One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Which of these 2025 bills will Gavin Newsom sign?
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.
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
Education
Law enforcement
Climate and environment
Technology
Reparations
Cannabis
-
A growing number of California cities and police departments have cut ties with Flock after reports that that its data was shared with immigration enforcement.
-
President Trump has fired his homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, and said Markwayne Mullin, a senator from Oklahoma, would replace her.
-
LAist talked to legal experts to understand why the justification for the searches remains under wraps.
-
Costa Mesa allocated money last year to provide relief to families caught up in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Some are upset about how the money was spent.
-
The L.A. Homeless Services Authority has been under fire for more than a year after audits found it failed to properly track its spending.
-
One of the manuscripts dates back nearly 3,500 years.