California Legislature

A bill in the California Legislature proposes testing students on math starting in kindergarten to address poor math scores. The initiative mirrors an existing literacy assessment program.

California's Department of Motor Vehicles will share driver’s license data with a national database despite concerns from immigrant advocates that it could expose unauthorized immigrants to deportation. The state budget and legislation include oversight measures to protect data, but critics argue these safeguards are insufficient. The data sharing aims to comply with the federal REAL ID Act.

California school librarians were surprised by a last-minute budget cut that cancels $5.5 million funding for online research materials, including Encyclopedia Britannica and New York Times, impacting 10,000 public schools. The Compass program, which provides vetted educational resources, faces termination by 2027, raising concerns about student access to reliable information and privacy risks from unvetted online sources.

California wine grape grower Jason Smith advocates for Assembly Bill 1585 to close a loophole allowing wines labeled 'American' to contain up to 25% imported wine. His family's 51-year business is closing due to unharvested California grapes and competition from cheaper imported bulk wine.

The California legislature has agreed to upload driver's licenses to a national database. The decision was reported by PapersPlease.org and discussed on Hacker News with 9 points and 2 comments.

Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature reached a $351.7-billion budget deal, resolving weeks of negotiations over handling income tax collected on stock market gains linked to artificial intelligence. The agreement concluded lobbying efforts and discussions among Democrats in the Legislature and the governor.

Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature reached a $351.7-billion budget agreement after weeks of negotiations. The deal resolved disputes over handling income tax collected from stock market gains tied to artificial intelligence.

The California Legislature is considering bills to address homelessness, including state-funded sober housing, managing RVs on city streets, and homelessness prevention. Assembly Bill 1556 aims to allow state funds for sober housing without the 10% cap from a previous vetoed bill, but critics warn it could risk displacing people.

The California Legislature will vote on a constitutional amendment to modify a spending limit and grant lawmakers greater flexibility in allocating state revenue. Democrats are advocating for this change to provide more control over budgetary decisions.

The California Legislature is set to vote on a constitutional amendment to amend a spending limit and provide lawmakers with greater flexibility in appropriating state revenue.

California lawmakers passed a state budget with higher revenue projections than Governor Gavin Newsom's proposal, allocating additional billions for TK-12 and community colleges in 2026-27. Newsom plans to withhold $3.9 billion in education funding pending future revenue from AI stock tax receipts, prompting threats of legal action from education groups.

A resolution authored by John Harabedian urging federal disaster aid for victims of the Eaton Fire advanced through a key California Senate committee. The measure, Assembly Joint Resolution 27, passed unanimously on June 16, marking progress toward a state-level push for federal assistance.

The California Legislature is withholding $55 million in funding to prevent the DMV from sharing driver license data, including information on over 1 million immigrant license holders without federal authorization, with a nonprofit agency of motor vehicle administrators across the nation. The budget agreement blocks the DMV's plan to link to a database fulfilling information requests from other states.

California lawmakers are withholding $55 million in funding for the DMV's plan to link to a national driver license database, citing concerns that sharing data with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators' system could lead to deportations of undocumented immigrants. The budget standoff centers on fears that the system's use of Social Security number placeholders might flag drivers without authorization to live in the U.S., despite California law allowing licenses for all residents regardless of immigration status.

A California bill would require online game developers to provide patches or refunds when their games are shut down. The bill aims to protect consumers who have invested time and money into online games. The bill has cleared a key hurdle in the California legislature.

The California State Assembly primary on June 2 will elect representatives for all 80 districts, each with over 400,000 constituents. Many Assembly members will be new due to retirements and term limits, making the election of challengers and potential seat flips significant. State Assembly members pass laws on issues like paid family leave, in-state tuition for undocumented students, and minimum wage standards, which can influence statewide policies.

A California bill (AB 1709) that would prohibit social media platforms from allowing users under 16 to create or maintain accounts is advancing through the legislature. Authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, the bill requires platforms to implement measures to prevent underage access.

California lawmakers are scrutinizing data centers due to health and energy concerns, proposing bills to remove their exemption from the state's environmental law and impose tariffs on major energy users. The measures aim to address the strain on power supplies and environmental impacts.

A bill introduced in the California Legislature aims to reform how insurers handle smoke damage claims following complaints from fire victims in January 2025. The proposal seeks to address issues arising from widespread wildfires by potentially making toxin testing mandatory in affected homes.