The Brief

After a decade of expanding health coverage and safety net programs, the Golden State took a sharp detour in 2025. As federal funding reductions and policy changes rippled through the health care system, California confronted service cuts, coverage losses and growing uncertainty.

During the summer, a congressionally approved spending plan slashed nearly a trillion dollars from the Medicaid program over the next decade. Funding cuts and new rules — such as work requirements — are expected to push 3.4 million Californians off their Medicaid coverage as changes take effect.

In Washington, a dispute over whether to renew enhanced premium subsidies that help keep Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance plans affordable prompted the longest shutdown in history. Absent federal action, hundreds of thousands of people could be priced out of Covered California insurance in 2026. More than 2,300 Dreamers in California have already lost access to the state marketplace: The Trump administration overturned a rule that had allowed undocumented people brought to the country as children to buy subsidized health insurance.

Federal immigration raids prompted undocumented people to skip care, and families reported worsening mental health, and federal anti-trans policies pushed providers to scale back on gender-affirming care.

Shifting federal policy forced the state the state to inject millions into Planned Parenthood to try to keep clinics afloat. Anticipating more restrictive federal immunization rules under U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, California advanced its own vaccine guidelines.

Federal changes weren’t the only reversal. State budget constraints and overspending in the Medi-Cal program led California to freeze new enrollment for undocumented people and cut some costly benefits, such as weight loss drugs.

On affordability, Gov. Newsom delivered on his promise to cut down the cost of insulin. In 2026, diabetics will be able to purchase long-acting insulin pens at pharmacies for $11 a pen. After CalMatters shed a light on disappearing birth centers, state lawmakers approved a new law improving access in underserved areas, streamlining licensure requirements so that birth centers can more easily contract with Medicaid.

2026 outlook

The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects that Medi-Cal spending will continue to grow. Paired with the uncertainty of federal funding cuts, lawmakers may again seek ways to control costs and weigh priorities.

As federal spending cuts phase in, they’ll have implications for hospitals and other providers, such as an uptick in uncompensated care.

California has been distributing $6.4 billion from a voter-approved mental health bond. Starting July 1, the Behavioral Health Services Act will also require counties to spend revenue received from a 1% tax on incomes over $1 million on services and housing for people who are homeless.

For more than 50 years, the Education Department has revealed a host of realities about how students are being treated in every public school across America: which kids are being bullied, which ones are being harassed and which students can access the internet, among other things. The agency's Civil Rights Data Collection is intended to do just that — help keep schools accountable.

The latest information, collected about the 2023-24 school year, was supposed to be published last December, according to the Education Department's own deadline.

But it hasn't been.

The agency hasn't responded to multiple requests from NPR asking what's behind the delay.

Federal bureaucracy can be slow, and delays aren't always cause for concern, but advocates are on edge in the midst of recent plans the Trump administration announced to move the Office for Civil Rights — which houses the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) team — from the Education Department to the Department of Justice.

That planned transfer follows months of federal action that upends the way students' civil rights have been protected in the past: The Trump administration has cracked down on initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion, for example, and prioritized investigating schools that allow transgender athletes to compete in women's sports.

"This administration has repeatedly applied civil rights law in ways that ignore or dismiss the very real inequities that persist in our education system," says Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust, a think tank focused on addressing education inequity. The delay in releasing the CRDC data, she says, "raises serious concerns, particularly as this administration seeks to downplay the impacts of racism and economic inequality in public education."

A former Education Department employee who worked on the CRDC tells NPR the team is still intact. However, its future is unclear: While the Trump administration has announced the Office for Civil Rights is moving to the Justice Department, the process could take months, like other plans to outsource parts of the Education Department's work. The former employee, who asked not to be named out of fear of professional repercussions, said part of the delay may have to do with the 2025 government shutdown that affected operations at the Education Department for over six weeks, including work on the CRDC.

The department also has been winding down its operations since the Trump administration took office, cutting about half the department's overall staff last year.

Lindsay Kubatzky, director of policy and advocacy at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, agrees with Forte's assessment that a delay in this data may have to do with the Trump administration's chipping away at systems that have historically helped hold schools accountable for protecting students' civil rights. "This administration unfortunately has proposed a lot of policies that would make it less transparent on how students with disabilities in particular are being served in public schools," he says.

