window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"news_12102304": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12102304",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12102304",
"found": true
},
"title": "093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01",
"publishDate": 1790871535,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12102300,
"modified": 1790871563,
"caption": "From left, gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, during CNN’s California Gubernatorial Debate at CNN’s studio in Burbank on Sept. 30, 2026. The debate was moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. ",
"credit": "Grace Widyatmadja/CNN",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01.jpg",
"width": 1999,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101161": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101161",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101161",
"found": true
},
"title": "GettyImages-2296054983",
"publishDate": 1790208547,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101156,
"modified": 1790208703,
"caption": "Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks alongside Carsten Schneider (right), Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety of Germany, during a press briefing on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly at the United Nations in New York on Sept. 22, 2026. ",
"credit": "Michael Kappeler/picture alliance/Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-2000x1382.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1382,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-2000x1382.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1382,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-160x111.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 111,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-1536x1061.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1061,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-2048x1415.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1415,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-2000x1382.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1382,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2296054983-scaled-e1790208679809.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1382
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101482": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101482",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101482",
"found": true
},
"title": "012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03",
"publishDate": 1790373668,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101476,
"modified": 1790373729,
"caption": "At right, Sacramento County Supervisor Rich Desmond speaks with an unhoused person during the city's point-in-time count on Jan. 26, 2026.",
"credit": "Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/012626_Sac-PIT_MG_CM_03.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101124": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101124",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101124",
"found": true
},
"title": "091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01",
"publishDate": 1790183395,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101122,
"modified": 1790183422,
"caption": "Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, exits the room after speaking during a news conference at the Spring Street Courthouse, formerly the United States Court House, in Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2026. ",
"credit": "Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1536x1024.jpeg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1200x675.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-600x600.jpeg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01.jpeg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101110": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101110",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101110",
"found": true
},
"title": "031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM",
"publishDate": 1790181527,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101109,
"modified": 1790181568,
"caption": "Mifepristone and misoprostol at a Wyoming abortion clinic in Casper on March 10, 2025. ",
"credit": "Natalie Behring via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-1536x1024.jpeg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-1200x675.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM-600x600.jpeg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/031025-Abortion-Pills-GETTY-CM.jpeg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101071": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101071",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101071",
"found": true
},
"title": "050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28",
"publishDate": 1790119475,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101062,
"modified": 1790119505,
"caption": "A student walks through the Dolores Huerta Plaza at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton on May 7, 2026.",
"credit": "Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/050826-Online-Education-LV-CM-28.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101017": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101017",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101017",
"found": true
},
"title": "091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55",
"publishDate": 1790114399,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101011,
"modified": 1790114478,
"caption": "Newly sworn in California Highway Patrol officers following their graduation ceremony at the CHP Academy in Sacramento on Sept. 13, 2024.",
"credit": "Florence Middleton/CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091324_CHP-Graduation_FM_CM_55.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12100789": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12100789",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100789",
"found": true
},
"title": "051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02",
"publishDate": 1790014667,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12100757,
"modified": 1790014708,
"caption": "Students rallied with undocumented students, urging University of California leaders to remove hiring restrictions for undocumented students in front of Kerckhoff Hall at UCLA in Los Angeles on May 17, 2023. ",
"credit": "Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/051723-UCLARALLY-PU-CM-02.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12100589": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12100589",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100589",
"found": true
},
"title": "06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01",
"publishDate": 1789762876,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12100577,
"modified": 1789762898,
"caption": "Pat Abatemarco, a child marriage survivor, speaks during a press conference at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 22, 2023.",
"credit": "Rahul Lal/CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-1536x1024.jpeg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-1200x675.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01-600x600.jpeg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/06222023-Child-Marriage-Presser-RL-01.jpeg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12100649": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12100649",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100649",
"found": true
},
"title": "GavinNewsomCM1",
"publishDate": 1789773941,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12100624,
"modified": 1789773979,
"caption": "Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, where he signed 13 bills focused on protecting kids from technology, on Sept. 10, 2026. ",
"credit": "Anna Hoch-Kenney/CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12059095": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12059095",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12059095",
"found": true
},
"title": "ICE raids, ICE, raids",
"publishDate": 1759932920,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1776964358,
"caption": "Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents who plan their escape after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Blvd. in the city of Bell on June 19, 2025. ",
"credit": "Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-2000x1333.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-2000x1333.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-2048x1365.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1365,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-2000x1333.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/GettyImages-2220483644-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1707
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12099990": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12099990",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12099990",
"found": true
},
"title": "CMHighSpeedRail1",
"publishDate": 1789581274,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12099985,
"modified": 1789581305,
"caption": "Ian Choudri, CEO of California High Speed Rail, speaks during a press conference on the high-speed rail project at the Wasco Rail Yard facility in Wasco on Feb. 3, 2026. \n",
"credit": "Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_news_12102300": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12102300",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12102300",
"name": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101475": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101475",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101475",
"name": "Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101476": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101476",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101476",
"name": "Marisa Kendall, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101122": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101122",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101122",
"name": "Nick Gerda, LAist",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101109": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101109",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101109",
"name": "Kristen Hwang, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101062": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101062",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101062",
"name": "Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101011": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101011",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101011",
"name": "Adam Ashton, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12100757": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12100757",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12100757",
"name": "Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12100577": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12100577",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12100577",
"name": "Nadia Lathan, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12100624": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12100624",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12100624",
"name": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12100391": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12100391",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12100391",
"name": "Sergio Olmos and Wendy Fry, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12099985": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12099985",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12099985",
"name": "Yue Stella Yu and Juliet Williams, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_affiliate_calmatters": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"score": 15.355904
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "CALmatters",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?affiliate=calmatters",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"news_12102300": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12102300",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12102300",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790872242000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"title": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character",
"publishDate": 1790872242,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians watching Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate would be forgiven for thinking the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/\">candidates for governor\u003c/a> are President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump was the central topic in the debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra repeatedly tying Hilton to Trump’s policies on immigration, taxes, housing, the environment and Big Tech. Hilton also tried to tie Becerra to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats at large, whom Hilton blames for business and housing regulations that contribute to high costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra mentioned the president, who is widely unpopular in California, more than a dozen times during the hourlong debate on CNN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to end up with Trump results if you follow Steve Hilton’s plans,” Becerra said when asked about Hilton’s proposal to eliminate income taxes for middle-class Californians. He pointed out that Hilton’s plan to drop income taxes on the first $150,000 in earnings also includes a tax cut for the state’s wealthiest earners, comparing it to federal tax cuts enacted by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similarly, when Hilton said he would wait to assess whether California needs to more aggressively regulate artificial intelligence companies, Becerra linked his response to Trump’s inaction, saying “if you listen closely, you can hear Donald Trump in that response.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra also said he would impose limits on AI data centers in communities that oppose them. Hilton noted that Becerra’s campaign has received donations from the biggest artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic and OpenAI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump endorsed Hilton during the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-governor-primary-hilton-advances/\">contested primary election\u003c/a>, but the former Fox News host has since tried to distance himself from both the president and the Republican Party, running ads telling voters they can dislike Trump and still support him. Last week, in an acknowledgement that opposition to Trump is dragging down Republicans’ approval rating, Hilton’s campaign released a poll claiming he was “unscathed from (the) Republican collapse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Hilton’s proposal to expand oil drilling in California, Becerra brought up Trump’s effort to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">expand drilling\u003c/a> off the state’s coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12102105 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On homelessness, Hilton noted Becerra once graded Newsom an “A for effort” on the issue despite homelessness increasing during his terms, while Becerra countered that Trump \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">has blocked federal funding\u003c/a> for local homelessness agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a predictable strategy for Becerra, who enjoys a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/\">double-digit lead\u003c/a> over Hilton in the heavily Democratic-leaning state where voters also disapprove of Trump by wide margins. The Democratic candidate and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary has laid low since getting the most votes in the crowded all-party primary election in June, making few public appearances and agreeing only to one debate. Hilton criticized Becerra for repeatedly mentioning national politics, arguing the Democrat isn’t offering Californians any concrete solutions to the nation-topping cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All you ever say is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’” Hilton said. “And that’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates traded insults throughout the night. Hilton cited reports that Becerra’s colleagues in President Joe Biden’s cabinet had “described (Becerra) as an idiot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in several testy exchanges over immigration, Becerra, the son of Mexican immigrants, tied Hilton to Trump’s aggressive nationwide immigration raids and mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me,” Becerra said. Hilton, a British immigrant and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-governor-hilton-profile/\">former adviser\u003c/a> to British Prime Minister David Cameron, bristled at the comment, calling it “disgraceful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hilton \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/video/6367836110112\">praised the deportation campaign\u003c/a> last January as “perfect” during an appearance on Fox News. He has previously described himself as “pro-immigration.” On Wednesday night, he dodged questions on whether he would undo the state’s sanctuary law limiting police cooperation with immigration agents and direct California officers to assist in Trump’s campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, he said, he would prefer to “turn down the temperature” on that debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates argued over the best way to increase housing construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton wants to build 10 new cities and allow more new construction on undeveloped land to avoid battles between the state and residents and local governments that are resistant to new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have got so much space that we could be building in,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra said to address the housing crisis, he would reduce administrative and bureaucratic hurdles to getting construction permits, boost down payment assistance programs and stop Wall Street investors from competing with would-be homeowners. He pointed to the lawsuit he filed as state attorney general against the city of Huntington Beach to force it to approve new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No locality should have the right to try to stop all of our people in California from having the housing they need,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They found common ground on how to keep the film industry in California amid competition from other states and countries. Los Angeles County has lost about 50,000 film and TV jobs since 2022. But while both candidates support expanding the state’s film tax credit to lower the cost of producing in California, they still each got in a dig over who to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who’s been in charge when all those jobs have gone?” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Donald Trump,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Democrats,” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-general-election-gubernatorial-debate-cnn/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In their only debate, Xavier Becerra repeatedly linked Steve Hilton to President Donald Trump — while Hilton accused him of dodging California’s real problems.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790872242,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 29,
"wordCount": 1003
},
"headData": {
"title": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character | KQED",
"description": "In their only debate, Xavier Becerra repeatedly linked Steve Hilton to President Donald Trump — while Hilton accused him of dodging California’s real problems.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character",
"datePublished": "2026-10-01T09:30:42-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-01T09:30:42-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12102300",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12102300/in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians watching Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate would be forgiven for thinking the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/\">candidates for governor\u003c/a> are President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump was the central topic in the debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra repeatedly tying Hilton to Trump’s policies on immigration, taxes, housing, the environment and Big Tech. Hilton also tried to tie Becerra to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats at large, whom Hilton blames for business and housing regulations that contribute to high costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra mentioned the president, who is widely unpopular in California, more than a dozen times during the hourlong debate on CNN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to end up with Trump results if you follow Steve Hilton’s plans,” Becerra said when asked about Hilton’s proposal to eliminate income taxes for middle-class Californians. He pointed out that Hilton’s plan to drop income taxes on the first $150,000 in earnings also includes a tax cut for the state’s wealthiest earners, comparing it to federal tax cuts enacted by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similarly, when Hilton said he would wait to assess whether California needs to more aggressively regulate artificial intelligence companies, Becerra linked his response to Trump’s inaction, saying “if you listen closely, you can hear Donald Trump in that response.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra also said he would impose limits on AI data centers in communities that oppose them. Hilton noted that Becerra’s campaign has received donations from the biggest artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic and OpenAI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump endorsed Hilton during the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-governor-primary-hilton-advances/\">contested primary election\u003c/a>, but the former Fox News host has since tried to distance himself from both the president and the Republican Party, running ads telling voters they can dislike Trump and still support him. Last week, in an acknowledgement that opposition to Trump is dragging down Republicans’ approval rating, Hilton’s campaign released a poll claiming he was “unscathed from (the) Republican collapse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Hilton’s proposal to expand oil drilling in California, Becerra brought up Trump’s effort to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">expand drilling\u003c/a> off the state’s coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12102105",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On homelessness, Hilton noted Becerra once graded Newsom an “A for effort” on the issue despite homelessness increasing during his terms, while Becerra countered that Trump \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">has blocked federal funding\u003c/a> for local homelessness agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a predictable strategy for Becerra, who enjoys a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/\">double-digit lead\u003c/a> over Hilton in the heavily Democratic-leaning state where voters also disapprove of Trump by wide margins. The Democratic candidate and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary has laid low since getting the most votes in the crowded all-party primary election in June, making few public appearances and agreeing only to one debate. Hilton criticized Becerra for repeatedly mentioning national politics, arguing the Democrat isn’t offering Californians any concrete solutions to the nation-topping cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All you ever say is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’” Hilton said. “And that’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates traded insults throughout the night. Hilton cited reports that Becerra’s colleagues in President Joe Biden’s cabinet had “described (Becerra) as an idiot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in several testy exchanges over immigration, Becerra, the son of Mexican immigrants, tied Hilton to Trump’s aggressive nationwide immigration raids and mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me,” Becerra said. Hilton, a British immigrant and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-governor-hilton-profile/\">former adviser\u003c/a> to British Prime Minister David Cameron, bristled at the comment, calling it “disgraceful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hilton \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/video/6367836110112\">praised the deportation campaign\u003c/a> last January as “perfect” during an appearance on Fox News. He has previously described himself as “pro-immigration.” On Wednesday night, he dodged questions on whether he would undo the state’s sanctuary law limiting police cooperation with immigration agents and direct California officers to assist in Trump’s campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, he said, he would prefer to “turn down the temperature” on that debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates argued over the best way to increase housing construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton wants to build 10 new cities and allow more new construction on undeveloped land to avoid battles between the state and residents and local governments that are resistant to new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have got so much space that we could be building in,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra said to address the housing crisis, he would reduce administrative and bureaucratic hurdles to getting construction permits, boost down payment assistance programs and stop Wall Street investors from competing with would-be homeowners. He pointed to the lawsuit he filed as state attorney general against the city of Huntington Beach to force it to approve new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No locality should have the right to try to stop all of our people in California from having the housing they need,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They found common ground on how to keep the film industry in California amid competition from other states and countries. Los Angeles County has lost about 50,000 film and TV jobs since 2022. But while both candidates support expanding the state’s film tax credit to lower the cost of producing in California, they still each got in a dig over who to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who’s been in charge when all those jobs have gone?” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Donald Trump,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Democrats,” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-general-election-gubernatorial-debate-cnn/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12102300/in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12102300"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_20251",
"news_3976",
"news_26088",
"news_36336",
"news_36335",
"news_17968",
"news_35821",
"news_20378"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12102304",
"label": "source_news_12102300"
},
"news_12101475": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101475",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101475",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790528454000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-signs-4-new-california-dui-laws-advocates-want-more-next-session",
"title": "Newsom Signs 4 New California DUI Laws. Advocates Want More Next Session",
"publishDate": 1790528454,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Signs 4 New California DUI Laws. Advocates Want More Next Session | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> on Friday signed into law four bills aimed at curbing a startling rise in DUI fatalities in recent years, including measures that make it easier to charge repeat drunk drivers with a felony and, if they kill someone, with murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation follows \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/series/license-to-kill/\">a CalMatters series\u003c/a> that revealed the state was unable — or unwilling — to get dangerous drivers off the road before it was too late. Many kept driving recklessly even after killing someone, and some even killed again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills were the last ones standing from an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/02/california-lawmakers-unveil-driver-safety-reforms/\">initial package\u003c/a> of 17 aimed at addressing traffic deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most failed in the face of fierce opposition from progressive groups that argued increasing enforcement and penalties will disproportionately harm low-income and historically marginalized residents, and are not the best way to address traffic safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some of the bills that passed were pared back during the legislative process, the new laws still notably increase potential penalties for repeat DUI offenders in a state that’s historically had some of the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/10/california-dui-failure/\">weakest DUI laws\u003c/a> in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that four bills got through to the finish line leaves me very hopeful that California is ready for change and sees the need to make the state safer,” said Jennifer Levi, whose 18-year-old son Braun was killed in May 2025 by a suspected drunk driver with a prior DUI arrest. “I have mixed emotions. My victory is the result of losing a child and I’d do anything in the world to have my son back alive with our family. But I cannot let this happen to other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101479\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennifer Levi addresses the media during a press conference at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Feb. 12, 2026. Levi recounted how her son, Braun Levi, was killed by a drunk driver in May of 2025. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Levi became a fierce road safety advocate after her son’s death, working with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and pushing state leaders to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She partnered with state Sen. Bob Archuleta, a Democrat from Norwalk \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb907\">on a bill\u003c/a> to significantly increase criminal penalties for repeat drunk drivers. Archuleta’s own granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. Levi said Newsom and his wife came to her home recently to mark the signing of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A photo, showing the smiling first couple along with Archuleta and Levi in her dining room, was included with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/25/governor-newsom-signs-brauns-law-and-package-of-bills-to-crack-down-on-dui-offenders/\">the bill signing announcement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The resulting law will make it easier to charge drunk drivers with murder if they have a prior DUI arrest – which had been difficult if the previous DUI charge had been pled down to a lesser crime.[aside postID=news_12100741 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg']The law will also increase the criminal penalties for drivers who kill someone in a hit and run if they had a prior DUI at the time of the fatal crash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Having lost my granddaughter to a repeat drunk driver, this is personal. No family should have to endure what mine has, or what has happened to the Levi family,” said Archuleta, according to the statement announcing the bill signing. “Thank you to Governor Newsom for taking bold action to support families that have been devastated by drunk drivers. These are preventable tragedies. Nothing will ever bring my Samantha back or bring Braun back to the Levi family, but in signing SB 907 California is finally stepping up for victims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other bills the governor signed included one from Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Democrat from Burbank. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1546\">That new law\u003c/a> will allow prosecutors to charge a third DUI within 10 years as a felony. Previously, it wasn’t until a fourth DUI that law enforcement could seek the stiffer charges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed into law two bills from Assemblymember Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale who spent years working as a California Highway Patrol officer before joining the Legislature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1685\">increases the points\u003c/a> that most drivers convicted of killing someone while driving drunk get on their license from two to three. The bill initially would have increased the points for all vehicular manslaughter convictions and not just those involving intoxication, but it was watered down during the session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081739\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081739\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The DMV has asked for $55 million to share its driver license data to a national organization. Advocates say the move could endanger unauthorized immigrants. Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot in central Fresno on Dec. 13, 2022. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lackey’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1687\">other successful bill\u003c/a> requires the DMV to revoke a driver’s license for six years if they drive drunk and hurt someone after having four prior DUIs. While the bills do increase penalties for drunk driving, several road safety measures failed this session as the state grapples with a more than \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/10/california-dui-failure/\">50% increase\u003c/a> in alcohol-related roadway deaths over the past decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One measure that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/california-lawmakers-gut-major-dui-reform/\">notably failed\u003c/a> would have required first-time DUI offenders to install in-car breathalyzers. Most states have such a requirement, but California only mandates the devices for repeat offenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a signing statement accompanying one of the bills, Newsom referenced his office’s work on that failed bill saying that “the Legislature should return to that broader effort next year” and work on “comprehensive, long-term framework for DUI sanctions” that are clear and consistent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jennifer Levi says she’ll continue pushing the Legislature to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m ready to keep fighting, there’s more work to be done,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/09/california-new-dui-laws-2026/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A CalMatters investigation has found the state has some of the weakest DUI laws in the nation.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790373957,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 954
