California’s minimum wage will climb to $17.40 an hour in 2027, becoming the nation’s highest statewide rate. Bay Area workers may still face higher local wage floors.

California is promoting science from an informational score to a full school accountability metric. The change could reshape how districts prioritize instruction and support struggling students.

Oakland’s voter-approved $100 campaign vouchers will miss the 2026 election after the city withheld funding. The Democracy Dollars program is now targeted for 2028.

PG&E wants regulators to approve a $26.6 million shareholder reward tied to gas savings, potentially adding 41 cents a month to residential bills.

Mia Bonta's abuse-defense bill is back in Sacramento, and Bay Area allies say the law still misses how trauma shapes violent cases.

Fremont councilors deferred a proposed half‑cent sales tax after polls slipped and staff warned a late campaign would be costly. The levy was projected to raise roughly $30–35M a year.

Therapists told supervisors that Kaiser’s e‑visit tool is triaging patients without clinician oversight. Kaiser says the tools do not make clinical decisions.

Dr. Joanna Locke will take over as Yolo County’s public health officer on Aug. 24, bringing pandemic response and school-health experience. The board named her Wednesday.

A proposed California law would require large companies to file sworn statements about any slavery-era ties and post the findings to a public database. Supporters call it transparency; industry groups call it duplicative.

Vice Mayor Jeff Nibert will step down at the end of 2026 and will not seek reelection, leaving District 1 open as Pleasanton grapples with a long-term budget gap.

Oakland leaders backed a 'City of Refuge' ordinance to bar immigration-status questions on city forms and limit ICE access to city property.

Oakland’s denial of Aspire Golden State Prep’s renewal and the State Board’s decision to take no action have put AB 1505 and the Dashboard squarely in the spotlight.

Oakland’s first audit of the vacant‑property tax finds it raising roughly $6M a year but urges clearer goals, annual reporting and tighter oversight.