Alexei Koseff

Supporters gather at a rally at the state Capitol in Sacramento, announcing new legislation allowing ride-hail drivers to unionize, on April 8, 2025. Photo by Louis Bryant III for CalMatters Hed: What unionization could mean for California Uber and Lyft drivers — and riders

Uber and Lyft drivers in California have been fighting for years for higher wages and better working conditions. Now, a bill making its way through the state Legislature would allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize. cal.news/40NF0lo

📸 Louis Bryant III

Will California voters decide on new congressional maps? Gavin Newsom says he’ll ask voters to decide on new districts in November, going around California’s independent redistricting commission.

Gov. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social is eyeing a special election in the first week of November to ask California voters to sign off on revised U.S. House districts that could boost Democratic prospects in the 2026 midterms.
calmatters.org/politics/202...

On midterm redistricting in California, @gavinnewsom.bsky.social now says he wants to call a special election the first week of November presenting a new congressional map to voters for approval

Though he has pulled back support and legal protections for Afghan refugees, President Trump says "we're going to take care of those people."

Perhaps a hopeful signal for the large Afghan refugee community in California, fearful of being returned to Taliban rule: calmatters.org/politics/202...

Kamala Harris announces she won't run for California governor Conjecture about whether Harris would run for governor began almost immediately after she lost the November election to President Donald Trump.

Kamala Harris will not run for California governor, ending months of feverish speculation and raising fresh questions about the next chapter of her political career.
calmatters.org/politics/202...

So many reasons to stay put: What’s behind California’s frozen housing market? High interest rates, unpredictable tariffs, a shortage of homes and a 50-year-old property tax law are hurting California's housing market.

The country is in the middle of a housing market drought, and conditions look especially parched in California, writes @frombenc.bsky.social. calmatters.org/housing/2025...

Can California Democrats rewrite the rules to counter Texas redistricting? Gov. Gavin Newsom says California should redraw its congressional maps ahead of 2026 to ‘put a stake in the heart’ of Trump’s Texas redistricting plan.

Gov. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social appeared with Democratic Texas lawmakers this afternoon to again call for redistricting California if Texas does.

"If we don't put a stake into the heart of this administration, there may not be an election in 2028," he said.

calmatters.org/politics/202...

They can't go back to Afghanistan. Will Trump let them stay in California? The Trump administration has canceled legal protections for many Afghans in the U.S. There’s little California has been able to do to fill the gap.

"My soul is dying. It's only my body that sometimes is just pushing."

As President Trump has withdrawn legal protections and other support, Afghans who resettled in California after the return of the Taliban face new uncertainty in their adopted home.

calmatters.org/politics/202...

Alt text: Marwa stands by the window of her apartment in Rocklin, on July 16, 2025. Her other children remain separated from her due to immigration policy changes enacted during the Trump administration. Photo by Roberta Alvarado for CalMatters Hed: They worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan Subhed: Now Trump could return them to the Taliban

After the Taliban retook control in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans resettled in California.

Many of them had worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan. But in his second term, President Donald Trump has withdrawn legal protections for them.

📸 Roberta Alvarado
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They worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Now Trump could return them to the Taliban Afghans who fled the Taliban and resettled in California have lost legal protections and financial support in President Trump's second term.

“Fear rules the day. They are becoming disheartened and they are losing momentum in their belief in America and its democracy as they knew it.”

calmatters.org/politics/202...

They worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Now Trump could return them to the Taliban Afghans who fled the Taliban and resettled in California have lost legal protections and financial support in President Trump's second term.

Powerful story today by @akoseff.bsky.social on the Afghans in California who are caught in legal limbo as the Trump administration changes policies:

They worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Now Trump could return them to the Taliban Afghans who fled the Taliban and resettled in California have lost legal protections and financial support in President Trump's second term.

After the Taliban retook control in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans resettled in California. But in his second term, President Trump has withdrawn legal protections and erected new obstacles that threaten their future in their adopted home.
calmatters.org/politics/202...

Their families keep California farms running. Trump cuts just stripped a 'lifeline' from them The migrant programs offer tutors and other education services to students who often struggle academically due to frequent moves.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration withheld more than $120 million for California’s migrant education programs, for students who parents work in agriculture, @carolynjones100.bsky.social reports calmatters.org/education/k-...

Immigration raids are giving California's cannabis industry flashbacks to the war on drugs Federal agents arrested hundreds of workers after immigration sweeps at a California cannabis company, stoking fears that President Trump might target the marijuana industry.

"There is a sense that the community has gotten a little complacent in our legalization bubbles" calmatters.org/justice/2025...

CalMatters: Holding the state accountable for 10 years, and we're just getting started CalMatters journalism has spurred new laws and made the state more accountable to Californians. We're just getting started.

Woohoo, @calmatters.org is 10! Thank you for reading and supporting
calmatters.org/inside-the-n...

Gov. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social tells reporters in LA that he is talking to lawyers who argue the Legislature could work around California's independent redistricting commission and redraw House maps for next election.

"I'm not going to be passive at this moment," he said.

