The Latest | Biden and Trump prepare to debate for the first time in 2024 election season

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, Donald Trump, will meet Thursday for the first general election debate of the 2024 season — a chance for both candidates to try to reshape the political narrative and persuade undecided voters. Biden, the...

Law limiting new oil wells in California set to take effect after industry withdraws referendum

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California law that bans drilling new oil wells near places like homes and schools will take effect soon after the oil industry said it would withdraw a referendum from the November ballot asking voters to block it. The law, first passed in 2022, never...

California lawmakers approve changes to law allowing workers to sue employers over labor violations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Legislature approved bills Thursday that would amend a 20-year-old law allowing workers to sue their bosses over labor violations and require employers found liable to pay a fine to the state. The legislation would reform the Private...

California voters to weigh proposal to ban forced prison labor in state constitution

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California voters will decide in November whether to remove an exemption for involuntary servitude from the state constitution under a proposal the state Legislature approved Thursday. In California and many other states, the state constitution bans...

Bay Area will decide California’s biggest housing bond ever

The largest affordable housing bond in California history is officially headed to the November ballot — just not for all Californians. On Wednesday, commissioners of the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority — a first-of-its-kind regional agency with the ability to borrow and spend...

California Legislature approves budget that slashes spending to address $46.8 billion deficit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers approved a budget on Wednesday that slashes spending and temporarily raises taxes on some businesses to close an estimated $46.8 billion budget deficit. It's the second year in a row the nation's most populous state has been forced to...

California governor defends progressive values, says they're an 'antidote' to populism on the right

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom used his State of the State address on Tuesday to boost President Joe Biden ahead of Thursday's pivotal presidential debate, comparing Donald Trump's version of the Republican Party to the rise of fascism prior to World War II and offering Democrats'...

Gov. Gavin Newsom defends California’s progressive values, says they are antidote to "poisonous populism of the right"

California Gov. Gavin Newsom to deliver State of the State address on Tuesday

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California residents will be able to watch Gov. Gavin Newsom's State of the State address online this week, his office said Sunday. After sending the text of the address to the state Legislature Tuesday morning, Newsom will record the speech on video. ...

California Democrats agree to delay health care worker minimum wage increase to help balance budget

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democrats in California have agreed to delay a minimum wage increase for about 426,000 health care workers to help balance the state's budget. The agreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders is part of a larger plan to close an estimated...