Then There's California

As the 2025-2026 legislative session convenes, State Senator John Laird also begins his latest - and final - term in elected office! Senator Laird offers his outlook on the public policy priorities and 'gender equity' of the new session, Democratic policy priorities for 2025, and the legal guardrails the legislature is putting in place ahead of the incoming administration in Washington, DC. Click...

State Senator Susan Rubio & advocates share details about SB 1230, the STOP and Seize Illegal Tobacco Products Act, which will strengthen enforcement of California's flavored tobacco ban and remove illegal tobacco products from the market. SB 1230 has passed out of the legislature and awaits Governor Newsom's signature. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

After 25 years as a local and state lawmaker and an astonishing 115 (and counting!) bills signed into law in his legislative career, State Senator Bill Dodd leaves the senate this fall, attributing his collaborative approach to lawmaking, the hard work of his loyal team, and his willingness to listen, as keys to his success as a policymaker. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episod...

On the occasion of the recent 'Willie L. Brown, Jr. Day' at the State Capitol, the legendary Assembly Speaker & San Francisco Mayor Emeritus joined State Senator Steven Bradford for a podcast conversation about the art of bipartisan politics, reparations & racism, their respective legislative legacies, and advice for current & future lawmakers who are standing on their shoulders. Click here for a...

As Senator Anthony Portantino prepares to leave the legislature this fall, he speaks about how communication with constituents, family viewpoints - and the human condition - have continually informed his public policy priorities. 

When her distinguished legislative career comes to a close this fall, Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman wants to continue to be invested in implementing the important legislation she has worked so hard to pass over the years, coaching and mentoring young women of color and LGBTQ+ community members for leadership...and continuing to build bridges by baking bread. Click here for a closed-captioned ver...

State Senator Susan Rubio is joined by the children and advocates of 3 actors & media personalities - Casey Kasem, Mickey Rooney & Nichelle Nichols - to discuss her legislation, SB 1106, which will reduce the alarming rate of elder abuse in conservatorships. Click here for a closedc-captioned version of this episode!

For Pride Month, we meet Senator Steve Padilla, who shares his candid personal & professional story of coming out publicly as a gay man & lawmaker in Southern California, and his reflections on the continued fight to remove barriers of prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

With her time in the legislature ending this fall, State Senator Nancy Skinner is ready to talk legacy - the record of progressive public policy she takes pride in, the gender equality and representation she has championed in and out of the State Capitol...and the little granddaughter who brings her joy.

Women's History Month has passed, but the discussions continue, and the State Senate's new Majority Leader, Senator Lena Gonzalez, shares her viewpoints on the growing number of women in elected office and in the work force, pay disparity & 'occupational segregation,' reproductive rights...and seeing the movie "Barbie!"

In this wide-ranging podcast conversation, Senator Caroline Menjivar explains how she is starting her second year in office feeling 'way more confident' - while helping tackle a sobering state budget deficit, introducing a 21-bill policy package focused on issues important to her San Fernando Valley district, pushing back against culture wars that threaten LGBTQ+ youth, and navigating life as a le...

"If you're a former foster youth, there should be no barrier to your success in college..." Senator Angelique Ashby & Cody Van Felden, a former foster youth and now-advocate, discuss SB 307, the 'College For Foster Youth Act,' which was signed into law in 2023 by Governor Newsom. SB 307 secures $25 million in ongoing annual funding to make debt-free college a reality for California's foster youth....

In honor of Black History Month 2024, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas celebrates the memory of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, and explains how her courageous actions that helped launch the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1955 placed her front and center at the nexus of the ongoing fight for racial and gender equality. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

State Senator Ben Allen & Los Angeles Times Environmental Reporter Rosanna Xia - author of the book "California Against the Sea - Visions for Our Changing Coastline" - join together in a conversation about how our state is confronting the environmental and political challenges related to sea level rise, and the lessons our coastal communities are learning about our rising oceans in this ongoing er...

"I always want it to be a positive journey," says Senator Aisha Wahab, and in this podcast conversation, the freshman lawmaker from CA's East Bay looks back on an eventful past year in office, the fate and future of her 'Caste' bill, her passion for restorative justice, housing & economic priorities in her 10th district...and plans for 2024. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episod...

State Senator Bill Dodd shares his perspective on California's leading role in encouraging A.I. innovation and creativity...while also prioritizing individual privacy and 1st amendment rights. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Despite continued grim climate change forecasts, California continues to be a global leader on climate solutions, and State Senator Josh Becker updates us on our state's continued success in 'getting to zero' greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating our transition to 100% clean energy. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

The California Reparations Task Force has released its report on how our state can begin to repair the damage of slavery and racism. Senator Steven Bradford & Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas assess the details of the report, and discuss the anticipated next steps for addressing the impact of America's 'original sin.' Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

She's a former 3-term city mayor, a journalist, and is passionate about transportation issues, the environment, addressing homelessness, and tackling gun violence. Meet newly-elected State Senator Catherine Blakespear! Click here for a closed-cationed version of this episode!

When it comes to gun safety, California is a safer state than others, and our gun laws work in concert with each other. Senator Anthony Portantino joins us to talk about the ongoing effort to protect Californians from gun violence and his current gun safety legislation. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Is the summer of 2023 the 'Summer of Labor?' State Senator Maria Elena Durazo of Los Angeles talks about the waves of so-called 'labor unrest' sweeping the country, the surge of unions elections, and how thousands of union employees have walked off the job - or are preparing to walk off the job - for better pay, health care, and improved working conditions. Click here for a closed-captioned versio...

To celebrate our 100th episode, State Senate President Pro Tem Toni G. Atkins baked us a pie(!), and served up some delicious conversation about her SB 447 - The BRIDGE Project, Pride Month, legislative diversity...and of course, Dolly Parton! Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

We gave Sacramento's State Senator, Angelique Ashby and Sacramento's Mayor, Darrell Steinberg, an 'assignment' to read and report back on a provocative, new book about poverty in America. In their revealing and thoughtful conversation about the book, the senator and the mayor share how the issue of poverty has affected their own lives and their political and legislative priorities.  Click here for...

As the first Muslim & Afghan-American elected to the CA State Senate, Senator Aisha Wahab is one of the most high-profile lawmakers currently serving in the legislature. She talks about the Afghan-American community she represents in her East Bay district, her transition from local government leadership to the State Capitol, and her new bill (SB 403) that would update CA law to include protections...

State Senator Nancy Skinner, the Chair of the Legislative Women's Caucus, is joined by California's Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, in a look back at voter-approved Proposition 1, the 2022 ballot initiative that put the right to an abortion into the state's constitution...and the ongoing fight for reproductive rights in CA and nationwide. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this ep...