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Signs 4 New California DUI Laws. Advocates Want More Next Session | KQED",
"description": "A CalMatters investigation has found the state has some of the weakest DUI laws in the nation.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Signs 4 New California DUI Laws. Advocates Want More Next Session",
"datePublished": "2026-09-27T10:00:54-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-25T15:05:57-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101475/newsom-signs-4-new-california-dui-laws-advocates-want-more-next-session",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> on Friday signed into law four bills aimed at curbing a startling rise in DUI fatalities in recent years, including measures that make it easier to charge repeat drunk drivers with a felony and, if they kill someone, with murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation follows \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/series/license-to-kill/\">a CalMatters series\u003c/a> that revealed the state was unable — or unwilling — to get dangerous drivers off the road before it was too late. Many kept driving recklessly even after killing someone, and some even killed again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills were the last ones standing from an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/02/california-lawmakers-unveil-driver-safety-reforms/\">initial package\u003c/a> of 17 aimed at addressing traffic deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most failed in the face of fierce opposition from progressive groups that argued increasing enforcement and penalties will disproportionately harm low-income and historically marginalized residents, and are not the best way to address traffic safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some of the bills that passed were pared back during the legislative process, the new laws still notably increase potential penalties for repeat DUI offenders in a state that’s historically had some of the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/10/california-dui-failure/\">weakest DUI laws\u003c/a> in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that four bills got through to the finish line leaves me very hopeful that California is ready for change and sees the need to make the state safer,” said Jennifer Levi, whose 18-year-old son Braun was killed in May 2025 by a suspected drunk driver with a prior DUI arrest. “I have mixed emotions. My victory is the result of losing a child and I’d do anything in the world to have my son back alive with our family. But I cannot let this happen to other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101479\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/011226-DUI-Bills-Presser-MG-CM-13-1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennifer Levi addresses the media during a press conference at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Feb. 12, 2026. Levi recounted how her son, Braun Levi, was killed by a drunk driver in May of 2025. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Levi became a fierce road safety advocate after her son’s death, working with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and pushing state leaders to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She partnered with state Sen. Bob Archuleta, a Democrat from Norwalk \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb907\">on a bill\u003c/a> to significantly increase criminal penalties for repeat drunk drivers. Archuleta’s own granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. Levi said Newsom and his wife came to her home recently to mark the signing of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A photo, showing the smiling first couple along with Archuleta and Levi in her dining room, was included with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/25/governor-newsom-signs-brauns-law-and-package-of-bills-to-crack-down-on-dui-offenders/\">the bill signing announcement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The resulting law will make it easier to charge drunk drivers with murder if they have a prior DUI arrest – which had been difficult if the previous DUI charge had been pled down to a lesser crime.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100741",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The law will also increase the criminal penalties for drivers who kill someone in a hit and run if they had a prior DUI at the time of the fatal crash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Having lost my granddaughter to a repeat drunk driver, this is personal. No family should have to endure what mine has, or what has happened to the Levi family,” said Archuleta, according to the statement announcing the bill signing. “Thank you to Governor Newsom for taking bold action to support families that have been devastated by drunk drivers. These are preventable tragedies. Nothing will ever bring my Samantha back or bring Braun back to the Levi family, but in signing SB 907 California is finally stepping up for victims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other bills the governor signed included one from Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Democrat from Burbank. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1546\">That new law\u003c/a> will allow prosecutors to charge a third DUI within 10 years as a felony. Previously, it wasn’t until a fourth DUI that law enforcement could seek the stiffer charges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom also signed into law two bills from Assemblymember Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale who spent years working as a California Highway Patrol officer before joining the Legislature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1685\">increases the points\u003c/a> that most drivers convicted of killing someone while driving drunk get on their license from two to three. The bill initially would have increased the points for all vehicular manslaughter convictions and not just those involving intoxication, but it was watered down during the session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081739\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081739\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/DMVCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The DMV has asked for $55 million to share its driver license data to a national organization. Advocates say the move could endanger unauthorized immigrants. Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot in central Fresno on Dec. 13, 2022. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lackey’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1687\">other successful bill\u003c/a> requires the DMV to revoke a driver’s license for six years if they drive drunk and hurt someone after having four prior DUIs. While the bills do increase penalties for drunk driving, several road safety measures failed this session as the state grapples with a more than \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/10/california-dui-failure/\">50% increase\u003c/a> in alcohol-related roadway deaths over the past decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One measure that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/california-lawmakers-gut-major-dui-reform/\">notably failed\u003c/a> would have required first-time DUI offenders to install in-car breathalyzers. Most states have such a requirement, but California only mandates the devices for repeat offenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a signing statement accompanying one of the bills, Newsom referenced his office’s work on that failed bill saying that “the Legislature should return to that broader effort next year” and work on “comprehensive, long-term framework for DUI sanctions” that are clear and consistent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jennifer Levi says she’ll continue pushing the Legislature to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m ready to keep fighting, there’s more work to be done,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/09/california-new-dui-laws-2026/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101475/newsom-signs-4-new-california-dui-laws-advocates-want-more-next-session",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101475"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_6188",
"news_8",
"news_1397"
],
"tags": [
"news_913",
"news_2704",
"news_36095",
"news_36096",
"news_16",
"news_35836",
"news_20517"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101161",
"label": "source_news_12101475"
},
"news_12101476": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101476",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101476",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790445657000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "cities-often-squabble-over-homelessness-a-new-california-law-forces-one-community-to-try-something-different",
"title": "Cities Often Squabble Over Homelessness. A New California Law Forces One Community to Try Something Different",
"publishDate": 1790445657,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Cities Often Squabble Over Homelessness. A New California Law Forces One Community to Try Something Different | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 18481,
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislature is forcing the city and county of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento\">Sacramento\u003c/a> to try something unusual in their fight against homelessness, and both critics and supporters of the controversial plan say it could have broad implications for the rest of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb802\">Senate Bill 802\u003c/a> on Sunday, which requires Sacramento, as well as all smaller cities within the county, to coordinate and form a joint powers authority that will lead the region’s homelessness response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness does not stop at jurisdictional boundaries,” Newsom wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sign-msg-SB-802.pdf\">signing message\u003c/a>, “and no city or county can solve this crisis alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A joint powers authority is a public partnership where two or more local governments or agencies team up to jointly manage something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Sacramento, the idea is that this new framework will allow the cities and county to better communicate and work together on homelessness – hopefully leading to more people getting off the streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters say it’s a no-brainer, and they hope it will be an example to fix an age-old problem playing out in regions across the state: Cities and counties must work well together to effectively address homelessness, but they often don’t. On the other hand, opponents say forcing local governments to work together sets a bad precedent: Cooperation works best if it’s voluntary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062672\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062672\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, this new experiment in co-governance is highly atypical for a number of reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For one thing, this appears to be the first time the California Legislature has forced anyone to form a joint powers authority. Typically, those agreements are voluntary. In Sacramento, local jurisdictions chafing under this new mandate worry the new law will embolden the Legislature to do this again in other regions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This would be unprecedented, so it could have ramifications in 57 other counties,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who opposes the legislation. The county is threatening to sue the state to stop its implementation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, while it’s not uncommon for local governments to form joint powers authorities to manage other things that cross city boundaries — such as sewers or public transit — it’s very rare for this type of structure to govern a region’s homelessness response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, there were only \u003ca href=\"https://records.cityofsacramento.org/ViewDoc.aspx?ID=s6tFBnt4W+JMwYxfWbaMShVZ45n8cfdC\">three examples\u003c/a> in all of California, according to Joe Colletti, chief executive officer of the nonprofit research organization HUB for Urban Initiatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most well-known is the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/05/la-homeless-agency/\">Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority\u003c/a>, which recently has been \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/lahsa-bows-out-federal-roles-including-homeless-count-annual\">reduced\u003c/a> to a shell of its former self as a result of one headline-making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">crisis\u003c/a> after \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">another\u003c/a>. In the rest of the state, a region’s homelessness response usually is led by a county or nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Squabbling between cities and counties\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This legislation was controversial from the beginning. It took \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/angelique-ashby-165434\">Sen. Angelique Ashby\u003c/a>, a Democrat from Sacramento and former city councilmember, two years of tense negotiations and multiple amendments to get it across the finish line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final version allows the county and participating cities to keep control of their own funds, rather than pooling everything together — a major sticking point for the local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sacramento region needed this legislation, Ashby argued during a recent committee hearing, because its various agencies have eight boards and nearly 90 board members working separately on homelessness without coordinating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result is duplicated and inconsistent services, leaving people who are homeless in Sacramento County with no idea where they should go for help, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[aside postID=news_12100741 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg']\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a problem the city and county have tried to fix for more than two decades. In 2010, the county board of supervisors and city council approved resolutions that supported creating a joint powers authority, but it didn’t happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two separate grand jury reports, one in 2019 and another in 2023, said the region’s homelessness response was dysfunctional and recommended better coordination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hardly an issue unique to Sacramento. Across California, cities typically provide shelter beds, while counties are responsible for the other services homeless residents need, such as mental health and addiction treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because counties receive state funding for social services, and cities don’t. So, neither can effectively address homelessness unless they work together. But, frequently, they don’t. Instead, they \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/05/la-homeless-agency/\">often squabble\u003c/a> over who should pay for what, and who isn’t doing their fair share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fighting between neighboring cities is common, too. As unhoused people move across city lines, local governments argue over who should have to provide shelter beds and other resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a major frustration for former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. His constituents saw people on the street in mental health crisis, suffering. Voters demanded he do something, but his hands were largely tied, he said, as he had no control over the county’s mental health services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was just a major gulf between my accountability to the people and my authority to be able to actually make the difference that the people expected,” Steinberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101493\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101493\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-938822306-scaled-e1790376038997.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1321\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg speaks to members of the media about the investigation of the shooting death of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, California on March 27, 2018. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>During his time in office, which ended in 2024, Steinberg negotiated a partnership between the city and the county. But it lacked a governance structure that would have forced them to make decisions together. That’s the missing piece that this law brings to the table, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the new law, the city and county of Sacramento, as well as Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Folsom, have until January 2028 to finalize their joint powers authority. They recently convened a joint task force of elected officials, and have started working together on homelessness issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s some lingering tension. While the city of Sacramento is on board with the legislation, the county and the city of Folsom are opposed. Neither is against the idea of collaboration, but they don’t like that it’s being forced upon them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an unnecessary cost,” county Supervisor Kennedy said. “It’s an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, it’s an unnecessary burden that’s just going to slow down processes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staffing and running the new joint powers authority is expected to have an annual price tag of anywhere between the mid-hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the low millions, according to a Senate analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Examples in Los Angeles and Solano counties\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As the Sacramento region gears up to create this new power structure, it has two main examples it can turn to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One, in Los Angeles, is a cautionary tale. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a joint powers authority between the city and county, was the target of recent audits criticizing its handling of homelessness funds. A downward spiral followed. LA County pulled its funding from the authority and the Trump administration now is prosecuting homeless services providers that it alleges \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">misused money from the agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kennedy said the parallels between LA and Sacramento’s new agency worry him “very much,” and clearly show that a joint powers authority is hardly a panacea for homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Steinberg believes the new Sacramento agency can do better. The LA agency didn’t have enough authority, and as a result, the city and county weren’t governing effectively together, he said. He hopes that will be different in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101495\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12101495 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2286687889-scaled-e1790376676446.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles, CA – July 22: Skid Row in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The area spans approximately 50 blocks and has the highest density of homeless people in the country. \u003ccite>(Hans Gutknecht-The Los Angeles Daily News/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The other example Sacramento leaders can turn to is in Solano County, which created the current version of its joint powers authority in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local leaders pushed for a collaborative agency after hearing reports that other cities were dropping off their homeless residents at parking lots in Fairfield, assuming that services would be available because it’s the county seat, said Doriss Panduro, a Fairfield city councilmember and chair of the joint powers authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the authority is made up of two elected officials from each city and the county, and they meet once a month to discuss how to spend money and how many people are receiving services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a big undertaking,” Panduro said. “We started the work in 2021, 2022, and here we are four years later just getting paid staff on board. It’s been a big lift.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, it’s been worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, the county and all the cities involved in the joint powers authority applied together for state funding to clear one encampment along a flood control basin in Vallejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though Vallejo would be the only city to get that money, it arguably would benefit everyone since it targets the largest encampment in the county, Panduro said. And Vallejo wouldn’t have had the resources to manage the state grant without the support of everyone else, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness is such a big issue, and I think finding an out-of-the-box way to approach it, for me, I can only say it’s a positive,” she said. “Everyone felt like we had been doing the same things over and over and nothing was changing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/sacramento-county-city-jpa-homelessness/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "New legislation forces the city and county of Sacramento to collaborate on homelessness. Stakeholders say it could have repercussions California-wide.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790376977,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 44,
"wordCount": 1616
},
"headData": {
"title": "Cities Often Squabble Over Homelessness. A New California Law Forces One Community to Try Something Different | KQED",
"description": "New legislation forces the city and county of Sacramento to collaborate on homelessness. Stakeholders say it could have repercussions California-wide.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Cities Often Squabble Over Homelessness. A New California Law Forces One Community to Try Something Different",
"datePublished": "2026-09-26T11:00:57-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-25T15:56:17-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 6266,
"slug": "housing",
"name": "Housing"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Marisa Kendall, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101476/cities-often-squabble-over-homelessness-a-new-california-law-forces-one-community-to-try-something-different",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislature is forcing the city and county of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento\">Sacramento\u003c/a> to try something unusual in their fight against homelessness, and both critics and supporters of the controversial plan say it could have broad implications for the rest of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb802\">Senate Bill 802\u003c/a> on Sunday, which requires Sacramento, as well as all smaller cities within the county, to coordinate and form a joint powers authority that will lead the region’s homelessness response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness does not stop at jurisdictional boundaries,” Newsom wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sign-msg-SB-802.pdf\">signing message\u003c/a>, “and no city or county can solve this crisis alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A joint powers authority is a public partnership where two or more local governments or agencies team up to jointly manage something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Sacramento, the idea is that this new framework will allow the cities and county to better communicate and work together on homelessness – hopefully leading to more people getting off the streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters say it’s a no-brainer, and they hope it will be an example to fix an age-old problem playing out in regions across the state: Cities and counties must work well together to effectively address homelessness, but they often don’t. On the other hand, opponents say forcing local governments to work together sets a bad precedent: Cooperation works best if it’s voluntary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062672\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062672\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-44-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, this new experiment in co-governance is highly atypical for a number of reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For one thing, this appears to be the first time the California Legislature has forced anyone to form a joint powers authority. Typically, those agreements are voluntary. In Sacramento, local jurisdictions chafing under this new mandate worry the new law will embolden the Legislature to do this again in other regions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This would be unprecedented, so it could have ramifications in 57 other counties,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who opposes the legislation. The county is threatening to sue the state to stop its implementation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, while it’s not uncommon for local governments to form joint powers authorities to manage other things that cross city boundaries — such as sewers or public transit — it’s very rare for this type of structure to govern a region’s homelessness response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, there were only \u003ca href=\"https://records.cityofsacramento.org/ViewDoc.aspx?ID=s6tFBnt4W+JMwYxfWbaMShVZ45n8cfdC\">three examples\u003c/a> in all of California, according to Joe Colletti, chief executive officer of the nonprofit research organization HUB for Urban Initiatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most well-known is the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/05/la-homeless-agency/\">Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority\u003c/a>, which recently has been \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/lahsa-bows-out-federal-roles-including-homeless-count-annual\">reduced\u003c/a> to a shell of its former self as a result of one headline-making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">crisis\u003c/a> after \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">another\u003c/a>. In the rest of the state, a region’s homelessness response usually is led by a county or nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Squabbling between cities and counties\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This legislation was controversial from the beginning. It took \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/angelique-ashby-165434\">Sen. Angelique Ashby\u003c/a>, a Democrat from Sacramento and former city councilmember, two years of tense negotiations and multiple amendments to get it across the finish line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The final version allows the county and participating cities to keep control of their own funds, rather than pooling everything together — a major sticking point for the local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sacramento region needed this legislation, Ashby argued during a recent committee hearing, because its various agencies have eight boards and nearly 90 board members working separately on homelessness without coordinating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result is duplicated and inconsistent services, leaving people who are homeless in Sacramento County with no idea where they should go for help, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100741",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a problem the city and county have tried to fix for more than two decades. In 2010, the county board of supervisors and city council approved resolutions that supported creating a joint powers authority, but it didn’t happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two separate grand jury reports, one in 2019 and another in 2023, said the region’s homelessness response was dysfunctional and recommended better coordination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hardly an issue unique to Sacramento. Across California, cities typically provide shelter beds, while counties are responsible for the other services homeless residents need, such as mental health and addiction treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because counties receive state funding for social services, and cities don’t. So, neither can effectively address homelessness unless they work together. But, frequently, they don’t. Instead, they \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/05/la-homeless-agency/\">often squabble\u003c/a> over who should pay for what, and who isn’t doing their fair share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fighting between neighboring cities is common, too. As unhoused people move across city lines, local governments argue over who should have to provide shelter beds and other resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a major frustration for former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. His constituents saw people on the street in mental health crisis, suffering. Voters demanded he do something, but his hands were largely tied, he said, as he had no control over the county’s mental health services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was just a major gulf between my accountability to the people and my authority to be able to actually make the difference that the people expected,” Steinberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101493\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101493\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-938822306-scaled-e1790376038997.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1321\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg speaks to members of the media about the investigation of the shooting death of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, California on March 27, 2018. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>During his time in office, which ended in 2024, Steinberg negotiated a partnership between the city and the county. But it lacked a governance structure that would have forced them to make decisions together. That’s the missing piece that this law brings to the table, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the new law, the city and county of Sacramento, as well as Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Folsom, have until January 2028 to finalize their joint powers authority. They recently convened a joint task force of elected officials, and have started working together on homelessness issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s some lingering tension. While the city of Sacramento is on board with the legislation, the county and the city of Folsom are opposed. Neither is against the idea of collaboration, but they don’t like that it’s being forced upon them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an unnecessary cost,” county Supervisor Kennedy said. “It’s an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, it’s an unnecessary burden that’s just going to slow down processes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staffing and running the new joint powers authority is expected to have an annual price tag of anywhere between the mid-hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the low millions, according to a Senate analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Examples in Los Angeles and Solano counties\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As the Sacramento region gears up to create this new power structure, it has two main examples it can turn to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One, in Los Angeles, is a cautionary tale. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a joint powers authority between the city and county, was the target of recent audits criticizing its handling of homelessness funds. A downward spiral followed. LA County pulled its funding from the authority and the Trump administration now is prosecuting homeless services providers that it alleges \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">misused money from the agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kennedy said the parallels between LA and Sacramento’s new agency worry him “very much,” and clearly show that a joint powers authority is hardly a panacea for homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Steinberg believes the new Sacramento agency can do better. The LA agency didn’t have enough authority, and as a result, the city and county weren’t governing effectively together, he said. He hopes that will be different in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101495\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12101495 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2286687889-scaled-e1790376676446.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles, CA – July 22: Skid Row in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The area spans approximately 50 blocks and has the highest density of homeless people in the country. \u003ccite>(Hans Gutknecht-The Los Angeles Daily News/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The other example Sacramento leaders can turn to is in Solano County, which created the current version of its joint powers authority in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local leaders pushed for a collaborative agency after hearing reports that other cities were dropping off their homeless residents at parking lots in Fairfield, assuming that services would be available because it’s the county seat, said Doriss Panduro, a Fairfield city councilmember and chair of the joint powers authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the authority is made up of two elected officials from each city and the county, and they meet once a month to discuss how to spend money and how many people are receiving services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a big undertaking,” Panduro said. “We started the work in 2021, 2022, and here we are four years later just getting paid staff on board. It’s been a big lift.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, it’s been worth it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, the county and all the cities involved in the joint powers authority applied together for state funding to clear one encampment along a flood control basin in Vallejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though Vallejo would be the only city to get that money, it arguably would benefit everyone since it targets the largest encampment in the county, Panduro said. And Vallejo wouldn’t have had the resources to manage the state grant without the support of everyone else, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness is such a big issue, and I think finding an out-of-the-box way to approach it, for me, I can only say it’s a positive,” she said. “Everyone felt like we had been doing the same things over and over and nothing was changing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/sacramento-county-city-jpa-homelessness/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101476/cities-often-squabble-over-homelessness-a-new-california-law-forces-one-community-to-try-something-different",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101476"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_16",
