Homelessness is down in California and across the country, new federal report says The Trump administration downplayed the decline in homelessness, contending far more people are on the streets today than a decade ago.

California just handed oil companies billions in free pollution permits California air regulators approved a sweeping carbon market overhaul Friday, giving oil refineries billions in free permits over environmentalists' objections.

A chemical tank nearly exploded. California's rules may not have required more. 50,000 people evacuated. A chemical not covered by the state's toughest safety rules. How did this happen?

The data, showing the first decrease in homelessness in years, provided fuel for activists challenging the Trump administration’s narrative that current homelessness policies are failing and need to be overhauled. cal.news/437f2tT 📸 Larry Valenzuela

A tank at a Garden Grove aerospace plant came within a crack of exploding and forcing a toxic chemical cloud over 50,000 evacuated residents. Here's what regulators knew before it happened. cal.news/3S9uT8O 📸 Ethan Swope, AP

California air regulators approved a sweeping carbon market overhaul Friday, giving oil refineries billions in free permits over environmentalists' objections. cal.news/4wUUqml 📸 Damian Dovarganes, AP

Opinion | Gavin Newsom's rosy painting of California's economy leaves out its darker undertones Gov. Newsom often brags about California's productivity and Nobel winners but omits its recent tech layoffs, shrinking jobs base and growing gaps between rich and poor.

What would get Gen Z to vote in California's primary? These candidates are trying Gen Z makes up one-fifth of California's voting population, but most will sit out the June 2 primary. A few candidates are targeting them anyway.

Follow the money: Donors are spending big in California governor’s race Spending on the California governor’s race is breaking records, and it’s not just Tom Steyer’s $213 million in contributions

Will it be Becerra vs. Hilton, or Becerra vs. Steyer? A new poll released Friday shows Becerra in the lead, followed closely by Hilton with 21% and Steyer with 19%.

Assembly lawmakers on Thursday unanimously advanced a proposal to ban most social media accounts for children under 16. The bill now heads to the Senate and already has Newsom’s blessing. cal.news/435t67b 📸 Shae Hammond

Opinion | Other California cities should be paying attention to what Berkeley built. Diabetes rates can bend. Youth BMIs can come down. cal.news/4o1ZJfM 📝 Xavier Morales 📸 Kevin Carter

Opinion | Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, California’s unemployment rate has routinely ranked among the nation’s highest, with a million members of its labor force lacking jobs. cal.news/4dWP7dp 📝 Dan Walters 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Gavin Newsom signed a new law to boost California election security. Here’s how The law bans law enforcement from interfering in elections. It takes effect just in time for the June 2 primary

Opinion | In the race for governor, Tom Steyer and Steve Hilton represent one version, while Xavier Becerra leads a field of current and former elected officials that represents the other. cal.news/4v7xv5w 📝 Jim Newton 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Opinion | While polling should always be met with skepticism, this latest survey suggests that Becerra will be California’s next governor. cal.news/4fekW3B 📝 Dan Walters 📸 Larry Valenzuela

Only 37% of child survivors receive mental health care within six months of a shooting — advocates say cost and insurance barriers are largely to blame. cal.news/4fHmcfO 📸 Sarahbeth Maney

Despite making up one-fifth of the state’s voting population, most Gen Z Californians won’t vote in the June 2 primary, which is stacked with several gubernatorial candidates. cal.news/3PQIUHV 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

CalMatters analyzed campaign finance data in the California governor’s race. Here are five takeaways on where the money is coming from and where it’s going. cal.news/3Q3W9VI 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are holding on to the lead in the latest poll ahead of the California governor election. cal.news/3Rzg3sa 📸 Larry Valenzuela & Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Law enforcement officers will be banned from interfering with California elections under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Wednesday, just in time for the June 2 primary election. cal.news/43xqrTN 📸 Adriana Heldiz

With exactly one week until Election Day and no clear frontrunner in the governor’s race, let’s recap some common election questions to prepare you. cal.news/4u2H7gZ 📸 Juliana Yamada

About 40% of California’s community college courses are online now, redefining education. These courses are more accessible, college officials say, but they come with serious drawbacks. cal.news/4x0KMyD 📸 Larry Valenzuela

Opinion | We’ll soon learn whether legislators will anger advocates of programs they’ve proudly supported to support a lame duck governor who is obviously plotting a run for the White House. cal.news/49pfIhK 📝 Dan Walters 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Opinion | What remains is a mortgage on a property that no longer exists and a rebuilding process that every expert we’ve spoken to says will take two to four years, minimum. cal.news/4dJE9Yr 📝 Rachel Jonas & Robert Fagnani 📸 Ted Soqui

One clinic showed me how easily dark patterns force patients to share their data with big healthcare networks, even when the privacy form they’re signing explicitly says they can opt-out. cal.news/4dMMCdk 🎨 Gabriel Hongsdusit

