KQED's The California Report

Workers in the California Legislature are not allowed to unionize, and often work long and grueling hours, without overtime. But a new bill would change that. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Immigrant advocates and the U.S. government have reached an agreement on standards for the treatment of children in Border Patrol facilities. It comes two years after advocates raised alarms over shocking con...

In the wake of Tuesday’s mass murder at a Texas elementary school, Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders are calling for fast action aimed at reducing gun violence. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  Governor Newsom’s ambitious plan to overhaul California’s mental healthcare system cleared a major hurdle on Wednesday.  The state Senate voted to approve CARE Court. The program would allow...

Details are still unfolding around the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 21 people are dead -- 19 students and two teachers. For young people, the tragedy will likely resonate for years. But there are support mechanisms to help them cope with the shooting. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Preschool students are expelled and suspended at rates three times higher than kid...

Governor Gavin Newsom is warning there could be statewide mandatory water restrictions if Californians don’t start conserving more water, as the drought worsens.  Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Starting in June, 6 million Southern Californians will face new water restrictions. For many people, that’ll mean watering their yards twice or even just once a week, per regulations. Some residents are r...

The Catholic archbishop of San Francisco, Salvator Cordileone, has directed priests under his jurisdiction not to give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi communion.  Cordileone says it's because of Pelosi's support for abortion rights. State officials have confirmed that two idle oil wells in Bakersfield were leaking methane gas near a residential community, but say they were sealed late last week. Enviro...

At more than $6 a gallon, California has the highest gasoline prices in the country. So what’s Sacramento doing? State lawmakers want to use part of a $97 billion budget surplus to send out rebate checks. But legislators are in a stalemate over the details.  Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio When it comes to COVID-19 infection rates, the Bay Area continues to lead the state, but the numbers are ris...

Sunday’s shooting at a gathering of Taiwanese American Presbyterians in Orange County has shaken that community in Southern California. It's upsetting the older generation the most. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC This week, more than 40 so-called “Documented Dreamers” are in Washington D.C. They’re lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation that would protect young people who’ve aged out of their familie...

The man accused of opening fire this past Sunday at a church in Laguna Woods in Orange County, killing one man and wounding five others, is facing one count of murder, along with several other charges. The murder charge against David Chou also comes with the special circumstance of using a gun and lying in wait. Reporters: Robert Garrova and Josie Huang, KPCC The average price for a gallon of gas...

The FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation into a shooting Sunday at a church in Orange County that left one man dead and five others wounded. Law enforcement officials say they believe the suspect in the case was motivated by political tensions between Taiwan and China. Reporters: Robert Garrova and Josie Huang, KPCC A judge in Los Angeles has ruled that California cannot legally requi...

Last year, two Bay Area men were arrested and charged with plotting to blow up the headquarters of the California Democratic Party. Prosecutors say the men planned to launch their attack on or after inauguration day.   Reporters: Julie Small and Alex Hall, KQED   One person, an adult male, was killed and five others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a lunch banquet at the Geneva Presbyteri...

There’s a nationwide baby formula shortage, driven by supply chain issues and recalls. You can’t buy formula in many stores and in California, that's left many parents are scrambling.  Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS A federal appeals court has ruled that California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people under the age of 21 is unconstitutional. A panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of App...

Two Starbucks stores in Santa Cruz have voted to become the first in the state to unionize. Since January, more than 20 Starbucks stores in California have started the process to unionize – joining hundreds of others across the U.S.  Resident doctors gathered in front of LA County-USC Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday to protest low pay. It's just the latest in a string of health...

According to new numbers out, California's water usage jumped nearly 19% in March, despite pleas for conservation from the governor and local water agencies. Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles has announced new mandatory water restrictions. Starting June 1st, the city's four million residents will have to cut outdoor water use to two-days a week. California has a whopping state budget surplus, an...

A survey released on Tuesday reveals wage theft is still a big problem for more than half a million fast food workers in California. More than 8 in 10 workers surveyed said employers have shorted them on their paychecks.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  Contract negotiations affecting workers at 29 West Coast ports begin on Tuesday. The talks between the International Longshore and Warehou...

Later this week, Governor Gavin Newsom will issue what’s called a "May Revise," updating the governor’s budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Financial justice advocates in the state hope part of that proposal will include the elimination of court fees known as "civil assessments." These are penalties that courts impose when traffic tickets and other citations aren't paid on time.  Reporter:...

A bill to protect abortion services for people traveling to California from states where abortion is banned is now on a fast track in Sacramento. Assembly Bill 1666 was introduced after Texas enacted a law to punish women who receive an abortion or anyone who assists her. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  The Facing Life project investigates “life after life” in California’s prisons. The lives of eigh...

Hate incidents are on the rise in San Diego, but they continue to be difficult to prosecute. Now, 911 dispatchers could play a key role in gathering evidence for these types of cases. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS Governor Gavin Newsom says the Supreme Court's anticipated roll-back of abortion rights is part of a larger attack on freedoms and privacy. The governor has reaffirmed California's suppor...

Top Democrats in the California Legislative Women’s Caucus are pushing more than a dozen bills that they say will bolster abortion services in the state. Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in rallies across the state, following news that Roe v. Wade could be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The contents of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would likely strike down Roe v. Wade are...

A draft majority opinion obtained by Politico appears to show that the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. If that does occur, the effects will be felt nationwide, including in California, which is already preparing for the possibility of an influx of people looking to get an abortion. Guest: Shannon Olivieri Hovis, Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Califor...

California’s last remaining nuclear energy facility, Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo County, produces enough carbon-free energy to power three million homes each year. It’s scheduled to shut down by 2025, but now, Governor Gavin Newsom may consider delaying the closure. Reporter: Rachel Showalter, KCBX Change is coming to California’s rooftop solar market, but what that change looks like remains...

This week marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most painful and bloodiest chapters in LA's history. The civil unrest of 1992, also known as the riots, the rebellion and the uprising, began in response to the acquittal of four white LA police officers for the beating of a black man named Rodney King. By the time it was over, dozens were dead and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage was don...

California’s Labor Commissioner has fined poultry giant Foster Farms and three staffing agencies nearly $4 million for failing to tell thousands of workers about COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave assistance. The failure was discovered during an audit of Foster Farms’ payroll records in 2020. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED   Researchers in San Diego County are working to stave off the worst impacts...

In Southern California, the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to millions of people in several counties, has declared a first of its kind water shortage emergency. Meanwhile, in the Bay Area, the East Bay Municipal Water District has approved a mandatory 10% reduction in water usage compared to 2020 levels.  What little is known about long-COVID in children and teenagers suggests t...

The mayors of California’s largest cities are calling on Governor Newsom to continue funding critical homelessness services. The state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grants have only been available for three years. But mayors from all over California say their cities rely on their unique flexibility to pay for a wide range of services. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED A study from th...

California’s high speed rail project, is supposed to one day whisk passengers between L.A. and San Francisco at over 200 miles per hour. But the project is tens of billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. Despite that, it's brought big changes to the Central Valley. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A federal trial over San Francisco’s bid to hold drug manufacturers,...