California’s wind and solar projects face new federal hurdles Clean-energy projects have new deadlines for federal tax credits and limits on foreign parts, taking aim at California’s climate agenda. Eleven solar projects and one onshore wind project now face pot...

A dozen solar and wind projects in California now face potential delays or cancellation because of changes to tax credits in President Trump's recent budget law, @gauchoesque.bsky.social reports.
calmatters.org/environment/...

5 ways Trump's new budget will affect health care in California Lower-income people will be the hardest hit. Over the next 10 years, 3.4 million Californians could lose coverage.

Trump's changes to health care funding are expected to significantly roll back coverage in California. Up to 1.4 million people could be forced off Medi-Cal in the first year, while Covered California premiums will rise by an estimated 66%. calmatters.org/health/2025/...

With carpenters’ help, California eases housing rules—and sparks labor clash California’s new environmental reform law, backed by carpenters, eases housing construction rules but deepens divisions within the labor movement.

How a split between major construction unions in California has reshaped the housing debate at the state Capitol. @jeannereporter.bsky.social and @frombenc.bsky.social report: calmatters.org/politics/202...

Gavin Newsom ordered state workers back to the office. Why he backtracked Newsom argued state employees needed to boost productivity and rebuild public trust by working in-office nearly full-time. Why delay? Politics, critics say.

Earlier this year, the governor demanded that state workers return to the office four days a week — then he negotiated away the requirement in return for other savings in union contracts, @mayacmiller.bsky.social reports: calmatters.org/politics/202...

California labor rule leaves Vietnamese nail workers in job uncertainty The industry was temporarily exempt from AB 5, which required many contractors to be classified as full employees. Now nail salons are affected, too.

The debate over when to classify manicurists as employees or independent contractors continues, @jeannereporter.bsky.social reports calmatters.org/politics/202...

Last-minute California budget includes sweeping environmental law rollbacks Major changes include an exemption for high-tech industrial plants and other projects. The move, fast-tracked under pressure from Gov. Gavin Newsom, sparked fierce pushback from environmental, communi...

Why did high-tech manufacturing plants just score an exemption from environmental reviews in California? @gauchoesque.bsky.social and @ra-becks.bsky.social report: calmatters.org/environment/...

California’s tax on legal weed is going up. Lawmakers try to intervene for industry Customers will pay slightly more for legal weed after California’s excise tax is raised. Some lawmakers want to reduce it as the industry struggles with slumping sales.

A tax hike for California’s faltering legal cannabis market is set to take effect today. The industry unsuccessfully tried to freeze the increase in a budget deal, but @gavinnewsom.bsky.social has said he would sign a bill to repeal it if one reaches his desk. calmatters.org/politics/202...

Gov. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social signs a pair of bills that will streamline environmental review for many housing and infrastructure projects in California. He had demanded these measures as a contingency of signing the state budget: calmatters.org/politics/202...

Controversial climate rule, which could raise CA gas prices, about to go into effect No immediate hike in gas prices will occur. But Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature fear the effects of the clean-fuel program.

California’s revamped Low Carbon Fuel Standard takes effect this week. No immediate hike in gas prices will occur, but the future impact is uncertain because it depends on how much the oil industry spends on buying credits, @gauchoesque.bsky.social reports. calmatters.org/environment/...

Gavin Newsom demanded a ‘poison pill’ tied to construction in budget deal The governor’s insistence led to a week of confusion as lawmakers rushed to work out a compromise with powerful unions and environmental groups

After days of confusion, the Legislature has passed an updated state budget that makes the $321 billion spending plan contingent on approving sweeping changes, just unveiled this morning, to California's landmark environmental protection law.
calmatters.org/politics/202...

Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for defamation over Trump call Newsom argues that the network deliberately misled its viewers on the timing of his call with the president and accused the governor of lying.

Newsom sues Fox News for defamation over coverage of his recent phone call with Trump.

It's a move out of the Trump playbook, and some First Amendment groups immediately urged him to drop the case, @bystellayu.bsky.social reports: calmatters.org/politics/202...

California budget deal forces cuts to immigrant health care, taps rainy day funds California’s tough choices: Budget deal limits immigrant health coverage, uses rainy day funds as the state grapples with $12 billion shortfall.

Newsom backed off some of his proposed cuts to health care programs in a state budget deal with legislative leaders, but California will move forward with his plan to limit services to undocumented immigrants as the state faces a growing deficit
calmatters.org/politics/202...

So excited to welcome @mayacmiller.bsky.social to the CalMatters politics team! She’ll be covering campaigns and digging into state government accountability, including what’s going on with the state workforce. Reach out to her with your great story ideas!

California Republicans hate government ‘overreach’ but are quiet on Trump’s troops CalMatters asked all Republicans in the state Legislature about the president overriding California’s governor. Most wouldn’t talk. The rest are on Team Trump.

When is it OK for a president to use military forces on civilians in a state over the objections of their governor?

When that governor is Gavin Newsom, California Republican leaders say.

@bystellayu.bsky.social reports: calmatters.org/politics/202...