Capitol Weekly

Optimism and skepticism at Capitol Weekly’s housing conference - Capitol Weekly Panelists grappled with California’s housing crisis Tuesday at Capitol Weekly’s first conference of 2026, painting a discouraging picture of the current state of affairs in the Golden State. Panels ex...

Dan Dunmoyer of @cbianews.bsky.social said "he’s optimistic that budget bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to temporarily freeze local and state residential building standards will save builders up to 'a billion dollars.'"
capitolweekly.net/optimism-and...

Experts Expound: The billionaire tax - Capitol Weekly It's once again time for our experts to weigh in on a question roiling the Capitol community. This week: Will the SEIU-backed billionaire tax make the November ballot? If so, will it pass?

We asked the Experts:

"Will the @seiuca.org backed billionaire tax make the November ballot? If so, will it pass?"

capitolweekly.net/experts-expo...

Optimism and skepticism at Capitol Weekly’s housing conference - Capitol Weekly Panelists grappled with California’s housing crisis Tuesday at Capitol Weekly’s first conference of 2026, painting a discouraging picture of the current state of affairs in the Golden State. Panels ex...

“I’m done with bill-signing ceremonies…. I want ribbon cuttings, because ribbon cuttings mean we’re actually moving people into homes. I’m done with all the performative bullshit” - @buffywicks.bsky.social
capitolweekly.net/optimism-and...

We have a packed room for the hottest ticket in town - our Housing Conference with @capitolweekly.bsky.social!

Stay tuned for a recap!

#HousingPolicy #publicpolicy

YouTube video by Capitol Weekly Californiosity: The Battle of Los Angeles

Did you know that The Japanese made an attack on the West Coast of the US in February 1942? @castatelibrary.bsky.social has a podcast with the whole story: The Battle of Los Angeles youtu.be/4HIVOZ0Vm1I?... via @YouTube

Photo of historic parking lot

A quick visit to the Capitol but I had to pay my respects to the shrine

A chat with Jennifer Barrera of CalChamber - Capitol Weekly CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Our guest Jennifer Barrera has been President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce since 2021. The venerable institution - founded in 1890 as the California State Boar...

PODCAST: Jennifer Barrera has been President and CEO of
@calchamber.bsky.social since 2021. She spoke with us about PAGA reform, the Chamber’s approach to the state’s affordability crisis, increasing calls to tax the ultra-rich, and a ballot measure to reform CEQA
capitolweekly.net/a-chat-with-...

Meet the insurance commissioner candidates: Steven Bradford - Capitol Weekly In our ongoing Q&A series with California Insurance Commissioner candidates, this week we bring you answers from former Sen. Steven Bradford.

Capitol Weekly asked the candidates for Insurance Commissioner how they would approach the job. Sen. Steve Bradford says "I have decades of experience working across the aisle to address the most challenging issues facing Californians"
capitolweekly.net/meet-the-ins...

Capitol Briefs: The bill intro deadline and more Epstein fallout - Capitol Weekly Today is the deadline to introduce new bills and lawmakers have been rushing to finish off their 2026 legislative packages. And the heat keeps building on L.A. Olympics chief Casey Wasserman to step a...

Today is the deadline to introduce new bills and lawmakers have been rushing to finish off their 2026 legislative packages. And the heat keeps building on L.A. Olympics chief Casey Wasserman to step aside over is connections to Jeffrey Epstein
capitolweekly.net/capitol-brie...

Newsom betting big on AI - Capitol Weekly It’s early to think of what California’s fiscal budget may look like by the time lawmakers finalize it in June. But Gov. Gavin Newsom is already banking on the tech industry to save the state from fin...

It’s early to think of what California’s fiscal budget may look like by the time lawmakers finalize it in June. But @governor.ca.gov is already banking on the tech industry to save the state from financial distress.
capitolweekly.net/newsom-betti...

Capitol Spotlight: Julie Baker, California for the Arts - Capitol Weekly Growing up in New York City not far from Lincoln Center, Julie Baker was immersed in the arts. Today, she devotes her considerable energies to helping artists thrive. She is chief executive officer of...

