Office of Legislative Affairs - "The Friday Wrap-Up"

Although two weeks ago the end of the 2025 legislative session appeared that it may be rather sedate, at the last minute, major proposals were agreed upon by the governor, Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, and Speaker Robert Rivas, and were moved through the legislative process in the span of four days. On September 10, bills came into print containing some of the major policy provisions that had been promised by the administration and legislature. These included the cap-and-trade extension, allocation of greenhouse gas emissions fund revenues, and legislation to provide $18 billion to the state’s wildfire fund. An outline of these high-profile measures may be found in the next section of this report.

Additionally, in part due to the Senate Democratic caucus’ frustration with some leadership decisions, Senate Pro Tem McGuire announced an earlier than anticipated transition of Senate leadership to Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) on November 17. Limón was elected to the Assembly in 2016 and moved to the Senate in 2020. She is a progressive environmentalist with strong union ties and will be the first Latina to serve as senate president pro tem. Limón will have the opportunity to shift committee chairmanships and composition as she deems fit as well as make any staffing changes prior to the beginning of the 2026 legislative session on January 5, 2026. Limón is termed out in 2028.

Governor Gavin Newsom now has until October 13 to complete action on the 827 bills on his desk. We anticipate that, as in prior years, a number of bills will be vetoed based on cost concerns rather than policy differences. We will keep county staff posted.

Clean Energy, Climate, and Affordability Solutions

The highest profile measures moving through the legislature in the last days of session weren’t publicly available until the morning of September 10, meaning they couldn’t be voted upon until 72-hours later - Saturday, September 13. The legislature recessed Saturday morning at about 3 a.m. and returned to the Capitol at 10:30 a.m. to take up these bills and other remaining measures under consideration. 

The package of measures included AB 1207 extending the cap-and-trade program until 2045, SB 840 distributing the cap-and trade revenues, SB 254 replenishing the state’s wildfire fund for utilities and make changes to how utilities finance transmission and wildfire prevention, AB 825 expanding California’s electricity grid in response to a competitor regional market being launched out of Arkansas, SB 237 authorizing Kern County to pass an ordinance streamlining environmental permitting for new oil wells to boost crude oil extraction, and SB 352 modifying requirements for community air monitoring systems and monitoring plans established by AB 617 (Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017). Because of the lack of time for amendments, it is likely that some of these measures will require refinement or clean-up legislation in 2026.

AB 1207 (Irwin) Climate change: market-based compliance mechanism: extension

• Extends authorization for cap-and-trade through 2045.
• Requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to ensure that emissions from covered sources decline with the 2030 and 2045 greenhouse gas emissions targets.
• Maintains existing offsets limits, but requires offsets to be exchanged for allowances under the emissions cap.
• Unfreezes industry assistance factors used to determine allocation of free allowances, allowing ARB, beginning in 2031, to set factors to minimize leakage risk.
• Extends regulatory protections for the oil and gas industry.
• Revises use of revenue from allocation of allowances to utilities to increase and target credits on electric utility bills, except for 5% of revenues directed to support public financing of transmission projects.
• Renames the Cap-and-Trade program Cap-and-Invest.

SB 840 (Limón) Greenhouse gases: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: studies

Reconfigures the continuous appropriations established for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and sets new legislative intent for how GGRF funds are spent. The bill also directs ARB to assess and update compliance offset protocols and establishes a new unit within the Legislative Counsel Bureau to support climate and environmental policymaking efforts.

The goal of the legislature in passing SB 840 was to make reforms to maintain the legitimacy of the program while containing consumer costs and adding essential oversight and accountability measures. The bill also allows the investment of billions of dollars in climate infrastructure over the next 20 years to fund clean transportation, housing and community investment, clean air and water, wildfire prevention and resilience, agriculture, clean energy, and climate-focused innovation.

