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A Realtime Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics		  
 
   
       
 
 

California Policy and Politics Saturday

Pleas and political attacks fill the home stretch of California governor’s race -- With the June 2 primary days away, California’s top three governor hopefuls barnstormed the state Friday, wooing unions, firing attacks and sharpening contrasts in a tight, high-stakes race. A new UC Berkeley-Los Angeles Times poll shows Democrat Xavier Becerra leading with 25%, followed by Republican Steve Hilton at 21% and billionaire progressive Tom Steyer close behind at 19%. Nicole Nixon, Seema Mehta and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/30/26

Hilton, Steyer take sides over transgender athlete AB Hernandez as California primary nears -- As the California primary election nears, two of the top candidates in a tightly contested governor’s race have picked sides in the transgender athlete debate. Noah Furtado in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/30/26

Is Spencer Pratt for Real? -- The former reality star’s dark visions of Los Angeles are resonating in a heated mayoral race, even if they’re far from the truth. Nathan Taylor Pemberton in the New York Times$ -- 5/30/26

California doctors make house calls — to talk about California’s 2026 primary election -- With his white coat on, Dr. Ilan Shapiro walked around Santa Ana making house calls. The pediatrician was on a mission to talk to the community about health — civic health, that is. Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/30/26

Loans bought California hospitals time. The clock is running out -- When Gov. Gavin Newsom stepped in this month with $25 million in emergency funds for a few California hospitals on the verge of financial collapse, lawmakers and hospital executives around the state hoped it was a sign of more to come — a lot more. Rachel Bluth Politico -- 5/30/26

 

California families sue over Texas-based demand for trans children’s health data -- The Trump administration has launched a baseless and intrusive criminal investigation into hospitals that treat transgender youths after judges refused to identify them or release their medical records, six California families alleged in a lawsuit this week. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/30/26

New 911 records deepen questions about why west Altadena was left vulnerable -- Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies helped evacuate a resident from her home in deep, west Altadena just after 11:30 p.m. the night of the Eaton fire, according to logs of 911 calls obtained by The Times, around the same time a structure fire was reported in the area. The new records raise new questions about why it took almost four hours for authorities to issue evacuation alerts for the rest of the community. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/30/26

California extends its key climate program, but critics say it’s being weakened -- The plan removes hundreds of millions of emissions allowances but creates a new incentive pool and more free permits for industry, aiming to keep refineries and manufacturing from leaving the state. Environmental justice, transit and housing advocates warned the changes gut the program’s core mission, slash auction revenue by about $2 billion a year and jeopardize frontline climate and public-health protections. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Sophie Austin Associated Press -- 5/30/26

Nearly 2 million Californians live within 3 miles of a plant like GKN in Garden Grove -- Nearly 2 million Californians live within 3 miles of a chemical plant using methyl methacrylate, the compound involved in the Garden Grove tank crisis over Memorial Day weekend, according to the U.S. EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory, the federal system tracking hazardous waste. Jason Henry, Tony Saavedra, Victoria Le in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/30/26

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Trump leaves Situation Room meeting with no update on an Iran deal -- The president had promised a "final determination" on Iran after the two-hour meeting. He emerged without one. Megan Messerly Politico -- 5/30/26

Judge orders removal of Trump’s name from Kennedy Center, halts closure -- A federal judge ruled the Kennedy Center board violated federal law by adding President Trump’s name to the landmark arts venue and halted its planned closure for sweeping renovations. “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it,” U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said. Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times$ Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein Politico Lydia Wheeler, Louise Radnofsky and Meridith McGraw in the Wall Street Journal$ Julia Jacobs and Zach Montague in the New York Times$ Jonathan Edwards in the Washington Post$ Michael Kunzelman, Steven Sloan Associated Press -- 5/30/26

Judge Reopens Trump’s I.R.S. Suit and Questions His ‘Weaponization’ Fund -- The ruling was a blow to both President Trump, who had voluntarily dismissed the suit last week, and to the Justice Department, which used the suit to establish a fund likely intended for Trump allies. Alan Feuer and Andrew Duehren in the New York Times$ Maegan Vazquez and Salvador Rizzo in the Washington Post$ -- 5/30/26