For example, Kubatzky points to how the Trump administration has proposed eliminating a requirement for states to track which students are being identified as having disabilities based on race and ethnicity. Historically, Black and brown students are more often wrongly identified as needing special education than their peers.

While that disability data is not directly tied to the CRDC, Kubatzky says it's an example of the administration working to undo federal civil rights accountability tools. The CRDC, he says, also plays a key role in helping advocates show where "schools are not serving students and it also gives us a lever to push for policies that are more inclusive and less negative toward students."

For example, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of N.J. and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas used findings from CRDC data to craft a bill proposing the expansion of access to Advanced Placement courses for underrepresented students, including minority and disabled students, whom the data found had unequal access to these classes. A spokesperson for Booker's team said the bill would be reintroduced in the coming days.

One of the questions the delayed dataset was set to answer is which students have access to the internet as AI plays a bigger role in education, according to the former CRDC staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Like, are our schools ready to usher in this wave of AI? Will all students have equal access to devices and internet capabilities?" the person said. "How do we know if the CRDC doesn't come out?"

The former staffer described the CRDC team as a deeply committed group of people who are focused on ensuring "access and opportunity" for the nation's most marginalized students. "We can't make the right decisions for students if we don't have insight into their current realities."

Edited by: Nirvi Shah
Visual design and development by: LA Johnson

Copyright 2026 NPR

Most Fourth of July guides focus on how to see fireworks shows. This one offers something a little different.

There are lots of reasons why you might seek out some peace and quiet on the Fourth of July. Whether you can’t deal with fireworks because of your pets, sensory or mental health reasons, or, in my case, because you’re just trying to chill in your apartment at midnight.

To be clear, we’re not talking about the big fireworks shows, which are mostly over by bedtime — some of these locations even have their own official fireworks shows. We’re talking about illegal fireworks that regularly light up skies and eardrums in SoCal neighborhoods.

But as any illegal firework-hating Angeleno should know, you can’t win against the booms. Even if you convince one neighbor to stop, you can’t convince them all. To me, the only solution is to steal a moment away for yourself and get out of Dodge.

I’ve been avoiding the Fourth of July in L.A. for years now — though admittedly not every year, especially when friends with rooftop grills invite me over — and I put together a list of recommendations that should be calm and firework-free at night.

Of course, there are no guarantees that people still won’t light fireworks illegally in these places, like what led to the tragic El Dorado Fire in 2020. But you can probably see a theme emerge here: areas in or near state and national parks, mountains, the beach and anywhere that’s wildfire-prone will likely provide a reprieve.

Angeles/San Bernardino National Forest

Fawnskin in the San Bernardino Mountains is one place to soak up the vibes.

Though a few towns make this list, going into nature is going to be your best bet. State parks like Chino Hills and Crystal Cove close at sunset, but you can stay as long as you want in national forests. And if you park your car in the right turnout, you’ll enjoy a pretty nice panorama. Controversially, there will still be a fireworks show in Big Bear, so you can sneak a peek if you so choose.

Idyllwild

This store in Idyllwild, pictured in 2025, certainly got into the July 4 spirit.

This is where I spent the last Fourth of July. It was exactly what I was looking for: very festive with plenty of activity during the day, but there wasn’t a firework to be heard around this forested mountain town when the sun set.

Joshua Tree/National Parks

Not a firework in sight here in Joshua Tree.

Fireworks are strictly banned for visitors to U.S. national parks, as well as on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. It’s a federal offense that could carry up to six months in jail. Joshua Tree is obviously the closest national park you can drive to, but Sequoia and Kings Canyon also have a strict ban on pyrotechnics and other fires. Bonus: National park entry is free this July 4.

Malibu (or most places along the beach)

Zuma Beach is one of many beaches in Southern California near state parks.

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The farther you get into Malibu, the farther from your neighbors’ fireworks. I’ve found Zuma Beach to be a pretty good place to park, especially since it’s surrounded by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, but everyone has their spot (or you’ll find one). If Malibu’s too far, try somewhere like Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach. You can likely catch neighboring beach cities’ fireworks shows from afar there, too, at least until the park closes at 10 p.m.

Ventura County/Ojai

Los Padres National Forest near Ojai could be a good escape after you're done with official fireworks shows in Ventura County.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr Creative Commons

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This is a good place to go if you want to split the difference between seeing official fireworks shows in places like Ventura, Ojai and Oxnard and having peace and quiet after they end. Ventura County has seen its fair share of wildfires recently, and the more mountainous, rural areas in and around Ojai tend to be pretty peaceful later at night as nearby cities embrace the chaos.

