Wednesday, state lawmakers are set to return to Sacramento (though some may be driving ) to resume the two legislative sessions : a regular session focused on the typical business of debating and passing bills, and to levy a penalty on oil companies he accuses of price-gouging Californians at the gas pump.
If the session double-header sounds confusing, it鈥檚 because the legislative process often is 鈥� which is why that delves into how California鈥檚 state government works and how it interacts with local, regional and federal governments. They also explain what influences state lawmakers鈥� agendas, who represents you and how you can make your voice heard. .
On Sunday, many of the 997 bills last year 鈥� out of the nearly 1,200 state lawmakers sent to his desk 鈥� went into effect. , CalMatters breaks down . The explainer .
Now let鈥檚 dive into some of the key issues CalMatters is keeping an eye on in 2023:
- Tough budget decisions: Newsom by Jan. 10 will unveil his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year 鈥� one that will have to account for a projected $24 billion deficit, . And California鈥檚 public pension plans, both of which posted negative returns on investments last year, 鈥� increasing pressure on local governments and taxpayers.
- An industry reckoning: Even as Newsom , people close to him say he remains a pro-business centrist who鈥檚 fiscally conservative and socially liberal, . Meanwhile, a first-in-the-nation law 鈥� set to take effect Sunday 鈥� was temporarily blocked Friday after until local elections officials determine later this month whether enough signatures were collected for a 2024 referendum, which would block the law until voters weigh in.
- The implementation of ambitious and controversial programs:
- Mental health: By Oct. 1, seven of California鈥檚 58 counties are set to launch CARE Court, Newsom鈥檚 contentious plan to . But its potential limitations are already becoming clear: No CARE Court participant can be forced into treatment or forcibly medicated, unless they鈥檙e under the constraints defined by , a California Health and Human Services Agency spokesperson .
- Health care: As California embarks on a multi-year plan to , its health care insurance program for the poor, it鈥檚 backtracked on a controversial plan to (plus Kaiser, ) instead of nine. Blue Shield and will also now receive Medi-Cal contracts in 2024, , noting that all plans 鈥渨ill be held to .鈥�
- Housing: As California contends with , the state this year will get its first glimpse of the impacts of two new laws that . Lawmakers will also consider a bill to make it easier for . Meanwhile, to submit blueprints requiring the state to plan for 2.5 million homes by 2030 鈥� but, although , it鈥檚 all fun and games until the actual homes get built, .
- Immigration and the border: Although the U.S. Supreme Court last week 鈥� a federal pandemic policy allowing U.S. officials to turn away migrants seeking asylum 鈥� state and local officials are increasingly concerned about California鈥檚 financial inability to support an influx of immigrants once Title 42 ends, .
- Population and public perception: Even as the U.S. population grew, California鈥檚 population fell to about 39.03 million as of July 1, 2022, a 0.3% decrease from the year before, . That doesn鈥檛 bode well for a state that for the first time in history. Making matters worse, Texas and Florida 鈥� with whose Republican governors 鈥� gained more residents than any other state, while California lost more than any state but New York.
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