Yue Stella Yu

California’s top Democrats rush key policies in secret talks Major climate and energy reforms hang in the balance as California leaders talk in private to reach last-minute deals. The secrecy leaves little time for the public to weigh in.

same as it ever was. lawmakers (this time in California) closing their decision-making to the press and thus the public. via @bystellayu.bsky.social

It’s hard to trace Google’s full influence when it does not publicly share its position on some bills, instead paying groups like the California Chamber of Commerce to influence legislators on its behalf. Good story by @khari.bsky.social and @bystellayu.bsky.social.

Updated the story with a statement from the company that is developing the project that seems have been the subject of this legislation.

The Constant Battle The first excerpt from 107 Days

Kamala Harris calls the fall of Roe "a huge issue on which the president was not seeking to lead," and says Biden"struggled to talk about reproductive rights in a way that met the gravity of the moment." www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

This last-minute deal could stymie a new Santa Barbara apartment building The 270-unit is proposed behind the city’s historic Mission, and in the district of incoming Senate president Monique Limón.

A bill proposed Monday night, just days before the end of the legislative session, would punch a very small hole in a landmark housing law passed earlier this year that appears to apply to one (1) proposed apartment building in the incoming Senate leader's district.

calmatters.org/politics/202...

California’s top Democrats rush key policies in secret talks Major climate and energy reforms hang in the balance as California leaders talk in private to reach last-minute deals. The secrecy leaves little time for the public to weigh in.

To be clear, last minute, behind-closed-doors policy switcheroos are a storied tradition in California.

My colleague @bystellayu.bsky.social has been busy tracking them all down:

calmatters.org/politics/202...

California’s top Democrats rush key policies in secret talks Major climate and energy reforms hang in the balance as California leaders talk in private to reach last-minute deals. The secrecy leaves little time for the public to weigh in.

It's the most secretive time of year in Sacramento, where 3 Democrats privately negotiate final terms of hugely consequential bills.

This isn't what voters pictured when they OK'd Prop. 54 in 2016 and Newsom & Munger Jr. were on the same side @bystellayu.bsky.social calmatters.org/politics/202...

Lawmakers backtrack on plan to keep infrastructure agency's business secretive A plan to create a secretive infrastructure entity glided through the state Senate. Lawmakers are now backtracking after transparency advocates sounded the alarm.

Californians deserve to know what government is doing in their name. Too many legislative proposals would keep the public in the dark. calmatters.org/politics/202...

'It's not your country:' Stories from men who were taken in the LA immigration raids CalMatters spoke with a number of migrants about their arrests and detentions after the first weekend of LA raids. Their accounts raise potential legal questions about the government’s operation.

Taken: What happens after an LA immigration raid

CalMatters spoke with a number of migrants about their arrests and detentions after the first weekend of LA raids. Their accounts raise potential legal questions about the government’s operation.

calmatters.org/investigatio...

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 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."

Are you hooked? I'm hooked. Read more of @bystellayu.bsky.social's enterprising piece!

Lol thanks Mikhail!!🙏

Arambula, along with several of his colleagues, said this would create a "two-tiered" system that make undocumented immigrants feel less than.

"We need to be a party that stands up for the vulnerable ... stands up for those who are waking up before the sun is up," he said.

Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Fresno Democrat who led the state's expansion of MediCal access to undocumented immigrants, said on the floor just now he won't support the legislative budget deal, because it would still require undocumented immigrants to pay a premium to enroll in MediCal.

Can Trump deploy troops in LA? A federal judge hears Newsom's case today Gov. Newsom argues Los Angeles does not need the military to keep the peace: "To put it bluntly, there is no invasion or rebellion in Los Angeles; there is civil unrest that is no different from episo...

Court pauses Trump deployment of the National Guards, not yet on the Marines calmatters.org/justice/2025...

Why the death of a reporter 55 years ago matters to those covering LA protests today Ruben Salazar died 55 years ago while covering a protest in LA. His case illustrates the dangers journalists face today as police fire “less lethal munitions” into crowds.

calmatters.org/justice/2025...

The Assembly Democrats who spoke in support of the bill used the term "weaponize" quite a lot, arguing the decades-old CEQA has been used for "lining pockets or advancing agendas" and that the environmentalist groups have "abused" the law as they sue to stop developments.

Background from @frombenc.bsky.social

Will this bill be the end of California’s housing vs environment wars? The final showdown in that long-standing battle may have just arrived.

