California News & Current Events | Public News Service

The California Voter Foundation said the most common question they get is,

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

CA lawmakers consider bill to reduce rejection of ballots

During every big election, tens of thousands of California voters make a mistake on their mail-in ballot and often get differing advice on how to fix …

Consumer advocates are asking the California Legislature to allow needy families to defer utility payments during times of hardship. (Golib Tolibov/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 12, 2025

Consumer groups press for reform to limit electricity costs

Supporters of the Campaign for Affordable Power are pressing state lawmakers to pass a series of reform bills aimed at big investor-owned utilities li…

The California Parent and Youth Helpline has helped almost 113,000 people since its inception in 2020. (kieferpix/Adobe Stock)

Study: 85% of callers to CA Parent Youth Helpline feel 'more positive'

The California Parent and Youth Helpline turns five years old today - just in time for a brand new study that confirms its effectiveness. The study…

In 2024, volunteers with the Pacific Crest Trail Association worked more that 57,000 hours and maintained more than 1,100 miles of trail. (PCTA)

Access to Pacific Crest Trail threatened by federal cuts

Access to the beloved Pacific Crest Trail may soon be limited - due to a drop in federal grants and big layoffs proposed for federal public lands agen…

The nonprofit Elected Officials to Protect America is holding a two-day Energy Security Summit this week in Washington D.C. (Benjamin Wong)

CA elected officials, advocates decry proposed cuts to climate programs

Elected officials spoke out Tuesday at an energy security summit in Washington D.C., calling on Congress to protect federal climate investments and …

Bloomington, California, residents protest a warehouse project proposed for their neighborhood in September 2024. (Concerned Neighbors of Bloomington)

Environmental groups fight plan to add warehouses in CA's Inland Empire

A big warehouse project proposed for the Inland Empire is being challenged in court Wednesday by a coalition of environmental justice groups…

Air pollution harms everyone's health but is a particular danger to babies, the elderly, people with heart or lung disease and people who work outside. (mmg1design/Adobe Stock)

13 CA counties get 'F' in new clean air report

California has some of the dirtiest air in the nation, according to the American Lung Association's new State of the Air report. Researchers looked …

Assembly Bill 55 would make it easier for birthing centers to accept Medi-Cal, which would expand options for new families. (Bosotochka/Adobe Stock)

Bills aim to strengthen CA health care as Congress considers cuts

Groups advocating for better access to health care have introduced what they call "Care4All California," a package of 13 bills designed to shore up th…

Experts say the Food Security and Farm Protection Act could potentially threaten over 1,000 public health, food safety and welfare laws across the country. (Dusan Petkovic/Adobe Stock)

New bill in Congress seeks to overturn CA animal welfare law

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Advocates from Compassion & Choices attended a hearing for Senate Bill 403 before the State Senate Committee on Health on April 23. (Patricia Portillo/Compassion & Choices)

Legislative hearing today on bill to extend End of Life Option Act

A bill to make medical aid in dying permanently legal in California goes before the state Senate Judiciary Committee today. The End of Life Option …

Medi-Cal pays for a range of health services in schools, including aides and equipment for disabled students. (Ermolaev Alexandr/Adobe Stock)

Advocates warn proposed cuts to Medi-Cal will cripple school budgets

Medicaid is in the crosshairs, as Republicans in Congress are expected to lay out proposals in May to cut $1.5 trillion from the federal budget…

A new report finds that many rural drivers spend more than $500 a month on gas, which can eat up to 15% of their paycheck. (Zedspider/Adobe Stock)

Congress considers rolling back CA clean car standards

Congress on Wednesday is expected to vote on a bill that would roll back California's authority to set strict clean car and truck standards. …

In recent years, California created CARE Courts which can mandate treatment and has encouraged cities to dismantle homeless encampments. (Prime Look/Adobe Stock)

Trump administration rejects 'housing first' approach to homelessness

By Angela Hart for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Servi…

Performances at Teatro Visión in San Jose are part of the 7th annual Arts, Culture and Creativity Month, a statewide celebration sponsored by the nonprofit California for the Arts. (Christian Pizzirani/Teatro Visión).

