Image by artisteer.OPINION – Senate Bill 41, pitched as “drug price reform,” isn’t serious reform. It’s a political play designed to give Sacramento lawmakers credibility to be on the good side of a universally hated issue, even if it comes at the expense of the very communities they claim to champion.
Niesha Fritz, photo by Joha Harrison. Niesha Fritz’s career path began when she was young, with an electric typewriter gifted to her by her late grandfather and a pension for asking questions. Polishing her writing skills through contests her mother encouraged her to apply for, Fritz eventually settled on journalism. “It was the storytelling I really enjoyed, the process of gathering the details, and then sitting down and weaving them together into something that could be compelling,” she said. “I just sort of fell in love with the craft of it.”
The California state Capitol at dusk. (Photo: Karin Hildebrand Lau, via Shutterstock)The California Legislature has a combined 55 standing committees, with 32 in the Assembly and 23 in the Senate. In today’s Micheli Files lobbyist and law professor Chris Micheli breaks down the original bill referrals to policy committees during the 2025 Session (meaning the first committee that received a bill from the Rules Committee).
The state Capitol, Sacramento. (Photo: Wikimedia)In today’s edition of the Micheli Files, intrepid McGeorge law professor and Capitol lobbyist Chris Micheli offers best practices for the use of letters to the Assembly and Senate Daily Journals.
Janeth Rodriguez, California Faculty Association, Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol WeeklyIt’s hard to pinpoint exactly when Janeth Rodriguez started on the path that led her to become the new executive director of the California Faculty Association. Even she hesitated when she was asked to tell her story.
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. Photo by Scott DuncanIn our latest survey conducted in partnership with Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc., we polled thousands of Capitol denizens on their favorite and least favorite legislators. As with the Top 100, this is sure to spark some controversy.
Image by utah778. OPINION – California has long been a leader in consumer protection and civil rights. AB 931 should be the next chapter in that legacy.
Mauricio Torres. Photo by Ellie Appleby for Capitol Weekly. Whether he’s deciphering complex policy language or hiking renowned trails like the Inca Trail or the W Trek in Patagonia, Mauricio Torres Jr. approaches it all with confidence, curiosity and a deep connection to the communities he serves.
The California state Capitol at dusk. (Photo: Karin Hildebrand Lau, via Shutterstock)This was crossover week, and both chambers considered hundreds of bills that only a few days before had cleared their respective suspense hearings. Here is a smattering of some of the significant action under the dome this week.
California State Capitol building. Image by rschlieLawmakers returned from their spring break bills in hand and loaded for bear. This week’s edition of Capitol Briefs takes a look at some of those measures.