Specifically, SB 840:

• Sunsets existing GGRF continuous appropriations as of July 1, 2026.
• Establishes the following new GGRF allocations totaling approximately $4.2 billion annually beginning in 2026-27:
  • $70-90 million annually until 2031 to backfill the State Responsibility Area fire prevention fee.
  • $100-150 million annually until 2031 to fund the manufacturing tax credit.
  • $3 million to establish the Legislative Counsel Climate Bureau.
  • $1 billion continuously appropriated to the High-Speed Rail Authority.
  • $1 billion reserved for appropriation by the legislature, with the intent that this amount is allocated in the following amounts for the 2026-27 fiscal year:
    • $125 million for transit passes.
    • $25 million for seed funding for a University of California Climate Research Center.
    • $15 million for rebuilding Topanga Park.
    • $85 million for an entity chosen by the legislature to support climate-focused technological innovation, related research, and the deployment of climate solutions identified in the ARB scoping plan.
  • Remaining money in the fund continuously appropriated as follows (subject to proportional reductions by Department of Finance if revenues are insufficient):
    • $800 million to the Strategic Growth Council for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program.
    • $400 million to the Transportation Agency for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program.
    • $250 million to ARB for community air protection programs and allocated for financial incentives to reduce mobile and stationary sources of criteria air pollutants or toxic air contaminants consistent with community emissions reduction programs and for support for local air districts’ implementation of AB 617.
    • $200 million to the Transportation Agency for the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program.
    • $200 million to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and allocated as follows:
      • 5% for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects that improve forest health and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases caused by uncontrolled wildfires.
      • 5% for the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects through proven forestry practices consistent with the recommendations of the California Forest Carbon Plan.
      • $130 million to the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.

SB 254 (Becker) Energy

Of primary interest to the county, SB 254 provides new savings for utility ratepayers through public infrastructure financing and solutions to protect ratepayers and fire victims through California’s Wildfire Fund by authorizing the extension of the fund for 10 years to 2045 and replenishing the fund with $18 billion over 10 years, shared between ratepayers and utility shareholders. SB 254 also:

• Creates the California Transmission Accelerator at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz).
• Prohibits electrical corporations from including $6 billion in wildfire risk mitigation investments in their rate base for purposes of earning profit and authorizing securitization of those costs.
• Provides additional authorization of securitization for costs arising from 2025 wildfire liabilities if they are in excess of the existing Wildfire Fund, with a possibility for IOU shareholders repaying costs, as specified.
• Modifies permitting processes and procedures for “clean” energy projects.
• Modifies wildfire risk mitigation requirements and conformity of oversight responsibilities between the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety and the California Public Utilities Commission.
• Streamlines planning and design information of infrastructure projects at the California Underground Safety Board.

The measure sparked some controversy within local governments, as it will invest greater power in the California Energy Commission (CEC) under the AB 205 opt-in permitting program, strengthening the CEC’s ability to ignore local laws, regulations, and objections of the community in which the project will be located. The bill repeals provisions of Public Resources Code that require the CEC to ensure projects conform with public safety standards, air and water quality standards, and other applicable local, regional, state, and federal standards, ordinances, or laws. Existing law allows the CEC to certify a project that is inconsistent with local laws only if it first meets and confers with the local agency and determines that the facility is required for public convenience and necessity and there is no more prudent and feasible means of achieving public convenience and necessity. 

SB 237 (Grayson) Oil spill prevention: gasoline specifications: suspension: California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions: County of Kern: transportation fuels assessment: coastal resources

Contains a number of provisions that seek to increase in-state oil production (such as through testing of previously-idled pipelines, greater disclosure of financial assurances, and resolving ongoing litigation in favor of easier approval of drilling permits in Kern County), while also soliciting additional information to mitigate rising fuel costs (such as by relaxing California gasoline standards) and assess medium- to long-term strategies in line with recent work from the California Energy Commission. The bill also increases oversight of the restart of idle oil pipelines along California’s coast and directs state agencies to study options for switching California off of its unique, less-polluting gasoline blend.

SB 237 was a response to Valero’s announcement that it plans to close its Bay Area refinery by April of next year, which sparked concerns that the loss of another facility could cause gas prices to increase. The California Energy Commission included boosting Kern County drilling among its June recommendations for stabilizing the industry. It is also part of the legislature’s action on making California more affordable by lowering gas prices at the pump and for goods and services impacted by gas prices.

