Today: 32nd anniversary of Jan. 17, 1994, earthquake
January 17, 2026
By Signal Staff Jan. 17, 2026, marks 32 years to the day since the costliest earthquake in U.S. history, a magnitude-6.7 event, struck at 4:31 a.m. While the epicenter was
California
California
New California fee targets batteries in PlayStations, power tools and singing cards
January 13, 2026
By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde CalMatters Writer Californians are paying a new fee every time they buy a product with a non-removable battery – whether it’s a power tool, a PlayStation, or even a singing greeting card. The 1.5% surcharge,
Republican legislators issue responses to State of the State
January 8, 2026
Compiled from news releases California Republican legislators, including two who represent portions of the Santa Clarita Valley, issued responses Thursday to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s State of the State address, the final one of
Newsom casts California as a beacon for progress in final State of the State
January 8, 2026
By Jeanne Kuang CalMatters Writer Gov. Gavin Newsom promoted California as an antidote to the Trump agenda on Thursday, telling lawmakers during a wide-ranging State of the State address that California
Software glitch forces around 325,000 Californians to replace Real IDs
January 8, 2026
By Naveen Athrappully Contributing Writer Approximately 325,000 Californians need to update their Real IDs in order to keep their identification valid, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said in a Dec. 31 statement. “We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006, and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential,” DMV Director
Millions gain access to in vitro fertilization under new state law
January 6, 2026
By Kristen Hwang Contributing Writer When Megan Meo, 36, and her husband decided to start a family, they knew they wanted two kids. They didn’t know they would have to endure multiple rounds
California is banning masks for federal agents; Here’s why it could lose in court
January 6, 2026
By Nigel Duara Contributing Writer A series of immigration raids across California in 2025 had one thing in common: Most of the federal agents detaining people wore masks over their faces.
A new California law requires a working fridge in all apartments; LA landlords fought it
January 6, 2026
By Nadia Lathan Contributing Writer Fridge-less apartments dotting the pricey California rental market will soon be a head-scratching relic. As of Jan. 1, landlords are now required to provide all apartments with a working stove and refrigerator
Cities can’t punish outreach workers for helping homeless Californians under new law
January 4, 2026
By Marisa Kendall CalMatters Writer Senate Bill 634 would have made a big splash if it survived in the form Pasadena Democrat Sasha Renée Pérez originally intended. She wanted to make it
Big Tech blocks legislation on AI data center rules
January 3, 2026
By Alejandro Lazo Contributing Writer Tools that power artificial intelligence devour energy. But attempts to shield regular Californians from footing the bill in 2025 ended with a law requiring regulators to write a report about
CalSTA announces pilot program to crack down on extreme speeding
January 2, 2026
News release The California State Transportation Agency announced a new joint effort by two of its departments, the Department of Motor Vehicles and California Highway Patrol, to curb excessive speeding and prevent
California schools will have to do more to prevent sex abuse under new law
January 2, 2026
By Carolyn Jones CalMatters Writer Facing a mountain of lawsuits, California K-12 schools will have a system in place beginning this year to prevent teachers and other staff from sexually abusing
New California laws rewrite car-buying rules with return policy and pricing reforms
January 1, 2026
By Ryan Sabalow Contributing Writer California lawmakers made major changes to the state’s car-buying rules in 2025, including a controversial rewrite of the state law that allows buyers to get their money
Even more Cal State campuses will automatically admit eligible students under a new state law
December 31, 2025
By Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters Writer What’s good for Riverside County is good for the whole state: After a pilot to automatically admit high school students into the California State University system in
New state law expands Newsom’s mental health court
December 30, 2025
By Marisa Kendall Contributing Writer In 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a new program intended to revolutionize the way counties provide mental health care to some of their most vulnerable residents.
New state law requires tortillas to include an extra ingredient; Here’s why
December 30, 2025
By Ana B. Ibarra Contributing Writer One in a series of stories on new laws taking effect in 2026. Tortillas sold in California are going to have a new ingredient, one that’s intended to
California ends lawsuit against federal government over high-speed rail funding
December 29, 2025
By Matthew Vadum Contributing Writer California dropped its lawsuit last week against the Trump administration over the federal government’s decision to pull $4 billion in funding for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project. The California
Safer roads, more work: Truckers welcome crackdown on illegal drivers
December 26, 2025
By Allan Stein Contributing Writer Thousands of foreign truck drivers have already lost, or are about to lose, their commercial driver’s licenses amid a nationwide effort to enforce new federal rules. Despite an estimated nationwide shortage
Newsom declares emergency as floods, mudslides threaten California on Christmas Day
December 25, 2025
By Tom Ozimek Contributing Writer California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency across six counties on Christmas Eve as a series of powerful winter storms drenched much of the state,
ICE arrests 101 illegal alien truckers in California
December 24, 2025
By Naveen Athrappully Contributing Writer Authorities have arrested 101 illegal immigrant truck drivers from California highways under Operation Highway Sentinel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a Tuesday statement. “Throughout 2025, criminal illegal aliens driving