Advocates hope to teach CA lawmakers an art lesson

Supporters of the arts are gathering Wednesday in Sacramento for Arts Advocacy Day in order to lobby lawmakers on a range of issues. Educators are …

Advocates are asking lawmakers to honor Earth Day by supporting a bill to require oil and gas companies to contribute to a fund to fight climate change. (Rangizz/Adobe Stock)

This Earth Day, elected officials promote CA bill to 'make polluters pay'

As of today, Earth Day, more than 50 elected officials have signed a letter urging lawmakers to make oil and gas companies bear the cost of climate …

The Paint Care program is funded by a small fee paid at the point of purchase, which then provides consumers an easy way to recycle their unused paint. (CLShebley/Adobe Stock)

Spring cleaning for Earth Day? What to do with leftover paint

On Earth Day, one easy way to help the environment is to make sure your leftover paint is put to good use. The PaintCare program allows you to …

California is considering a bill to study the cost to taxpayers of climate-related disasters. Similar measures have already passed in New York and Vermont. (Strikernia/Adobe Stock)

CA lawmakers consider charging oil companies for climate-related damage

The "Make Polluters Pay Superfund" bill goes before the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee Monday. The bill would direct the California …

The United States is the third-largest pork producer in the world and already exports around one-third of the pork it produces domestically. (Chayakorn/Adobe Stock)

Chinese-owned farms press for repeal of CA animal welfare law

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

A doctor can determine what is causing allergies with skin testing or by examining your blood.<br />(Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Tips to find relief in California this allergy season

Allergy season is here and more than 100 million Americans are suffering from itchiness, watery eyes, runny nose, congestion, sneezing, or wheezing…

California ranks 42nd in the country for utilization of hospice services. (David Pereiras/Adobe Stock)

On 'National Healthcare Decisions Day,' patients should explore options

Wednesday is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a time to educate health care providers and consumers about advanced care planning. People are …

Commercial fishing has become a $229 billion industry, with between 1.1 trillion and 2.2 trillion fish caught every year. (Wakr10/Adobe Stock)

Overfishing harms the environment: Is there a way out?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

The states of Vermont and New York have already passed bills promoting virtual power plant programs that can redirect energy stored in devices like parked electric vehicles. (Buffaloboy/Adobe Stock)

CA lawmakers to consider bill promoting 'virtual power plants'

A bill to promote virtual power plants goes before the California State Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee next week. Virtual power plants are …

The Trump administration says it will halt distribution of $750 million that had been awarded to communities for natural disaster recovery and planning this year. (Shutter Falcon)<br />

Disaster resilience programs across CA frozen as feds cancel grants

Dozens of disaster preparedness projects across California will be interrupted or canceled because the Trump administration is canceling a grant progr…

Backers of Assembly Bill 477 say it is intended to make educator pay rates more competitive with the private sector. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Advocates promote CA bill to raise school funding targets 50% over 10 years

A new bill in Sacramento would dramatically raise K-12 school funding targets by 50% over ten years. Assembly Bill 477 is intended to help districts …

Health care advocates predict that cuts to Medi-Cal will lead to hospital closures and cuts in service at local health clinics. (Fizkes/Adobe Stock)<br />

Health advocates slam House move that could lead to massive Medi-Cal cuts

Groups that fight for greater access to health care are criticizing the Republican budget blueprint currently before the U.S. House of …

Unions for fired federal workers fight back today at CA court hearing

A lawsuit to reinstate 16,000 fired federal probationary workers could get new life today at a federal district court hearing in San Francisco…

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act would allow states to let people who lack documentation attest to their citizenship but authorizes a 5-year sentence for any election official who accepts incorrect documentation. (mybaitshop/Adobe Stock)

U.S. House to eye bill that would make it harder to register to vote

Pro-democracy groups are speaking out against a bill being considered next week in the U.S. House of Representatives to require proof of citizenship …

Senate Bill 766 would prohibit California car dealers from selling add-ons that fail to benefit the buyer, such as service contracts that are invalid because the car was damaged in a prior crash or flood. (Nebojsa/Adobe Stock)

CA bill aims to make car shopping more transparent

A new bill to make car shopping more transparent goes before the California Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday. Senate Bill 766 would require …