AB 825 (Petrie-Norris) Independent System Operator: independent regional organization

Authorizes the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and the electrical corporations whose transmission is operated by the CAISO to use voluntary energy markets governed by an independent regional organization (RO) if specified requirements are met. Simply put, it creates a unified Western electricity grid to help California stabilize the power grid and reduce emissions.

The goal of AB 825 is to make it cheaper and more efficient to be able to trade excess solar or hydroelectric power with other states. California is now at risk of losing its neighboring utilities to a competitor energy market being launched out of Arkansas.

SB 352 (Reyes) Environmental justice: Department of Justice: Bureau of Environmental Justice: community air monitoring

Codifies the Environmental Justice Bureau at the Department of Justice and strengthens air quality monitoring and reporting requirements under the AB 617 program, as the first step in implementing the new continuous appropriation of $250 million annually for the program.

Specifically, the bill requires additional reporting from ARB and the air districts regarding the expenditure of funds pursuant to AB 617. AB 617 (2017) authorized CARB and the air districts to identify communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution and established a process to incorporate community input into community emission reduction plans. While the goal of the program was to empower communities to identify local solutions, there have been delays in implementation. According to the author, lawmakers need to be able to make informed decisions on how state funding is being used and be able to respond to barriers to implementing the emission reductions plans.

Grant Opportunities

 Below is a list of the latest grant opportunities released by the state. All opportunities for local jurisdictions may be found here.

Deadline: 11/5/25 12:00
Title: Lunch at the Library Summer 2026
State Agency / Department: CA State Library
Match Funding? No
Estimated Total Funding: $3,000,000
Funding Method: Advances & Reimbursement(s)

Deadline: 10/24/25 12:00
Title: Division of Boating and Waterways Aquatic Center Boating Safety Education Grant FY25
State Agency / Department: Department of Parks and Recreation
Match Funding? No
Estimated Total Funding: $1,400,000
Funding Method: Reimbursement

Deadline: 10/9/25 17:00
Title: 2025 CalAgPlate Grant Program
State Agency / Department: CA Department of Food and Agriculture
Match Funding? No
Estimated Total Funding: $200,000
Funding Method: Advances & Reimbursements

Governor’s Press Releases

Below is a list of the governor’s press releases beginning September 10.

September 17: Governor Newsom proclaims Constitution Day and Citizenship Day

September 17: Governor Newsom signs legislation 9.17.25

September 17: Following Trump’s politicization of CDC, West Coast states issue unified vaccine recommendations — California breaks from future federal guidance with new law

September 17: Proposition 1 continues delivering support for vulnerable homeless populations in California

September 16: Governor Newsom announces appointments 9.16.25

• Dominic Roques, of San Luis Obispo, has been appointed to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Alex Rodriguez, of Santa Barbara, has been reappointed to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Board
• Stephanie Harlan, of Capitola, has been reappointed to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Elena Lee Reeder, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Arthur Baggett, of El Portal, has been reappointed to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Nancy Wright, of Whitewater, has been reappointed to the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Sabrina Ashjian, of Camarillo, has been reappointed to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Norma Camacho, of Camarillo, has been reappointed to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Gregory Guisti, of Kelseyville, has been reappointed to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Betty Olson, of Trabuco Canyon, has been reappointed to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Mark Ransom, of Walnut Creek, has been reappointed to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Board
• Sixto “Al” Lopez, of Corona, has been reappointed to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board
• John Scandura, of Huntington Beach, has been reappointed to the Santa Ana Regional Quality Control Board

September 16: Governor Newsom launches new statewide service effort to support the well-being of young men

September 16: Governor, First Partner statement on the passing of Robert Redford

September 15: Governor Gavin Newsom to launch new statewide effort to support the well-being of young men

September 15: California-based productions win big at Emmy Awards

September 15: Governor Newsom announces appointments, including new California Air Resources Board Chair

September 15: Global biotech leaders Amgen and Gilead announcing expansions in California, the #1 state for life sciences

September 15: Governor Newsom proclaims Latino Heritage Month

September 12: What they’re saying: Overwhelming support for historic climate and energy affordability legislation

September 12: California claims victory – again – over Huntington Beach as appeals court rules against city’s NIMBY violations of state law