The Catalina Island Ferry

The Catalina Express ferries run late on July 4.

I’ve never done it, but I imagine the open ocean is a pretty good place to avoid Fourth of July fireworks. Like Ojai, Avalon also has its own firework show at night, but the ferries back to land run until 11:15 p.m. and last about an hour. Sadly, all of the late ferries are currently booked, but if staying overnight is an option, you’re unlikely to hear any illegal fireworks in fire-prone Avalon, let alone the rest of Catalina Island.

Anywhere in the desert

Even the Salton Sea, pictured here in 2025, can be a great place to avoid firework sounds.

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Kevin Tidmarsh/LAist

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Generations of Southern Californians have gone to the desert to find peace and quiet. And if you’re just looking for a respite from fireworks, you can even get it at places like the Salton Sea. Just brace yourself for those 85+ degree nighttime temperatures.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Americans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this Saturday.

If you’re looking for a way to join the festivities in Inglewood and South L.A., we’ve got you covered.

Inglewood events

Music fest

Inglewood is hosting its 4th Annual Music Festival on Saturday, July 4 at Darby Park (3400 W. Arbor Vitae St.) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Doors open at 10 a.m. and KJLH radio personality Adai Lamar will host the show. Performers include Cameo and Klymaxx featuring Cheryl Cooley. Tickets are free.

Pool party

DJ Starboy is hosting his annual pool party on Saturday, July 4 at 9321 South Van Ness Ave. in Inglewood from 4 p.m. to midnight. There’ll be food and drinks for sale, games and activities, and multiple DJs bringing the Afrobeats, dancehall and hip-hop vibes. Tickets are $17.85 each. The event is for those age 21 and older.

South L.A. events

Benefit show

America 250 will host a July 4 Benefit Show at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, July 4. Gates open at 3 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Queen Latifah is hosting and performers include Chris Stapleton and The Smashing Pumpkins. Legendary singer Chaka Khan will also be a special guest at the show. Tickets are $17.76 and 5,000 complimentary tickets will be donated for first responders, veterans and service members, organizers say.

Fan zone

LA County is hosting free World Cup watch parties on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5 at Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park (12552 Avalon Blvd.) in South L.A., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fan event will feature live music, food trucks, a community marketplace, resources and family fun.

With the start of the new fiscal year in California on Wednesday, dozens of laws took effect, including a zoning overhaul to boost denser housing development near transit, requirements for an all-gender bathroom in every school and streamlined rules for food labeling.

Because of California’s size and its major role in the U.S. economy, some of its laws are likely to have a cascading effect even for people outside the state.

Here are some of the new laws that are now live:

Changes to schools

Several new laws will affect California’s schools and students this year.

SB 760 requires every school district, county office of education and charter school serving any grades from kindergarten to grade 12 to provide and maintain at least one all-gender restroom at each school.

That restroom must include clear signage indicating it’s open to all genders and be unlocked and easily accessible to students. The restrooms are held to the same standards as gendered restrooms, regularly cleaned and stocked with toilet paper, soap and paper towels or hand dryers. Schools can convert an existing restroom to satisfy the requirement.

Across the country, we’ve seen a growing number of states pass laws limiting restroom access for transgender students or requiring students to use facilities based on their sex assigned at birth,” said Jorge Reyes Salinas, the communications director for Equality California, which sponsored the bill. “And California has chosen this different approach, which is expanding options rather than restricting them.”

Schools are facing another deadline ahead of the next academic year. Under AB 3216, every school district, charter school and county office of education must now have a policy limiting or banning the use of smartphones unless in the case of an emergency.

“We know that excessive smartphone use increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues — but we have the power to intervene,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release when he signed the legislation in 2024. “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school.”

Additionally, public middle and high schools, along with public colleges and universities, must now print the Trevor Project’s LGBTQ+ suicide hotline number on student ID cards.

Los Angeles Assemblymember Mark González authored AB 727 last year in direct response to President Donald Trump’s termination of the dedicated LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline.

New privacy protections for transgender Californians

In California, when transgender and nonbinary people change their names, gender and sex identifiers on official documents, those petitions are public records that have, in some cases, led to people being forcibly outed and harassed.

