Lobbyist and author Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week in Sacramento.

Could a Republican actually be the next California governor?

Richard Grenell, photo by Associated Press

by BRIAN JOSEPH posted 03.05.2025

Republicans have basically become irrelevant in California state politics as Democrats have achieved and held a supermajority in the legislature and the threshold for passing a budget has dropped to a simple majority, making Republican votes unnecessary for most bills. So is it even possible that a Republican candidate could follow Gavin Newsom into the governor’s office?

The California rulemaking process, Part I

Image by Andrii Yalanskyi.

by CHRIS MICHELI posted 03.07.2025

We’ve all heard the expression “The rules are the rules.” But when it comes to making rules in the state of California, the process has its own labyrinth of, well, rules to guide the process. 

Rising Stars: Rida Shaikh, Senate Elections Committee

Rida Shaikh. Photo by Ellie Appleby, Capitol Weekly

by MOLLY JACOBY posted 03.04.2025

At just 24, Rida Shaikh has already found her footing in Sacramento, overseeing operations of the Senate Elections Committee. But her path to the Capitol wasn’t straightforward – it was a journey of persistence and defiance of expectations.

Special Episode: CA vs. Donald Trump – Panel 1, Health Care

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 03.02.2025

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at Capitol Weekly’s conference The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump, which was held in Sacramento on Wednesday, February 26, 2025

 This is Panel 1 – Health Care. Panelists: Beth Malinowksi, SEIU California; Devon Mathis, California Assembly (Ret.); Amanda McAllister-Wallner, Health Access California; Dr. Richard Pan, California Senate (Ret.); Moderated by Samantha Young, KFF Health News.

Special Episode: CA vs. Donald Trump – Keynote by California Attorney General Rob Bonta

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 02.27.2025

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Capitol Weekly presented an online conference, The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump. In this episode we present The Keynote, by one of the officials in the forefront of that battle, California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Dems tackle controversy over ethnic studies curriculum

Image by :smolaw11

by BRIAN JOSEPH posted 02.28.2025

Just days after three major Jewish organizations announced that an Orange County school district had agreed to settle a lawsuit over controversial ethnic studies courses, 31 Democrats in the Assembly and State Senate introduced a bill intended to prevent situations like that from happening again.

The Resistance: Capitol Weekly conference recap

President Trump's portrait superimposed on the California Flag

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 02.27.2025

On Wednesday Feb 26th, Capitol Weekly held its first conference of 2025, and the only one of four this year held online. Throughout three panels and the keynote address by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, participants discussed the state’s longstanding battles with President Donald Trump in three key issue areas – health care, the environment and immigration.

Lobbyist and author Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week in Sacramento.