Image by Wallentine. Special interests, or as the California Secretary of State calls them “lobbyist employers,” paid lobbying firms more than $83.5 million to lobby state government in the first quarter of 2025, according to a Capitol Weekly analysis of lobbying firm reports.
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Image by Drazen Zigic. Lawmakers have been talking about making California more affordable for two years now. We asked our panel of experts how they would you grade their efforts so far.
Upset problem child with head in hands sitting on staircase concept for childhood bullying, depression stress or frustrationOPINION – In Sacramento, I recently had the opportunity to exchange learnings from my work on youth mental health issues in Montana with advocates leading the charge in California. At a half day summit hosted by the Coalition the Empower our Future, an organization I help lead, advocates, organizations, policymakers and students came together to help answer the question, “what is driving this complex challenge, and how do we solve it together?”
California State Senate floor session. Photo by Capitol Weekly.Should state contracts or grants be exempt from oversight laws? Our intrepid Chris Micheli weighs in.
A female scientist wearing face mask and gloves examining the cannabis plant at the indoor farm.OPINION – Jim Keddy, executive director of Youth Forward, wants to protect California’s children from cannabis. So does every licensed cannabis operator in this state. That shared goal is real. Which is why the policy prescription embedded in his recent Capitol Weekly op-ed deserves serious scrutiny, because if implemented, it would make children less safe, not more.
Photo by Joha Harrison for Capitol WeeklyCAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: On this week’s podcast we share a lively and very candid discussion on affordability between two of the Capitol community’s most notable members – longtime political strategist, author and commentator Mike Madrid and former Assemblymember and current president of the California Federation of Labor Unions Lorena Gonzalez.
Lorena Gonzalez, Rich Ehisen and Mike Madrid. Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol Weekly. The Capitol Weekly conference on Affordability offered a wide range of insights into affordability challenges for consumers in food and energy costs and the ways government can be more accountable in dealing with both of these critical issues.
Silhouette Of FirefightersOPINION – For decades, firefighters could count on retiring at an age that reflected the dangers of the job. That’s no longer the case. This is an outcome that is becoming less attainable for the younger generations joining the fire service.
Photo by Joha Harrison for Capitol WeeklyCAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at Affordability: The Cost of Living in California, which was held in Sacramento on April 30, 2026.
This is Panel 1: Energy Costs