Women's Caucus announcement. Photo by Rich Ehisen Capitol WeeklyIt was another busy week around the Capitol with major caucuses unveiling their legislative agendas, some big tax news and…snakes!
Image by coffeekai. OPINION – The answer to California’s much-anticipated electric vehicle (EV) transition is not in Washington. It’s not even in Sacramento–it is in the hands of local governments
Image by liveslowbackgroundIn the clearest sign yet that tensions are thawing on sports gambling in California, leaders of DraftKings and FanDuel spoke at an Indian gaming conference Monday about their desire to partner – not compete – with tribes to bring sports betting to the state.
Image by WallentineXavier Becerra joins a crowded gubernatorial field; firebrand Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli exits.
Ray LeBov, photo by Ellie Appleby of Capitol WeeklyRay LeBov is well known around the Capitol—not just for his prowess as a lobbyist and former legislative counsel but also for his kindness, generosity and joy he brings everywhere he goes. Over the last 50 years, he has shaped the lobbying community, both through his work in the legislature, as a lobbyist and as a mentor to thousands of advocates.
Image by Tero Vesalainen In partnership with Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc., Capitol Weekly has constructed a series of surveys we think offer the Capitol community and beyond a chance to quickly and anonymously share their thoughts on issues that matter to them and which impact their daily work lives. Our first survey dives into a topic that has come to the fore with the massive changes at Twitter/X – where do Capitol insiders get their news?
School cellphone ban policies. Image by wildpixel via iStock. Last year, California joined at least seven other states (Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia) in adopting or expanding rules to reduce the use of cell phones by students in schools when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 3216 by Assemblymember Josh Hoover (D-Folsom) into law. But while these policies enjoy bipartisan support, enacting them may prove challenging.
Gavin Newsom welcomed MAGA media personality Charlie Kirk on the first episode of his new podcast.Governor Newsom’s initial podcast was…very interesting to say the least. And so with that for inspiration, we asked our panel of experts for their reaction to the governor’s podcast. NOTE: All opinions expressed here are solely those of our expert panelists.
Richard Grenell, photo by Associated PressRepublicans 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?
Rida Shaikh. Photo by Ellie Appleby, Capitol WeeklyAt 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.