"news_4020",
"news_1775",
"news_95"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101482",
"label": "news_18481"
},
"news_12101122": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101122",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101122",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790200804000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"title": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft",
"publishDate": 1790200804,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal and county law enforcement announced charges Wednesday against three people in a widening investigation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/homelessness\">homelessness\u003c/a> services fraud in the L.A. area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/bill-essayli-federal-charges-homelessness-homekey\">\u003cu>charged\u003c/u>\u003c/a> three \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>other people\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and said they plan to bring “many more” cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Wednesday’s announcement at a news conference, authorities alleged a bribery scheme built on “ghost” clients illustrates a yearslong problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody was minding the shop,” the region’s top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, told reporters in response to a question from LAist. “There’s no vetting. There’s no auditing. There’s no accounting. It was just a rush to push as much money out the door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the charges?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Authorities arrested Michael Young — founder of the Culver City nonprofit Home At Last — and accused him of using shell companies and fake bids to misappropriate $12 million in taxpayer funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The allegations include siphoning $1 million into a high-end nightclub, a nearly $50,000 trip to Tahiti and a $140,000 restoration of a vintage Chevy Impala.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Turner, the U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, said Young’s group received more than $118 million in public dollars for homeless housing since 2019 — over $75 million of it through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee, Scott Turner, testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. \u003ccite>(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new cases allege about $12 million in misappropriated funds — almost all of it by Young.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bribery charges are against Lakiya Malone, an employee of the nonprofit Special Service for Groups, or SSG, who was responsible for referring homeless people to housing funded by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say Malone took roughly $180,000 in bribes from Alexander Soofer, head of the now-defunct nonprofit Abundant Blessings, and in exchange steered him “ghost” participants — so he could bill for services never rendered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was supposed to guard the money, and instead she took bribes,” Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Special Service for Groups said it has been working with federal prosecutors “to ensure that any responsible individuals are held accountable” and has strengthened its “protocols and compliance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charges against Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>were announced in January\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. Authorities announced Wednesday that he has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28652149-alex-soofer-plea-agreement/#document/p46/a2829674\">\u003cu>admitted in his plea agreement\u003c/u>\u003c/a> to the alleged bribery scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085155\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Hollywood Courthouse, in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2025. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, Soofer also admitted to “pocketing at least $2 million in taxpayer money for his own personal enrichment and for businesses unrelated to homeless housing,” and that he has agreed to forfeit the money to the U.S. government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously alleged he diverted a much larger amount: at least $10 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/la-homeless-nonprofit-soofer\">\u003cu>An LAist investigation found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority kept awarding millions in contract renewals to Soofer’s group even after the authority’s own compliance team labeled it “high-risk” for, among other things, billing for services while reporting no enrolled participants.[aside postID=news_12096431 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260127-SUPERBOWLHOMELESSNESS-13-BL-KQED.jpg']The third defendant announced Wednesday is Donye Mitchell of the nonprofit Big Blue Umbrella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is accused of lying about his experience to land a $1.2 million county-funded grant, receiving $315,000 and using those funds for personal expenses, including bail for a domestic violence arrest and video games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is “a convicted fraudster, by the way,” Essayli said. He was convicted in 2011 of defrauding California unemployment benefits, according to the criminal complaint in the new case, and was ordered in 2012 to compensate the state $6 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county funds he’s accused of stealing were awarded by a county vendor in 2024 — well after his fraud conviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAist has left phone messages for Young’s and Malone’s lawyers inviting their response to the charges and will update this article if they provide comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is unknown who is representing Mitchell, whose arrest authorities announced after Wednesday’s news conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prosecutors’ critique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Essayli and L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman criticized what they called a glaring lack of oversight of massive spending on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hochman cited \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/audit-homeless-carter-lahsa\">\u003cu>a court-ordered 2025 report\u003c/u>\u003c/a> that found L.A. city officials failed to properly track $2.3 billion in homeless funds, largely by outsourcing to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — which the review found failed to collect accurate data on its vendors and hold them accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11954914\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11954914\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg\" alt=\"Tents line a paved road near a sidewalk. A bicycle is on its side in front of a gray and navy tent with a blue tarp covering its roof. Scattered belongings and cardboard boxes cover the spaces between each tent. A city bus is seen driving in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The city of Los Angeles relocated a large homeless camp in the Beverly Grove area, next to Beverly Hills, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui/SIPA USA via Reuters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We have not seen the results you would expect for billions of dollars being spent,” Hochman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the beginning of these prosecutions,” he added. ”Many more” are expected in the coming months, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Nick Gerda as a reporter for CalMatters. Gerda reports on alleged financial corruption for LAist. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Federal and local prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching the books at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority?",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790266652,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 30,
"wordCount": 933
},
"headData": {
"title": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft | KQED",
"description": "Federal and local prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching the books at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority?",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft",
"datePublished": "2026-09-23T15:00:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-24T09:17:32-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Nick Gerda, LAist",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101122",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101122/1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal and county law enforcement announced charges Wednesday against three people in a widening investigation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/homelessness\">homelessness\u003c/a> services fraud in the L.A. area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/bill-essayli-federal-charges-homelessness-homekey\">\u003cu>charged\u003c/u>\u003c/a> three \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>other people\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and said they plan to bring “many more” cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Wednesday’s announcement at a news conference, authorities alleged a bribery scheme built on “ghost” clients illustrates a yearslong problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody was minding the shop,” the region’s top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, told reporters in response to a question from LAist. “There’s no vetting. There’s no auditing. There’s no accounting. It was just a rush to push as much money out the door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the charges?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Authorities arrested Michael Young — founder of the Culver City nonprofit Home At Last — and accused him of using shell companies and fake bids to misappropriate $12 million in taxpayer funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The allegations include siphoning $1 million into a high-end nightclub, a nearly $50,000 trip to Tahiti and a $140,000 restoration of a vintage Chevy Impala.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Turner, the U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, said Young’s group received more than $118 million in public dollars for homeless housing since 2019 — over $75 million of it through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee, Scott Turner, testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. \u003ccite>(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new cases allege about $12 million in misappropriated funds — almost all of it by Young.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bribery charges are against Lakiya Malone, an employee of the nonprofit Special Service for Groups, or SSG, who was responsible for referring homeless people to housing funded by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say Malone took roughly $180,000 in bribes from Alexander Soofer, head of the now-defunct nonprofit Abundant Blessings, and in exchange steered him “ghost” participants — so he could bill for services never rendered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was supposed to guard the money, and instead she took bribes,” Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Special Service for Groups said it has been working with federal prosecutors “to ensure that any responsible individuals are held accountable” and has strengthened its “protocols and compliance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charges against Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>were announced in January\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. Authorities announced Wednesday that he has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28652149-alex-soofer-plea-agreement/#document/p46/a2829674\">\u003cu>admitted in his plea agreement\u003c/u>\u003c/a> to the alleged bribery scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085155\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Hollywood Courthouse, in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2025. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, Soofer also admitted to “pocketing at least $2 million in taxpayer money for his own personal enrichment and for businesses unrelated to homeless housing,” and that he has agreed to forfeit the money to the U.S. government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously alleged he diverted a much larger amount: at least $10 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/la-homeless-nonprofit-soofer\">\u003cu>An LAist investigation found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority kept awarding millions in contract renewals to Soofer’s group even after the authority’s own compliance team labeled it “high-risk” for, among other things, billing for services while reporting no enrolled participants.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12096431",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260127-SUPERBOWLHOMELESSNESS-13-BL-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The third defendant announced Wednesday is Donye Mitchell of the nonprofit Big Blue Umbrella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is accused of lying about his experience to land a $1.2 million county-funded grant, receiving $315,000 and using those funds for personal expenses, including bail for a domestic violence arrest and video games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is “a convicted fraudster, by the way,” Essayli said. He was convicted in 2011 of defrauding California unemployment benefits, according to the criminal complaint in the new case, and was ordered in 2012 to compensate the state $6 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county funds he’s accused of stealing were awarded by a county vendor in 2024 — well after his fraud conviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAist has left phone messages for Young’s and Malone’s lawyers inviting their response to the charges and will update this article if they provide comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is unknown who is representing Mitchell, whose arrest authorities announced after Wednesday’s news conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prosecutors’ critique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Essayli and L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman criticized what they called a glaring lack of oversight of massive spending on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hochman cited \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/audit-homeless-carter-lahsa\">\u003cu>a court-ordered 2025 report\u003c/u>\u003c/a> that found L.A. city officials failed to properly track $2.3 billion in homeless funds, largely by outsourcing to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — which the review found failed to collect accurate data on its vendors and hold them accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11954914\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11954914\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg\" alt=\"Tents line a paved road near a sidewalk. A bicycle is on its side in front of a gray and navy tent with a blue tarp covering its roof. Scattered belongings and cardboard boxes cover the spaces between each tent. A city bus is seen driving in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The city of Los Angeles relocated a large homeless camp in the Beverly Grove area, next to Beverly Hills, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui/SIPA USA via Reuters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We have not seen the results you would expect for billions of dollars being spent,” Hochman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the beginning of these prosecutions,” he added. ”Many more” are expected in the coming months, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Nick Gerda as a reporter for CalMatters. Gerda reports on alleged financial corruption for LAist. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101122/1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101122"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_23052",
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_4500"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101124",
"label": "source_news_12101122"
},
"news_12101109": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101109",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101109",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790197219000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "anti-abortion-advocates-say-its-possible-to-reverse-an-abortion-california-wants-them-to-stop",
"title": "Anti-Abortion Advocates Say It’s Possible to ‘Reverse’ an Abortion. California Wants Them to Stop",
"publishDate": 1790197219,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Anti-Abortion Advocates Say It’s Possible to ‘Reverse’ an Abortion. California Wants Them to Stop | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> is suing two Christian anti-abortion nonprofits over a disputed treatment the groups call “abortion pill reversal” in a case that could reshape the nation’s ongoing battle over abortion rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An Alameda County judge heard six weeks of arguments in the case, and will ultimately decide whether the First Amendment shields two anti-abortion groups that promote a disputed hormone treatment, or whether their claims violate false advertising laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/09/california-sues-crisis-pregnancy-centers-abortion-reversal/\">Attorney General Rob Bonta filed the complaint against Heartbeat International, Inc.\u003c/a>, a national anti-abortion group, and RealOptions Obria, a chain of Northern California anti-abortion clinics, in 2023 for promoting “abortion pill reversal” services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s lawyers argue there is no way to reverse a medication abortion and that the treatment touted by the groups is unproven and potentially dangerous. The state is seeking $20 million in penalties under California’s false advertising and unfair competition laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heartbeat International and RealOptions counter that thousands of women bore healthy children after using their services and that their work is protected speech. Heartbeat runs the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, a hotline that connects callers with local providers who give patients high-dose progesterone in an attempt to counteract the abortion pill. Heartbeat has more than 90 affiliates in California, including RealOptions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12015956\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12015956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An exam room at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties’ health center. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Deputy Attorney General Erica Connolly accused the groups of taking advantage of “individuals in emotional turmoil.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those individuals need accurate information, but accurate information is not what the defendants provide,” she said. “Instead, they tout false hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defendants contend that “abortion pill reversal” services are free, so false advertising law doesn’t apply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defense attorney Paul Jonna said the state cannot prove anyone was harmed by the services and called it an “an ideological campaign disguised as consumer fraud prosecution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal appeals court reached a similar conclusion in a New York case, finding that the state’s false advertising law did not apply because \u003ca href=\"https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/gkpllyxgkpb/NIFLA-James-Ruling.pdf\">“abortion pill reversal” was not commercial speech\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is “abortion pill reversal?”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Medication abortion typically involves two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, taken 24 to 48 hours apart. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed to sustain pregnancy, while misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, expelling its contents similar to a miscarriage, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/10/medication-abortion-up-to-70-days-of-gestation\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a>, the nation’s leading maternal health medical group. Nearly two-thirds of all abortions are medication abortions, the Guttmacher Institute reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heartbeat and its affiliates claim mifepristone’s effects can be counteracted by high doses of progesterone. The group says more than 8,000 pregnancies nationwide have continued after clients have taken additional progesterone, claiming a success rate between 64% to 68%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jonna said defense witnesses, including women who sought to reverse their abortions, testified that they never felt “harmed, deceived or misled,” and that no consumer has ever filed a complaint against the groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11958413\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2153px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11958413\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd.jpg\" alt=\"A person's hand drops a white pill into their other hand.\" width=\"2153\" height=\"1615\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd.jpg 2153w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2153px) 100vw, 2153px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A patient prepares to take the first of 2 combination pills, mifepristone, for a medication abortion during a visit to a clinic. \u003ccite>(Charlie Riedel/The Associated Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The state argues the groups should not be allowed to make definitive statements about the safety or effectiveness of “abortion pill reversal” when there is no credible scientific evidence to support it. The two studies most often cited by reversal proponents have been dismissed by medical groups, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/medication-abortion-reversal-is-not-supported-by-science\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1805927\">New England Journal of Medicine\u003c/a>, as having very little merit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They are welcome to talk about (“abortion pill reversal”). They’re just not allowed to lie about it,” Connolly said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taking both pills safely ends pregnancy 95% to 98% of the time, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and multiple independent studies. Those who take only the first pill and not the second will continue pregnancy about 50% of the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>California’s struggle to regulate anti-abortion clinics\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>RealOptions is a crisis pregnancy center, typically a religiously affiliated organization opposed to abortion that may offer clinical services like ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion clinics in California more than five to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics say they mislead women who are seeking abortions. Supporters say they offer an alternative to women with unplanned pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/06/crisis-pregnancy-centers-california/\">struggled to regulate the centers\u003c/a>. In 2018, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-1140_5368.pdf\">U.S. Supreme Court struck down a state law\u003c/a> requiring reproductive health centers, including crisis pregnancy centers, to notify clients about abortion and birth control options, and requiring unlicensed centers to tell clients they were not medical facilities. The court found \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-1140_5368.pdf\">the law violated the First Amendment\u003c/a>’s freedom of speech protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women speak outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Napa on Nov. 4, 2022, about the dangers of abortion and birth control. She distributes pamphlets and refers people to the Napa Women’s Center, a facility next door opened by faith-based non-profit Napa Valley Culture of LIfe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Reproductive rights scholar Mary Ziegler, who is not involved in the litigation, said the outcome hinges on how the speech is classified. The First Amendment protects different kinds of speech to varying degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Is it political and religious speech? Is it commercial speech, which enjoys less protection? Is it just conduct?” she said, adding that crisis pregnancy centers are a legal gray area, because they present themselves as religious advocacy organizations while often behaving like medical providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2nd \u003ca href=\"https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/OPN/24-2481_opn.pdf\">U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals\u003c/a> sided with defendants in the New York case, ruling that “abortion pill reversal” statements were protected under the constitution because they are “religiously and morally motivated.”[aside postID=news_12101078 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260414-CHEVRON-FLARE-TH-KQED.jpg']Last month, a Kansas state district court judge struck down several anti-abortion restrictions, including a \u003ca href=\"https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/failed-kansas-ballot-measure-another-victory-reproductive-rights\">requirement for abortion providers to talk about “abortion pill reversal” with patients\u003c/a>, finding that the law violated women’s right to bodily autonomy under state law partially because they were forced to listen to “unproven” statements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ziegler said even if California loses its “abortion pill reversal” case, abortion rights advocates might still count it as a long-term win.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the world we live in says, you know, you have a protected right to tell patients things that are potentially dangerous to them, then that’s going to raise public concerns anyway,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judge Patrick McKinney has three months to make a ruling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2026/09/california-abortion-pill-reversal-lawsuit/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Anti-abortion advocates promote a disputed hormonal treatment as a way to reverse the effects of the abortion pill. State lawyers say there’s no credible evidence backing those claims and accuse advocates of false advertising.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790212849,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 30,
"wordCount": 1157
},
"headData": {
"title": "Anti-Abortion Advocates Say It’s Possible to ‘Reverse’ an Abortion. California Wants Them to Stop | KQED",
"description": "Anti-abortion advocates promote a disputed hormonal treatment as a way to reverse the effects of the abortion pill. State lawyers say there’s no credible evidence backing those claims and accuse advocates of false advertising.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Anti-Abortion Advocates Say It’s Possible to ‘Reverse’ an Abortion. California Wants Them to Stop",
"datePublished": "2026-09-23T14:00:19-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-23T18:20:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 457,
"slug": "health",
"name": "Health"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Kristen Hwang, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101109",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101109/anti-abortion-advocates-say-its-possible-to-reverse-an-abortion-california-wants-them-to-stop",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> is suing two Christian anti-abortion nonprofits over a disputed treatment the groups call “abortion pill reversal” in a case that could reshape the nation’s ongoing battle over abortion rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An Alameda County judge heard six weeks of arguments in the case, and will ultimately decide whether the First Amendment shields two anti-abortion groups that promote a disputed hormone treatment, or whether their claims violate false advertising laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/09/california-sues-crisis-pregnancy-centers-abortion-reversal/\">Attorney General Rob Bonta filed the complaint against Heartbeat International, Inc.\u003c/a>, a national anti-abortion group, and RealOptions Obria, a chain of Northern California anti-abortion clinics, in 2023 for promoting “abortion pill reversal” services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s lawyers argue there is no way to reverse a medication abortion and that the treatment touted by the groups is unproven and potentially dangerous. The state is seeking $20 million in penalties under California’s false advertising and unfair competition laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heartbeat International and RealOptions counter that thousands of women bore healthy children after using their services and that their work is protected speech. Heartbeat runs the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, a hotline that connects callers with local providers who give patients high-dose progesterone in an attempt to counteract the abortion pill. Heartbeat has more than 90 affiliates in California, including RealOptions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12015956\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12015956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/092722-RPE-L-ABORTION-BANG-CM-copy-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An exam room at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties’ health center. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Deputy Attorney General Erica Connolly accused the groups of taking advantage of “individuals in emotional turmoil.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those individuals need accurate information, but accurate information is not what the defendants provide,” she said. “Instead, they tout false hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defendants contend that “abortion pill reversal” services are free, so false advertising law doesn’t apply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Defense attorney Paul Jonna said the state cannot prove anyone was harmed by the services and called it an “an ideological campaign disguised as consumer fraud prosecution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal appeals court reached a similar conclusion in a New York case, finding that the state’s false advertising law did not apply because \u003ca href=\"https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/gkpllyxgkpb/NIFLA-James-Ruling.pdf\">“abortion pill reversal” was not commercial speech\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is “abortion pill reversal?”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Medication abortion typically involves two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, taken 24 to 48 hours apart. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed to sustain pregnancy, while misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, expelling its contents similar to a miscarriage, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/10/medication-abortion-up-to-70-days-of-gestation\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a>, the nation’s leading maternal health medical group. Nearly two-thirds of all abortions are medication abortions, the Guttmacher Institute reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heartbeat and its affiliates claim mifepristone’s effects can be counteracted by high doses of progesterone. The group says more than 8,000 pregnancies nationwide have continued after clients have taken additional progesterone, claiming a success rate between 64% to 68%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jonna said defense witnesses, including women who sought to reverse their abortions, testified that they never felt “harmed, deceived or misled,” and that no consumer has ever filed a complaint against the groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11958413\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2153px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11958413\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd.jpg\" alt=\"A person's hand drops a white pill into their other hand.\" width=\"2153\" height=\"1615\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd.jpg 2153w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/ap23228683282099-c9dd334946fd52c7c570f31016119b63675453fd-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2153px) 100vw, 2153px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A patient prepares to take the first of 2 combination pills, mifepristone, for a medication abortion during a visit to a clinic. \u003ccite>(Charlie Riedel/The Associated Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The state argues the groups should not be allowed to make definitive statements about the safety or effectiveness of “abortion pill reversal” when there is no credible scientific evidence to support it. The two studies most often cited by reversal proponents have been dismissed by medical groups, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/medication-abortion-reversal-is-not-supported-by-science\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1805927\">New England Journal of Medicine\u003c/a>, as having very little merit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They are welcome to talk about (“abortion pill reversal”). They’re just not allowed to lie about it,” Connolly said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taking both pills safely ends pregnancy 95% to 98% of the time, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and multiple independent studies. Those who take only the first pill and not the second will continue pregnancy about 50% of the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>California’s struggle to regulate anti-abortion clinics\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>RealOptions is a crisis pregnancy center, typically a religiously affiliated organization opposed to abortion that may offer clinical services like ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion clinics in California more than five to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics say they mislead women who are seeking abortions. Supporters say they offer an alternative to women with unplanned pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2023/06/crisis-pregnancy-centers-california/\">struggled to regulate the centers\u003c/a>. In 2018, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-1140_5368.pdf\">U.S. Supreme Court struck down a state law\u003c/a> requiring reproductive health centers, including crisis pregnancy centers, to notify clients about abortion and birth control options, and requiring unlicensed centers to tell clients they were not medical facilities. The court found \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-1140_5368.pdf\">the law violated the First Amendment\u003c/a>’s freedom of speech protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women speak outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Napa on Nov. 4, 2022, about the dangers of abortion and birth control. She distributes pamphlets and refers people to the Napa Women’s Center, a facility next door opened by faith-based non-profit Napa Valley Culture of LIfe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Reproductive rights scholar Mary Ziegler, who is not involved in the litigation, said the outcome hinges on how the speech is classified. The First Amendment protects different kinds of speech to varying degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Is it political and religious speech? Is it commercial speech, which enjoys less protection? Is it just conduct?” she said, adding that crisis pregnancy centers are a legal gray area, because they present themselves as religious advocacy organizations while often behaving like medical providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2nd \u003ca href=\"https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/OPN/24-2481_opn.pdf\">U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals\u003c/a> sided with defendants in the New York case, ruling that “abortion pill reversal” statements were protected under the constitution because they are “religiously and morally motivated.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12101078",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260414-CHEVRON-FLARE-TH-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Last month, a Kansas state district court judge struck down several anti-abortion restrictions, including a \u003ca href=\"https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/failed-kansas-ballot-measure-another-victory-reproductive-rights\">requirement for abortion providers to talk about “abortion pill reversal” with patients\u003c/a>, finding that the law violated women’s right to bodily autonomy under state law partially because they were forced to listen to “unproven” statements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ziegler said even if California loses its “abortion pill reversal” case, abortion rights advocates might still count it as a long-term win.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the world we live in says, you know, you have a protected right to tell patients things that are potentially dangerous to them, then that’s going to raise public concerns anyway,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judge Patrick McKinney has three months to make a ruling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2026/09/california-abortion-pill-reversal-lawsuit/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101109/anti-abortion-advocates-say-its-possible-to-reverse-an-abortion-california-wants-them-to-stop",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101109"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_457",
