Jeanne Kuang
CalMatters-
For nearly three years, an increase in federal aid has allowed California to issue higher-than-usual amounts in food stamps. That ends in April.
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The EBT cards the state uses to deliver financial assistance to low-income residents lack security features common to credit and debit cards. California officials plan to upgrade. Meanwhile, they’re paying millions to replace stolen money and food stamps.
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Advocates warn now is not the time to cut programs that help the poor. The state has reserves to weather a tough year but a recession, which many economists say is likely, could deepen the deficit.
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The fast food and oil industries are only the latest to seek a referendum to stop, or at least delay, a law passed by the state Legislature. The return on investment can be huge — so much money that some are calling for changing the referendum rules in California.
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As California investigates businesses for wage theft, worker centers act as behind-the-scenes allies, helping convince employees to cooperate.
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The bill increases leave payments to 90% of paychecks for lower-income workers in 2025, so more of them can afford time off for maternity leave or to care for ill family members.
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Two days before deadline, after vetoing a similar bill last year and resisting months of marches, vigils and posturing, including a note from President Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom changed his mind on a farmworker labor bill
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Five years after workers win wage theft claims, state records show only 1 in 7 were paid their judgments in full. Some companies appealed or ignored court judgments.
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The governor announced his decision on Labor Day. Supporters swayed moderate Democrats by removing a provision that would have put fast food corporations on the hook for labor violations at franchise locations.
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Proponents say AB 257 could curb wage theft, but restaurateurs say it could raise costs and prices and fundamentally change relationships with fast food chains.
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An emergency housing voucher program offers improvements to the decades-old federal solution to the housing affordability crisis, but landlord reluctance remains a crucial hurdle.
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A judge rules that a proposition to raise the California minimum wage to $18 an hour can’t go before voters until 2024. The same judge gave backers of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom more time to qualify, but in this case he backed the Secretary of State, who said proponents missed a key deadline to qualify in time for this November.