September 11: Governor Newsom announces appointments 9.11.25

• Andrew “Andy” Nakahata, of San Francisco, has been appointed Executive Director of the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank
• Steven Yarbrough, of Gold River, has been appointed Deputy Director of Public Safety Communications at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
• Steven Yarbrough, of Gold River, has been appointed to the State 911 Advisory Board
• Hafsa Kaka, of San Diego, has been appointed Special Advisor on Homelessness and Encampments at the California Department of Transportation
• David Duncan, of Penryn, has been appointed to the Emergency Medical Services Commission
• Amanda Ward, of Yucaipa, has been appointed to the Emergency Medical Services Commission
• Sean Edwards, of Carmel, has been appointed to the Emergency Medical Services Commission
• Jennifer Shepard, of Santa Clarita, has been appointed to the Emergency Medical Services Commission

September 11: Governor Newsom honors fallen State Correctional Officer Townsend

September 11: Governor Newsom proclaims Patriot Day

September 11: Governor Newsom announces appointments 9.10.25

• Vishesh Anand, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Senior Advisor at the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
• Lisa Middleton, of Palm Springs, has been appointed to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration
• Luis Arabit, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy
• Erin Schwier, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy
• Ada Boone Hoerl, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy
• Bridget Legnavsky, of Norden, has been appointed to the California Travel and Tourism Commission

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH ACTIVITY

Shutdown Odds Increase as Congress Negotiates Continuing Resolution

The odds of a government shutdown are increasing as the September 30 end of the current fiscal year approaches. Currently, Congress is scheduled to recess for the third week of September, returning to Washington on September 29, and will need to immediately pass a continuing resolution (CR), continuing current (FY25) funding levels on a temporary basis until full appropriations bills can be finalized. Currently, the White House and Congressional Leadership do not have an agreement on topline numbers used by appropriators to finalize the 12 appropriations bills. Last week, the Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and the Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration bills were sent to a conference committee between the House and Senate, the historical mechanism for resolving differences in funding levels across the bills and that Congress has not used since 2018.

Any agreement on government funding will require the support of seven Democratic Senators and unified Republican support in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose two votes. House Republican Leadership announced their plan on September 16, to introduce a roughly seven week “clean” CR into November and possibly make a deal on a set of Affordable Care Act Subsidized Health Insurance Premiums set to expire at the end of the year. This is a copy of Republican’s previously successful strategy from March, when a number of Senate Democrats allowed a CR to pass and averted a government shutdown. The President weighed in to support the strategy, endorsing a clean CR, though he has previously pressed for a longer-term CR through January.

Given the disagreement over strategy within the Democratic caucus and the potential for enough Republican opposition to scuttle a clean CR, the odds of a government shutdown have significantly increased since the beginning of the month.

House Seeks to Pass Legislation Modifying Veteran’s Benefits

The House worked through several veteran’s related bills this week under a special procedure for votes with significant bipartisan support. These included HR 3951, which would afford health care providers flexibility in performing disability examinations for veterans, HR 3579, to modify the Veteran Readiness and Employment Program, HR 3767, to ensure full-time employment offers for graduates of the Health Professionals Scholarship Program and make other changes meant to address the VA’s staffing shortage, and HR 1107, to further codify the ability of VA physicians to prescribe medicine via telemedicine without an in-person exam.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH ACTIVITY

EPA Leads Artificial Intelligence Roundtable, Emphasizes Permitting Reform Efforts

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin held a roundtable on September 15 at the White House on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data centers. The Administrator celebrated actions taken by the EPA and the Trump Administration since January to further enable data center construction and emphasized the need for additional permitting reforms to increase energy capacity and ease of construction. The EPA has recently initiated a number of reforms to decrease regulations on carbon emitters, including seeking to revoke the endangerment finding, the legal/regulatory basis for the agency regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

AI data centers are expected to substantially increase electricity demand beyond current grid capacity and are expected to double or triple within the next 3 years, reaching 12% of total US electricity use. Given this demand, energy suppliers of all types are rushing to increase grid capacity and the EPA, Department of Energy, the White House, and Congress are all contemplating regulatory and legislative reforms to meet the increased demand.

Permitting reform efforts are currently being discussed in Congress, particularly HR 4776, the SPEED Act, seeks to lower the cost of construction nationwide for infrastructure projects by creating NEPA and CEQA (or other state standard) equivalency and limiting overly burdensome litigation efforts from halting previously approved developments.

