California News & Current Events | Public News Service

Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta speaks about the Health4All campaign during a press conference Wednesday at the state Capitol in Sacramento. (Haylee Burgess/CA Immigrant Policy Center)

California Takes Big Step Toward Universal Health Care

California is poised to become the first state in the nation to give health care to all income-eligible residents, regardless of their immigration …

Conservation groups want to restore vegetation in coastal areas such as Elkhorn Slough near Monterey Bay, which sequesters carbon in the soil, helping to slow climate change. (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve)

Bill Moves Forward to Lock More Carbon In the Soil

California has seen a lot of proposals to reduce carbon emissions; now a plan to scrub existing pollution is moving forward in the Legislature…

The United States generates more plastic waste than any other country, according to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. (EAD72/Adobe Stock)

Hearing Today on Landmark Bill to Reduce Plastic Packaging in CA

California lawmakers are considering a bill today to cut down on single-use plastics that are choking the nation's landfills and oceans. Senate Bill …

A California newt attempts to cross the road. (Jose Benedicto de Jesus/Center for Biological Diversity)

State Lawmakers to Consider Wildlife Crossings Bill Today

A bill to prioritize wildlife crossings gets a hearing in the state Senate Transportation Committee today. The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection …

Compassion & Choices Latino engagement director Maria Otero meets with Hispanic Heritage Foundation CEO Antonio Tijerino to discuss a partnership to promote end-of-life planning. (Compassion & Choices)

Hispanic Groups Collaborate to Raise Awareness of End-of-Life Options

Hispanic groups are coming together to encourage people to have end-of-life conversations with their loved ones before illness or tragedy strikes…

Thousands attended abortion rights rallies across California over the weekend. (Longfin Media/Adobestock)

CA Moving Forward on Constitutional Amendment on Abortion Rights

The California state Legislature is expected to vote, as early as today, to place a measure on the November ballot to enshrine abortion rights into …

Contraay to popular belief, youth crime did not surge during the pandemic and has been falling for two decades. (Digitalskillet1/Adobe Stock)

New Data Debunks Narrative of Youth Crime Wave

A new report from The Sentencing Project debunks the myth of a post-pandemic crime wave fueled by young people. In March, Congress held a hearing …

California has been wracked with devastating wildfire and drought, exacerbated by climate change. (toa555/Adobe Stock)

Groups to Rally Thursday at Capitol for Climate-Change Progress

A big rally is planned for tomorrow (Thursday) in Sacramento on issues related to climate change. Advocates will urge the California Air Resources …

Last year, a federal judge granted final approval of a settlement against the nonprofit Sutter Health for anticompetitive practices. New California legislation would increase oversight of for-profit healthcare entities. (Grantbow/Wikimedia Commons)

CA Hearing Tomorrow on Regulating For-Profit Health Industry Mergers

Health industry mergers are a major driver of high health care costs, and now, California lawmakers are considering a bill to regulate more of these …

The Rodriguez family from Porterville was able to realize its dream of buying a home after some coaching from a Community Development Financial Institution. (SHCU)

Families of Color Find Key to Homeownership

As we wrap up celebrations of Juneteenth, the country still grapples with the poverty that is the legacy of slavery, and Community Development …

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's model of the beach view of the proposed floating wind turbines in Morro Bay projects that they would be indistinguishable on the horizon. (BOEM)

Offshore-Wind Backers Press State to Stop Issuing Fossil-Fuel Permits

Local elected officials are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to halt all permitting for future oil and gas projects, in light of recent progress with …

New research shows the early death rate for Hispanic American seniors climbed 48% from 2019 to 2020, compared to a national average of 17%. (Logoboom/Adobe Stock)

Report: Drug Deaths, Suicides Up Among Older Californians

Older Americans are dying from drug overdose or suicide at much higher rates now compared to a decade ago, according to the latest America's Health …

