Santa Barbara, California

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1448, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), which bars oil producers from using rigs, pipelines and other equipment in state waters to support any new federal offshore oil leases. The law also adds scrutiny and waiting periods for renewals or changes to existing federal leases.

The measure responds to a Trump administration proposal to open California's entire coast to new offshore oil and gas drilling for the first time in over four decades, part of a broader push the Interior Department says will expand American offshore energy. California has not seen new federal offshore leases since 1984, following the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, and polling shows most state voters oppose expanded drilling. The administration has also sought greater control over California's coast, reviewing the California Coastal Commission's authority and backing Sable Offshore's pipeline restart near Santa Barbara. Environmental groups praised AB 1448 as a strong defense of coastal waters, while oil industry representatives warned it could increase reliance on foreign tankers.

Healthcare affordability has emerged as a central issue in California's governor's race, but Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton have offered few specifics on cost or funding. Becerra, who calls himself the "healthcare governor," touts his record defending the Affordable Care Act and a major antitrust settlement against Sutter Health as attorney general. He pledges to pursue universal coverage, prioritize primary care, and continue covering Californians affected by federal Medicaid cuts, but has not explained how he would pay for it, even as state officials warn the cuts could cost California up to $30 billion annually.

Hilton's "Working Class Healthcare Guarantee," unveiled last week, calls for price transparency, replacing part of Medi-Cal with health spending accounts, and a reinsurance program to stabilize premiums, though he could not estimate costs or savings. Both candidates support expanding low-cost drug programs. Becerra has raised over $33 million, including substantial healthcare industry donations, and leads polling by a wide margin heading toward their CNN debate.

California legislators quietly inserted $1.3 billion in earmarks into this year's state budget, funding projects from a Santa Barbara college gym renovation to a Marin County farmers market and a minor league baseball stadium in San Jose. The money, allocated through Assembly Bill 113, was added just days before the legislative session ended, with lawmakers keeping their individual requests confidential until after passage.

An analysis found more than 40% of the funds went to nonprofits, with Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties—home to top Democratic leaders—receiving outsized shares, while many Republican-represented rural counties got little or nothing. Beneficiaries ranged from arts groups and museums to a mixed martial arts fighters' retirement fund and nonprofits with ties to Governor Gavin Newsom. Critics, including nonprofit advocates and taxpayer groups, say the closed-door process rewards political relationships over need, especially as the state confronts federal healthcare funding cuts. Legislative leaders defend the practice as a way to address urgent local needs efficiently, though even some lawmakers acknowledge the lack of transparency is problematic.