Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Digest

California Republicans are increasingly pushing Democrats on child sex crimes bills. The supermajority is growing more divided about it.

The original proposal would have mandated phonics instruction in K-12 classrooms. The latest version makes that optional.

Two consecutive committee chairs getting overruled by their committee members signifies a growing rift among California Democrats about how to address the housing crisis.

On April 19, a rally drew thousands of sign-waving protestors to Ocean Street in Santa Cruz as part of a "honk-and-wave" rally against the policies of the current administration.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit Wednesday, saying the tariffs hurt “states, consumers and businesses.”

More than 100 California bills moved to the “suspense file” last week, the start of a process where consequential decisions are made out of public view.

Schools had until March 2026 to spend remaining COVID relief money. The U.S. Department of Education cut those funds, amounting to about $200 million for California K-12 schools.

Competing housing measures with the same goal of providing more workforce housing are being advanced by Mayor of Santa Cruz Fred Keeley and the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors, and the Mayor is not happy.

California Democrats are backing a legislative proposal that would allow gig workers to form unions. Expect big pushback from companies like Uber, Lyft and Doordash.

This researcher’s project joins at least 30 others across the University of California system that have been terminated by the National Institutes of Health. Those multi-year awards were worth more than $173 million.

A report with photos of the Hands Off protests held in Santa Cruz and Watsonville on April 5.

A report on the demonstration by dozens of Live Oak Elementary teachers, parents and students on April 2 advocating for urgently needed reforms to state education funding.

Rural counties are some of the most reliant on federal funding and federal workers. But some still welcome Trump’s upcoming cuts to forestry and other departments

At a time when the political climate calls for strong and steady leadership, many Black Californians are losing faith in the lawmakers they sent to Sacramento to deliver on a justice agenda anchored by reparations.

Nine local residents have been appointed to the Citizens Oversight Advisory Board making sure the funds raised under the Measure Q Santa Cruz County Water and Wildfire Protection Initiative are used as intended.

Voter guides in various languages at a polling site at Modoc Hall in Sacramento State in Sacramento on March 5, 2024. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Read on for details about a brewing conflict as the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors advance a housing measure for the ballot in opposition to one backed by Mayor Fred Keeley and local housing groups and other stakeholders.

Under Trump’s directive the Department of Education laid off half its staff. The lawsuit argues Trump has no authority to make such drastic changes.

Los Angeles Assemblymember Rick Zbur says he wants to narrow the standards for justifiable homicide. Critics say he wants to make self-defense illegal.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to see tangible results from the $6.4 billion mental health bond voters approved last year. Moving fast carries a risk of neglecting under-resourced communities.

Read on for details about the fifth Santa Cruz County Starbucks which has voted to join the Starbucks Workers United union.

Read on for more information about a February 20 protest by UCSC students and union workers against restrictions against political protest activity on university property.

California schools are grappling with the U.S. Department of Education's letter requiring them to scrap their DEI programs.

The audit by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission followed CalMatters’ revelations that a law requiring trip organizers to annually disclose their major donors had been used only twice in seven years — even as interest groups continued paying millions for lawmakers’ travel.

Californians rejected the anti-slavery ballot measure Proposition 6, which would have forbid forced prison labor. Reparations advocates want to try again in 2026.

Sen. Kelly Seyarto is the only former career firefighter currently serving in the Legislature. But as a Republican in a Democratic supermajority, he says it can be challenging to make progress on wildfire policy.

Though she lost her bid for reelection in November, Margaux Morgan was appointed and sworn in in fill a vacant seat on the Capitola City Council. Read on to learn more.

California’s Democratic leaders set aside tens of millions of dollars to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive orders and policies.

Some schools destroyed years ago in the Sonoma and Butte fires are just now reopening. The long, expensive process of rebuilding in LA may eat up much of the money voters approved in November for school repairs statewide.

With assurances that “sunlight is pouring over the entire world,” President Donald Trump was sworn into office Monday for his second term. He wasted no time taking potshots at California.

In their January 16 meeting, the Capitola City Council announced that an open application process will be used to select a new member to fill a vacant seat. Read on to learn what changed and why.

Former Santa Cruz City Councilmember Sandy Brown looks back on her terms of office with the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Read on to learn her thoughts.