THE CAPITOL BRIEF
Press Conferences and Media Briefings
Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Tuesday, October 27 that California joined 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration over a Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network rule that permanently removes Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements for United States companies and United States persons under the Corporate Transparency Act. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, alleges the rule is in excess of statutory authority, contrary to law, and arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and the United States Constitution.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
Also on October 27, Bonta and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control filed a lawsuit against Waste Connections and other owners and operators of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Los Angeles County. The release says the 639-acre landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley, which opened in 1972 and stopped accepting waste on January 1, 2025, has since at least May 2022 had a subsurface elevated temperature event that has caused odors, large volumes of leachate, and other environmental impacts, and has repeatedly failed to manage hazardous waste in violation of state law. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties, disgorgement, and injunctive and other equitable relief, including an abatement fund.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
Bonta also announced on October 27 that PlayPower, Inc. and BCI Burke Company, LLC have abandoned their proposed merger after Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition of 12 states and the Federal Trade Commission in filing a lawsuit a week earlier alleging the merger of two of the top five national suppliers of commercial outdoor playground equipment was illegal and could lead to higher prices and lower quality.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
Also on October 27, Bonta announced a reimbursement process under the Department of Justice settlement with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department over the CleanSWEEP student citation program, which operated from 1997 until 2022. People who were cited when under age 18 for certain offenses may be eligible for reimbursement of fines and fees and dismissal of the citation, and may submit a claim through April 18, 2027.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
No press conference or media briefing for Wednesday, October 28 was announced in the sources checked this morning.
Inside the Legislature
No Senate or Assembly floor sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, October 28. The Senate website lists Today's Events for October 28, 2026 as: The Senate has adjourned for Final Recess. The Senate also lists a Rules Committee closed session at 3:30 p.m. today.
Source: California State Senate
The Governor's Office
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, October 27 highlighted the recent launch of Tanager-2, a second methane-detecting satellite for the California Satellite Methane Project. The Governor's Office said the project has helped resolve 50 major methane leaks to date, including 20 leaks at oil and gas facilities and 30 at landfills, and that the oil and gas repairs alone prevented pollution equivalent to taking 42,000 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for a year. The release said Tanager-2 will double the project's coverage, with satellites passing over California four to five times a week, and that the announcement comes as the Trump administration signaled plans to eliminate federal protections requiring oil and gas companies to investigate major methane leaks.
Source: Office of the Governor
Also on October 27, Newsom signed an executive order at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach directing state agencies to prepare Highway 1 and surrounding coastal communities for potential El Nino storm damage and to address longer-term climate threats. The order creates a Highway 1 Task Force led by the California State Transportation Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency to identify vulnerable stretches, recommend priority actions and funding needs, and find ways to get preventive work done faster. The Governor also signed a second executive order building on his September El Nino emergency proclamation, adopting additional measures for flood preparedness. The release said emergency project expenditures on the Big Sur Highway 1 corridor totaled approximately $312 million from 2020 through 2026.
Source: Office of the Governor
Fundraising
No campaign fundraiser for Wednesday, October 28 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 six appointments on Tuesday, October 27. Nichole Morgan, of Sacramento, was appointed to the Advisory Commission on Special Education. Morgan has been a Member of the State Water Resources Control Board since 2021. The position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.
Source: Office of the Governor
Mawata Kamara, of Tracy, was appointed to the California Board of Registered Nursing. Kamara has been a Charge Registered Nurse at San Leandro Hospital since 2022. The position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem.
Source: Office of the Governor
Candy Stockton-Joreteg, of Eureka, was appointed to the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee. Stockton-Joreteg has been the County Health Officer at the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Branch since 2022. The position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.
Source: Office of the Governor
Kimberly Freeman, of Sonora, was appointed to the Emergency Medical Services Commission. Freeman has been an Emergency Medical Services Director at Mountain Counties EMS Agency since 2023. The position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.
Source: Office of the Governor
David Toston, of San Jose, was appointed to the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. Toston has been County Superintendent of Schools at the Santa Clara County Office of Education since 2025. The position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.
Source: Office of the Governor
Marcia Rayford, of Citrus Heights, was appointed to the Respiratory Care Board of California. Rayford has been a Public Affairs Specialist in the California State Guard Recruiting Command at the California Military Department since 2025. The position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem.
Source: Office of the Governor
People and Moves
No personnel move in California government or campaigns was publicly announced on October 27 or 28 in the sources checked this morning, apart from the appointments listed above, so no moves are listed today rather than repeating older announcements.
Boards and Commissions
The State Allocation Board meets today, Wednesday, October 28 at 3:00 p.m. at the State Treasurer's Office, 915 Capitol Mall, 1st Floor Board Room, Sacramento, CA 95814, with webcast and Zoom access listed on the meeting page. The board apportions funds to school districts, acts on appeals, and adopts policies and regulations.
Source: Department of General Services
The Board of Equalization holds a board meeting October 28-29 in Sacramento, according to its 2026 board meetings page, updated as of October 27, 2026.
Source: Board of Equalization
The Department of Health Care Services Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee and Stakeholder Advisory Committee meet today, Wednesday, October 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at DHCS, 1501 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95814, in the first floor conference center, with virtual attendance by registration.
Source: Department of Health Care Services
Reports and Studies
The California Department of Justice on Tuesday, October 27 released a report under Assembly Bill 1506 on the death of Brandon Salgado from an officer-involved shooting in Long Beach on April 26, 2024, involving officers from the Long Beach Police Department. The Department concluded the evidence does not support filing criminal charges, finding insufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer acted without intent to defend themselves and others from what they reasonably believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury, and identified no policy recommendations in the case. The report said that after the shooting it was discovered Mr. Salgado's gun was a replica airsoft pistol.
Source: Office of the Attorney General
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 28 was listed this morning.
Source: Legislative Analyst's Office
Talks and Addresses
No speech or address by a state official for Wednesday, October 28 was publicly announced in the sources checked this morning.
Rallies and Protests
No rally or protest at the Capitol on Wednesday, October 28 was announced by press release or news report in the sources checked this morning.
Odds and Ends
Nothing of note for Wednesday, October 28 was announced in the sources checked this morning.
Campaign Notes
California's November 3 general election is six days away. The Secretary of State on Tuesday, October 27 reminded voters that California law allows up to two hours off work, without a loss of pay, to vote if they do not have enough time to vote during non-work hours, and that workers must notify their employer two working days before Election Day if they need time off. Polls on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026 will be open from 7:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. The release also recommends voters mailing a ballot do so as soon as possible, noting ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received no later than seven calendar days after Election Day to be counted.
Source: Secretary of State
Vote centers opened for early in-person voting on Saturday, October 24 in 30 California counties, the Secretary of State announced that day, allowing voters to vote in person, get a replacement ballot, register and vote the same day, or drop off a completed ballot. The release said more than 2.6 million ballots had already been returned at that time.
Source: Secretary of State
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