In 2024, a transgender woman in Stanislaus County sued for the right to seal her records after she was outed on social media. A state appeals court ruled she had a right to keep those records confidential to avoid threats and harassment.

While a 2023 law already required courts to keep those records confidential for minors, the Transgender Privacy Act extends that protection to people of all ages this year.

“As the Trump Administration attempts to make transgender and nonbinary people the scapegoats for their fascist takeover, California must stand up to protect them,” state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said in a press release.

SB 59 applies to any petition filed on or after July 1, and people with older records can request their records be made confidential as well. It also prohibits anyone other than the petitioner from posting confidential records online.

Food labeling laws

California is now the first state in the nation to standardize confusing food date labels. Manufacturers use more than 50 different phrases, such as “sell by,” “use by,” “best by,” “expires by,” “freeze by” and “freshest before.”

Now, only two labels are permitted: “BEST if Used by” will indicate a food’s peak quality, and “USE by” will signal when a food item is no longer safe to eat.

Many of the other labels were meant to help store clerks with inventory management, but they often confuse consumers who may ultimately throw away food out of fear of getting sick, contributing to the state’s 6 million tons of food waste each year.

“AB 660 is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet,” said Thousand Oaks Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who authored the bill, in a 2024 press release.

In another first-in-the-nation food law, California now requires restaurants with 20 or more locations to disclose allergens on their menus, either in physical or digital form. It covers the nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame and soybeans.

Denser housing near transit

California passed a wave of blockbuster housing laws in 2025.

In an effort to address the state’s housing crisis, a new law makes it easier to build multi-family housing near transit stops like trains and buses.

SB 79, among the most significant housing bills in decades, overrides local government zoning restrictions to allow for taller, denser housing within a half-mile of major transit hubs.

Wiener, who authored the bill, argues it gets at the heart of the state’s affordability crisis while also boosting revenue for public transit agencies, many of which have faced severe budget crunches since ridership plummeted during the pandemic.

“SB 79 unwinds decades of overly restrictive land use policies that have driven housing costs to astronomical levels, forcing millions of people to move far away from jobs and transit, to face massive commutes, or to leave California entirely,” Wiener said in a statement. “By allowing more homes to be built near public transportation, SB 79 also strengthens our transit systems, increases transit ridership, and reduces traffic congestion and carbon emissions.”

Tighter gun restrictions

California now bans the sale of “Glock-style” handguns, aiming to close a loophole that makes it possible to easily convert certain semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic weapons. The conversion uses a device called a “switch” that can be made at home with a 3D printer and installed with a screwdriver.

“No gun sold in California should be just a screwdriver away from becoming a machine gun,” San Francisco Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, who co-authored AB 1127, said in a statement. “We are closing a deadly loophole that has fueled gun violence in our communities.”

A second law, SB 241, requires firearms dealers to complete an annual training that includes identifying straw purchasers, preventing the theft of firearms and ammunition and recognizing buyers who may use the gun unlawfully or to harm themselves.

A third law, signed in 2023 and effective July 1, adds “ghost gun” parts to the definition of a firearm for the purposes of reporting a lost or stolen firearm.

Existing law required gun owners to report the loss or theft of a firearm within five days of when they reasonably should have known. Now, AB 725 extends that requirement to firearm frames, receivers and precursor parts, with failure to report punishable as an infraction or misdemeanor.

Retiring Native American mascots

California public schools are now barred from using any derogatory Native American term as a school or athletic team name, mascot or nickname.

The bill, AB 3074, expands a 2015 law that banned only the term “Redskins.” It now includes, but is not limited to, Apaches, Big Reds, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Chippewa, Comanches, Indians, Savages, Squaw and Tribe.

Schools operated by a tribe or tribal organization are exempted from this law.

In 2005, the American Psychological Association called on schools and sports teams to retire the use of all American Indian mascots and symbols, citing research that they have a negative effect on the self-esteem and mental health of Indigenous children.

New rules for tech

No more lunging for the remote when the TV volume spikes at a commercial break. SB 576 stops streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube from playing ads louder than the video content.

The rule builds on a federal law, the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which already applies to broadcast television stations and cable operators but not streaming services.

Another tech-driven change in California will affect autonomous vehicles like Waymo and robotaxis, which can now be cited for traffic violations. Under AB1777, the companies must also set up 24/7 emergency response telephone lines for passengers and first responders.