Federal Judge Bars Trump From Immediately Setting Up $1.8 Billion Fund -- A judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring money in or out of the fund until the court could hear arguments in June. Zach Montague in the New York Times$ -- 5/30/26

Trump’s $1.8 Billion Settlement Fund Sparks Alarm Inside White House -- President Trump’s top aides have discussed whether he should kill the administration’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund in exchange for getting immigration enforcement funding passed next month, according to people familiar with the matter. Josh Dawsey, Sadie Gurman and C. Ryan Barber in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/30/26

 

California Policy and Politics Friday

Becerra leads governor’s race, with Hilton and Steyer in tight contest for second spot, poll finds -- A new poll shows former Biden Cabinet member Xavier Becerra narrowly in the lead of a volatile race with Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer also in contention in the June 2 primary. Democrats’ unusually slow ballot returns hint at either strategic last-minute voting or voter fatigue, despite record-breaking campaign spending. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ John Woolfolk in the Orange County Register$ Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/29/26

Xavier Becerra is fending off oil cash criticism in the California governor’s race -- Oil companies are making a cash splash to back Xavier Becerra in the final stretch of California’s race for governor. And Tom Steyer wants you to know it. Noah Baustin Politico -- 5/29/26

Newsom signs emergency bill safeguarding ballots from unauthorized inspection -- Citing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of election ballots last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday curbing law enforcement’s access to California voter rolls ahead of next week’s gubernatorial primary. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26

Here’s what the latest California governor polls show — and what they mean for your vote -- Just a few days before the deadline to submit their ballots, plenty of Californians remain stuck on whom to vote for, perhaps because they aren’t pleased with their eight major-party options. Aseem Shukla in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

Garofoli: Critics say Tom Steyer bought off progressives in California governor race. The truth is more complicated -- Billionaire Tom Steyer’s attempt to reshape himself into a populist, in part by racking up endorsements from a host of progressives, has been one of the many eyebrow-raising twists in the California gubernatorial race. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

Newton: Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience? -- A few years back, in one of our many conversations for the biography I wrote of him, Gov. Jerry Brown told me that he never put much stock in political experience — until he had some. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 5/29/26

Harvey Levin’s latest project: Spencer Pratt for LA mayor -- Harvey Levin is a lot of things. Is California political kingmaker one of them? An answer to that question may be rendered in Tuesday’s mayoral primary in Los Angeles. Daniel Miller Politico -- 5/29/26

Should California insurance commissioner really be an elected position? Here’s what candidates for the job say -- Some current candidates for the job think the position, charged with safeguarding the health of one of the largest insurance markets in the world, should not be left in the hands of voters. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

California’s Tax-Weary Billionaires Seek Refuge on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada Shore -- Amid surging demand for prime Tahoe property in Nevada, a recent string of megadeals reflects the premium buyers are willing to pay for a lower tax bill—and the widening price gap between the two sides of the lake. E.B. Solomont in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/29/26

 

Landmark California bill to ban social media for teens under 16 passes crucial hurdle -- Social media companies would be barred from allowing children under 16 to create accounts on their platforms under a bill passed by California lawmakers Thursday in a dramatic rebuke from the home state of the country’s tech industry. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26

Workplace

Meta’s mass layoffs hit nearly 3,200 Bay Area workers, among region’s worst job losses in years -- Meta’s 10% workforce reduction affected at least 3,196 Bay Area workers, according to additional state filings that showed one of the region’s biggest job losses in years. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/29/26

Of AI, Paul Schrader says Hollywood is ‘barely keeping a step ahead of the monster’ -- At Culver City’s AI on the Lot conference, more than 2,400 filmmakers and executives wrestled with how artificial intelligence is remaking Hollywood’s identity. Veteran screenwriter Paul Schrader, facing backlash for keynoting the event, described his experience after ChatGPT generated an eerily on-brand Paul Schrader script. Josh Rottenberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26

A.I. Doesn’t Have to Mean Layoffs -- A French multinational, Schneider Electric, decided to use artificial intelligence in manufacturing to make workers more productive, rather than to replace them. Patricia Cohen, Alexis Pazoumian in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26