"news_6188",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_30251",
"news_23790",
"news_18538",
"news_18543",
"news_34180",
"news_3674"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101110",
"label": "source_news_12101109"
},
"news_12101062": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101062",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101062",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790193648000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-community-colleges-can-offer-up-to-12-new-bachelors-degrees-under-new-laws",
"title": "California Community Colleges Can Offer Up to 12 New Bachelor’s Degrees Under New Laws",
"publishDate": 1790193648,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Community Colleges Can Offer Up to 12 New Bachelor’s Degrees Under New Laws | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A set of bills signed into law by Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> Friday aims to rein in the topsy-turvy expansion of bachelor’s degrees at California \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/california-community-colleges/\">community colleges\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the bills themselves caused new friction: In a last-minute shift, the community colleges that were championing these bills came out to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/community-college-bachelors-degrees-california/\">formally oppose them\u003c/a> after the lawmakers substantially revised the measures a day before a key constitutional deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two laws — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb960\">Senate Bill 960\u003c/a> by Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, a Democrat from Napa, and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2694\">Assembly Bill 2694\u003c/a> by David Alvarez — allow college districts to have anywhere from two to 12 new bachelor’s degrees a year starting in 2028. The bills bake in accountability metrics: Districts with higher graduation and transfer rates will be permitted to add more degrees. The new caps do not apply to existing bachelor’s degrees at college districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, 49 colleges \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Educational-Services-and-Support/What-we-do/Curriculum-and-Instruction-Unit/Curriculum/Baccalaureate-Degree-Program\">either offer or will soon\u003c/a> offer 66 bachelor’s degrees. Districts would also need to prove that there’s a workforce need in their region to justify the creation of a bachelor’s degree. The caps apply to all districts, whether they have one campus or nine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community colleges opposed tying the number of degrees they can offer to student metrics, arguing that they punish districts that educate low-income students who are less likely to finish their certificates and associate degrees or transfer to a four-year university but would also benefit from more bachelor’s degrees offerings that are tied to local labor market needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other community college leaders said the bills’ numerous last-minute provisions were unclear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098502\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098502\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students walk through the MiraCosta College campus in Oceanside on Sept. 26, 2024. \u003ccite>(Adriana Heldiz/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re being asked to … support a process that is not completely understood or vetted at the last minute, and so that’s just not great policymaking,” said Larry Galizio, president and chief executive of the Community College League of California, an association representing community college presidents and board leaders, in an interview for a previous story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills directly address the central tension that buffeted relations between the community colleges and the California State University. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202120220ab927\">Since 2022\u003c/a>, the community colleges were allowed to introduce no more than 30 bachelor’s degrees annually, as long as they didn’t duplicate degrees offered by any Cal State or University of California campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cal State routinely objected to the bachelor’s degrees community colleges sought. And a few times the colleges went ahead with the degree programs anyway.\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[aside postID=news_12100707 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg']\u003c/span>Community colleges and influential lawmakers said it was unfair to block the colleges from creating bachelor’s degrees that local students and employers wanted, especially if the existing UC or Cal State degree is at a university hundreds of miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students bemoaned the inability to earn bachelor’s degrees close to home. Many are priced out of relocating to those universities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are 115 local community colleges in the state, far more than the 31 UC and Cal state campuses offering bachelor’s degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills Newsom signed Friday allow community colleges to create bachelor’s degrees even if a nearby Cal State offers a similar program, but only if that Cal State program rejects more than 25% of applicants from that nearby community college three consecutive years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills also insert a process for handling an impasse between the colleges and Cal State, something missing in past law. A review by the state’s secretary of labor siding with the colleges would remove the Cal State system’s challenge to the degree. But If the labor secretary sides with Cal State, the district is barred from submitting an application for a similar program for five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cal State system, which opposed earlier versions of the bills, changed their position to neutral after the latest versions were published.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community colleges are generally barred from duplicating a degree a UC campus offers, unless they come to a written agreement with the UC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069108\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069108 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-1536x1027.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during his State of the State address on Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed a related community college bachelor’s degree bill — one that he’s rejected twice before. For the third year in a row, Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat from Merced, sought a bill to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/09/nursing-shortage/\">allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a community college\u003c/a>, something they cannot currently do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wrote in his veto message Friday that the bill is unnecessary because of the two bills by Alvarez and Cabaldon he signed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is neither necessary nor appropriate to authorize an additional pilot or create an exception to the framework, as this bill proposes,” Newsom wrote. “California’s public higher education segments should instead focus on implementing this newly created, comprehensive system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/new-california-laws-community-college-degrees/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws that determine when community colleges can create bachelor’s degrees and how many they can offer.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790212808,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 22,
"wordCount": 859
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Community Colleges Can Offer Up to 12 New Bachelor’s Degrees Under New Laws | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws that determine when community colleges can create bachelor’s degrees and how many they can offer.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Community Colleges Can Offer Up to 12 New Bachelor’s Degrees Under New Laws",
"datePublished": "2026-09-23T13:00:48-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-23T18:20:08-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101062",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101062/california-community-colleges-can-offer-up-to-12-new-bachelors-degrees-under-new-laws",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A set of bills signed into law by Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> Friday aims to rein in the topsy-turvy expansion of bachelor’s degrees at California \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/california-community-colleges/\">community colleges\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the bills themselves caused new friction: In a last-minute shift, the community colleges that were championing these bills came out to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/community-college-bachelors-degrees-california/\">formally oppose them\u003c/a> after the lawmakers substantially revised the measures a day before a key constitutional deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two laws — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb960\">Senate Bill 960\u003c/a> by Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, a Democrat from Napa, and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2694\">Assembly Bill 2694\u003c/a> by David Alvarez — allow college districts to have anywhere from two to 12 new bachelor’s degrees a year starting in 2028. The bills bake in accountability metrics: Districts with higher graduation and transfer rates will be permitted to add more degrees. The new caps do not apply to existing bachelor’s degrees at college districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, 49 colleges \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Educational-Services-and-Support/What-we-do/Curriculum-and-Instruction-Unit/Curriculum/Baccalaureate-Degree-Program\">either offer or will soon\u003c/a> offer 66 bachelor’s degrees. Districts would also need to prove that there’s a workforce need in their region to justify the creation of a bachelor’s degree. The caps apply to all districts, whether they have one campus or nine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community colleges opposed tying the number of degrees they can offer to student metrics, arguing that they punish districts that educate low-income students who are less likely to finish their certificates and associate degrees or transfer to a four-year university but would also benefit from more bachelor’s degrees offerings that are tied to local labor market needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other community college leaders said the bills’ numerous last-minute provisions were unclear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098502\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098502\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CommunityCollegeCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students walk through the MiraCosta College campus in Oceanside on Sept. 26, 2024. \u003ccite>(Adriana Heldiz/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’re being asked to … support a process that is not completely understood or vetted at the last minute, and so that’s just not great policymaking,” said Larry Galizio, president and chief executive of the Community College League of California, an association representing community college presidents and board leaders, in an interview for a previous story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills directly address the central tension that buffeted relations between the community colleges and the California State University. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202120220ab927\">Since 2022\u003c/a>, the community colleges were allowed to introduce no more than 30 bachelor’s degrees annually, as long as they didn’t duplicate degrees offered by any Cal State or University of California campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cal State routinely objected to the bachelor’s degrees community colleges sought. And a few times the colleges went ahead with the degree programs anyway.\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100707",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Community colleges and influential lawmakers said it was unfair to block the colleges from creating bachelor’s degrees that local students and employers wanted, especially if the existing UC or Cal State degree is at a university hundreds of miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students bemoaned the inability to earn bachelor’s degrees close to home. Many are priced out of relocating to those universities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are 115 local community colleges in the state, far more than the 31 UC and Cal state campuses offering bachelor’s degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills Newsom signed Friday allow community colleges to create bachelor’s degrees even if a nearby Cal State offers a similar program, but only if that Cal State program rejects more than 25% of applicants from that nearby community college three consecutive years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bills also insert a process for handling an impasse between the colleges and Cal State, something missing in past law. A review by the state’s secretary of labor siding with the colleges would remove the Cal State system’s challenge to the degree. But If the labor secretary sides with Cal State, the district is barred from submitting an application for a similar program for five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cal State system, which opposed earlier versions of the bills, changed their position to neutral after the latest versions were published.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community colleges are generally barred from duplicating a degree a UC campus offers, unless they come to a written agreement with the UC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069108\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069108 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GavinNewsomStateoftheState2026AP-1536x1027.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during his State of the State address on Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed a related community college bachelor’s degree bill — one that he’s rejected twice before. For the third year in a row, Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat from Merced, sought a bill to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/09/nursing-shortage/\">allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a community college\u003c/a>, something they cannot currently do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wrote in his veto message Friday that the bill is unnecessary because of the two bills by Alvarez and Cabaldon he signed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is neither necessary nor appropriate to authorize an additional pilot or create an exception to the framework, as this bill proposes,” Newsom wrote. “California’s public higher education segments should instead focus on implementing this newly created, comprehensive system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/new-california-laws-community-college-degrees/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101062/california-community-colleges-can-offer-up-to-12-new-bachelors-degrees-under-new-laws",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101062"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_18540",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_34542",
"news_20652",
"news_20013",
"news_16",
"news_6699"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101071",
"label": "source_news_12101062"
},
"news_12101011": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101011",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101011",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790118132000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-cites-pension-crisis-vetoes-bill-to-enhance-retirement-for-police-and-firefighters",
"title": "Newsom Cites Pension Crisis, Vetoes Bill to Enhance Retirement for Police and Firefighters",
"publishDate": 1790118132,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Cites Pension Crisis, Vetoes Bill to Enhance Retirement for Police and Firefighters | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions for California police and firefighters came close to sweetening retirement benefits for their members, but the memory of California’s pension crisis ultimately was too much for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom on Sunday vetoed a bill that would have enhanced retirement perks for police and firefighters despite \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/pension-expansion-for-police-firefighters/\">near-unanimous support from state lawmakers\u003c/a> and heavy pressure from public safety unions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom in his veto message wrote the bill would partly reverse a 2012 law that former \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2025/06/jerry-brown-california-pensions/\">Gov. Jerry Brown\u003c/a> championed when California’s major funds were spiraling from Great Recession losses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brown’s law, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calpers.ca.gov/about/laws-legislation-regulations/public-employees-pension-reform-act\">Public Employees Pension Reform Act\u003c/a> (PEPRA), required civil servants to work longer to earn a full retirement and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2020/07/court-spiking-pension-protections/\">pay more money\u003c/a> from their own paychecks toward their pensions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still recall — before PEPRA’s passage in 2012 — the alarming forecasts, the fierce criticism of public employees, and the growing pressure to eliminate defined benefit plans all together,” Newsom wrote. “This is an era of California history I do not wish to repeat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101025\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101025\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco Police Department cruiser parked near a protest on March 23, 2015. \u003ccite>(Alex Emslie/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brown’s pension law led to a significant change in retirement for public safety employees. It requires them to work until age 57 to retire instead of 50. It adjusted their retirement formula from 3% a year to 2.7% a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police and firefighters unions today say 57 is too late because of the toll their careers take on their bodies and their exposure to hazards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They backed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1383\">Assembly Bill 1383\u003c/a>, which would have lowered their retirement age to 55.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AB 1383 gives us something important: Two more years with our families,” California Professional Firefighters President Darrell Roberts said last week at a rally with hundreds of police and firefighters on the Capitol steps.[aside postID=news_12100741 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg']But the bill by Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/tina-mckinnor-35053\">Tina McKinnor \u003c/a>of Inglewood would have done more than just lower the retirement age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also would have increased the cap on pension earnings that Brown’s law imposed and would have allowed public safety unions to negotiate more lucrative pension formulas as high as 3% per year of service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those changes would have driven up costs for California government employers such as cities and counties by hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to estimates from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California cities and counties opposed the bill because of the potential costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill “represents the greatest long-term financial threat to the sustainability of cities in years,” La Verne City Manager Ken Domer said in a recent interview with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A coalition of cities, counties and special districts issued a statement commending Newsom’s veto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At a time of severe fiscal uncertainty and growing demand for services, it is more important than ever for state leaders to help control costs,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McKinnor’s bill had overwhelming bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 33-0 and the Assembly 69-2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12092124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12092124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1328\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">CalFire firefighters drive toward the “Little Fire” in Pleasanton, California, on July 21, 2026. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Several lawmakers spoke at the rally last week, where firefighters held signs that read “Firefighters deserve a safe retirement” and police carried ones that read “Keep California safe. Recruit. Retain. Sign AB 1383”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/stephanie-nguyen-120720\">Stephanie Nguyen\u003c/a> of Elk Grove told the crowd, “This is just the beginning. After we get this signed, we will do more. We will fight for more to show you that we appreciate you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roberts of California Professional Firefighters in a statement Sunday said the union was “deeply disappointed” in Newsom’s veto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To every CPF member, this fight is not over. I made a commitment to you all; we will keep fighting for retirement security, and we will stand together,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/newsom-veto-police-firefighter-pension-bill/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill to lower the retirement age and sweeten pension perks for police and firefighters despite overwhelming support in the Legislature.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790118497,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 689
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Cites Pension Crisis, Vetoes Bill to Enhance Retirement for Police and Firefighters | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill to lower the retirement age and sweeten pension perks for police and firefighters despite overwhelming support in the Legislature.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Cites Pension Crisis, Vetoes Bill to Enhance Retirement for Police and Firefighters",
"datePublished": "2026-09-22T16:02:12-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-22T16:08:17-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Adam Ashton, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101011",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101011/newsom-cites-pension-crisis-vetoes-bill-to-enhance-retirement-for-police-and-firefighters",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions for California police and firefighters came close to sweetening retirement benefits for their members, but the memory of California’s pension crisis ultimately was too much for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom on Sunday vetoed a bill that would have enhanced retirement perks for police and firefighters despite \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/pension-expansion-for-police-firefighters/\">near-unanimous support from state lawmakers\u003c/a> and heavy pressure from public safety unions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom in his veto message wrote the bill would partly reverse a 2012 law that former \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2025/06/jerry-brown-california-pensions/\">Gov. Jerry Brown\u003c/a> championed when California’s major funds were spiraling from Great Recession losses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brown’s law, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calpers.ca.gov/about/laws-legislation-regulations/public-employees-pension-reform-act\">Public Employees Pension Reform Act\u003c/a> (PEPRA), required civil servants to work longer to earn a full retirement and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2020/07/court-spiking-pension-protections/\">pay more money\u003c/a> from their own paychecks toward their pensions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still recall — before PEPRA’s passage in 2012 — the alarming forecasts, the fierce criticism of public employees, and the growing pressure to eliminate defined benefit plans all together,” Newsom wrote. “This is an era of California history I do not wish to repeat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12101025\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12101025\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_1233-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco Police Department cruiser parked near a protest on March 23, 2015. \u003ccite>(Alex Emslie/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brown’s pension law led to a significant change in retirement for public safety employees. It requires them to work until age 57 to retire instead of 50. It adjusted their retirement formula from 3% a year to 2.7% a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Police and firefighters unions today say 57 is too late because of the toll their careers take on their bodies and their exposure to hazards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They backed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1383\">Assembly Bill 1383\u003c/a>, which would have lowered their retirement age to 55.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AB 1383 gives us something important: Two more years with our families,” California Professional Firefighters President Darrell Roberts said last week at a rally with hundreds of police and firefighters on the Capitol steps.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100741",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But the bill by Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/tina-mckinnor-35053\">Tina McKinnor \u003c/a>of Inglewood would have done more than just lower the retirement age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also would have increased the cap on pension earnings that Brown’s law imposed and would have allowed public safety unions to negotiate more lucrative pension formulas as high as 3% per year of service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those changes would have driven up costs for California government employers such as cities and counties by hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to estimates from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California cities and counties opposed the bill because of the potential costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill “represents the greatest long-term financial threat to the sustainability of cities in years,” La Verne City Manager Ken Domer said in a recent interview with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A coalition of cities, counties and special districts issued a statement commending Newsom’s veto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At a time of severe fiscal uncertainty and growing demand for services, it is more important than ever for state leaders to help control costs,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McKinnor’s bill had overwhelming bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 33-0 and the Assembly 69-2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12092124\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12092124\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1328\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/LittleFireGetty3-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">CalFire firefighters drive toward the “Little Fire” in Pleasanton, California, on July 21, 2026. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Several lawmakers spoke at the rally last week, where firefighters held signs that read “Firefighters deserve a safe retirement” and police carried ones that read “Keep California safe. Recruit. Retain. Sign AB 1383”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/stephanie-nguyen-120720\">Stephanie Nguyen\u003c/a> of Elk Grove told the crowd, “This is just the beginning. After we get this signed, we will do more. We will fight for more to show you that we appreciate you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roberts of California Professional Firefighters in a statement Sunday said the union was “deeply disappointed” in Newsom’s veto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To every CPF member, this fight is not over. I made a commitment to you all; we will keep fighting for retirement security, and we will stand together,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/newsom-veto-police-firefighter-pension-bill/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101011/newsom-cites-pension-crisis-vetoes-bill-to-enhance-retirement-for-police-and-firefighters",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101011"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_33136",
"news_18512",
"news_16",
"news_118",
"news_116"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101017",
"label": "source_news_12101011"
},
"news_12100757": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100757",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100757",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790024454000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-again-vetoes-bill-to-allow-undocumented-college-students-to-work-on-campus",
"title": "Newsom Again Vetoes Bill to Allow Undocumented College Students to Work on Campus",