Growing up in NYC, Julie Baker was immersed in the arts. Today, she devotes her energies to supporting artists as CEO of CA for the Arts, a statewide arts advocacy org & CA Arts Advocates, a lobby group that works to increase state investment in the arts
capitolweekly.net/capitol-spot...

Meet the insurance commissioner candidates: Sen Ben Allen - Capitol Weekly Capitol Weekly recently asked the leading insurance commissioner candidates to answer a set of identical questions regarding how they would approach this incredibly important and challenging job.  The...

Capitol Weekly asked the candidates for Insurance Commissioner how they would approach the job. @benallenca.bsky.social says he "would bring Capitol know-how with the local experience of the fires to fight for a system that works better for working Californians."
capitolweekly.net/meet-the-ins...

A chat with Clint Kellum of the Department of Cannabis Control - Capitol Weekly CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Today we welcome Clint Kellum, the new (as of November 2025) Director of the California Department of Cannabis Control.  The CDCC licenses and regulates cannabis businesses, in...

PODCAST: Clint Kellum took the helm of CA Dept. of Cannabis Control just after Gov. Newsom signed AB 564, a bill to reset the state’s cannabis excise tax rate at 15% until 2028, giving CA’s struggling legal cannabis market hope after a rough few years
capitolweekly.net/a-chat-with-...

Capitol Briefs: Here come the bills! - Capitol Weekly It has been another busy week around the Capitol. Her are some of the highlights, lowlights and one big eye roll…in brief!

Sparks fly! @gavinnewsom.bsky.social took questions at the bill signing for SB 106 ($90M in state funding for Planned Parenthood) until First Partner @jensiebelnewsom.bsky.social stepped to the podium & castigated reporters for not sticking to just that subject
capitolweekly.net/capitol-brie...

Q4 2025 spending on lobbying firms exceeded $91 million - Capitol Weekly Special interests paid lobbying firms more than $91 million to lobby state government in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a Capitol Weekly analysis of lobbying firm reports.

The top grossing lobby firm for the fourth quarter was Jared Ficker, Cassie Gilson Jason Kinney, Dustin Moore and Kevin Schmidt’s Axiom Advisors, which reported receiving more than $3.8 million
capitolweekly.net/q4-2025-spen...

AG Bonta deals cardrooms a defeat in their battle with the tribes - Capitol Weekly New regulations approved this month will dramatically change the operations of California’s cardrooms and are expected to take a sizable bite out of not only their revenues but that of several cities....

New regulations will dramatically change the operations of CA cardrooms & take a sizable bite out of their revenues - & those of several cities. The changes, announced by @agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov, are in line with what the state’s gaming tribes have been pushing for
capitolweekly.net/ag-bonta-dea...

CA120: Twins - the 2026 governor simulator - Capitol Weekly The most intense parlor game in Sacramento is that of projecting the composition of June’s Top Two gubernatorial primary. Not who among the dozen leading candidates will win, per se, but what will be ...

The most intense parlor game in Sacramento right now is projecting who makes June’s Top Two gubernatorial primary: Not who will win, but if the Top Two could actually be two Republicans. @paulmitche11.bsky.social games it out:
capitolweekly.net/ca120-top-tw...

9 major Dem candidates are splitting the blue vote - GOP candidates Chad Bianco & Steve Hilton have emerged as front runners in the Gov's race. @paulmitche11.bsky.social says they could capture the Top Two slots, shutting Dems out of the runoff
capitolweekly.net/beyond-the-g...

Enviro updates with Jennifer Fearing - Capitol Weekly CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This week we're joined by lobbyist Jennifer Fearing of Fearless Advocacy. Fearing was a key player in the negotiations to pass SB 54, a landmark bill that regulates plastic was...

PODCAST: @jenniferfearing.bsky.social was a key player in the negotiations to pass #SB54, a landmark bill that regulates plastic waste. @cagovernornewsom.bsky.social signed the bill, but as we all know, passing legislation is one thing, implementation is another
capitolweekly.net/enviro-updat...

For many lawmakers, free sports tickets are all in the game - Capitol Weekly With gifts to state officials capped at $630, no legislator should be accepting free tickets to Super Bowl 60, which start on secondary markets at more than $6,000 a piece. But that hasn’t stopped the...

