THE CAPITOL BRIEF
Press Conferences and Media Briefings
Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement on Monday, October 26 after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed the Trump Administration request to segregate and not count mail-in ballots that may be returned by approximately 20,000 individuals the federal government believes are likely noncitizens. Bonta said California had argued that the Ninth Circuit had no authority to decide the issue at this early stage and that the federal government has no legal basis to override California election laws, and he noted that the court heard oral argument on Sunday, October 25. In his statement, Bonta said the U.S. Constitution gives states and Congress, not the President or the Executive Branch, the power to determine the time, place, and manner of elections.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
Also on October 26, Bonta announced that he had joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in asking Meta to further explain its suspension of the No Kings Coalition Instagram account on October 17, 2026, and to detail its plans to ensure that legitimate election activity on Meta platforms is not disrupted. The release says Meta has admitted to erroneously suspending the account and attributed the shutdown to a sharp increase in activity that looked like automated bot traffic. The attorneys general asked Meta to respond no later than Thursday, October 29.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
No press conference or media briefing for Tuesday, October 27 was announced in the sources checked this morning.
Inside the Legislature
No Senate or Assembly floor sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. The Senate website lists Today's Events for October 27, 2026 as: The Senate has adjourned for Final Recess.
Source: California State Senate
The Governor's Office
Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Monday, October 26 that the voter-approved Proposition 1 Homekey+ program has awarded 2,905 permanent supportive homes since launching in 2024, including 828 homes for veterans. The Governor also announced new awards of $115.2 million in Proposition 1 funding for five new Homekey+ projects with 329 homes, including 168 reserved for veterans, in Yuba City, San Francisco, Riverside County, Lompoc in Santa Barbara County, and Los Angeles.
Source: Office of the Governor
In a statement included in the Attorney General release on the Ninth Circuit ballots ruling on October 26, Governor Newsom called the ruling a positive development, urged Californians to vote early, go to a vote center, or put a ballot in a dropbox, and said California is fighting back.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
Fundraising
No campaign fundraiser for Tuesday, October 27 was publicly posted or announced in the sources checked this morning. Most Capitol fundraisers circulate by email invitation only and do not appear in public listings, so this section is intentionally brief rather than filled with unverified events.
New Appointments
Governor Newsom announced no new appointments on October 26 or 27 in the Governor's Office releases checked this morning. The most recent appointments announcement was on October 23, to district agricultural association fair boards, and was covered in the October 26 Brief.
Source: Office of the Governor
People and Moves
No personnel move in California government or campaigns was publicly announced on October 26 or 27 in the sources checked this morning, so no moves are listed today rather than repeating older announcements.
Boards and Commissions
The California Public Utilities Commission holds its next voting meeting on Thursday, October 29 at 11:00 a.m. at the CPUC Auditorium, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102, also available via webcast or phone.
Source: California Public Utilities Commission
No CalPERS board meeting falls on Tuesday, October 27. CalPERS lists its next board meeting for November 16-18, 2026.
Source: CalPERS
Reports and Studies
The Legislative Analyst's Office lists its most recent publication as The 2026-27 California Spending Plan: Health, dated October 19, 2026, which summarizes the 2026-27 health spending package, including Medi-Cal, State Hospitals, Public Health and Covered California. No LAO publication dated October 20 to 27 was listed this morning.
Source: Legislative Analyst's Office
The State Auditor's October 13 high-risk report on dams and levees, report 2025-603, found that poorly maintained dams and levees continue to pose a risk to public safety. As of May 2026 there were 57 dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition, including 40 with high or extremely high hazard classifications, and the Auditor found Water Resources had rated nearly one-third of the 102 local maintaining agencies in 2025 as performing unacceptable routine maintenance of levees in the State Plan of Flood Control.
Source: California State Auditor
Talks and Addresses
No speech or address by a state official for Tuesday, October 27 was publicly announced in the sources checked this morning.
Rallies and Protests
No rally or protest at the Capitol on Tuesday, October 27 was announced by press release or news report in the sources checked this morning.
Odds and Ends
Nothing of note for Tuesday, October 27 was announced in the sources checked this morning.
Campaign Notes
California's November 3 general election is seven days away. The Secretary of State's key dates page notes that Voter's Choice Act counties opened Vote Centers on October 24, that Same Day Registration is available from October 20 through November 3, and that polls on Election Day, November 3, will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 10 to be counted.
Source: Secretary of State
Send news, releases, fundraiser invitations and personnel announcements for the Capitol Brief to tips@capitoldaybook.com.