Sameea Kamal
CalMattersSameea Kamal is a reporter at CalMatters covering the state Capitol and California politics. She joined CalMatters in June 2021 from the Los Angeles Times, where she was a News Desk editor. Sameea was one of three 2020 IRE Journalist of Color fellows, and previously worked for the Center for Public Integrity. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia Journalism School.
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Gov. Newsom says the deficit is far smaller than what the Legislature’s analysts projected, and proposes only $8.5 billion in cuts by delaying spending and taking $13 billion from the state’s main reserves. -
California lawmakers gaveled in Wednesday, briefly, for the 2024 legislative session with plenty to do, but scant cash to go around.
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In 2023, the most diverse California Legislature ever refereed the perennial battle between labor and business and faced public worries on crime and homelessness.
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With few strict rules on what California lawmakers must do, politics, policy priorities and personal preferences determine how much they follow the wishes of voters who put them into office.
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Normally an election to set up a fire district and fill one school board seat in a county with just 112,000 registered voters wouldn’t get statewide attention.
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Former President Donald Trump claims mail balloting is rife with fraud. But to win more elections, the state GOP is expanding its efforts to collect mail ballots to boost turnout.
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Gov. Newsom vetoed the most sweeping bill to require cities and counties to create independent redistricting commissions. He cited budget concerns, but the bill’s supporters aren’t convinced.
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Starting next year, workers in California will be entitled to at least five days of paid sick leave — up from the current three days.
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The former president railed against Democrats and again claimed the 2020 election was rigged in his speech to the California Republican Party. With him skipping the primary debates, the party convention may get the next best thing, with speeches also by Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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The Legislature is basically done and gone until January. So let the lobbying begin — of Gavin Newsom and his key advisers for the governor to sign, or veto, bills on his desk.
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California’s governor doesn’t typically comment on legislation — something he reiterated during a talk on stage at Climate Week NYC on Sunday. Except when he does.
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Legislators appear ready to finally give their staff the right to unionize. But a final change would allow new lawmakers to dismiss their predecessor’s staffers.
