2025 Bills CPC Is Watching on the Governor’s Desk September 15, 2025
2025 Bills CPC Is Watching on the Governor’s Desk September 15, 2025
California Policy Center has been tracking the following bills that passed off the floors of both the Assembly and Senate last week and are headed to (or on) Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. The governor has until October 13th to sign or veto these bills. AB 715 (Zbur) – At a time of increased hostility and...
By California Policy Center
The Clock is Ticking on Charter School Bills
The Clock is Ticking on Charter School Bills
SACRAMENTO — As charter school advocates wait for the California legislature to complete their work before session ends this weekend, the following is a summary of the most important developments regarding charter school bills in the California legislature. Since the Senate Pro Tem waived Joint Rule 61, any bill that was amended within 72-hours will...
By California Policy Center
Why Teachers Unions Trade Algebra for Antisemitism
Why Teachers Unions Trade Algebra for Antisemitism
Politico: “Why Sacramento is fighting over antisemitism in schools” CPC’s answer: Because the California Teacher Association (CTA) would rather yell about foreign policy than answer for its documented failure to educate California’s students. To paraphrase the old joke, those who can’t do, teach – and those who can’t teach math or writing fall back on...
By Will Swaim
CARB and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Unaccountable, Ineffective, and Driving Up Costs Across California’s Economy
CARB and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Unaccountable, Ineffective, and Driving Up Costs Across California’s Economy
The California Air Resources Board has entrenched itself as one of the least accountable, least effective, and most costly bureaucracies in the history of California politics. The goal of CARB is simple: to lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in California. The way CARB aims to achieve this is primarily by adjusting the Low...
By Timothy Belev
U.S. Dept. of Education investigates California over FERPA violations tied to AB 1955
U.S. Dept. of Education investigates California over FERPA violations tied to AB 1955
The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday that it will investigate California for violating the authority of parents over their children who attend public schools, specifically on matters of gender identity. According to the Los Angeles Times, the investigation was initiated in response to a January 31 complaint filed by the California Justice Center. In that complaint, California Policy Center’s...
By California Policy Center
Stuck Under the Green Thumb of the California Environmental Quality Act
Stuck Under the Green Thumb of the California Environmental Quality Act
If Californians haven’t already, they’re bound to hear much more about CEQA—pronounced “SEE-kwuh” or the California Environmental Quality Act—in the coming days. Viewed as the Holy Grail of environmental policy, CEQA was signed into law by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1970 in an attempt to allow public input into large government projects. However, a half-century...
By Lance Christensen
Can Republicans Undo the Damage of Julie Su?
Can Republicans Undo the Damage of Julie Su?
Biden’s wannabe labor secretary brought one of California’s worst workforce ideas to the entire country. There’s much harrumphing in the media about President Donald Trump’s penchant for norm-busting, but he’s hardly the first to engage in it. Under President Joe Biden, the media generally cheered student loan forgiveness, talk of packing or ignoring the Supreme Court,...
By Will Swaim
California Fires Don’t Justify an Energy Industry Shakedown
California Fires Don’t Justify an Energy Industry Shakedown
A bill that would allow state residents to sue private companies for restitution is only the latest front in California’s ongoing war on oil producers. L.A.’s wildfires are still burning, but that hasn’t stopped anyone with eyeballs from identifying the likely causes: America’s costliest natural disaster isn’t “natural,” really, or not entirely. It is, in fact, the...
By Will Swaim
2024 California Fuel taxes… A DOOSEY
2024 California Fuel taxes… A DOOSEY
California has collected record gasoline tax revenue in 2024 according to data released by the U.S Census Bureau in December. If Californians buy as much gasoline and diesel as they did the last quarter of 2023, the state will rake in over $10 billion for the year. The final number will not be released for several more months, but it is unlikely Californians will buy...
By Truman Angell
University admissions may prioritize descendants of slaves under new California bill
University admissions may prioritize descendants of slaves under new California bill
Earlier this month, California Assemblyman Isaac Bryan of Los Angeles introduced a bill, Assembly Bill 7, which would affect admissions for the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. The legislation would require the state’s public colleges to “consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of...
By Leah Raymond, Sheridan Karras
Unions Give Thanks for Trump’s Labor Pick
Unions Give Thanks for Trump’s Labor Pick
We don’t generally discuss national politics here at CPC World HQ – we’ve got our hands full dealing with Gov. Gavin Newsom and his confederacy of dunces in the state capitol. But let’s acknowledge some of President-elect Donald Trump’s great choices for key administration positions – including Scott Bessent at Treasury, Chris Wright at Energy,...
By Will Swaim
Chris Bray on the AB 1955 Floor Debate
Chris Bray on the AB 1955 Floor Debate
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean.” What’s happening in California isn’t politics in any conventional sense. No debate is underway, and no policy choices are being hashed out. We’re in the land beyond. In Our Democracy™, declarations are made, and...
By Chris Bray