Orange County Delegation Press Releases

• Mike Levin – September 12, 2025: Rep. Mike Levin’s Statement on Approval of New Settlement Construction in the West Bank | U.S. Congressman Mike Levin
• Mike Levin – September 11, 2025: Responding to Political Violence, Rep. Mike Levin Calls for Community Over Chaos | U.S. Congressman Mike Levin
• Lou Correa- September 16, 2025: CORREA, REAL ESTATE CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS INTRODUCE SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM ACT | U.S. Congressman Lou Correa of California
• Lou Correa – September 12, 2025: CORREA HAILS OVER $2 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO DEVELOP 10TH AND FLOWER STREET PARK IN SANTA ANA | U.S. Congressman Lou Correa of California
• Lou Correa – September 11, 2025: CORREA INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO COMBAT SHRINKFLATION IN STORES | U.S. Congressman Lou Correa of California
• Young Kim – September 16, 2025: Rep. Young Kim Bill to Boost Community Banks Passes Out of Committee
• Young Kim- September 16, 2025: Rep. Young Kim Leads Bipartisan Bill to Help Millions of Americans Build Better Credit
• Dave Min – September 11, 2025: STATEMENT: Rep. Dave Min Votes Against Bill To Hamper Local Law Enforcement and Expand ICE Authorities | Representative Dave Min
• Derek Tran – September 11, 2025: Tran, Lowering Costs Caucus Leaders Call on Department of Transportation to Protect Air Travelers Facing Delays or Cancellations | Representative Derek Tran
• Derek Tran – September 11, 2025: Representative Tran Issues Statement Following House Vote on H.R. 3486 | Representative Derek Tran
• Derek Tran – September 10, 2025: Rep. Derek Tran Issues Statement Following House Vote on the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 | Representative Derek Tran
• Linda Sánchez– September 11, 2025: Sánchez, Ways and Means colleagues to Trump: Reverse export tax, national security not for sale | Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
• Alex Padilla – September 16, 2025: Padilla, Schiff Announce Another $168 Million to Strengthen Airport Infrastructure Across California
• Alex Padilla – September 16, 2025: Senate Unanimously Passes Padilla, McConnell Resolution Recognizing National Voter Registration Day
• Alex Padilla – September 15, 2025: Padilla Introduces Bill to Strengthen Accountability Over Unlawful National Guard Deployments
• Alex Padilla – September 15, 2025: Padilla, Warner Demand Urgent Briefing on Foreign Election Threats From Gabbard After Intelligence Rollback
• Alex Padilla – September 15, 2025: Padilla, Durbin, Raskin, Jayapal Demand Answers on Trump Administration’s Unlawful Attempt to Deport Unaccompanied Guatemalan Children - Senator Alex Padilla
• Alex Padilla – September 12, 2025: Padilla, Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Lead Bipartisan Group Demanding Administration Release Over $50 Million for Agricultural Farm Worker Students - Senator Alex Padilla
• Alex Padilla – September 11, 2025: Padilla, Castro Condemn Trump Administration’s Ending of Discretionary Grants for Hispanic-Serving, Minority-Serving Schools - Senator Alex Padilla
• Alex Padilla – September 10, 2025: Padilla, Schumer, Murray, Reed: “We Will Reject” Republican Attempts to Include Anti-Voter Legislation in Defense, Funding Bills - Senator Alex Padilla
• Adam Schiff – September 16, 2025: NEWS: Sen. Schiff Joins Sen. Rick Scott in Introducing the Bipartisan Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act to Support Victims of Natural Disasters
• Adam Schiff – September 16, 2025: NEWS: Schiff, Carbajal Lead 15 Colleagues in Demanding Answers on the Trump Administration’s Influence in Restarting Oil Drilling Operations Off Santa Barbara Coast
• Adam Schiff – September 15, 2025: NEWS: Sen. Schiff Exposes Plans for Additional Propaganda Banners, Details Illegal Federal Spending in New Report
• Adam Schiff – September 10, 2025: NEWS: Sen. Schiff, Senate Democrats Urge Trump Admin to Balance Technological Innovation with Longstanding Environmental Protections in Permitting of AI Data Centers