"publishDate": 1790024454,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Again Vetoes Bill to Allow Undocumented College Students to Work on Campus | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California college students without legal immigration status still cannot work at public colleges and universities after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> again \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Veto-msg-AB-713.pdf\">vetoed a bill Sunday\u003c/a> that would have given them that right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab713\">Assembly Bill 713\u003c/a> would have adopted an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/08/students-without-legal-status-california/\">untested legal theory\u003c/a> that argues that a 1986 federal law barring employers from hiring workers in the country without authorization doesn’t apply to state governments. The logic? That 40-year-old law doesn’t mention state governments as a type of employer that cannot hire workers without proper status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[ad fullwidth]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the second time in three years, Newsom decided that adopting that theory for California would expose the state’s higher-education system to the wrath of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The current federal government has shown it is quick to wreak destruction for political spectacle — attacking California’s public higher education institutions and terrorizing immigrant communities, including students, with reckless disregard for consequences and a desire for chaos,” Newsom wrote in his veto message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He added: “But given the gravity of this bill’s consequences — including potential criminal and civil liability for state employees — the federal courts must resolve the legality of the novel legal theory behind this legislation before we proceed. Seeking declaratory relief in federal court would provide such clarity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12097112\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12097112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2022. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed a nearly identical bill in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest bill by Assemblymember José Luis Solache, a Democrat from Lakewood, was meant to allow the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/cost-of-college-california/#1b26d91e-68aa-4023-aa9d-21e0a545a249\">estimated 60,000 students\u003c/a> without legal immigration status at California’s community college and public universities to earn paychecks safely on campuses instead of working for cash under the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backers of the bill say campus jobs could be tailored to fit the students’ academic schedules or align with the research interests, such as employment in labs.[aside postID=news_12100707 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg']Campus jobs are a key way these students can afford college given that they are ineligible for federal Pell grants — up to $7,400 annually — and federal student loans that come with more borrower protections than ones offered by private lenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California provides eligible in-state students tuition waivers regardless of their immigration status, so many of them can at least attend a public institution tuition-free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While California has a longstanding commitment to expanding access, affordability, and student success in higher education, our undocumented students continue to face significant financial and structural barriers,” Solache said at a bill hearing in June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of California itself \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/01/undocumented-students-2/\">abandoned\u003c/a> its review of employing students without legal status in 2024 out of fears that the federal government could punish the system by withholding federal money or prosecuting UC personnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That decision gutted a coalition of students who led the campaign to persuade the UC to voluntarily adopt the legal theory allowing them to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Newsom vetoed the 2024 bill, a student and former lecturer at the UC sued the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.spinxweb.net/horvitz/uploads/2025/10/Munoz-et-al.-v.-Regents-of-the-University-of-California-A171410.pdf\">state appellate court ruled\u003c/a> that UC’s argument that the federal government might sue the system was an abuse of discretion under the state’s law that bans employment and housing discrimination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100649\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, where he signed 13 bills focused on protecting kids from technology, on Sept. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Anna Hoch-Kenney/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The court said UC’s policy of not hiring students without legal status was legally indefensible unless it can show that federal law requires the UC to continue its policy of not hiring undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The UC appealed, but the state Supreme Court \u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Timeline.pdf?_gl=1*2kxkqq*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTgwMDExNDcxNC4xNzg4MjA1Mzk3*_ga_LH03WX2T8B*czE3ODgyMDUzOTYkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODgyMDUzOTYkajYwJGwwJGgw\">let the appellate ruling stand\u003c/a>. Still, the court ruling was silent on the soundness of the legal theory that the state can hire workers without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s veto message indicated that a federal court must weigh in on the legal theory before California can adopt a law such as Solache’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/newsom-veto-students-wtihout-legal-status/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Newsom’s veto means a four-year battle to allow students without legal status to work at California’s public colleges wages on. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790033359,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 21,
"wordCount": 703
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Again Vetoes Bill to Allow Undocumented College Students to Work on Campus | KQED",
"description": "Newsom’s veto means a four-year battle to allow students without legal status to work at California’s public colleges wages on. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Again Vetoes Bill to Allow Undocumented College Students to Work on Campus",
"datePublished": "2026-09-21T14:00:54-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-21T16:29:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 18540,
"slug": "education",
"name": "Education"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12100757",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100757/newsom-again-vetoes-bill-to-allow-undocumented-college-students-to-work-on-campus",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California college students without legal immigration status still cannot work at public colleges and universities after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> again \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Veto-msg-AB-713.pdf\">vetoed a bill Sunday\u003c/a> that would have given them that right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab713\">Assembly Bill 713\u003c/a> would have adopted an \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/08/students-without-legal-status-california/\">untested legal theory\u003c/a> that argues that a 1986 federal law barring employers from hiring workers in the country without authorization doesn’t apply to state governments. The logic? That 40-year-old law doesn’t mention state governments as a type of employer that cannot hire workers without proper status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the second time in three years, Newsom decided that adopting that theory for California would expose the state’s higher-education system to the wrath of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The current federal government has shown it is quick to wreak destruction for political spectacle — attacking California’s public higher education institutions and terrorizing immigrant communities, including students, with reckless disregard for consequences and a desire for chaos,” Newsom wrote in his veto message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He added: “But given the gravity of this bill’s consequences — including potential criminal and civil liability for state employees — the federal courts must resolve the legality of the novel legal theory behind this legislation before we proceed. Seeking declaratory relief in federal court would provide such clarity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12097112\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12097112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/UCLACM-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2022. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed a nearly identical bill in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest bill by Assemblymember José Luis Solache, a Democrat from Lakewood, was meant to allow the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/cost-of-college-california/#1b26d91e-68aa-4023-aa9d-21e0a545a249\">estimated 60,000 students\u003c/a> without legal immigration status at California’s community college and public universities to earn paychecks safely on campuses instead of working for cash under the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backers of the bill say campus jobs could be tailored to fit the students’ academic schedules or align with the research interests, such as employment in labs.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100707",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Campus jobs are a key way these students can afford college given that they are ineligible for federal Pell grants — up to $7,400 annually — and federal student loans that come with more borrower protections than ones offered by private lenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California provides eligible in-state students tuition waivers regardless of their immigration status, so many of them can at least attend a public institution tuition-free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While California has a longstanding commitment to expanding access, affordability, and student success in higher education, our undocumented students continue to face significant financial and structural barriers,” Solache said at a bill hearing in June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of California itself \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/01/undocumented-students-2/\">abandoned\u003c/a> its review of employing students without legal status in 2024 out of fears that the federal government could punish the system by withholding federal money or prosecuting UC personnel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That decision gutted a coalition of students who led the campaign to persuade the UC to voluntarily adopt the legal theory allowing them to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Newsom vetoed the 2024 bill, a student and former lecturer at the UC sued the system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.spinxweb.net/horvitz/uploads/2025/10/Munoz-et-al.-v.-Regents-of-the-University-of-California-A171410.pdf\">state appellate court ruled\u003c/a> that UC’s argument that the federal government might sue the system was an abuse of discretion under the state’s law that bans employment and housing discrimination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100649\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomCM1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, where he signed 13 bills focused on protecting kids from technology, on Sept. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Anna Hoch-Kenney/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The court said UC’s policy of not hiring students without legal status was legally indefensible unless it can show that federal law requires the UC to continue its policy of not hiring undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The UC appealed, but the state Supreme Court \u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Timeline.pdf?_gl=1*2kxkqq*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTgwMDExNDcxNC4xNzg4MjA1Mzk3*_ga_LH03WX2T8B*czE3ODgyMDUzOTYkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODgyMDUzOTYkajYwJGwwJGgw\">let the appellate ruling stand\u003c/a>. Still, the court ruling was silent on the soundness of the legal theory that the state can hire workers without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s veto message indicated that a federal court must weigh in on the legal theory before California can adopt a law such as Solache’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/09/newsom-veto-students-wtihout-legal-status/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100757/newsom-again-vetoes-bill-to-allow-undocumented-college-students-to-work-on-campus",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12100757"
],
"categories": [
"news_18540",
"news_1169",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_36185",
"news_20013",
"news_16",
"news_20202",
"news_3457",
"news_35285",
"news_206"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12100789",
"label": "source_news_12100757"
},
"news_12100577": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100577",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100577",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1789923653000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-wants-to-ban-child-marriage-these-civil-rights-groups-are-trying-to-stop-it",
"title": "California Wants to Ban Child Marriage. These Civil Rights Groups Are Trying to Stop It",
"publishDate": 1789923653,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Wants to Ban Child Marriage. These Civil Rights Groups Are Trying to Stop It | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was March when a group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> lawmakers decided they’d broach a sticky topic: child marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the next three months, Democrats would devise a plan to persuade reluctant colleagues to finally outlaw the practice and contend with special interest groups that might work against them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what might come as a surprise, it’s legal for anyone \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/06/child-marriage-california/\">younger than 18\u003c/a> to get married in California, so long as a parent and judge approve. Perhaps even more surprising, two influential groups in Democratic politics — the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood — have historically staunchly supported the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children have a right to marry, the ACLU argues, and stripping them of that right would take away a pathway to their emancipation and independent healthcare decisions. For Planned Parenthood, the freedom for children to marry is about allowing people reproductive choice and bodily autonomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just two other states — New Mexico and Mississippi — have no minimum age to wed. And while minors can marry at any age in California, advocates say it’s hard to hire a divorce attorney before 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 9,000 children are married each year in California, the vast majority of them girls marrying adult men, according to the nonprofit advocacy group \u003ca href=\"https://unchainedatlast.org/\">Unchained at Last\u003c/a>. Because the age of consent for sexual activity is 18, advocates say marriages between children under 18 and adults implicitly legalize a sexual relationship that would otherwise be considered statutory rape under state law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11953900\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11953900\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01.jpg\" alt=\"Protestors in white wedding gowns and lacey veils walk toward California's Capitol Building. Some have black tape over their mouths in an X shape. Each individual also wears a red stop sign on their chest that reads, "Stop Child Marriage in CA."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Forced and child marriage survivors arrive at a protest, organized to support a ban on child marriage, at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The organization has worked for the past decade to push for bans in New York, Oklahoma, Washington and a dozen other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But their efforts have repeatedly failed in California, where Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have lobbied hard against restricting child marriage, although those groups have largely stayed silent on the issue in other Democratic-controlled states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That can partially be explained by their outsize influence in California politics. Planned Parenthood advocates on behalf of some of the most cherished liberal causes and has donated at least $2.7 million to Democratic lawmakers since 2002, according to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/organizations/-9294\">CalMatters’ Digital Democracy\u003c/a> database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Democrats faced different circumstances with the organization, prompting Democratic lawmakers in June to introduce \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1267\">Assembly Bill 1267\u003c/a> to finally bar children from marrying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/gail-pellerin-149519\">Gail Pellerin\u003c/a> authored the bill through what’s called a “gut-and-amend” when lawmakers strip the language of an unrelated bill to fast-track a new one after the deadline to introduce bills the typical way had passed. Democrats missed the deadline because they wanted to make sure Planned Parenthood wouldn’t get in the way, according to advocates.[aside postID=news_12100528 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ImmigrationCourtSFGetty.jpg']While the ACLU again opposed the legislation this year, there were no lobbyists to be found advocating for minors’ right to marry in committee hearings this summer, and Planned Parenthood stayed “neutral” on the bill, declining to take a position.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even as some Democrats expressed hesitation about not allowing two teenagers in love to tie the knot, the ban passed the Legislature with near-unanimous support in August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to make it clear that girls, despite their perceived maturity, are children,” Pellerin said in an interview. “Children don’t have unprotected freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After nearly a decade of failed attempts to outlaw child marriage, the bill now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto. He has until Sept. 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ACLU spokesperson Carmen King declined to respond to questions about why the group opposes the bill and did not make anyone available for an interview with CalMatters for this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a June opposition letter, the organization wrote, “Prohibiting minors from marrying in every case is a departure from California’s longstanding commitment to honoring minors’ ability to make important personal decisions for themselves, particularly in the realm of reproductive autonomy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Planned Parenthood did not say anything official about the bill and spokesperson Shelby McMichael declined to make anyone available for an interview with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement, McMichael said the group “takes positions on a bill-by-bill basis each session. Given the ‘defund’ of Planned Parenthood health centers this past year, we made the decision to prioritize issues related to the Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ ongoing attacks on health care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Planned Parenthood’s voice matters’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Its abortion care services at more than 100 clinics across the state have made Planned Parenthood a symbol of reproductive freedom in California for decades, though the group notes that abortion services make up only a fraction of its services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its enmeshment with Democrats politics has only accelerated during the first and second Trump administrations as party leaders worked overtime to stave off federal defunding efforts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, California lawmakers approved \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2025/10/california-gives-planned-parenthood-140-million-boost-to-keep-clinics-open/\">$140 million in emergency funding\u003c/a> for the group to offset federal cuts. And on its website, Planned Parenthood keeps a \u003ca href=\"https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/uploads/filer_public/88/50/8850755d-bb8a-405e-bc9a-6799147c4cf0/ppac_legislative_scorecard_2025.pdf\">scorecard\u003c/a> of how often legislators vote in agreement with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On its 2025 scorecard, all but one Democrat had a score of 100%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12086554\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12086554\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Planned Parenthood Northern California health center in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, Irvine Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/cottie-petrie-norris-165040\">Cottie Petrie-Norris\u003c/a>, a Democrat, introduced Assembly Bill 2924 to ban minors from marrying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/ash-kalra-100938\">Ash Kalra\u003c/a> told advocates that Planned Parenthood had to drop its opposition before lawmakers could consider voting on the legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Jose Democrat, who chairs the Assembly Judiciary Committee, said banning minors from marriage would threaten their right to an abortion, which he said California hadn’t yet codified into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters enshrined the right to an abortion in 2022, two years before the 2024 bill was introduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some lawmakers were also skeptical about whether the data on child marriages was accurate, Kalra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He never gave the bill a hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that absolutely was one of the factors, certainly,” Kalra said of Planned Parenthood’s opposition and his decision to kill the legislation. “Planned Parenthood’s voice matters in that, and in other issues that come before us in the Capitol.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women speak outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Napa on Nov. 4, 2022, about the dangers of abortion and birth control. She distributes pamphlets and refers people to the Napa Women’s Center, a facility next door opened by faith-based non-profit Napa Valley Culture of LIfe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This reasoning harkened to earlier failed attempts, including in 2017 when Democrats killed another bill to change the state’s child marriage laws over similar reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/people/66\">Jerry Hill\u003c/a> said he sought an outright ban on the practice after he learned of a 13-year-old girl in his district who was engaged to a 38-year-old man from another country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought, ‘Who could oppose that? Who could say that it was wrong?’” Hill said of the bill he introduced to ban child marriage. But he was left perplexed that what he thought was a commonsense policy proposal evolved into a larger debate about cultural differences, childhood freedom and bodily autonomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cultures it’s acceptable for girls to be wedded to older men or be placed into arranged marriages, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/#status\">United Nations report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in recent years have proposed measures to clamp down on forced marriages, which are already a crime. Kalra is among them, this year authoring \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2534\">Assembly Bill 2534\u003c/a> which would allow victims to file a restraining order against anyone coercing them into a marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kalra and women’s rights groups say it would be the first policy of its kind in the country if enacted into law. Planned Parenthood supports it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041588\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041588\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Planned Parenthood-East Los Angeles Health Center in East Los Angeles on Aug. 8th, 2022. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On the 2017 child marriage legislation, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood were staunch opponents, and then-Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/people/53\">Lorena Gonzalez\u003c/a>, a Democratic labor leader who chaired the Assembly Appropriations Committee at the time, told Hill she wouldn’t let a ban move forward unless it was amended to lower the minimum age to 16- or 17-year-olds instead of 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill was eventually weakened to become current law: Any young person can get married if a parent and the courts sign off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hill said his attempt and others were killed by special interest groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re so powerful, these interest groups in Sacramento. They have a lot of say and sway over what comes out of the Legislature,” said Hill, who represented Silicon Valley for 12 years. “Politics trumps policy about 80% of the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez recalled it differently. While it’s true she refused to let an outright ban pass, she said, she doesn’t remember Planned Parenthood opposing the bill or considering it in her decision-making.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said when older teenage girls in her district got pregnant, it was common for some Latino families to encourage them to marry the father if he was the same or of similar age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had girls where they were telling me this is the best choice,” Gonzalez told CalMatters. She said the difference in age between partners seemed to matter more than the marriage itself. “At the time, it seemed very classist” to impose an outright ban, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘At least we’re here now’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>President Donald Trump’s push to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2025/07/planned-parenthood-california-defunded/\">defund Planned Parenthood\u003c/a> clinics put more political pressure on the group than usual in recent years and made the organization more reliant on state funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Things were made worse last November, when a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/opinion/child-marriage-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.x08.m5zB.NnTZyMPzpl2G&smid=url-share\">New York Times opinion\u003c/a> piece criticized the ACLU and Planned Parenthood for their roles in blocking legislation against child marriage while Republican-controlled states such as Arkansas and Louisiana imposed tighter restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For survivor and advocate Sara Tasneem, California’s failure to act for several decades allowed her to be forcibly married at 15 to a 28-year-old man by her father, who she said was part of a Northern California “Sufi cult” that orchestrated it. When her father learned Tasneem was dating a high school classmate, he found someone for her to marry, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11312440\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11312440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/02/IMG_5616-e1486854590713.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Muntean, right, protests in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic in San Francisco as part of a nationwide effort to get the federal government to cut off funding to the program. \u003ccite>(April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was handed over to this complete stranger who I just met,” she said. She dropped out of school and was repeatedly raped, feeling trapped and unable to leave before she turned 18 because she couldn’t hire an attorney as a minor. Tasneem said she had two kids with her rapist, who she left in 2003, at age 23, taking her children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking back and realizing she “didn’t grow up with a lot of power,” Tasneem turned to advocacy more than a decade later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most advocates are hopeful Newsom will sign the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Should it have happened a decade earlier? Yes, it should have,” said Unchained at Last executive director Fraidy Reiss, who at 19 was forced to marry an older man in her New York Orthodox Jewish community. “But at least we’re here now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-child-marriage/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "It’s legal for anyone under 18 in California to get married. That may change with a bill on Gov. Newsom’s desk, despite efforts by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood to protect the practice.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1789771598,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 53,
"wordCount": 1920
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Wants to Ban Child Marriage. These Civil Rights Groups Are Trying to Stop It | KQED",
"description": "It’s legal for anyone under 18 in California to get married. That may change with a bill on Gov. Newsom’s desk, despite efforts by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood to protect the practice.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Wants to Ban Child Marriage. These Civil Rights Groups Are Trying to Stop It",
"datePublished": "2026-09-20T10:00:53-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-18T15:46:38-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Nadia Lathan, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100577/california-wants-to-ban-child-marriage-these-civil-rights-groups-are-trying-to-stop-it",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was March when a group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> lawmakers decided they’d broach a sticky topic: child marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the next three months, Democrats would devise a plan to persuade reluctant colleagues to finally outlaw the practice and contend with special interest groups that might work against them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what might come as a surprise, it’s legal for anyone \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/06/child-marriage-california/\">younger than 18\u003c/a> to get married in California, so long as a parent and judge approve. Perhaps even more surprising, two influential groups in Democratic politics — the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood — have historically staunchly supported the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children have a right to marry, the ACLU argues, and stripping them of that right would take away a pathway to their emancipation and independent healthcare decisions. For Planned Parenthood, the freedom for children to marry is about allowing people reproductive choice and bodily autonomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just two other states — New Mexico and Mississippi — have no minimum age to wed. And while minors can marry at any age in California, advocates say it’s hard to hire a divorce attorney before 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 9,000 children are married each year in California, the vast majority of them girls marrying adult men, according to the nonprofit advocacy group \u003ca href=\"https://unchainedatlast.org/\">Unchained at Last\u003c/a>. Because the age of consent for sexual activity is 18, advocates say marriages between children under 18 and adults implicitly legalize a sexual relationship that would otherwise be considered statutory rape under state law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11953900\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11953900\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01.jpg\" alt=\"Protestors in white wedding gowns and lacey veils walk toward California's Capitol Building. Some have black tape over their mouths in an X shape. Each individual also wears a red stop sign on their chest that reads, "Stop Child Marriage in CA."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/ChildBridesCM01-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Forced and child marriage survivors arrive at a protest, organized to support a ban on child marriage, at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(Rahul Lal/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The organization has worked for the past decade to push for bans in New York, Oklahoma, Washington and a dozen other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But their efforts have repeatedly failed in California, where Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have lobbied hard against restricting child marriage, although those groups have largely stayed silent on the issue in other Democratic-controlled states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That can partially be explained by their outsize influence in California politics. Planned Parenthood advocates on behalf of some of the most cherished liberal causes and has donated at least $2.7 million to Democratic lawmakers since 2002, according to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/organizations/-9294\">CalMatters’ Digital Democracy\u003c/a> database.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Democrats faced different circumstances with the organization, prompting Democratic lawmakers in June to introduce \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1267\">Assembly Bill 1267\u003c/a> to finally bar children from marrying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/gail-pellerin-149519\">Gail Pellerin\u003c/a> authored the bill through what’s called a “gut-and-amend” when lawmakers strip the language of an unrelated bill to fast-track a new one after the deadline to introduce bills the typical way had passed. Democrats missed the deadline because they wanted to make sure Planned Parenthood wouldn’t get in the way, according to advocates.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12100528",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ImmigrationCourtSFGetty.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While the ACLU again opposed the legislation this year, there were no lobbyists to be found advocating for minors’ right to marry in committee hearings this summer, and Planned Parenthood stayed “neutral” on the bill, declining to take a position.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even as some Democrats expressed hesitation about not allowing two teenagers in love to tie the knot, the ban passed the Legislature with near-unanimous support in August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to make it clear that girls, despite their perceived maturity, are children,” Pellerin said in an interview. “Children don’t have unprotected freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After nearly a decade of failed attempts to outlaw child marriage, the bill now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto. He has until Sept. 