With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Which of these 2025 bills will Gavin Newsom sign?
Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the Election Rigging Response Act at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Aug. 21, 2025.
(
Miguel Gutierrez Jr.
/
CalMatters
)
The fate of hundreds of bills recently approved by the Legislature now rests with Gov. Gavin Newsom. He has one month to sign or veto any measures passed in the final days before the session ended Sept. 13.
As his attention turns ever more toward national politics, how might Newsom’s approach change this year? What bill signings will he highlight to the public or bury in a late-night news dump? Could he veto more proposals as he tries to distance himself from contentious liberal policies and chart a more moderate image?
Last year, Newsom vetoed about 18% of nearly 1,000 bills passed in the final days (and nearly 16% of all 1,200 bills passed by the Legislature in 2024). That was already higher than his historical average.
Typically, the governor gives a few reasons for vetoing bills: He deems them bad policy or redundant or calculates that their potential cost threatens to worsen the state’s budget situation. But he also blocks bills because they’re controversial or opposed by powerful special interests.
Sponsored message
While the Legislature can override vetoes, it takes a two-thirds vote in both the Assembly and Senate, which rarely happens. Governors can also allow bills to become law without their signature, but that doesn’t occur very often, either.
Here are some noteworthy bills CalMatters reporters are tracking. Bookmark this page for updates.
Immigration
Housing
Sponsored message
Education
Law enforcement
Climate and environment
Sponsored message
Technology
Sponsored message
Reparations
Cannabis
Trending on LAist
-
City Council members say they were surprised by the cost overrun. -
Federal prosecutors have dubbed the former Orange County leader a "Robin Hood in reverse" for his misdeeds. So how much will he have to pay back? -
One tenant thought he got a great deal — until his landlord raised his rent by almost 12%. -
The advice comes after a water outage caused by a faulty valve. -
The action, which a Border Patrol official called “Operation Trojan Horse,” comes after a federal appeals court upheld a restraining order halting indiscriminate sweeps in Southern California. -
Notably absent from those facing penalties during this era of stepped-up immigration enforcement are the employers themselves: LAist found just one instance since January in which an employer was penalized for hiring unauthorized workers.
Best of LAist