An artist's rendering shows the offshore wind terminal proposed in Humboldt Bay. (Aker Offshore Wind/Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District)<br />

Local officials reaffirm support for offshore wind in Humboldt

A huge offshore wind project is forging ahead off Humboldt Bay in Northern California - and Saturday, elected officials will tour the deepwater port …

Protestors lined the streets of North Hollywood on Feb. 17 for a

More than 100 rallies planned Saturday in CA to protest Trump policies

More than 1,000 protests against the policies of President Donald Trump are set for Saturday across the country, with 117 planned in California alone…

A study by the University of California-San Diego and Tulane University found that as of 2022, intimate-partner violence against women cost California almost $74 billion a year in health care, lost earnings, criminal-justice expenses and survivor support. (Tinnakorn/Adobe Stock)

Prison-based program in CA aims to interrupt cycle of violence

By Ricky Rodas for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News Service …

Smoke hovers above Los Angeles as seen on January 8, 2025, as a result of wildfires. (Zack Hughes)

Report: Wildfires inch closer to California health care facilities

Wildfires are creeping closer and closer to health care facilities in California, including hospitals and nursing homes, according to a new study…

Protestors voiced their support for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at a rally in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 8, 2025. (Americans for Financial Reform)<br />

Rural advocates urge CA lawmakers to safeguard banking protections

President Donald Trump's administration has targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, so advocates for people in rural communities are …

The Trump administration has begun to carry out what it calls

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CA advocacy groups decry new immigrant registration policy

Immigrants' rights groups are speaking out against the Trump administration's decision to start requiring people who did not enter with a visa to regi…

An artist's rendering of a pilot canal project under construction in the Central Valley city of Turlock. (Solar AquaGrid)

Seven major universities to study feasibility of solar panels on CA canals

The feasibility of putting solar panels over the state's network of canals is the topic of a big new research project, co-led by the University of …

A recent study UCLA study found vegetation near the Palisades and Eaton fires was 25% drier than normal because of climate change. (Neil/Adobe Stock)

Two CA bills seek to charge oil and gas companies for climate change

Insurance rates are rising quickly in California because of fires and floods linked to climate change and now, two new bills in Sacramento seek to …

Some 21 Republican members of Congress, including several from California, recently wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson in favor of preserving federal tax breaks for clean energy. (Patrick Jennings/Adobe Stock)

Report: Repealing Inflation Reduction Act would raise CA energy bills

A new report from the think tank Energy Innovation showed if the Inflation Reduction Act is repealed, Californians would pay $60 more a year for …

An intergenerational dialogue held on Jan. 29 brought together participants from ages 8 to 82 to discuss important issues, post-election. (Ed Ritger)<br />

CA groups bring generations together to work on society’s biggest problems

In these divisive times, nonprofit groups are stepping up to boost civic engagement by facilitating intergenerational dialogue. The Creating …

Sean Brown, recovering from methamphetamine addiction, lost his housing in the Eaton Fire in January.

L.A. County has cut homelessness, but wildfires impede progress

By Angela Hart for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Servi…

Experts advised neighbors to work together to reduce the risk of fire racing across the block or through the neighborhood. (Brian/Adobe Stock)

After L.A. blazes, experts weigh in on fireproofing your house

As Los Angeles starts to recover from the firestorm, people are looking for ways to harden their homes against future mega-blazes. Experts said the …

Postal workers to protest across CA, nation on Thursday

Postal workers are expected to protest in more than a dozen locations up and down California tomorrow, from Redding to Chula Vista. The motto for …

Chuckwalla National Monument is one of two created in mid-January by President Joe Biden, just before he left office. (Bob Wick/BLM)

Two CA national monuments in peril as feds announce plan to rescind them

Two new national monuments in California are in jeopardy after the White House announced a plan to revoke them and then appeared to retreat. On …

The Trump administration is working to lower air-quality standards, which could allow easier permitting for the oil and gas industry. (Travelview/Adobe Stock)

CA local leaders protest massive rollback of federal environmental protections

Local leaders in California are slamming the Trump administration's moves to gut dozens of environmental policies on climate change and pollution in l…