With gifts to state officials capped at $630, no legislator should be accepting free tickets to Super Bowl 60, which start on secondary markets at more than $6,000. But that hasn’t stopped them from taking a lot of free tickets to other sporting events
capitolweekly.net/for-many-law...

Paging @paulmitche11.bsky.social and Asm. Tangipa

With 9 major Dem candidates splitting the blue vote, GOP candidates Chad Bianco & Steve Hilton have emerged as front runners in the race to replace @cagovernornewsom.bsky.social. Pollsters say they could capture the two runoff slots, shutting Dems out of the runoff
capitolweekly.net/beyond-the-g...

Beyond the Governor's Race - Capitol Weekly CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: The race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom has taken up most of California's political oxygen so far this year, but there are other statewide races coming up, including Lt. Gove...

PODCAST: The race to replace
@governor.ca.gov has taken up most of CA’s political oxygen so far this year, but there are other statewide races coming up, including Lt. Governor, State Insurance Commissioner, and – potentially – a slew of Ballot Measures.
capitolweekly.net/beyond-the-g...

Capitol Briefs: Odds, ends and numbers to consider - Capitol Weekly It’s been another busy week around the Capitol, with some of the highest profile activity centered on the horrific events taking place in Minneapolis. But not everything under the Capitol Dome this we...

Quote of the week: “F*CK ICE. F*CK TRUMP. – Assemblymember Mark Gonzáles (D-Los Angeles) on Jan 24th shortly after the shooting of Alex Pretti by federal ICE agents in Minneapolis
capitolweekly.net/capitol-brie...

Capitol Briefs: Odds, ends and numbers to consider - Capitol Weekly It’s been another busy week around the Capitol, with some of the highest profile activity centered on the horrific events taking place in Minneapolis. But not everything under the Capitol Dome this we...

.@governor.ca.gov filed a civil rights complaint against Dr. Oz the former TV host and current administrator for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, claiming that in a recent video Oz implied the Armenian American community was connected to health care fraud
capitolweekly.net/capitol-brie...

Lights, camera, more action needed to save Hollywood - Capitol Weekly Once the global center of film production, California – and Los Angeles in particular – has seen a long steady decline in the number of films and TV shows shot there. The reasons are many, including a...

Once the global center of film production, California – and LA in particular – has seen a steady decline in the number of films & TV shows shot there. An affordability crisis has made it harder to produce film & TV in the place that built the business
capitolweekly.net/lights-camer...

Experts Expound: The Mahan Question - Capitol Weekly Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Rob Bonta and Rick Caruso have all opted out of the governor's race. That leaves San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan as the last notable potential candidate still waffling about get...

San Jose Mayor @mattmahansj.bsky.social has entered the CA race for governor. Read what our "experts" thought about that possibility...
capitolweekly.net/experts-expo...

Experts Expound: The Mahan Question - Capitol Weekly Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Rob Bonta and Rick Caruso have all opted out of the governor's race. That leaves San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan as the last notable potential candidate still waffling about get...

What do our "experts" say about Matt Mahan's possible entry into the gov's race? He "could have a profound impact because of the top-2 rule. It’s not inconceivable that this gaggle of Dems could so split the vote that the top 2 might both be Republicans”
capitolweekly.net/experts-expo...

Brian Green and California Voices - Capitol Weekly CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: We're joined today by longtime capitol consultant - now retired - Brian Green, who worked in communications for the Senate Dem Caucus from 2011 until last year. As principal co...

PODCAST: As consultant for the Sen. Democratic Caucus, Brian Green prepared talking points & issue updates, recorded videos, set up press conferences, etc.. One year into retirement, he has launched his own podcast, “California Voices, with Brian Green”
capitolweekly.net/brian-green-...

Experts Expound: The Mahan Question - Capitol Weekly Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, Rob Bonta and Rick Caruso have all opted out of the governor's race. That leaves San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan as the last notable potential candidate still waffling about get...

Kamala Harris, @padilla.senate.gov @agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov & Rick Caruso have opted out of the governor’s race. @mattmahansj.bsky.social is the last notable potential candidate still waffling about getting in - how would his entry impact the race? Our experts expound
capitolweekly.net/experts-expo...