CAPITOL DAYBOOK NEWS
Top Stories
Newsom warns federal judges that agents could seek warrants to seize California ballots
Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote Saturday to the chief judges of California's four federal districts, warning that federal agents could seek search warrants for ballots before results are certified on Dec. 11. He said he knows of no pending warrant application.
Reuters · 10/31/26
Outside analysis finds 42 percent of the federal noncitizen list is not on California voter rolls
UCLA Voting Rights Project analysts reviewing the Justice Department list of 20,930 names in a court filing Saturday found 8,880 matching no one on the current voter file. The department rejected the findings and called the report bogus.
Political.org · CalMatters · 10/31/26
Becerra leads Hilton by 27 points in final Berkeley poll of the governor's race
A Berkeley IGS poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times found Xavier Becerra at 61 percent and Steve Hilton at 34 percent among likely voters. Challenging the Trump administration ranked first among voter concerns, ahead of the cost of living.
MyNewsLA · 10/30/26
Voters decide 14 statewide propositions on Tuesday, with voter ID and a billionaire tax drawing the most attention
The slate runs from an $11.25 billion housing bond in Proposition 1 to Proposition 45, which would speed environmental review for some projects. Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and counting is expected to continue for weeks.
The Desert Sun · 10/30/26
Proposition 45 fight turns on whether its fast track could reach data centers
CalMatters reports opponents warn the CEQA streamlining measure could override new state data center safeguards through its broadband language, while backers and the Data Center Coalition say data centers are not covered. Supporters have raised more than $40 million.
CalMatters · 10/31/26
Covered California opens enrollment for 2027 with a larger state subsidy
Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, with 12 insurers offering plans. California raised its state subsidy program to $300 million, extending premium help to residents earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Courts
Police union launches late campaign against Supreme Court Justice Kelli Evans
The Peace Officers Research Association of California is urging a no vote on Evans in her retention election, citing her dissents in criminal cases. Union officials call it a warning shot, and legal experts question the effect on judicial independence.
CalMatters · 10/31/26
Justice Department subpoenas Los Angeles County election officials in voter roll investigation
Grand jury subpoenas dated Oct. 21 and 24 order Los Angeles County registrar employees to appear Nov. 4 and bring records on the federal noncitizen voting claims. Registrar Dean Logan called the approach confrontational and said officials are following the law.
USA Today · 10/30/26
Education
Superintendent race pits two school board presidents for a reshaped state job
EdSource notes Democrat Richard Barrera of San Diego Unified and Republican Sonja Shaw of Chino Valley are vying to succeed Tony Thurmond. Under a restructuring plan, the winner will not run the Department of Education and will serve mainly as an advocate.
Energy and Climate
Los Angeles will phase out oil and gas drilling over 20 years under ordinance signed by Bass
Mayor Karen Bass signed an ordinance Thursday making existing drilling a nonconforming use citywide and phasing it out within 20 years. The measure revives a 2022 ban struck down in court, using authority the Legislature affirmed in AB 3233.
MyNewsLA · 10/29/26
Local Spotlight
Los Angeles readies burn scar areas for weekend rain
With light rain forecast through Sunday and less than an inch expected, city crews cleared catch basins, reinforced hillsides and placed sandbags and more than 13,000 feet of K-rail in Pacific Palisades. Officials urged burn scar residents to watch for debris flows.
MyNewsLA · 10/30/26
Pineapple express brings flood threat to Southern California and the Southwest
The Weather Channel reports an atmospheric river from near Hawaii is spreading heavy rain across the West as Sunday progresses, on ground already saturated by last week's storms. Burn scar ground faces a particular risk of fast debris flows and mudslides.