Housing

Thousands are leaving Los Angeles year after year. This is why we still have a housing crunch -- Los Angeles is shrinking — nearly 10,000 city residents and 62,000 countywide left last year — yet home prices and rents remain among the nation’s highest. Experts say the paradox stems from smaller households, decades of underbuilding and owners reluctant to sell, so even population loss hasn’t eased L.A.’s longstanding housing shortage. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26

MLB Sacramento

Sacramento bid for MLB expansion team looks beyond A’s multi-year stay -- Three years of the Athletics in Sacramento and the appetite is whetted, and a push for a major-league expansion team is on. Susan Slusser in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Graham Womack in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26

Education

Oakland schools say their finances are suddenly stable. Parents aren’t buying it -- Oakland’s top education officials expect the district to be financially stable and meet all its fiscal obligations this year and the next two. It would be a miraculous turnaround if true. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

Major California university to open medical school in the Central Valley -- The University of the Pacific plans to open a medical school at its main campus in Stockton, one of the only institutions to issue a doctor of medicine (M.D.) degree in California’s Central Valley. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

Street

To combat copper thefts, L.A. city agency seeks its own armed police force -- The Department of Water and Power is seeking authorization to create its own armed security force. Officials say the change is needed to protect the city’s infrastructure and guard against copper thieves. Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26

Los Gatos ‘party mom’ who got teens drunk, pressured them to have sex gets maximum prison sentence -- 52-year-old Shannon O’Connor, the Los Gatos “party mom,” was sentenced to 35 years and 10 months for hosting alcohol-fueled teen parties and orchestrating sexual encounters among minors. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/29/26

Also

Trans Athlete Could Repeat as State Champion at California Meet -- A year after being awarded two gold medals at the California state track and field championships amid protests over her participation as a transgender girl, a high school athlete will return to the meet this week to defend her titles — and maybe claim a third, or more. Juliet Macur in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26

Will President Trump be at U.S. men's World Cup opener? Paraguayan officials say he will be -- According to Paraguayan officials, Donald Trump has invited the president of their country to join him for the U.S. vs. Paraguay World Cup match on June 12 in Inglewood. Noah Furtado in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26

More than 40 lawsuits filed against GKN Aerospace after chemical threat in Garden Grove -- The filings came after a malfunctioning storage tank containing volatile, flammable methyl methacrylate prompted evacuation orders across parts of Garden Grove and nearby cities amid fears of a catastrophic explosion. Sydney Barragan in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/29/26

Walters: Gavin Newsom’s rosy painting of California’s economy leaves out its darker undertones -- As Gavin Newsom makes his increasingly frequent appearances outside the state — seemingly preparing for a 2028 presidential campaign — one of his stock messages is that California’s economy is soaring. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 5/29/26

The Secretive Billionaire Who’s Conquering the World’s Richest Sports Leagues -- Arsenal and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke explains in a rare interview why his teams can’t stop winning. Andrew Beaton and Joshua Robinson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/29/26

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Judge pauses Trump administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund -- U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said the restraining order was meant to ensure that no funds are “irreversibly disbursed” before the legal fight over the newly announced fund has a chance to play out. Kyle Cheney, Hassan Ali Kanu and Josh Gerstein Politico Louise Radnofsky and Lydia Wheeler in the Wall Street Journal$ Zach Montague in the New York Times$ Salvador Rizzo in the Washington Post$ Michael Kunzelman Associated Press -- 5/29/26

No solace: Inflation rises and the economy slows as the Iran war drags on -- Inflation is running hotter than at any point since President Donald Trump returned to office, and the economy grew at a slower pace in the first quarter than previously estimated, the latest disappointing news for the administration on the issue that’s at the top of voters’ concerns. Sam Sutton Politico -- 5/29/26

Putting Trump’s Face on $250 Bill Faces Hurdles -- The Trump administration has been holding talks about putting President Trump’s face on a newly created $250 bill, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday the idea would need to be approved by Congress first. Brian Schwartz in the Wall Street Journal$ Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26

Trump Clears Way for Corporate Tax Dodge Hidden in the Fine Print -- A year ago, the Trump administration withdrew from a global effort to curb offshore tax-dodging by multinational companies. That decision has been a huge gift to corporate America, enabling companies to avoid at least $40 billion in income taxes since the beginning of 2025. Jesse Drucker and Dylan Freedman in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26