News
Mayors from several of California’s largest cities gathered on Wednesday for the Capitol Weekly Big City Mayors Forum to discuss some of the state’s most pressing challenges, including homelessness, housing affordability, economic development, regulatory reform and the evolving relationship between local governments and Sacramento.
Capitol Spotlight
An accidental encounter with a California Senate Fellows brochure launched a career that would take Marie Liu deep into the halls of the Capitol, where she spent more than two decades helping shape California’s environmental policy.
Micheli Minute
Lobbyist, author and McGeorge law professor Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week under the Capitol Dome.
Capitol Briefs
California’s jungle primary was as wild as a name like that sounds, but now the fall races are set. Voters turned out big, almost as big as Democrat Xavier Becerra’s lead over Republican Steve Hilton.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: If you have noticed that the state now has less “rolling” blackouts, former state senator Nancy Skinner’s AB 2514 is a big part of the reason. Skinner is serving her first term on the California Energy Commission after serving as a state senator and member of the Assembly. Her legislation created requirements for electrical energy storage systems – she spoke with us about AB 2514, about the Trump Administration’s opposition to California’s climate goals, the challenges (and opportunities) presented by Data Centers, and her landmark Name Image and Likeness legislation, SB 206, which changed college sports across the country. And, with the Primary behind us, we have a long list of candidates for Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.
Experts Expound
Our Capitol insiders are back to answer another pressing question: Should California return to having the Insurance Commissioner be an appointed position rather than being chosen by voters?
News
As the popularity of e-bikes has grown, so too have the instances and severity of crashes involving the motorized bicycles. With that in mind, lawmakers this session have pondered several bills seeking to balance expanding e-bike use and road safety.
Micheli Files
We’ve all heard about the separation of powers kin government, but what does it actually mean? In today’s Micheli Files intrepid Capitol lobbyist and McGeorge law professor lays it out for you.
Micheli Minute
Lobbyist, author and McGeorge law professor Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week under the Capitol Dome.
Micheli Files
In his continuing review of 2026 legislation in the California Legislature, intrepid legal scholar, lobbyist and law professor Chris Micheli offers some additional observations on the dos and don’ts of drafting legislation.
Big City Mayors Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, Matt Mahan, Karen Bass, Larry Agran, Daniel Lurie, Jerry Dyer, Rex Richardson. Photo courtesy of Big City Mayors coalition. 