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ACLU spokesperson Carmen King declined to respond to questions about why the group opposes the bill and did not make anyone available for an interview with CalMatters for this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a June opposition letter, the organization wrote, “Prohibiting minors from marrying in every case is a departure from California’s longstanding commitment to honoring minors’ ability to make important personal decisions for themselves, particularly in the realm of reproductive autonomy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Planned Parenthood did not say anything official about the bill and spokesperson Shelby McMichael declined to make anyone available for an interview with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement, McMichael said the group “takes positions on a bill-by-bill basis each session. Given the ‘defund’ of Planned Parenthood health centers this past year, we made the decision to prioritize issues related to the Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ ongoing attacks on health care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Planned Parenthood’s voice matters’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Its abortion care services at more than 100 clinics across the state have made Planned Parenthood a symbol of reproductive freedom in California for decades, though the group notes that abortion services make up only a fraction of its services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its enmeshment with Democrats politics has only accelerated during the first and second Trump administrations as party leaders worked overtime to stave off federal defunding efforts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, California lawmakers approved \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2025/10/california-gives-planned-parenthood-140-million-boost-to-keep-clinics-open/\">$140 million in emergency funding\u003c/a> for the group to offset federal cuts. And on its website, Planned Parenthood keeps a \u003ca href=\"https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/uploads/filer_public/88/50/8850755d-bb8a-405e-bc9a-6799147c4cf0/ppac_legislative_scorecard_2025.pdf\">scorecard\u003c/a> of how often legislators vote in agreement with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On its 2025 scorecard, all but one Democrat had a score of 100%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12086554\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12086554\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/PlannedParenthoodSF-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Planned Parenthood Northern California health center in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, Irvine Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/cottie-petrie-norris-165040\">Cottie Petrie-Norris\u003c/a>, a Democrat, introduced Assembly Bill 2924 to ban minors from marrying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/ash-kalra-100938\">Ash Kalra\u003c/a> told advocates that Planned Parenthood had to drop its opposition before lawmakers could consider voting on the legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Jose Democrat, who chairs the Assembly Judiciary Committee, said banning minors from marriage would threaten their right to an abortion, which he said California hadn’t yet codified into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters enshrined the right to an abortion in 2022, two years before the 2024 bill was introduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some lawmakers were also skeptical about whether the data on child marriages was accurate, Kalra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He never gave the bill a hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that absolutely was one of the factors, certainly,” Kalra said of Planned Parenthood’s opposition and his decision to kill the legislation. “Planned Parenthood’s voice matters in that, and in other issues that come before us in the Capitol.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047163\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047163\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/011_KQED_CrisisPregnancyCenter_11042022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Two women speak outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Napa on Nov. 4, 2022, about the dangers of abortion and birth control. She distributes pamphlets and refers people to the Napa Women’s Center, a facility next door opened by faith-based non-profit Napa Valley Culture of LIfe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This reasoning harkened to earlier failed attempts, including in 2017 when Democrats killed another bill to change the state’s child marriage laws over similar reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/people/66\">Jerry Hill\u003c/a> said he sought an outright ban on the practice after he learned of a 13-year-old girl in his district who was engaged to a 38-year-old man from another country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought, ‘Who could oppose that? Who could say that it was wrong?’” Hill said of the bill he introduced to ban child marriage. But he was left perplexed that what he thought was a commonsense policy proposal evolved into a larger debate about cultural differences, childhood freedom and bodily autonomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cultures it’s acceptable for girls to be wedded to older men or be placed into arranged marriages, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/#status\">United Nations report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in recent years have proposed measures to clamp down on forced marriages, which are already a crime. Kalra is among them, this year authoring \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2534\">Assembly Bill 2534\u003c/a> which would allow victims to file a restraining order against anyone coercing them into a marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kalra and women’s rights groups say it would be the first policy of its kind in the country if enacted into law. Planned Parenthood supports it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041588\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041588\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/080822-LA-Planned-Parenthood-RN-CM-05-copy-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Planned Parenthood-East Los Angeles Health Center in East Los Angeles on Aug. 8th, 2022. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On the 2017 child marriage legislation, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood were staunch opponents, and then-Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/people/53\">Lorena Gonzalez\u003c/a>, a Democratic labor leader who chaired the Assembly Appropriations Committee at the time, told Hill she wouldn’t let a ban move forward unless it was amended to lower the minimum age to 16- or 17-year-olds instead of 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill was eventually weakened to become current law: Any young person can get married if a parent and the courts sign off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hill said his attempt and others were killed by special interest groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re so powerful, these interest groups in Sacramento. They have a lot of say and sway over what comes out of the Legislature,” said Hill, who represented Silicon Valley for 12 years. “Politics trumps policy about 80% of the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez recalled it differently. While it’s true she refused to let an outright ban pass, she said, she doesn’t remember Planned Parenthood opposing the bill or considering it in her decision-making.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said when older teenage girls in her district got pregnant, it was common for some Latino families to encourage them to marry the father if he was the same or of similar age.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had girls where they were telling me this is the best choice,” Gonzalez told CalMatters. She said the difference in age between partners seemed to matter more than the marriage itself. “At the time, it seemed very classist” to impose an outright ban, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘At least we’re here now’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>President Donald Trump’s push to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/2025/07/planned-parenthood-california-defunded/\">defund Planned Parenthood\u003c/a> clinics put more political pressure on the group than usual in recent years and made the organization more reliant on state funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Things were made worse last November, when a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/opinion/child-marriage-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.x08.m5zB.NnTZyMPzpl2G&smid=url-share\">New York Times opinion\u003c/a> piece criticized the ACLU and Planned Parenthood for their roles in blocking legislation against child marriage while Republican-controlled states such as Arkansas and Louisiana imposed tighter restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For survivor and advocate Sara Tasneem, California’s failure to act for several decades allowed her to be forcibly married at 15 to a 28-year-old man by her father, who she said was part of a Northern California “Sufi cult” that orchestrated it. When her father learned Tasneem was dating a high school classmate, he found someone for her to marry, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11312440\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11312440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/02/IMG_5616-e1486854590713.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Muntean, right, protests in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic in San Francisco as part of a nationwide effort to get the federal government to cut off funding to the program. \u003ccite>(April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was handed over to this complete stranger who I just met,” she said. She dropped out of school and was repeatedly raped, feeling trapped and unable to leave before she turned 18 because she couldn’t hire an attorney as a minor. Tasneem said she had two kids with her rapist, who she left in 2003, at age 23, taking her children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking back and realizing she “didn’t grow up with a lot of power,” Tasneem turned to advocacy more than a decade later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most advocates are hopeful Newsom will sign the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Should it have happened a decade earlier? Yes, it should have,” said Unchained at Last executive director Fraidy Reiss, who at 19 was forced to marry an older man in her New York Orthodox Jewish community. “But at least we’re here now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-child-marriage/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100577/california-wants-to-ban-child-marriage-these-civil-rights-groups-are-trying-to-stop-it",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12100577"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34169",
"news_457",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_350",
"news_18538",
"news_4750",
"news_1323",
"news_27626",
"news_16",
"news_2947",
"news_20296"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12100589",
"label": "source_news_12100577"
},
"news_12100624": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100624",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100624",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1789826427000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law",
"title": "Newsom Orders California Agencies to Develop New AI Safety Plans After Rejecting Tougher Law",
"publishDate": 1789826427,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Orders California Agencies to Develop New AI Safety Plans After Rejecting Tougher Law | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> announced Friday that he is directing state agencies to develop artificial intelligence safety recommendations, some of which were part of a bill he vetoed two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His change of tune on those measures, including requiring AI developers to include a “kill switch” to shut off certain programs in emergencies, comes in response to growing public alarm over the fast-developing technology’s potential “catastrophic” harms such as AI creating a bioweapon or bringing down the power grid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom is seeking recommendations from the Government Operations Agency and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services by Nov. 16, which could form the basis of a special legislative session on the issue. He floated the possibility of calling one this week in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/17/newsom-floats-special-session-or-executive-action-on-ai-01082216\" data-type=\"link\" data-=\"\">interview with Politico\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has sought in recent weeks to respond to several incidents in which AI agents from leading developers OpenAI and Anthropic broke away from testing environments, gained access to the open internet and carried out cyberattacks on other websites and companies. Earlier this month, a researcher set off a panic when he resigned from Anthropic while warning the technology could “kill all humans;” the researcher’s former colleagues were quick to agree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The hackings have captivated the public and seem to confirm AI researchers’ fears that the fast-developing technology is improving its own capabilities beyond human control. Several industry leaders last week endorsed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/technology/anthropic-dario-amodei-ai-slowdown.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-=\"\">call for a slowdown\u003c/a> in development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order directs the state agencies to recommend changes in state law to require external safety evaluators at AI companies, as well as require independent verification for AI companies’ safety frameworks that are required under current state law. He’s also seeking recommendations on how to require a kill switch, and how to expand the safety incidents companies must report to the state to include “a range of loss-of-control incidents” such as the recently reported hackings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12094819\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12094819\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Three teenage boys look at their smartphone screens on April 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Regulation is unlikely from the federal government; President Donald Trump remains all-in on speeding up AI development in the face of competition from China and said the calls for a slowdown are a “conspiracy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, said Friday in a press release that should “alarm every American.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California under Newsom has enacted several first-in-the-nation laws to curb the potentially existential risks of AI. In 2025, he signed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb53\">Senate Bill 53\u003c/a>, which requires large AI model developers to publish frameworks on how they manage safety incidents and assess catastrophic risk — defined as incidents involving 50 or more deaths, chemical or biological weapons or more than $1 billion of theft or damage. They also must report critical safety incidents to the state. Illinois and New York have similar laws.[aside postID=news_12099017 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAI.jpg']That law sets a high bar for what incidents must be reported, though, including only those involving deaths, injuries or the “materialization of a catastrophic risk.” Advocates for greater tech regulation want the threshold to be lower to cover more incidents like the recent hackings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure was a compromise — a requirement for transparency rather than regulatory control — after Newsom in 2024 vetoed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202320240sb1047\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vetoed measure would have required the largest AI developers to receive safety auditing from third-party, external monitors, develop a kill switch and be subject to clearer legal liability if their technology causes harm. The measure divided Silicon Valley and was fiercely opposed by several of the largest AI developers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure was a compromise — a requirement for transparency rather than regulatory control — after Newsom in 2024 vetoed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202320240sb1047\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both bills were authored by Democratic Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/scott-wiener-100936\">Scott Wiener\u003c/a>, whose San Francisco district is home to the most prominent AI companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We must act with all possible haste to address the serious risks of AI-driven catastrophe, and I commend the governor for taking this important step,” he said. “I’m glad to see the strong AI safety framework I laid out in 2024 is still being used to guide policy in 2026.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12092171\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12092171\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps on March 29, 2026. \u003ccite>(Anna Barclay/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The vetoed measure would have required the largest AI developers to receive safety auditing from third-party, external monitors, develop a kill switch and be subject to clearer legal liability if their technology causes harm. The measure divided Silicon Valley and received fierce opposition from several, but not all, of the largest AI developers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wrote two years ago \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SB-1047-Veto-Message.pdf\">in a veto message\u003c/a> that while he agreed with the need to require safety protocols, the bill could restrict AI development at large companies “at the potential expense of curtailing the very innovation that fuels advancement in favor of the public good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I agree with the author — we cannot afford to wait for a major catastrophe to occur before taking action to protect the public,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, more in the industry have embraced third-party evaluations. This year, Newsom signed two laws to verify, register and set standards for those external monitors. But the new laws do not require companies to use them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his recent call for a slowdown in AI development, Amodei also called for third-party monitoring; both Anthropic and OpenAI say they will commit to the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/ai-rules-newsom-state-directive/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state agencies to develop safety regulations for artificial intelligence after vetoing tougher rules two years ago.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1789774750,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 972
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Orders California Agencies to Develop New AI Safety Plans After Rejecting Tougher Law | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state agencies to develop safety regulations for artificial intelligence after vetoing tougher rules two years ago.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Orders California Agencies to Develop New AI Safety Plans After Rejecting Tougher Law",
"datePublished": "2026-09-19T07:00:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-18T16:39:10-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> announced Friday that he is directing state agencies to develop artificial intelligence safety recommendations, some of which were part of a bill he vetoed two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His change of tune on those measures, including requiring AI developers to include a “kill switch” to shut off certain programs in emergencies, comes in response to growing public alarm over the fast-developing technology’s potential “catastrophic” harms such as AI creating a bioweapon or bringing down the power grid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom is seeking recommendations from the Government Operations Agency and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services by Nov. 16, which could form the basis of a special legislative session on the issue. He floated the possibility of calling one this week in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/17/newsom-floats-special-session-or-executive-action-on-ai-01082216\" data-type=\"link\" data-=\"\">interview with Politico\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom has sought in recent weeks to respond to several incidents in which AI agents from leading developers OpenAI and Anthropic broke away from testing environments, gained access to the open internet and carried out cyberattacks on other websites and companies. Earlier this month, a researcher set off a panic when he resigned from Anthropic while warning the technology could “kill all humans;” the researcher’s former colleagues were quick to agree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The hackings have captivated the public and seem to confirm AI researchers’ fears that the fast-developing technology is improving its own capabilities beyond human control. Several industry leaders last week endorsed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/technology/anthropic-dario-amodei-ai-slowdown.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-=\"\">call for a slowdown\u003c/a> in development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order directs the state agencies to recommend changes in state law to require external safety evaluators at AI companies, as well as require independent verification for AI companies’ safety frameworks that are required under current state law. He’s also seeking recommendations on how to require a kill switch, and how to expand the safety incidents companies must report to the state to include “a range of loss-of-control incidents” such as the recently reported hackings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12094819\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12094819\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTeensGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Three teenage boys look at their smartphone screens on April 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Regulation is unlikely from the federal government; President Donald Trump remains all-in on speeding up AI development in the face of competition from China and said the calls for a slowdown are a “conspiracy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, said Friday in a press release that should “alarm every American.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California under Newsom has enacted several first-in-the-nation laws to curb the potentially existential risks of AI. In 2025, he signed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb53\">Senate Bill 53\u003c/a>, which requires large AI model developers to publish frameworks on how they manage safety incidents and assess catastrophic risk — defined as incidents involving 50 or more deaths, chemical or biological weapons or more than $1 billion of theft or damage. They also must report critical safety incidents to the state. Illinois and New York have similar laws.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12099017",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAI.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That law sets a high bar for what incidents must be reported, though, including only those involving deaths, injuries or the “materialization of a catastrophic risk.” Advocates for greater tech regulation want the threshold to be lower to cover more incidents like the recent hackings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure was a compromise — a requirement for transparency rather than regulatory control — after Newsom in 2024 vetoed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202320240sb1047\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vetoed measure would have required the largest AI developers to receive safety auditing from third-party, external monitors, develop a kill switch and be subject to clearer legal liability if their technology causes harm. The measure divided Silicon Valley and was fiercely opposed by several of the largest AI developers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure was a compromise — a requirement for transparency rather than regulatory control — after Newsom in 2024 vetoed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202320240sb1047\">Senate Bill 1047\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both bills were authored by Democratic Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/scott-wiener-100936\">Scott Wiener\u003c/a>, whose San Francisco district is home to the most prominent AI companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We must act with all possible haste to address the serious risks of AI-driven catastrophe, and I commend the governor for taking this important step,” he said. “I’m glad to see the strong AI safety framework I laid out in 2024 is still being used to guide policy in 2026.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12092171\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12092171\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps on March 29, 2026. \u003ccite>(Anna Barclay/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The vetoed measure would have required the largest AI developers to receive safety auditing from third-party, external monitors, develop a kill switch and be subject to clearer legal liability if their technology causes harm. The measure divided Silicon Valley and received fierce opposition from several, but not all, of the largest AI developers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom wrote two years ago \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SB-1047-Veto-Message.pdf\">in a veto message\u003c/a> that while he agreed with the need to require safety protocols, the bill could restrict AI development at large companies “at the potential expense of curtailing the very innovation that fuels advancement in favor of the public good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I agree with the author — we cannot afford to wait for a major catastrophe to occur before taking action to protect the public,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, more in the industry have embraced third-party evaluations. This year, Newsom signed two laws to verify, register and set standards for those external monitors. But the new laws do not require companies to use them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his recent call for a slowdown in AI development, Amodei also called for third-party monitoring; both Anthropic and OpenAI say they will commit to the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/ai-rules-newsom-state-directive/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12100624"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13",
"news_248"
],
"tags": [
"news_25184",
"news_34755",
"news_18538",
"news_2043",
"news_27626",
"news_16",
"news_17762",
"news_17968",
"news_34586",
"news_1631"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12100649",
"label": "source_news_12100624"
},
"news_12100391": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100391",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100391",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1789671613000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "judge-says-immigration-agents-must-stop-the-way-theyre-conducting-warrantless-arrests",
"title": "Judge Says Immigration Agents Must Stop the Way They’re Conducting Warrantless Arrests",
"publishDate": 1789671613,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Judge Says Immigration Agents Must Stop the Way They’re Conducting Warrantless Arrests | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a hot day in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a> in August 2025, a worker stood in the sun with a rag and a squeeze bottle in front of a Mazda SUV when he turned to see a Border Patrol agent running toward him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seconds later, the agent grabbed him by his shoulder, gripping him by his Handy J Car Wash collared shirt like he was a recalcitrant child.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hey sir, let’s go,” the agent said in Spanish. The man, seemingly confused, replied, “Go where?” He had papers, he said, pleading with the agent. Within 10 seconds, the man – known only by his initials A.T. in court documents – was in handcuffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was whisked away in the backseat of an unmarked Dodge Charger to an ICE facility for processing, the rag and squeeze bottle left behind on top of the Mazda. Later that day he was fingerprinted and released, once ICE realized he was a lawful permanent resident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a ruling unsealed Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that immigration agents likely violated federal statutes by arresting people such as A.T. without a warrant before assessing whether they were flight risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong finalized \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">a tentative ruling issued last month\u003c/a> that immigration agents can’t just arrest someone, even if they’re in the country unlawfully, without determining if they’re likely to flee before a warrant can be obtained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098459\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. \u003ccite>(Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This Court finds ample evidence that Defendants have an ongoing policy and practice of conducting warrantless arrests in violation of the requirement to conduct a likelihood-of-escape analysis,” the judge wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under federal law, immigration officers can arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This ruling is one of the most important decisions to date in the community’s effort to end the federal government’s cruel and illegal practice of abducting people and separating them from their families,” said Mayra Joachin, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: “ICE has authority for lawful arrests where authorized under 8 USC 1357. Law enforcement officers use ‘reasonable suspicion’ to investigate immigration status and probable cause to make arrests consistent with the statute and the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court has already vindicated us on these practices.”[aside postID=news_12099590 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-13-BL.jpg']The preliminary injunction stems from a lawsuit the American Civil Liberties Union and a coalition of advocacy groups filed last year against the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BuxaVdv7po&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org\">aggressive raids across Los Angeles\u003c/a> led by former Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DHS attorneys have argued that those operations ceased in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while the high-profile immigration raids have gotten quieter after the killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis in January, President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign has only intensified. Arrests \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-customs-enforcement-data-statistics-f07f56a34bda225e5afa356781ac1740\">reached their highest level in the second Trump administration\u003c/a> in July, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide, according to data by the \u003ca href=\"https://deportationdata.org/index.html\">Deportation Data project\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, agents arrested more than 15 percent more people than they did during the same time last year, when Bovino’s masked agents conducted aggressive street raids across Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocacy groups obtained body cam footage, depositions and text messages from agents in discovery. Using that evidence, they successfully argued that federal immigration agents’ actions likely violated protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the case of A.T., the Border Patrol agent’s arrest report reveals that he skipped steps that would have prevented a lawful permanent resident from being handcuffed and sent to processing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the report, the arresting agent says he identified himself as a Border Patrol agent and that A.T. made a “couple of sudden moves” as if about to run. The body cam footage does not appear to show that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agent wrote that when he asked about citizenship, A.T. replied “U.S.” However, the agent says A.T. appeared “confused and unsure of his answer, similar to individuals who I have arrested before.” The agent reported he arrested him to verify his citizenship. At no point prior to the arrest does the agent try to check A.T. ‘s identification or ask questions about his background, the body cam footage shows. That’s the kind of flight risk assessment required before a warrantless arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When body cam footage contradicts agents’ narratives\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At that same Handy J Car Wash, a different Border Patrol agent detained another worker that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his arrest narrative, he wrote that the man followed his commands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But later in the report, the agent justified his decision to arrest the worker without a warrant because of “the fact that he ignored agent command.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report highlights a key argument that advocates made in their court filings. In arrest reports, agents are supposed to explain why they determined someone was a flight risk and therefore couldn’t wait to get a warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071712\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheriff’s deputies keep an eye on protesters blocking the entrance to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Attorneys argued that, in 80 percent of all the arrest reports they reviewed, agents either did not make any assessment of flight risk or simply used boilerplate language.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argued the agent’s narrative used boilerplate language that contradicted other parts of his report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her ruling, Frimpong cited this instance, noting the discrepancy between the official government narrative and the body cam footage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In one arrest, the Government’s escape narrative claims that an individual – E.G.G. – was likely to escape before a warrant could be obtained based, in part, on ‘his flight from law enforcement,” Frimpong wrote. “… But a video of this arrest shows E.G.G. remained working and standing in the same place from the time that the agent entered the car wash to the time that the agent called him over….contrary to the Government’s written escape risk analysis, (he) did not flee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the same body cam footage a supervisory agent tells the worker, “We’re going to give you a ride, and check if everything is OK. If everything is OK, we’ll let you go.” The agents’ own words reveal how the sweeps operated: arrest first and verify later.