Yosemite National Park just announced it will resume summer campground reservations next week, after previously delaying them because of staffing concerns. (Dawn Endico/Wikimedia Commons)

Sierra Club sues DOGE over mass firings

The Sierra Club predicts big problems at national parks such as Yosemite and Sequoia this summer because the Trump administration is slashing federal …

The U.S. Department of Education is putting laid-off workers on paid leave starting Friday, March 21 and says they will be paid through June 9. (Neal/Adobe Stock)

School employees speak out against mass layoffs at U.S. Dept. of Education

School employees are expressing outrage at the mass layoffs of half the U.S. Department of Education workforce. Secretary of Education Linda …

Local California leaders met with officials at the White House this week as part of the National League of Cities' annual Congressional City Conference. (Dan Kealey)

Local CA leaders look to feds for more certainty, stability

Dozens of local leaders from California are in the nation's capital this week, joining about 2,800 colleagues from around the country at the National …

California is home to 1.1 million Black women, the fifth largest population in the country. (peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Almost 60% of CA Black women report discrimination at work

New research finds Black working women still face rampant discrimination in the Golden State. The California Black Women's Collective Empowerment …

Conservation experts would like to see more farms use drip or sprinkler systems, which are more efficient than flooding for irrigation. (Deyan Georgiev/Adobe Stock)

Agriculture, especially cattle feed, uses most of Earth’s freshwater

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collab…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - May 13, 2025

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California

CA lawmakers consider bill to reduce rejection of ballots

Consumer groups press for reform to limit electricity costs

Study: 85% of callers to CA Parent Youth Helpline feel 'more positive'

Access to Pacific Crest Trail threatened by federal cuts

CA elected officials, advocates decry proposed cuts to climate programs

Environmental groups fight plan to add warehouses in CA's Inland Empire

13 CA counties get 'F' in new clean air report

Bills aim to strengthen CA health care as Congress considers cuts

New bill in Congress seeks to overturn CA animal welfare law

Legislative hearing today on bill to extend End of Life Option Act

Advocates warn proposed cuts to Medi-Cal will cripple school budgets

Congress considers rolling back CA clean car standards

Trump administration rejects 'housing first' approach to homelessness

Advocates hope to teach CA lawmakers an art lesson

This Earth Day, elected officials promote CA bill to 'make polluters pay'

Spring cleaning for Earth Day? What to do with leftover paint

CA lawmakers consider charging oil companies for climate-related damage

Chinese-owned farms press for repeal of CA animal welfare law

Tips to find relief in California this allergy season

On 'National Healthcare Decisions Day,' patients should explore options

Overfishing harms the environment: Is there a way out?

CA lawmakers to consider bill promoting 'virtual power plants'

Disaster resilience programs across CA frozen as feds cancel grants

Advocates promote CA bill to raise school funding targets 50% over 10 years

Health advocates slam House move that could lead to massive Medi-Cal cuts

Unions for fired federal workers fight back today at CA court hearing

U.S. House to eye bill that would make it harder to register to vote

CA bill aims to make car shopping more transparent

Local officials reaffirm support for offshore wind in Humboldt

More than 100 rallies planned Saturday in CA to protest Trump policies

Prison-based program in CA aims to interrupt cycle of violence

Report: Wildfires inch closer to California health care facilities

Rural advocates urge CA lawmakers to safeguard banking protections

CA advocacy groups decry new immigrant registration policy

Seven major universities to study feasibility of solar panels on CA canals

Two CA bills seek to charge oil and gas companies for climate change

Report: Repealing Inflation Reduction Act would raise CA energy bills

CA groups bring generations together to work on society’s biggest problems

L.A. County has cut homelessness, but wildfires impede progress

After L.A. blazes, experts weigh in on fireproofing your house

Postal workers to protest across CA, nation on Thursday

Two CA national monuments in peril as feds announce plan to rescind them

CA local leaders protest massive rollback of federal environmental protections

Sierra Club sues DOGE over mass firings

School employees speak out against mass layoffs at U.S. Dept. of Education

Local CA leaders look to feds for more certainty, stability

Survey: Almost 60% of CA Black women report discrimination at work

Agriculture, especially cattle feed, uses most of Earth’s freshwater