California State University-Los Angeles ranks number one on the Economic Mobility Index because it helps so many graduates escape poverty. (JustEfrain/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Hispanic-Serving Institutions Produce Highest Economic Mobility

Higher-education experts are promoting a new way to rank colleges and universities, proposing an Economic Mobility Index (EMI) to measure whether the …

Community outreach workers like DeAnna Pitmann have been canvassing low-income neighborhoods to answer any questions people might have on how and where to vote. (California Calls)

Good Government Groups Press for Voter Education Funds in Budget

As California's state budget negotiations intensify, pro-democracy groups are asking lawmakers to put more money into voter outreach, to help …

A parcel of property called "40 Acres" in Delano, the site of the United Farmworkers' first headquarters, is part of the proposed Cesar E. Chaves National Historical Park. (Bobak Ha'Eri/ Wikimedia Commons)

Lawmakers Propose New National Monument Honoring Chavez

Congress is considering a new bill to establish a national historical park honoring union organizer Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement he led…

The March for Our Lives movement organized a school walkout in 2018, after the massacre at a high school in Parkland, Fla. Since then, there have been 119 school shootings in the United States. (Ari Elkins/MFOL-LA)

Dozens of Rallies on Gun-Violence Prevention Set for This Weekend

More than 300 marches are set for this weekend, including dozens in California, all calling on Congress to tighten gun laws in the wake of an …

A survey of high school seniors found 13% of English language learners plan to work a full-time job after graduation, compared with 6% of students who are not English language learners. (Methaphum/Adobestock)

Survey: More High School Seniors Feel Adrift Post-Pandemic

A new survey of 28,000 high school seniors found more than one in four changed their life plans during the pandemic. In 2019, 25% of students …

The Biden adminstration is making a big push to build out "last mile" broadband to underserved areas, in order to boost economic prospects, telehealth, distance learning and more. (Volff/Adobestock)

Advocates Highlight Health, Equity Benefits of New Broadband Initiative

Groups that promote the responsible deployment of technology are celebrating the Biden administration's new $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access…

Julio Ortiz owns Gaspachos restaurant in Sacramento, one of 4.2 million small businesses in California. <a href= — Julio Ortiz owns Gaspachos restaurant in Sacramento, one of 4.2 million small businesses in California. Small businesses employ 7.3 million people, or just under half of the state's total workforce. (Photo courtesy of Ortiz)

State Budget Deal Allocates Hundreds of Millions to CA Small Business

Small business groups are celebrating the new budget deal reached between California state legislators. Next up comes final negotiations with Gov…

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is designed to make sure credit reports are accurate and fair. Advocates say want to change a loophole they say puts consumers at a disadvantage. (Etonastenka/Adobestock)

New Bill Aims to Improve Consumer Credit Repair

A bill just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives is designed to give consumers a leg up when fighting inaccuracies on their credit reports…

Caltrans workers inspect a culvert designed to allow wildlife to pass safely underneath the highway. (Caltrans)

CA Groups Angle for Billions in Federal Funds to Build Wildlife Crossings

Billions in federal funding to build or improve wildlife crossings are up for grabs, and California nonprofits, government agencies, and tribes are …

The Cuyama Badlands are part of the area that would be protected under the PUBLIC Lands Act. (Bryant Baker/Los Padres Forestwatch)

PUBLIC Lands Act Promoted for National Rivers Month

June is National Rivers Month, and conservation groups are pressing the U.S. Senate to vote on the PUBLIC Lands Act, a bill that would add …

On Memorial Day, advocates caution that the pursuit of fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil has led to many wars. (Valerii/Adobestock)

On Memorial Day, Veterans Say Battling Climate Change is Key

This Memorial Day, state and local leaders are speaking out - calling climate change the battle of our time - crucial to national security. …

There are more than a dozen species of otters around the world. (David Ledig/Bureau of Land Management)

A Big Week for Otters in California

This week, in honor of World Otter Day, conservation groups are looking to raise awareness about efforts to restore sea otters along more areas of …

