George Steffes: 1935-2025

Sacramento lobbyist George Steffes.

Longtime Capitol lobbyist and Reagan aide George Steffes has passed. He died at UCD Med Center after weeks of hospitalization after suffering a fall. He was 90.

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Podcast

A chat with Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari

Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: We’re joined today by Christina Snider-Ashtari, Tribal Affairs Secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom and head of the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs. Snider-Ashtari was first appointed to the position in 2018 by Governor Brown and previously served as Executive Secretary of the California Native American Heritage Commission. We spoke to her about both governors’ approaches to Tribal policy, about the California Truth & Healing Council, and about the deep Native history on Alcatraz, which President Trump has suggested might be returned to use as a federal prison.

News

Bill to unionize rideshare drivers the product of a decade of work

Ride share driver in car using the rideshare app in mobile phone. Image by Tero Vesalainen.

AB 1340 represents roughly a decade or more of work by labor in the state. Ever since Uber launched in 2009, there’s been an ongoing, global debate on whether rideshare drivers are indeed independent contractors, as claimed by the apps, or bona fide employees, as claimed by workers and labor advocates.

Micheli Files

Why do bills have reimbursement disclaimers that can be ignored?

Image by Minwan.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. But while the Legislature may state the costs associated with a bill do not need to be reimbursed, it is actually the State Mandates Commission that decides the question.

Podcast

Chris Lehane: The promise of AI

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Chris Lehane has a solid gold resume in professional politics: consultant and oppo research in the Clinton White House, Press Secretary to VP Al Gore, and the source of the report on the “vast right wing conspiracy” so infamously cited by Hillary Clinton. Since 2024 he has been VP of Global Affairs and a member of the executive team at OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence organization based in San Francisco. Lehane joined us to talk about the opportunities and dangers of this fascinating new technology and to make the case for the importance of California maintaining its role as a global leader in AI.

Opinion

Dem anti-prostitution bill oils Republican deportation machine

Image by romkaz.

OPINION – The Trump Administration is waging a war – with military troops on the ground – on Los Angeles and the rest of California because we refuse to hand our migrant neighbors over to unidentifiable goons who spit on the Constitution and due process protections we are all afforded in this country. Amidst this climate, AB 379 will cause devastating and irreparable harm in our communities, especially among migrant sex workers and survivors.

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