14. Anthony York
Anthony York has solid journalistic chops – Salon, McClatchy, LA Times and, most important of all, Capitol Weekly – but in his current role he occupies what newsies traditionally call the “dark side.” He’s the governor’s top communications advisor, helping him navigate a media landscape characterized by hyperbole and gotcha. He’s invariably
21. Liane Randolph
Liane Randolph chairs the California Air Resources Board, one of the most aggressive government entities in the entire United States when it comes to fighting climate change. CARB is at the cutting edge of environmental regulations; its efforts to ban gas-powered leaf blowers and encourage Californians to purchase electric vehicles regularly are
16. Andrew Meredith
Andrew Meredith is another new name on this list, heading the State Building and Construction Trades Council, or BCTC. The top-tier labor group is affiliated through local unions with 450,000 workers focused mostly – but not entirely – on large commercial and government projects. Meredith took over in January replacing the feisty
9. Lauren Sanchez
Lauren Sanchez is Gov. Newsom’s senior climate adviser, a position that didn’t even exist – either in title or substance – until relatively recently. Her title includes “senior” – a real stretch, since she’s only 32 years old – and she is the governor’s go-to political staffer on climate change. Sanchez, a
10. Ben Chida
Ben Chida is a new name on this list, but you might as well get used to him – he’s going to be around awhile. Chida, 36, currently (it may change before we go to press) is the governor’s Senior Policy Adviser for Cradle to Career, and in the flow chart he’s
5. Joe Stephenshaw
Joe Stephenshaw is the director of the California Department of Finance, making him the governor’s top advisor on the state budget. Compared to his counterparts with the Speaker and the Pro Tem, Stephenshaw is relatively new, having started in the job in August 2022. Given our current budget shortfall, one could argue
Plastic Water Bottle Floating in Pacific Ocean, Santa Monica, California, USA. Photo by Danita DelimontCAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: On June 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB54, what most stakeholders characterized as the most aggressive plastic packaging recycling/reuse law in the United States. Lobbyist Jennifer Fearing, was a key player in the negotiations; She walks us through the compromise, explains what SB54 will actually do, and talks about the differences between the ballot proposal and the final bill.
A tangle of glass and plastic beverage bottles at a Santa Monica recycling site. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)After a nice dinner with your loved ones, make sure to keep the wine and spirit containers alongside the recyclable bottles. The state Senate passed Senate Bill 1013 on a 39-0 vote and sent it to the Assembly just before lawmakers left for their summer recess.
A dining room at the Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, which closed last year. (Photo: CDCR)With California’s prison inmate population flatlining, authorities are pondering the closure of three institutions. But many questions remain. The 2022-2023 state budget notes that there is a possibility of three prison closures during 2024 and 2025, based at least in part in the reduction of California’s prison population to about 94,000 in prisons and camps
Office workers rushing to their jobs. (Photo: IR Stone, via Shutterstock)Within their homes and offices, tensions are rising between employers and employees. At least for now, COVID-19 levels appear to be declining, and companies have begun to push their employees to return to the office following an extended period of working from home.