A bill to phase out plastic packaging has passed several committees and is expected to go to the full California State Assembly for a vote by Friday. (Oceana)

Vote Expected This Week on CA Bill to Phase Out Plastic Mail Packaging

The California State Assembly is expected to vote this week on a bill that would phase out some of the plastics used in online shipping because they …

The Food4All Campaign is a coalition of more than 50 groups fighting to eliminate hunger in California. (Haylee Burgess/CIPC)

Food4All Campaign Ramps Up as Gov, Lawmakers Finalize Budget

The Food4All campaign is calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand access to food assistance to all undocumented Californians when he submits his final …

Experts estimate that 1,000 children are born with hearing loss in California each year. (Michael Khachadoorian/Be Kind Studios)

Advocates Press CA Lawmakers to Better Fund Kids' Hearing-Aid Program

Groups fighting for children's rights say they are disappointed Gov. Gavin Newsom's May budget revision did not include more money for the Hearing …

Irrigation in Long Valley in Southern Mono County supports ranching, fishing and local wildlife. But it may be cut off in order to send more water south to Los Angeles. (Jonathan Hyla)

Water Wars: Court Case to Decide Fate of Long Valley in Rural Mono County

Conservation groups are speaking out in support of water rights in rural Mono County, saying thirsty Los Angeles is endangering wildlife, ranching …

In an effort to help people rebuild assets post-pandemic, AARP California is having free webinars on financial topics, such as how to avoid scams that target homeowners. (ajr_images/Adobe Stock)

Free Financial Planning Tips to Help Latinos Recover Post-Pandemic

About half of Latinos either lost a job or had their wages cut during the pandemic,according to a recent survey from Pew. Now, AARP is offering a …

On Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump protestors tried to maintain control by attacking the rule of law, separation of powers and fair elections. (Wikimedia Commons)

Experts Sound Alarm on Rise of Authoritarianism in U.S., Globally

This story was produced with original reporting from Zoe Marks and Eric Chenoweth for Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Lily Böhlke for …

This year, the theme for Mental Health Awareness Month is "Together for Mental Health." (Benjavisa Ruangvaree/Adobestock)

During Mental Health Awareness Month, CA Policymakers Mull Priorities

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and advocates are hoping Gov. Gavin Newsom will prioritize the issue in his revised budget, due by Sunday…

The massive Dixie Fire is one of many to ravage the Golden State in recent years. Climate advocates want more funds in the budget for smoke warning systems and community readiness. (Gajendra/Adobestock)

Advocates Press for CA Climate-Change Budget

The May revision of Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget is due at the end of this week, so conservation groups are speaking out, calling for what they call a …

Hunger Action Los Angeles volunteers pack food bags for seniors impacted by the pandemic. (Frank Tamborello)

For Hunger Action Week, Advocates Press for More Funding

It's Hunger Action Week, and activists are asking lawmakers to use California's wealth for the people's health - and harness the budget surplus to …

Some experts believe<a href= — Some experts believe children can be better protected by strictly enforcing age restrictions. Users' identities could be verified while still being allowed the freedom to not use real names while posting. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: CA Must Act Now to Protect Youth from Social Media Dangers

As children grow up, parents and caregivers across California face the difficult decision of how to oversee social media use. But is that decision …

The pandemic cut short the time U.S. Census Bureau workers were able to go door to door, to educate the public on how to fill out the decennial survey, just one factor contributing to the undercount of some groups. (Driftwood/Adobe Stock)

Latino Advocates Vow to Prevent a Repeat of 2020 Census Undercount

Latino civil rights groups are pressing for changes to make up for a significant undercount in the 2020 Census. The most recent findings show the 202…

Thousands of buildings burned down during the Los Angeles uprising of 1992, prompting community groups to lead a multiracial effort to rebuild. (Mick Taylor/Wikimedia Commons)

30-Year-Anniversary of L.A. Uprising: What Has Changed?