Legislation Introduced by the Orange County Delegation

Friday 09/19/25

Major California health insurers side with Newsom and medical groups to cover COVID shots -- Kaiser, Aetna and other giants said they’ll cover COVID-19 boosters through 2026, even as a CDC panel scrutinizes the shots. Grant Stringer in the San Jose Mercury -- 09/19/25

Federal judge is ‘inclined’ to order Trump to restore $500 million in UCLA research grants -- A federal judge Thursday said she was “inclined to extend” an earlier ruling and order the Trump administration to restore an additional $500 million in UCLA medical research grants that were frozen in response to the university’s alleged campus antisemitism violations. Jaweed Kaleem and Daniel Miller in the Los Angeles Times -- 09/19/25

Thursday 09/18/25

California Wants to Halt Oil Industry Exodus After Years of Climate Focus -- Policymakers are trying to stave off a potential fuel-supply crunch while refineries look to close. Collin Eaton and Ryan Dezember in the Wall Street Journal -- 09/18/25

California, West Coast states break with CDC on COVID vaccine guidance -- California and three other states in the newly formed West Coast Health Alliance on Wednesday announced vaccine recommendations for the winter virus season, which include recommending the updated COVID shot to a much wider swath of the American public than what the federal government is recommending — that everyone 6 months and older who wants the COVID vaccine can get one. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle Ana B. Ibarra and Kristen Hwang Calmatters Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times -- 09/18/25

Wednesday 09/17/25

Sacramento to charge monthly fees at homeless shelters — a rare policy in US -- In a 7-2 vote on Tuesday night, the City Council approved implementing fees at its new interim housing sites of tiny homes. Four of these sites, called micro-communities, are planned on vacant lots across the city and will be designated for homeless seniors. Mathew Miranda in the Sacramento Bee -- 09/17/25

Is the Norco prison a solution for the county jail crisis? Some prison guards think so -- Some correctional officers at the prison in Norco are trying to keep the California Rehabilitation Center open by presenting it as an option to solve the overpopulation in county jails. Aidan McGloin Calmatters -- 09/17/25

Tuesday 09/16/25

California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk -- The FAIR Plan faces accusations of denying smoke-damage claims and more. Can California lawmakers keep the insurer of last resort accountable? Levi Sumagaysay and Nadia Lathan Calmatters -- 09/16/25

California Legislature took aim at speeding up home building. Some wanted more -- By the time California legislators finished their work for the year on Saturday, they had provided a clear statement for how they want to reduce the explosive costs to buy or rent a home in the state and the staggering number of people living on the streets. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee -- 09/16/25

Monday 09/15/25

The California education bills that made it to Newsom’s desk, and those that didn’t -- Lawmakers waited until the final hours of the final day of the legislative session to resolve two of the most contentious TK-12 education issues: confronting rising antisemitism in schools and clamping down on charter school fraud. EdSource -- 09/15/25

Edison electric bills set to rise 10% under state plan. More hikes coming soon -- The five commissioners are scheduled to vote Thursday on the PUC administrative law judge’s proposal. It’s just one of multiple rate hikes Edison has asked the commission to approve in the coming year. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times -- 09/15/25

Weekend 09/14-09/13/25

California age verification bill backed by Google, Meta, OpenAI heads to Newsom -- A California bill to check kids’ ages online is heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, after it secured rare support from major tech giants, including Google, Meta and Snap. Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 09/14/25

California lawmakers pass SB 79, housing bill that brings dense housing to transit hubs -- In the waning hours of the 2025 legislative session, the state Senate voted 21 to 8 to approve Senate Bill 79, a landmark housing bill that overrides local zoning laws to expand high-density housing near transit hubs. The controversial bill received a final concurrence vote from the Senate on Friday, a day after passing in the California assembly with a vote of 41 to 17. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times Ben Christopher Calmatters Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee Lindsey Holden Politico -- 09/13/25

California lawmakers pass bill to ban ‘ultraprocessed’ foods in school lunches -- The bill received bipartisan support, with Republicans drawing comparisons to the MAHA movement. Nicole Norman Politico -- 09/13/25