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In agents’ own words\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In some cases, the agents arrested people without a warrant even though a court had already determined they weren’t a flight risk, according to advocates’ attorneys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In body cam footage from September, one Border Patrol agent asks another if they are still arresting people who have a notice to appear before an immigration judge. Such a notice signals someone is currently going through the immigration system, and likely has been deemed not a flight risk. They usually have been released awaiting a court date to determine whether they can stay in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another agent says, “I don’t care if you have a court date coming up, you’re a (expletive) custody redetermination.” The agent is saying that even if an immigration judge already determined a person isn’t a flight risk, agents are reversing that decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12096570\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12096570\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite>(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Even those already in removal proceedings, who are ordered released on bond presumably due to lack of flight risk and are complying with court dates, are not immune from Defendants’ policy,” wrote attorneys for the detained, arguing that the immigration agents aren’t just neglecting to do a flight risk assessment themselves, but willfully ignoring the determination of an actual immigration judge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Border Patrol policy calls for agents to ask about flight-risk factors like identification or a home address before an arrest. But attorneys who brought the lawsuit say body camera footage shows agents often did not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one video from August 2025, Border Patrol agents jumped out of a Penske truck and grabbed people in the Home Depot parking lot in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At around 6:50 a.m. a Border Patrol agent arrested a man identified as Tijerino-Garmendia in court documents. The agent’s arrest narrative says Tijerino-Garmendia “stated he had no identification stating his identity or home address.” Body cam footage shows the agent “showing no questioning on this topic,” attorneys for the detained said in court records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agents arrested community members “with no inquiry into community ties or escape risk,” the lawsuit claims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judges in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/02/05/g-s1-108778/ice-agents-warrantless-arrests-oregon\">Oregon\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/05/12/ice-materially-violated-order-on-warrantless-arrests-colorado-judge-says/\">Colorado\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/us/trump-dhs-arrests-warrants-dc.html\">Washington D.C.\u003c/a> have also ordered federal agents to stop making warrantless arrests. Courts in two of those cases later found agents kept on doing it anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12093000\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12093000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Federal immigration agents arrest a man in Bell as residents clash with U.S. Border Patrol agents after a traffic collision involving one of the agency’s vehicles during immigration raids across the Los Angeles area on June 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the Los Angeles case, Frimpong ordered that agents must document “the specific, particularized facts that supported the agent’s or officer’s prearrest probable cause to believe that the person was likely to escape before a warrant could be obtained.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates argued the analysis should include community ties, like whether a person has a job and a home and a family, but the judge declined to require those specifics if the escape risk can be shown through other factors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also declined to require agents to document cases where they talk to someone but don’t arrest them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government asked for a two week delay to decide whether to appeal before the order takes effect. Frimpong denied that, saying the government “cannot reasonably assert that it is harmed in any legally cognizable sense” by being ordered to follow the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/09/la-immigration-raids-warrantless-arrests-ruling/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A Los Angeles judge ruled federal immigration agents likely violated the Constitution by not assessing flight risk when making warrantless arrests.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1789666351,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 43,
"wordCount": 1787
},
"headData": {
"title": "Judge Says Immigration Agents Must Stop the Way They’re Conducting Warrantless Arrests | KQED",
"description": "A Los Angeles judge ruled federal immigration agents likely violated the Constitution by not assessing flight risk when making warrantless arrests.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Judge Says Immigration Agents Must Stop the Way They’re Conducting Warrantless Arrests",
"datePublished": "2026-09-17T12:00:13-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-17T10:32:31-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1169,
"slug": "immigration",
"name": "Immigration"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Sergio Olmos and Wendy Fry, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100391/judge-says-immigration-agents-must-stop-the-way-theyre-conducting-warrantless-arrests",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a hot day in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a> in August 2025, a worker stood in the sun with a rag and a squeeze bottle in front of a Mazda SUV when he turned to see a Border Patrol agent running toward him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seconds later, the agent grabbed him by his shoulder, gripping him by his Handy J Car Wash collared shirt like he was a recalcitrant child.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hey sir, let’s go,” the agent said in Spanish. The man, seemingly confused, replied, “Go where?” He had papers, he said, pleading with the agent. Within 10 seconds, the man – known only by his initials A.T. in court documents – was in handcuffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was whisked away in the backseat of an unmarked Dodge Charger to an ICE facility for processing, the rag and squeeze bottle left behind on top of the Mazda. Later that day he was fingerprinted and released, once ICE realized he was a lawful permanent resident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a ruling unsealed Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that immigration agents likely violated federal statutes by arresting people such as A.T. without a warrant before assessing whether they were flight risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong finalized \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">a tentative ruling issued last month\u003c/a> that immigration agents can’t just arrest someone, even if they’re in the country unlawfully, without determining if they’re likely to flee before a warrant can be obtained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098459\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. \u003ccite>(Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This Court finds ample evidence that Defendants have an ongoing policy and practice of conducting warrantless arrests in violation of the requirement to conduct a likelihood-of-escape analysis,” the judge wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under federal law, immigration officers can arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This ruling is one of the most important decisions to date in the community’s effort to end the federal government’s cruel and illegal practice of abducting people and separating them from their families,” said Mayra Joachin, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: “ICE has authority for lawful arrests where authorized under 8 USC 1357. Law enforcement officers use ‘reasonable suspicion’ to investigate immigration status and probable cause to make arrests consistent with the statute and the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court has already vindicated us on these practices.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12099590",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-13-BL.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The preliminary injunction stems from a lawsuit the American Civil Liberties Union and a coalition of advocacy groups filed last year against the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BuxaVdv7po&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fcalmatters.org\">aggressive raids across Los Angeles\u003c/a> led by former Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DHS attorneys have argued that those operations ceased in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while the high-profile immigration raids have gotten quieter after the killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis in January, President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign has only intensified. Arrests \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-customs-enforcement-data-statistics-f07f56a34bda225e5afa356781ac1740\">reached their highest level in the second Trump administration\u003c/a> in July, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide, according to data by the \u003ca href=\"https://deportationdata.org/index.html\">Deportation Data project\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, agents arrested more than 15 percent more people than they did during the same time last year, when Bovino’s masked agents conducted aggressive street raids across Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocacy groups obtained body cam footage, depositions and text messages from agents in discovery. Using that evidence, they successfully argued that federal immigration agents’ actions likely violated protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the case of A.T., the Border Patrol agent’s arrest report reveals that he skipped steps that would have prevented a lawful permanent resident from being handcuffed and sent to processing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the report, the arresting agent says he identified himself as a Border Patrol agent and that A.T. made a “couple of sudden moves” as if about to run. The body cam footage does not appear to show that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agent wrote that when he asked about citizenship, A.T. replied “U.S.” However, the agent says A.T. appeared “confused and unsure of his answer, similar to individuals who I have arrested before.” The agent reported he arrested him to verify his citizenship. At no point prior to the arrest does the agent try to check A.T. ‘s identification or ask questions about his background, the body cam footage shows. That’s the kind of flight risk assessment required before a warrantless arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When body cam footage contradicts agents’ narratives\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At that same Handy J Car Wash, a different Border Patrol agent detained another worker that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his arrest narrative, he wrote that the man followed his commands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But later in the report, the agent justified his decision to arrest the worker without a warrant because of “the fact that he ignored agent command.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report highlights a key argument that advocates made in their court filings. In arrest reports, agents are supposed to explain why they determined someone was a flight risk and therefore couldn’t wait to get a warrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071712\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/ICEAgentsMinnesotaGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheriff’s deputies keep an eye on protesters blocking the entrance to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Attorneys argued that, in 80 percent of all the arrest reports they reviewed, agents either did not make any assessment of flight risk or simply used boilerplate language.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argued the agent’s narrative used boilerplate language that contradicted other parts of his report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her ruling, Frimpong cited this instance, noting the discrepancy between the official government narrative and the body cam footage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In one arrest, the Government’s escape narrative claims that an individual – E.G.G. – was likely to escape before a warrant could be obtained based, in part, on ‘his flight from law enforcement,” Frimpong wrote. “… But a video of this arrest shows E.G.G. remained working and standing in the same place from the time that the agent entered the car wash to the time that the agent called him over….contrary to the Government’s written escape risk analysis, (he) did not flee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the same body cam footage a supervisory agent tells the worker, “We’re going to give you a ride, and check if everything is OK. If everything is OK, we’ll let you go.” The agents’ own words reveal how the sweeps operated: arrest first and verify later.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In agents’ own words\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In some cases, the agents arrested people without a warrant even though a court had already determined they weren’t a flight risk, according to advocates’ attorneys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In body cam footage from September, one Border Patrol agent asks another if they are still arresting people who have a notice to appear before an immigration judge. Such a notice signals someone is currently going through the immigration system, and likely has been deemed not a flight risk. They usually have been released awaiting a court date to determine whether they can stay in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another agent says, “I don’t care if you have a court date coming up, you’re a (expletive) custody redetermination.” The agent is saying that even if an immigration judge already determined a person isn’t a flight risk, agents are reversing that decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12096570\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12096570\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite>(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Even those already in removal proceedings, who are ordered released on bond presumably due to lack of flight risk and are complying with court dates, are not immune from Defendants’ policy,” wrote attorneys for the detained, arguing that the immigration agents aren’t just neglecting to do a flight risk assessment themselves, but willfully ignoring the determination of an actual immigration judge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Border Patrol policy calls for agents to ask about flight-risk factors like identification or a home address before an arrest. But attorneys who brought the lawsuit say body camera footage shows agents often did not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In one video from August 2025, Border Patrol agents jumped out of a Penske truck and grabbed people in the Home Depot parking lot in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At around 6:50 a.m. a Border Patrol agent arrested a man identified as Tijerino-Garmendia in court documents. The agent’s arrest narrative says Tijerino-Garmendia “stated he had no identification stating his identity or home address.” Body cam footage shows the agent “showing no questioning on this topic,” attorneys for the detained said in court records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agents arrested community members “with no inquiry into community ties or escape risk,” the lawsuit claims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judges in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/02/05/g-s1-108778/ice-agents-warrantless-arrests-oregon\">Oregon\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/05/12/ice-materially-violated-order-on-warrantless-arrests-colorado-judge-says/\">Colorado\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/us/trump-dhs-arrests-warrants-dc.html\">Washington D.C.\u003c/a> have also ordered federal agents to stop making warrantless arrests. Courts in two of those cases later found agents kept on doing it anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12093000\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12093000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalMatters-Olmos-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Federal immigration agents arrest a man in Bell as residents clash with U.S. Border Patrol agents after a traffic collision involving one of the agency’s vehicles during immigration raids across the Los Angeles area on June 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the Los Angeles case, Frimpong ordered that agents must document “the specific, particularized facts that supported the agent’s or officer’s prearrest probable cause to believe that the person was likely to escape before a warrant could be obtained.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates argued the analysis should include community ties, like whether a person has a job and a home and a family, but the judge declined to require those specifics if the escape risk can be shown through other factors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also declined to require agents to document cases where they talk to someone but don’t arrest them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government asked for a two week delay to decide whether to appeal before the order takes effect. Frimpong denied that, saying the government “cannot reasonably assert that it is harmed in any legally cognizable sense” by being ordered to follow the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/09/la-immigration-raids-warrantless-arrests-ruling/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100391/judge-says-immigration-agents-must-stop-the-way-theyre-conducting-warrantless-arrests",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12100391"
],
"categories": [
"news_34167",
"news_1169",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18002",
"news_36480",
"news_36429",
"news_20202",
"news_35766",
"news_23796",
"news_244"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12059095",
"label": "source_news_12100391"
},
"news_12099985": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12099985",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12099985",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1789588827000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-high-speed-rail-consultants-flew-first-class-visited-bars-and-a-nightclub-on-taxpayers-money",
"title": "California High-Speed Rail Consultants Flew First-Class, Visited Bars and a Nightclub on Taxpayers’ Money",
"publishDate": 1789588827,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California High-Speed Rail Consultants Flew First-Class, Visited Bars and a Nightclub on Taxpayers’ Money | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail\">California’s High Speed Rail\u003c/a> Authority paid nearly $600,000 in unallowable travel expenses to “questionable locations that appear unrelated to state business,” including trips to gyms, a nightclub, an escape room, a tiki bar and a cigar lounge over a two-year period, according to an investigation released Tuesday by the inspector general that oversees the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that the agency routinely reimbursed consultants for trips that were unauthorized or poorly justified. Some consultants flew first-class and were reimbursed without questioning, in violation of contracts and state policies. One consultant flew his private plane from Washington, D.C. to California and was reimbursed for a premium fare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Paying for travel when it is not necessary or when it exceeds what is allowed by state regulations or the contract terms is waste of public funds and is behavior inconsistent with the Authority’s role as the steward of public resources,” the \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">Office of the Inspector General report\u003c/a> reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Matt Rocco, spokesperson for the high-speed rail authority, said in a written statement that the agency “takes these findings seriously” and will work with the inspector general’s office to fix the issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In response, the Authority will strengthen internal controls around consultant travel, implement more rigorous documentation and approval requirements, and recover any improper costs identified,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters in 2008 approved a plan to build a high-speed rail line stretching from San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020 at a projected cost of $33 billion. Since then, its route has been significantly scaled back and the cost has ballooned to at least $126 billion. \u003ca href=\"https://www.wsj.com/us-news/years-late-billions-over-budget-californias-high-speed-rail-hasnt-laid-a-track-bac525ee\">No tracks\u003c/a> have been laid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction on the high-speed rail project over a ramp above Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters via CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The inspector general reviewed $1.15 million out of more than $2 million in travel reimbursements to four outside consulting firms between 2024 and 2026. The OIG said the firms are KPMG LLP, a global financial consulting firm; Nossaman LLP, a national law firm; AECOM-Fluor Joint Venture, which manages and coordinates the authority’s projects, and SYSTRA/TYPSA Joint Venture, which provides tracks and systems design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the firms immediately responded to CalMatters’ requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found the high-speed rail authority greenlighted at least $685,000 — roughly 60% — in payments without first approving the travel. In some cases, agency staff didn’t even know about the trips until they received invoices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even for approved trips, the report found the agency failed to sufficiently vet the requests and lacked records to justify the need for the travel.[aside postID=news_11983907 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/2024_01-Fresno-White-672x372.jpg']The authority frequently approved expenses with vague justifications, such as “typical M-F week” trips, and approved travel at the request of executives without asking why. One consultant flew to California from Denver 20 times during the two-year period to “meet with the executive team” or attend executive meetings, without explaining why the meetings couldn’t have been remote, the report says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One legal consultant was paid $40,800 in travel reimbursements and an additional $86,500 in “travel time” for 30 trips between Denver and Sacramento in a year. The same consultant “frequently booked flights on the same day the traveling occurred,” the report said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When questioned about whether he needed to attend the meetings in person, the consultant said the authority’s chief executive, Ian Choudri, had requested his presence so he did not need to justify it and that it would not be appropriate for him to question Choudri’s direction, “as other consultants in other Authority offices are learning the hard way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly $600,000 of the $1 million in travel expenses violated state travel policies or the contracts, the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The questionable expenses included:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Premium Uber and Lyft rides to and from a restaurant, bar, and nightclub between 9:40 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. that “clearly appear to be for personal enjoyment rather than for the benefit of the state;”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Numerous meals in Folsom, where CEO Choudri has a home;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Repeated reimbursed ride-hailing trips to Planet Fitness gyms in and around Sacramento, even after a supervisor wrote that “the state does not cover ride share[s] to gyms”;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>$118,000 in international travel despite the contracts explicitly barring international travel;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A nearly $40 Uber Black luxury car charge for a trip of less than one mile in downtown Sacramento.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Financial adviser KPMG was the consulting firm that billed the authority for trips to the night club, the tiki bar and the cigar lounge, Deputy Inspector General Amanda Millen told CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is important to remember that the critical issue here is not why the consultants visited these locations, but why (High-Speed Rail Authority) consultants included rideshare costs to these locations in their travel claims and why HSRA paid the cost of rideshares to these locations without questioning the business need for these costs,” Millen said in an email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report sparked instant outrage from Assembly GOP Leader \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/alexandra-macedo-187421\">Alexandra Macedo\u003c/a> of Visalia, who called the spending “\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AsmwomanMacedo/status/2099948331107828032\">wasteful and unallowable.\u003c/a>” She has been a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/02/california-high-speed-rail-record-exemption/\">vocal critic\u003c/a> of the project even though Visalia sits along the planned route of the high-speed rail tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A viaduct runs alongside Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Alex Hall/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The investigation is the latest wrinkle in the high-speed rail authority’s already troublesome history. The office of inspector general warned in \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/OIG-HSR-Review-of-2026-Business-Plan-A11Y.pdf\">a scathing July report\u003c/a> that the agency could run out of cash by December 2027, raising doubts about its ability to finish its planned segment connecting Merced to Bakersfield.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers this year approved \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1608\">Assembly Bill 1608\u003c/a>, which would strengthen the inspector general’s oversight of the agency. Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the new investigation report, the inspector general’s office made several recommendations to help the authority better enforce its travel policies. The authority should require travel expenses to be cost-effective, capped at state employee reimbursement rates and only for state business, the office says. The agency should also send a memo from the chief executive reiterating that all travel be approved in advance, even when the executive requests it, and that the agency review the expenses for the four contractors and seek reimbursement for unjustified travel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, authority officials agreed to adopt some recommendations and partially adopt others by March 2027, including that it would send a memo from the chief executive clarifying travel expectations by February 2027 but it would be issued “‘at the appropriate executive level’ indicating that it may not come from the CEO.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the authority insisted it didn’t need to justify each consultant’s trip, prompting the inspector general to reply: “We explained to the Authority that this interpretation is fundamentally incorrect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The office will conduct another evaluation after March 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California’s High-Speed Rail Authority paid nearly $600,000 in unallowable travel reimbursements to outside consultants while keeping a poor record to justify them, a state investigation found.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1789586567,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 27,
"wordCount": 1206
},
"headData": {
"title": "California High-Speed Rail Consultants Flew First-Class, Visited Bars and a Nightclub on Taxpayers’ Money | KQED",
"description": "California’s High-Speed Rail Authority paid nearly $600,000 in unallowable travel reimbursements to outside consultants while keeping a poor record to justify them, a state investigation found.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California High-Speed Rail Consultants Flew First-Class, Visited Bars and a Nightclub on Taxpayers’ Money",
"datePublished": "2026-09-16T13:00:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-16T12:22:47-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Yue Stella Yu and Juliet Williams, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12099985/california-high-speed-rail-consultants-flew-first-class-visited-bars-and-a-nightclub-on-taxpayers-money",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail\">California’s High Speed Rail\u003c/a> Authority paid nearly $600,000 in unallowable travel expenses to “questionable locations that appear unrelated to state business,” including trips to gyms, a nightclub, an escape room, a tiki bar and a cigar lounge over a two-year period, according to an investigation released Tuesday by the inspector general that oversees the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that the agency routinely reimbursed consultants for trips that were unauthorized or poorly justified. Some consultants flew first-class and were reimbursed without questioning, in violation of contracts and state policies. One consultant flew his private plane from Washington, D.C. to California and was reimbursed for a premium fare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Paying for travel when it is not necessary or when it exceeds what is allowed by state regulations or the contract terms is waste of public funds and is behavior inconsistent with the Authority’s role as the steward of public resources,” the \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">Office of the Inspector General report\u003c/a> reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Matt Rocco, spokesperson for the high-speed rail authority, said in a written statement that the agency “takes these findings seriously” and will work with the inspector general’s office to fix the issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In response, the Authority will strengthen internal controls around consultant travel, implement more rigorous documentation and approval requirements, and recover any improper costs identified,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters in 2008 approved a plan to build a high-speed rail line stretching from San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020 at a projected cost of $33 billion. Since then, its route has been significantly scaled back and the cost has ballooned to at least $126 billion. \u003ca href=\"https://www.wsj.com/us-news/years-late-billions-over-budget-californias-high-speed-rail-hasnt-laid-a-track-bac525ee\">No tracks\u003c/a> have been laid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction on the high-speed rail project over a ramp above Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters via CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The inspector general reviewed $1.15 million out of more than $2 million in travel reimbursements to four outside consulting firms between 2024 and 2026. The OIG said the firms are KPMG LLP, a global financial consulting firm; Nossaman LLP, a national law firm; AECOM-Fluor Joint Venture, which manages and coordinates the authority’s projects, and SYSTRA/TYPSA Joint Venture, which provides tracks and systems design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the firms immediately responded to CalMatters’ requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found the high-speed rail authority greenlighted at least $685,000 — roughly 60% — in payments without first approving the travel. In some cases, agency staff didn’t even know about the trips until they received invoices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even for approved trips, the report found the agency failed to sufficiently vet the requests and lacked records to justify the need for the travel.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11983907",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/2024_01-Fresno-White-672x372.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The authority frequently approved expenses with vague justifications, such as “typical M-F week” trips, and approved travel at the request of executives without asking why. One consultant flew to California from Denver 20 times during the two-year period to “meet with the executive team” or attend executive meetings, without explaining why the meetings couldn’t have been remote, the report says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One legal consultant was paid $40,800 in travel reimbursements and an additional $86,500 in “travel time” for 30 trips between Denver and Sacramento in a year. The same consultant “frequently booked flights on the same day the traveling occurred,” the report said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When questioned about whether he needed to attend the meetings in person, the consultant said the authority’s chief executive, Ian Choudri, had requested his presence so he did not need to justify it and that it would not be appropriate for him to question Choudri’s direction, “as other consultants in other Authority offices are learning the hard way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly $600,000 of the $1 million in travel expenses violated state travel policies or the contracts, the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The questionable expenses included:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Premium Uber and Lyft rides to and from a restaurant, bar, and nightclub between 9:40 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. that “clearly appear to be for personal enjoyment rather than for the benefit of the state;”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Numerous meals in Folsom, where CEO Choudri has a home;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Repeated reimbursed ride-hailing trips to Planet Fitness gyms in and around Sacramento, even after a supervisor wrote that “the state does not cover ride share[s] to gyms”;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>$118,000 in international travel despite the contracts explicitly barring international travel;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A nearly $40 Uber Black luxury car charge for a trip of less than one mile in downtown Sacramento.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Financial adviser KPMG was the consulting firm that billed the authority for trips to the night club, the tiki bar and the cigar lounge, Deputy Inspector General Amanda Millen told CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is important to remember that the critical issue here is not why the consultants visited these locations, but why (High-Speed Rail Authority) consultants included rideshare costs to these locations in their travel claims and why HSRA paid the cost of rideshares to these locations without questioning the business need for these costs,” Millen said in an email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report sparked instant outrage from Assembly GOP Leader \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/alexandra-macedo-187421\">Alexandra Macedo\u003c/a> of Visalia, who called the spending “\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AsmwomanMacedo/status/2099948331107828032\">wasteful and unallowable.\u003c/a>” She has been a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/02/california-high-speed-rail-record-exemption/\">vocal critic\u003c/a> of the project even though Visalia sits along the planned route of the high-speed rail tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A viaduct runs alongside Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Alex Hall/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The investigation is the latest wrinkle in the high-speed rail authority’s already troublesome history. The office of inspector general warned in \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/OIG-HSR-Review-of-2026-Business-Plan-A11Y.pdf\">a scathing July report\u003c/a> that the agency could run out of cash by December 2027, raising doubts about its ability to finish its planned segment connecting Merced to Bakersfield.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers this year approved \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab1608\">Assembly Bill 1608\u003c/a>, which would strengthen the inspector general’s oversight of the agency. Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the new investigation report, the inspector general’s office made several recommendations to help the authority better enforce its travel policies. The authority should require travel expenses to be cost-effective, capped at state employee reimbursement rates and only for state business, the office says. The agency should also send a memo from the chief executive reiterating that all travel be approved in advance, even when the executive requests it, and that the agency review the expenses for the four contractors and seek reimbursement for unjustified travel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, authority officials agreed to adopt some recommendations and partially adopt others by March 2027, including that it would send a memo from the chief executive clarifying travel expectations by February 2027 but it would be issued “‘at the appropriate executive level’ indicating that it may not come from the CEO.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the authority insisted it didn’t need to justify each consultant’s trip, prompting the inspector general to reply: “We explained to the Authority that this interpretation is fundamentally incorrect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The office will conduct another evaluation after March 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12099985/california-high-speed-rail-consultants-flew-first-class-visited-bars-and-a-nightclub-on-taxpayers-money",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12099985"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13",