By Sonali Kolkatkar for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

A child reads during one of Save the Children's after-school programs in Central Valley California. (Tamar Levine/Save the Children)

Literacy Programs Work to Mitigate Learning Loss from Pandemic Disruption

Literacy programs are making headway against the learning loss associated with pandemic school disruptions, which put many students four to five …

Abortion-rights groups want Congress to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, which would supersede state-based restrictions and legalize the procedure nationwide. (Relif/Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers Press for CA Constitutional Amendment to Protect Abortion Rights

Leaders from the California Legislative Women's Caucus vowed to protect a person's right to have an abortion in the Golden State after a leaked draft …

A mountain lion dubbed P-65 and her kittens have been traced crossing the 101 Freeway in Southern California, near the site of a new wildlife crossing that broke ground last week. (National Park Service)

Court Upholds Trail-Blazing Ordinance to Protect Wildlife Corridors

Animals such as the mountain lion, gray fox and California red-legged frog may now have a better shot at thriving in Southern California after a …

California may grow much of the nation's fresh produce, but new research estimates a half-million undocumented California residents, ages 27 to 49, are affected by food insecurity. (Olga Lyubkin/Adobe Stock)

Groups Press to Include Undocumented in CA Food Assistance

New research on hunger shows 45% of undocumented immigrants in California are affected by food insecurity, and 60% of undocumented children live in …

Even before the pandemic led to increased remote work, an estimated 50% of U.S. adults were affected by so-called musculoskeletal conditions, with associated treatments accounting for 10% of annual medical expenses, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (Adobe Stock)

Remote Work Leads to Increase in Back Pain, Other Health Issues

As remote work grew across the nation during the COVID pandemic, with nearly half of all Americans telecommuting either all or part of the time…

The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) is responsible for plugging aging, abandoned oil wells. (California Department of Conservation)

Feds, State to Spend Hundreds of Millions to Plug 'Orphan' Oil Wells

Big money is on the way to supercharge California's efforts to plug so-called orphan oil wells, which pollute the environment but have no legal owner…

A new bill in Congress would rename Walker Ridge as "Moluk Luyok," which means Condor Ridge in the native Patwin language. The area would become part of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. (Chris Lloyd/Bureau of Land Mgmt.)

Tribes, Lawmakers Press to Expand Berryessa Snow Mtn. Monument

Local lawmakers and Native American leaders are speaking out in favor of a new bill to add almost 4,000 acres to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monu…

Multiple states including California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon and Washington are moving to protect election workers from intimidation. (New Africa)

Hearing Tuesday on Bill to Protect Election Workers

Since 2020, a growing number of election workers have been threatened, harassed, and even spat on - so tomorrow the State Senate Judiciary Committee …

Dr. Michele Gomez started providing telehealth medication abortions during the pandemic. (MYA Network/Instagram)

CA Provider Expands Telehealth Abortions Into Primary Care

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for California News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

A new study recommends more voter education about vote centers for groups with lower turnout at the polls, in particular for younger people and communities of color. (Lamar Carter/Adobestock)

Study: Vote-by-Mail Promotes Equity, Reduces Racial Gap in Voting

The pandemic changed the way we vote in California, and some reforms made voting patterns more equitable, while others did not, according to a new …

The movement to publish data on public employees' salaries grew after a corruption scandal in the city of Bell. (BillionPhotos.com/Adobestock)

Hearing Today on Transparency in CA School Employee Salaries

A bill to require California schools to make all their salary information public goes to the state Senate appropriations committee today. Right now …

A study from Common Cause found that the 2020 election, which was the first with universal mail-in ballots in California, saw the highest voter turnout in state history. Around 81% of registered voters cast a ballot. (3desc/Adobestock)

Good-Government Groups Recruit Nonpartisan Poll Monitors, Prep Voters

The June 7 midterm primary election is less than two months away, and clean-elections groups are working to clear up misconceptions and recruit …

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