The Great Seal of the State of California on the floor of the State Capitol Building. Image by Sundry Photography.This week’s Capitol Briefs features leadership changes, new PPIC survey results, California’s slow growth, the Planned Parenthood annual legislative scorecard and the sad passing of a California musical icon.
Image by PeopleImages. In talking with both houses’ appropriations committee staff over the past few weeks, there are some practical tips that were shared with me for those working with the fiscal committee staff member
Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol WeeklyThe Capitol kicked back into gear this week with the ceremonial swearing in of new Senate pro Tem Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara) and a smattering of bill introductions and information hearings. But of course, all eyes on focused on Thursday and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s State of the State address and Friday’s budget reveal. But that is hardly all that has been happening this week.
Image by cmannphotoLet’s say you are Santa Claus: who from California politics is getting the biggest box under the tree this year? Conversely, who is getting a fat lump of coal in their stocking?
Secretary of State Shirley Weber with former Senate pro Tem Toni Atkins. When former Senate pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) launched her campaign for governor in early 2024, she had her friend of 20 years introduce her. That friend was Secretary of State Shirley Weber.
The state Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: PPIC)In this edition of Capitol Briefs: a new bill proposal, an initiative is cleared for signature gathering, people on the move and our new trio of Capitol Weekly interns.
California State Capitol building on a sunny day in Sacramento. Image by miroslav_1. During his recent review of the more than 900 bills sent to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom, intrepid McGeorge law professor, Capitol lobbyist and regular Capitol Weekly contributor Chris Micheli compiled a number of legislative drafting notes and decided to share them with our readers. This is the third of three parts. Part I can be found here and Part II can be found here.
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).