Communities living with one of the most severe pollution problems in California could see immediate relief if San Diego leaders can get a key Tijuana River project out of the gate. cal.news/3Q1QMq2 📸 Adriana Heldiz

CalMatters and The Markup showed how website code could make it harder for Californians to exercise their right to remove personal data. Now much of that code has disappeared. cal.news/4dHy9iY 📸 Joshua Sukoff

Opinion | California is spending billions on homelessness prevention without the governance infrastructure to know whether it is working. I watched that failure happen firsthand. cal.news/4dQOcLD 📝 Tangela Babbitt 📸 Manuel Orbegozo

Opinion | Even as regulators and lawmakers tout their baby steps to limit forever chemicals in U.S. drinking water, they’re allowing a dramatic increase in the use of pesticides containing the chemicals... cal.news/3RmYLyq 📝 Nathan Donley 📸 Larry Valenzuela

Judges so far are using it primarily for civil cases, but documents obtained by CalMatters indicate the possibility of expanded applications in criminal cases, where people’s freedom and access to justice are on the line. cal.news/4aaVOY1 📸 Ethan Swope

The most catastrophic threat from a chemical emergency that forced 50,000 Orange County residents from their homes has passed, fire officials said Monday — but risks and questions remain. cal.news/4tTqt39 📸 Ethan Swope, AP

California almost killed the Board of Equalization. Now lawmakers want seats on it The Board of Equalization has very little power, but it's a launching pad to statewide political office in California.

Californians would have to take a four-hour course with live-fire training to buy a gun if a bill advancing through the Legislature gets signed into law. cal.news/4f8ho2Y 📸 Francine Orr

If those students were identified, they’d be entitled to cultural services and other programs that could help them succeed in school. cal.news/42Xt8xT 📝 Jules Hotz

California’s community colleges have been battling fraudulent students for years, trying to prevent scammers from stealing financial aid money. Recent data shows the colleges’ efforts finally may be working. cal.news/4nMyohv 📸 Lea Suzuki

The nod from the 20-term congresswoman, the first woman ever to wield the speaker’s gavel, presents a last-minute twist in the three-way Democratic race to become San Francisco’s next congressmember. cal.news/4uRgQTy 📸 Carlos Avila Gonzalez & Fred Greaves

Amid tech layoffs, anxiety around artificial intelligence, and a forthcoming run for president, Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order that calls for state agencies to explore ways to mitigate job losses stemming from the use of AI. cal.news/4upiQ5D 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

California’s Board of Equalization is a coveted spot once again for state lawmakers looking for a new gig almost a decade after then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law gutting the organization of any serious governing responsibility. cal.news/4fHzAjX 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

National Democrats have zeroed in on the 22nd Congressional District, a swing seat in the Central Valley, as a key part of their strategy to win back control of Congress. cal.news/4wMTobX 📸 Larry Valenzuela

In the face of the nation’s highest gas prices, California lawmakers approved a bill to ease restrictions on E85 conversion kits — devices that let conventional gasoline cars run on a cheaper, mostly ethanol fuel blend. cal.news/4a9MAv9 📸 Zeng Hui

Steyer, who has poured nearly $200 million into the most expensive primary campaign in state history, is under scrutiny for using paid social media influencers to post favorable things about him. Is that legal? cal.news/42TvXjr 📸 Jungho Kim

We exposed data brokers hindering Californians’ rights. They’re changing their ways Following a CalMatters investigation and related Senate pressure, more data brokers have stopped hiding opt-out pages from consumers.

Opinion | 18 years after California voters approved the bullet train, progress and finances are still stalled The bullet train project launched in 2008 with promises of completion by 2020. Now it's mostly concrete supports. No tracks or train.

Opinion | The CalPERS gamble: Why the push to invest in private equity alarms public employees CalPERS shifted from stable, traditional assets to private equity and a private credit portfolio. Details about their investment risk and fees are secret.

Opinion | Education is vital and costs California billions, so why aren't candidates for governor talking about it? The next governor will be directly responsible for statewide education leadership. Yet governor candidates haven't broached the subject.

‘They lied to us': National Dems wade into ugly Central Valley congressional primary National Democrats said they wouldn’t endorse in California's 22nd Congressional District. Then they backed the moderate over the progressive.

After AI layoffs, Newsom orders state government to find ways to ease the pain Gov. Gavin Newsom issues a wide-ranging executive order issued to study everything from job subsidies to stock compensation policies.

Opinion | CalPERS members should demand full disclosure of all fee agreements. Our retirement security is too important to be left in the dark. cal.news/4uwmtH2 📝 Devara Berger 📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Opinion | The project was a mess when Newsom became governor; it will be a mess for his successor and it will probably be a mess when the next governor departs. cal.news/4dZeKeE 📝 Larry Valenzuela