tales about the deficit — that it's Trump's fault — and that higher than expected revenues will cover it.
CalMatters

California voters are about to elect a new state superintendent. It’s barely on the radar

Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most ...
CalMatters

Governor YIMBY: In California’s unsettled race, most candidates see eye-to-eye on housing

Apartments under construction in Castro Valley on Feb. 6, 2024. The project was funded by a 2018 bond to create affordable housing for homeless residents experiencing mental health issues. Photo by ...
CalMatters

Secret ingredients in your food can make you sick. A proposed California law would reveal them

Shoppers at a grocery store in Daly City compare food items on July 31, 2025. Photo by Shae Hammond, Bay Area News Group Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering ...