By Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
California Democratic Party Endorses 2026 General Election Candidates; Ballot Measures
The California Democratic Party (CADEM) has endorsed former attorney general of California and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for governor and announced its positions on the 14 statewide propositions appearing on California’s Nov. 3 general election ballot.
The endorsements were finalized during the party’s Executive Board meeting in San Diego and released Aug. 2.
Along with Becerra, CADEM endorsed Fiona Ma for lieutenant governor; Shirley N. Weber for secretary of state; Rob Bonta for attorney general; Eleni Kounalakis for treasurer; Malia Cohen for controller; Richard Barrera for superintendent of public instruction; and state Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) for insurance commissioner.
The endorsement of Allen for Insurance Commissioner was particularly significant because the insurance commissioner’s race had remained the only statewide contest in which CADEM had not endorsed a candidate following the June primary.
“Every endorsement we make is earned, not given,” said CADEM Chair Rusty Hicks. “California Democrats take a deliberative approach to our endorsement process that puts our values first and ensures our members have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of our state.”
The party’s endorsement process includes participation from delegates and Executive Board members representing Democrats across California. Candidates generally must receive at least 60% of the votes cast to secure the party’s endorsement. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the party may declare “no consensus” in the race.
CADEM also endorsed four candidates for the California State Board of Equalization: Nelson Esparza in District 1, Sally Lieber in District 2, state Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) in District 3 and state Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) in District 4.
Gipson is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
On statewide ballot measures, CADEM announced its support for Propositions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 37, 38 and 40. The party opposes Propositions 39, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, according to its official endorsement list.
CADEM issues endorsements in statewide, congressional and legislative races, as well as on statewide ballot propositions. Democratic County Central Committees generally oversee endorsements in municipal and other local contests.
To find out more about your county’s Central Committee and their endorsement process, please use the link below: Find your local County Central Committee
California Lawmakers Return for Final Month of Legislative Session
The California Legislature’s summer recess has officially concluded, with lawmakers returning to Sacramento on Aug. 3 for the final four weeks of the 2025–2026 legislative session.
The packed agenda includes hundreds of active bills that cleared their initial policy committees before lawmakers began their summer break July 3.
Among the measures awaiting final action are several priorities of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), which advanced a sweeping “Road to Repair” reparations package in 2025.
One of the caucus’s key bills this legislative session is Assembly Bill (AB) 2599, the Truth in Disclosure Act. Authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), vice chair of the CLBC, the bill would make California the first state in the nation to require major corporations to disclose under oath whether they or their predecessor companies profited from chattel slavery.
Earlier this year, the CLBC partnered with the California Legislative Women’s Caucus on a broader equity package designed to support families, reduce economic disparities and strengthen the state’s social safety net.
Other CLBC priority measures moving through the Legislature include AB 2434, the Visitor Protections and Safety Act, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda); AB 1755, which would eliminate CalWORKs work-hour restrictions, authored by Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-La Mesa); and AB 1570, which would expand health insurance coverage for diagnostic imaging, authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City).
Fiscal committees have until Aug. 14 to meet and send bills to the floor. From Aug. 17 through Aug. 31, lawmakers will focus on floor sessions, with no committee meetings scheduled except those of the Rules and conference committees.
The deadline to amend bills on the floor is Aug. 21. Both the Senate and Assembly have until midnight Aug. 31 to pass legislation and send it to the governor.
The California Constitution prohibits lawmakers from passing bills after Sept. 1 during the second year of a two-year legislative session.
California Is Partnering With Cities to Remove Homeless Encampments Along Highways
California is expanding its partnership with local governments to remove homeless encampments along state highways, adding Ontario, San Bernardino and San Diego to a growing statewide program aimed at improving public safety while connecting people experiencing homelessness with housing and supportive services.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the three new Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreements on July 28, bringing the total number of participating cities to 13. Under the agreements, the state reimburses local agencies that work with the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, to remove encampments and maintain state highway rights-of-way.
The partnerships are part of the state’s broader strategy to address homelessness through coordinated efforts between state and local governments. Participating cities must follow state policies and reporting requirements to qualify for reimbursement of eligible cleanup costs.
“Our partnerships must continue delivering results, helping keep roadways clean and addressing the very real issues of homelessness in our state,” said Newsom. “By pairing historic state investments with local-level coordination, we are helping communities across California create safer, healthier places for everyone.”
Under the agreements, local governments can remove encampments, collect litter and debris, manage vegetation and remove graffiti along state highways. State officials said encampments that pose risks to public health and safety remain the highest priority during cleanup operations.
According to the governor’s office, Caltrans has removed nearly 26,500 encampments and collected approximately 457,000 cubic yards of litter and debris from state highway rights-of-way since July 2021. Similar agreements are already in place with San Francisco, Claremont, Commerce, Fresno, Paramount, Riverside, Santa Ana, Santa Fe Springs, San Jose and Santa Monica.
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said partnerships between state and local agencies strengthen efforts to improve safety while expanding pathways to housing and supportive services. Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy said the agreements combine state resources with local expertise to improve conditions for people experiencing homelessness and the traveling public.
The announcement comes as the Newsom administration continues to highlight investments in homelessness programs, behavioral health services and permanent supportive housing. State officials said California recently recorded its largest reduction in unsheltered homelessness in more than 15 years and continues to expand shelter and housing options as part of its long-term strategy to reduce homelessness statewide.
Why Supporters of California Voter ID Proposition Are Suing Attorney General Bonta
Supporters of California’s Proposition (Prop) 39 have filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Rob Bonta, alleging his office’s revised ballot title and summary for the voter ID initiative misrepresent the measure, which could mislead voters ahead of the November election.
The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, asks a judge to order changes to the ballot language before voter information guides and ballots are sent to print. The plaintiffs argue the revised wording violates California law, which requires ballot titles and summaries to provide a true and impartial description of a measure.
Prop 39 would require voters to present government-issued identification when voting in person or provide the last four digits of a government-issued identification number when voting by mail. The initiative would also require the state to issue voter identification cards upon request and direct election officials to maintain voter rolls and report annually on citizenship verification efforts. California currently does not require identification for most voters casting ballots.
The legal challenge centers on Bonta’s decision to change the initiative’s title from “Establishes additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements,” which supporters used while gathering signatures, to “Prohibits citizens from voting unless they present government-issued identification.”
Supporters argue the revised language inaccurately suggests eligible citizens would be prevented from voting. In their court filing, they contend the measure instead establishes verification requirements that determine whether a ballot is counted and that the new title omits key provisions related to voter roll maintenance and citizenship verification.
The lawsuit names both Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants and seeks a ruling before the Aug. 10 deadline for finalizing ballot materials.
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego), who is leading the Yes on 39 campaign, said the revised title is “designed to rig the election to produce a no vote” and argued it does not accurately describe the initiative. State Sen. Tony Strickland, a co-author of the measure, also criticized the changes, saying Californians should be able to evaluate the proposal without what he described as political influence in the ballot language.
Bonta defended the revisions, saying his office updated the language for all nine statewide ballot initiatives appearing on the November ballot. He said the Prop 39 title and summary are “more helpful to voters,” “more accurate” and comply with the state’s legal requirement to provide fair and impartial ballot descriptions.
A judge is expected to consider the case before election materials are finalized, though disputes over statewide ballot language may ultimately be reviewed by the California Supreme Court.
Report: Next to Latinos, Blacks Have Second Highest Poverty Rate in California
Black Californians had the second-highest poverty rate in the state in 2024, trailing only Latinos, according to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) and the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality.
The report found that 19% of Black Californians live below the California Poverty Measure, compared with 22% of Latinos, 15% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and 13% of White Californians. Researchers said Latinos accounted for 51% of Californians living in poverty despite making up 41% of the state’s population.
The findings come as California’s overall poverty rate increased to 17.4% in 2024, up from 16.9% the previous year. The California Poverty Measure, which factors in the state’s high cost of living and the impact of taxes and public assistance, estimated that 6.7 million residents lived in poverty last year. Another 13.6 million Californians, or 35% of the state’s population, were living in or near poverty.
The report also found that poverty disproportionately affected immigrants, single-parent households and residents with lower levels of education. Foreign-born Californians had a poverty rate of 22%, compared with 15% for U.S.-born residents, while undocumented immigrants experienced a poverty rate of 37%. Adults without a high school diploma had a poverty rate of 31%, nearly four times that of college graduates.
Researchers found that public assistance programs continue to reduce economic hardship across the state. Without safety net programs, including CalFresh, tax credits, housing subsidies and school meal programs, an estimated 2.5 million more Californians would have fallen below the poverty line. Social Security alone prevented an additional 1.3 million older adults from living in poverty.
The report also found that employment did not shield many families from financial hardship. Nearly four in five Californians living in poverty belonged to families with at least one working adult, highlighting the continuing challenge of affording basic necessities in one of the nation’s most expensive states.
Health Advocates Warn Ending Medicare Drug Subsidies Could Raise Premiums in 2027
California health advocates and policymakers are raising concerns after the Trump administration announced it will end a federal subsidy program that has helped keep Medicare Part D prescription drug premiums low, a change expected to affect beneficiaries beginning in 2027.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the Medicare Part D premium stabilization program will expire at the end of 2026. The program currently provides federal subsidies to private insurance companies to help keep prescription drug plan premiums affordable for millions of older adults and people with disabilities enrolled in Medicare.
According to health policy nonprofit KFF, ending the subsidies could increase monthly premiums for some beneficiaries by as much as $20. Trump administration officials, however, said about half of Medicare Part D enrollees will either see premium increases of less than $10 a month or experience lower premiums, and that most beneficiaries will continue to have access to plans costing $10 or less per month.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz defended the decision, saying the subsidies are no longer needed.
“We are stabilizing the market so this bailout is no longer needed,” Oz wrote on X. “Premiums will go up by less than $10 for most Medicare recipients, with many even seeing LOWER premiums.”
The administration has argued the subsidies primarily benefited insurance companies and criticized the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which created the temporary premium stabilization program while also allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for certain high-cost prescription drugs.
Health care advocates warn that ending the subsidies could increase out-of-pocket costs for some seniors who rely on Medicare Part D to afford prescription medications.
The announcement also comes after enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies expired, adding to broader concerns about health care affordability.
Oz said the administration will continue pursuing policies aimed at lowering prescription drug costs, including expanding access to certain medications and advancing “most favored nation” pricing, which seeks to align U.S. drug prices with those paid in other countries.
The premium changes are expected to take effect in 2027, with Medicare beneficiaries receiving information about their plan options and monthly costs during the upcoming fall enrollment period.