One of the major housing proposals this year by @buffywicks.bsky.social is up for a floor vote. The bill would exempt most urban housing projects from CEQA.

It represents "one of the biggest, most important seismic changes" on housing, she said.

Background: calmatters.org/housing/2025...

Five months later, California's 'urgent' affordability push moves at a snail's pace In December, California’s Democratic legislative leaders deemed affordability an “urgent” issue this year. So far they have little to show for it.

Legislative leaders said this session would all about making California more affordable, but they've been slow to pull together any concrete plans, @bystellayu.bsky.social reports calmatters.org/politics/202...

License to Kill The California DMV routinely allows deadly drivers to operate on our roadways, a CalMatters investigation has found.

"Hundreds of drivers’ DMV records simply don’t list convictions for manslaughter or another crime related to a fatal crash...The apparent error means some drivers who should have their driving privileges suspended instead show up ... as having a valid license."

calmatters.org/investigatio...

California politicians try to shield business from the public Transparency alert: While Californians confront officials at town halls, politicians are pushing bills to shield themselves from public view.

Lawmakers have introduced at least a dozen bills that would make it harder to confront local officials at public meetings, shield more information from the public and relax rules on financial reports, @sameeakamal.bsky.social and @bystellayu.bsky.social report calmatters.org/politics/202...

California lawmaker fined $106,000 for hiding Alec Baldwin payments Investigators find that Assemblymember Evan Low's tech nonprofit paid Alec Baldwin $227,000 to appear at two events, then deliberately tried to conceal part of it

NEW from me: Former Assm. Evan Low concealed payments to Alec Baldwin to appear at his Lunar New Year fundraiser in 2020. His tech nonprofit picked up the tab.

Low is facing a $106k fine pending final approval from the state’s campaign finance watchdog.

calmatters.org/politics/202...

Judge rules DOGE's USAID dismantling likely violates the Constitution A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development likely violated the Constitution and blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from further cuts to the agency.

BREAKING: A federal judge rules the dismantling of USAID likely violated the Constitution and blocks Elon Musk's DOGE from further cuts.

Towing companies can sell your car — and the DMV gets to keep the profit without telling you The California Department of Motor Vehicles has collected more than $8 million from about 5,000 car sales since 2016.

In California, towing companies, storage yards and repair shops can sell your car to recoup their costs if you don’t settle your debts. Unclaimed profits go to the DMV, which has received millions of dollars over the past decade, @calireporter.bsky.social reports: calmatters.org/california-d...

Newsom is among many prominent California Democrats taking a more muted tone on immigration while working to preserve existing protections for immigrants in the state without legal authorization calmatters.org/politics/202...

📝 @bystellayu.bsky.social
📸 Fred Greaves

California Democrats grow quieter on ‘sanctuary’ for immigrants as Trump promises mass deportation As President Trump ramps up threats against sanctuary states and cities, California's Democratic leaders no longer trumpet the concept.

Eight years ago, during the first Trump term, California leaders publicly pushed for "sanctuary" policies. This time around, many of them won't even say the word, @bystellayu.bsky.social reports: calmatters.org/politics/202...

The Elite Lawyers Working for Elon Musk’s DOGE Include Former Supreme Court Clerks Much attention has been paid to the young Silicon Valley engineers working for Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, but the group has also hired high-powered legal talent.

NEW: It's not just coders.

DOGE is filled with lawyers, elite attorneys with conservative credentials.

We have new names:

www.propublica.org/article/elon...

California regulators allege this Silicon Valley ex-lawmaker violated campaign finance law dozens of times Their report laid out dozens of potential violations by Low involving a non-profit tech foundation for which he raised a half-million dollars.

Evan Low fundraised for a tech nonprofit run by his close allies, including his chief of staff.

The state's campaign finance watchdog says it's found probable cause that the nonprofit made $113,000 worth of non-monetary donations to Low's campaign in 2020.

Story:
calmatters.org/politics/202...

California blesses political donors' strategy to multiply their influence Political groups get state OK to create affiliated committees with different heads & coordinate fundraising and candidate donations.

California’s campaign finance watchdog agency found no violation for a group with a network of affiliated fundraising committees, which experts said was a strategy to get around contribution limits.

The agency declined to share details.

From @akoseff.bsky.social

calmatters.org/politics/202...