"news_1397"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_307",
"news_20290",
"news_35354",
"news_20517"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12099990",
"label": "source_news_12099985"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/news?affiliate=calmatters": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 1004,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12102300",
"news_12101475",
"news_12101476",
"news_12101122",
"news_12101109",
"news_12101062",
"news_12101011",
"news_12100757",
"news_12100577",
"news_12100624",
"news_12100391",
"news_12099985"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news_affiliate_calmatters": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_18481": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/affiliate/calmatters"
},
"source_news_12102300": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12102300",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101475": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101475",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101122": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101122",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101109": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101109",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101062": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101062",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101011": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101011",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100757": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100757",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100577": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100577",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100624": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100624",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100391": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100391",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12099985": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12099985",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"news_31795": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31795",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31795",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31812,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/california"
},
"news_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/news"
},
"news_13": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_13",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "13",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 13,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/politics"
},
"news_18538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california"
},
"news_20251": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20251",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20251",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Democrats",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Democrats Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20268,
"slug": "california-democrats",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-democrats"
},
"news_3976": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3976",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3976",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Republicans",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Republicans Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3995,
"slug": "california-republicans",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-republicans"
},
"news_26088": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26088",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26088",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "democratic debates",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "democratic debates Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26105,
"slug": "democratic-debates",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/democratic-debates"
},
"news_36336": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36336",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36336",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Election 2026",
"slug": "election-2026",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Election 2026 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36353,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/election-2026"
},
"news_36335": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36335",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36335",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Governor 2026",
"slug": "governor-2026",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Governor 2026 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36352,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/governor-2026"
},
"news_17968": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17968",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17968",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 18002,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/politics"
},
"news_35821": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35821",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35821",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Steve Hilton",
"slug": "steve-hilton",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Steve Hilton | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35838,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/steve-hilton"
},
"news_20378": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20378",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20378",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Xavier Becerra",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Xavier Becerra Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20395,
"slug": "xavier-becerra",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/xavier-becerra"
},
"news_33738": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33738",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33738",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33755,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/california"
},
"news_33734": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33734",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33734",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local Politics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Politics Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33751,
"slug": "local-politics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/local-politics"
},
"news_33733": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33733",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33733",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33750,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/news"
},
"news_6188": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6188",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6188",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Law and Justice",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Law and Justice Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6212,
"slug": "law-and-justice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/law-and-justice"
},
"news_1397": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1397",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1397",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Transportation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Transportation Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1409,
"slug": "transportation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/transportation"
},
"news_913": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_913",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "913",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Assembly",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Assembly Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 923,
"slug": "california-assembly",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-assembly"
},
"news_2704": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2704",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2704",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Legislature",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Legislature Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2722,
"slug": "california-legislature",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-legislature"
},
"news_36095": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36095",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36095",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "drunk driving",
"slug": "drunk-driving",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "drunk driving | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36112,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/drunk-driving"
},
"news_36096": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36096",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36096",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "DUI",
"slug": "dui",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "DUI | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36113,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/dui"
},
"news_16": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_16",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "16",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Gavin Newsom",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Gavin Newsom Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16,
"slug": "gavin-newsom",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/gavin-newsom"
},
"news_35836": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35836",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35836",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "safety",
"slug": "safety",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "safety | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35853,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/safety"
},
"news_20517": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20517",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20517",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "transportation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "transportation Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20534,
"slug": "transportation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/transportation"
},
"news_6266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6290,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/housing"
},
"news_4020": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4020",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4020",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Homelessness",
"slug": "homelessness",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Homelessness | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index"
},
"ttid": 4039,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homelessness"
},
"news_1775": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1775",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1775",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1790,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/housing"
},
"news_95": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_95",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "95",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sacramento",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sacramento Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 411,
"slug": "sacramento",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sacramento"
},
"news_33739": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33739",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33739",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33756,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/housing"
},
"news_23052": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23052",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23052",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "fraud",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "fraud Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23069,
"slug": "fraud",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/fraud"
},
"news_4": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "los angeles",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "los angeles Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4,
"slug": "los-angeles",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/los-angeles"
},
"news_4500": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4500",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4500",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "theft",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "theft Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4519,
"slug": "theft",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/theft"
},
"news_457": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_457",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "457",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16998,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/health"
},
"news_30251": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30251",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30251",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "abortion access",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "abortion access Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30268,
"slug": "abortion-access",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/abortion-access"
},
"news_23790": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23790",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23790",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "abortion pill",
"slug": "abortion-pill",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "abortion pill | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 23807,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/abortion-pill"
},
"news_18543": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18543",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 466,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health"
},
"news_34180": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34180",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34180",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "mifepristone",
"slug": "mifepristone",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "mifepristone | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 34197,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/mifepristone"
},
"news_3674": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3674",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3674",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Rob Bonta",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Rob Bonta Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3692,
"slug": "rob-bonta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/rob-bonta"
},
"news_33747": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33747",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33747",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33764,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/health"
},
"news_18540": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18540",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18540",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2595,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/education"
},
"news_34542": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34542",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34542",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "college degrees",
"slug": "college-degrees",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "college degrees | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 34559,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/college-degrees"
},
"news_20652": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20652",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20652",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "community college",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "community college Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20669,
"slug": "community-college",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/community-college"
},
"news_20013": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20013",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20013",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20030,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/education"
},
"news_6699": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6699",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6699",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "University",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "University Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6723,
"slug": "university",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/university"
},
"news_33746": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33746",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33746",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33763,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/education"
},
"news_33136": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33136",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33136",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california police",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california police Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33153,
"slug": "california-police",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-police"
},
"news_18512": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18512",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18512",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "firefighters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "firefighters Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18546,
"slug": "firefighters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/firefighters"
},
"news_118": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_118",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "118",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pensions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pensions Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 122,
"slug": "pensions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/pensions"
},
"news_116": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_116",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "116",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "police",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "police Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 120,
"slug": "police",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/police"
},
"news_1169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1169",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1169",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1180,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/immigration"
},
"news_36185": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36185",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36185",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "college campus",
"slug": "college-campus",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "college campus | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36202,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/college-campus"
},
"news_20202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20219,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration"
},
"news_3457": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3457",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3457",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Students",
"slug": "students",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Students | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 3475,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/students"
},
"news_35285": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35285",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35285",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "undocumented students",
"slug": "undocumented-students",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "undocumented students | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35302,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/undocumented-students"
},
"news_206": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_206",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "206",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "University of California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "University of California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 214,
"slug": "university-of-california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/university-of-california"
},
"news_33748": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33748",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33748",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33765,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/immigration"
},
"news_34169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34169",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34169",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Cultural Commentary",
"slug": "cultural-commentary",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Cultural Commentary Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34186,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/cultural-commentary"
},
"news_350": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_350",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "350",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ACLU",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ACLU Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 358,
"slug": "aclu",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/aclu"
},
"news_4750": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4750",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4750",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "civil rights",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "civil rights Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4769,
"slug": "civil-rights",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/civil-rights"
},
"news_1323": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1323",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1323",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Donald Trump",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Donald Trump Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1335,
"slug": "donald-trump",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/donald-trump"
},
"news_27626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27643,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-news"
},
"news_2947": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2947",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2947",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "marriage",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "marriage Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2965,
"slug": "marriage",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/marriage"
},
"news_20296": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20296",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20296",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "planned parenthood",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "planned parenthood Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20313,
"slug": "planned-parenthood",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/planned-parenthood"
},
"news_248": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_248",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "248",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Technology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Technology Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 256,
"slug": "technology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/technology"
},
"news_25184": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_25184",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "25184",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "AI",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "AI Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 25201,
"slug": "ai",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ai"
},
"news_34755": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34755",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34755",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "artificial intelligence",
"slug": "artificial-intelligence",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "artificial intelligence | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34772,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/artificial-intelligence"
},
"news_2043": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2043",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2043",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "children",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "children Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2058,
"slug": "children",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/children"
},
"news_17762": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17762",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17762",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "kids",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "kids Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17796,
"slug": "kids",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/kids"
},
"news_34586": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34586",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34586",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Silicon Valley",
"slug": "silicon-valley",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Silicon Valley | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34603,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/silicon-valley"
},
"news_1631": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1631",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1631",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Technology",
"slug": "technology",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Technology | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 1643,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/technology"
},
"news_34167": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34167",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34167",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Criminal Justice",
"slug": "criminal-justice",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Criminal Justice Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34184,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/criminal-justice"
},
"news_18002": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18002",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18002",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "body cameras",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "body cameras Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18036,
"slug": "body-cameras",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/body-cameras"
},
"news_36480": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36480",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36480",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "federal immigration agents",
"slug": "federal-immigration-agents",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "federal immigration agents | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36497,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/federal-immigration-agents"
},
"news_36429": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36429",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36429",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "ICE facility",
"slug": "ice-facility",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "ICE facility | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36446,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ice-facility"
},
"news_35766": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35766",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35766",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigration arrest",
"slug": "immigration-arrest",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigration arrest | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35783,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-arrest"
},
"news_23796": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23796",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23796",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "U.S. Border Patrol",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "U.S. Border Patrol Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23813,
"slug": "u-s-border-patrol",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/u-s-border-patrol"
},
"news_244": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_244",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "244",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "undocumented immigrants",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "undocumented immigrants Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 252,
"slug": "undocumented-immigrants",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/undocumented-immigrants"
},
"news_307": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_307",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "307",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California High Speed Rail Authority",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California High Speed Rail Authority Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 315,
"slug": "california-high-speed-rail-authority",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail-authority"
},
"news_20290": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20290",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20290",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California High-Speed Rail",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California High-Speed Rail Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20307,
"slug": "california-high-speed-rail",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail"
},
"news_35354": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35354",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35354",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "investigation",
"slug": "investigation",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "investigation | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35371,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/investigation"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
}
}
