News

Newsom, Limón, Rivas vow to protect California elections

(Inside California Politics) — Amid concerns about federal interference in the midterms, California’s three top Democrats are vowing to protect election integrity.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas released a joint statement Thursday morning.

Speaker Rivas, Assemblymember Hart Sound Alarm on Trump’s Child Care Funding Freeze

SACRAMENTO — The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 On Accountability And Oversight held a hearing on Wednesday to assess the devastating consequences of the Trump administration’s attempted freeze of federal child care funding — a move that threatens $2.3 billion used to support California children and providers.

The funding freeze is currently paused by court order after California and other impacted states filed suit, but could take effect as early as February.

Speaker Rivas backs government shutdown over ICE as GOP lawmakers back Trump

Flanked by dozens of lawmakers from each chamber, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, called on both his national party’s leaders and on California Republicans to reign in the federal government after this weekend’s death in Minneapolis. 

Rivas and other lawmakers also said Congressional Democrats should shut the government down for the second time in less than three months rather than further fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Immigration raids a big topic for state lawmakers touring Ventura County ranch

Legislators visited the ranch to learn more about how the state's agricultural industry is faring in light of rising costs, tariffs, and immigration raids.

Petty Ranch is home to more than 50 acres of avocado trees just off Highway 126 in Ventura. The harvest is complete for this year, and despite the wave of immigration raids in Ventura County, farmer Chris Sayer says they managed to get through it okay.

"It's been relatively quiet. At this point in the season, we don't actually need a lot of help. We're fortunate from that standpoint. But, the general level of anxiety in the community is still very high," said Sayer.

However, Sayer admits that with the threat of raids looming over everyone, the future remains a question mark.

State lawmakers tour Ventura farm, discuss raids on agriculture industry

California is the largest producer of food in the United States, but in the aftermath of federal immigration raids, state lawmakers say they are extremely limited in their ability to support and protect the farmworkers who put food on the country's tables.While touring a 57-acre avocado farm in Ventura, state Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, said she often finds herself feeling frustrated by President Donald Trump and his administration's policies when trying to help her most vulnerable constituents feel safe.

California lawmakers meet with farmers to understand issues facing agricultural industry

LOS ANGELES — Lawmakers from all over California met with farmers and agricultural leaders to hear about the issues California farmers face, and how legislation may address them.

Petty Ranch in Saticoy, headed by farm manager Chris Sayre, was the backdrop for the meeting of the minds.

Lawmakers, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, listened as farmers addressed the issues that are top-of-mind.

Newsom boasts ‘significant gains’ in CA K-12 test scores, signs literacy bill

California K-12 students are faring slightly better than the year before, but more than half are still not meeting state standards, according to recently released annual standardized test results. 

While making up some ground, students are still lagging behind pre-pandemic achievement levels. Gov. Gavin Newsom touted the “significant gains” in student test scores at a news conference Thursday morning as he signed new legislation which he says will give teachers critical tools to effectively teach California’s students to read.

California student scores rise; Newsom advances Rivas’ literacy bill

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Student test scores for the 2024-25 school year show significant continued progress made by K-12 students in literacy, according to the governor's office.

California’s 2025 assessment results show broad gains: the share of students meeting grade-level expectations rose to 70.6% in English language arts (ELA), 61% in mathematics, and 86% in science, while the share scoring at the “minimal” level fell to 29.4% in ELA, 39% in math, and 14% in science.