California and 14 other states sued HHS and the CDC over a January decision that stripped seven vaccines from the universal childhood schedule, calling the move unlawful and not science-based.

County says six of 15 audit fixes are done. Auditors and lawmakers say the county must show the records.

Antonio Lawson has been named executive director of Oakland’s police watchdog, stepping in as CPRA faces staffing and procedural shortfalls. His state-level legal background is central to the hire.

Gov. Newsom designated John Reynolds as CPUC president and moved Alice Busching Reynolds to the CAISO board in a shuffle aimed at lowering bills and shoring up the grid.

Republicans are calling for a state audit after California spent roughly $455 million on a Next Generation 911 overhaul that stalled during testing and was paused. Lawmakers want a full accounting and new oversight.

Gov. Newsom signed a London MoU with the U.K. to deepen clean-energy cooperation and attracted a near-$1B Octopus Energy investment for California clean-tech. The pact targets wind, carbon removal and research ties.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Education Department from withholding roughly $4.9 billion from California after the state sued over FERPA findings about gender‑identity records.

Hundreds rallied in Oakland and Concord on Valentine’s Day to protest ICE and local surveillance; organizers vowed legal and community support as courts and funding fights loom.

A private nonprofit tied to Gov. Gavin Newsom has underwritten tens of thousands in travel and event costs, raising questions about transparency and donor access.

AB 1605 would let judges order a 'no alcohol sale' notation on licenses or Real IDs for serious or repeat DUI offenders, a move modeled on Utah's interdiction law. Supporters say it limits access to alcohol; critics warn of enforcement and due‑process issues.

AB 1727 would make collecting, testing or selling someone else’s DNA without express consent a crime, with felonies for the most serious violations and narrow exemptions.

New filings show Mayor Barbara Lee raised roughly $31,000 in late 2025 as she weighs a possible 2026 run, while unions and PACs continue to pour money into Oakland politics.

Sen. Alex Padilla introduced two bills that would send federal money to water recycling, canal repairs and farm pilot projects across California.