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WhatMatters

WhatMatters is your weekday guide to California policy and politics. The newsletter highlights what to know about the state Capitol and brings the best of CalMatters coverage and commentary. Sign up for the WhatMatters newsletter.

A person with long, wavy hair sits on the floor surrounded by papers, holding and organizing a stack of documents. They are wearing a patterned blouse, glasses on their face, and sunglasses resting on their head. A large folder and various papers, some with writing and printed text, are spread across the area, creating a cluttered workspace. The person is focused on reviewing the paperwork.
A person wearing a long blue apron and red hat, stands in the middle of cow milking machines at a dairy farm.
A person in a dark blue suit and a red tie sits in a chair on stage and gestures while they speak. At left, the person's shadow, and that of a moderator are visible on a backdrop with the words "CALMATTERS" emblazoned on it. The setting is a forum or panel.
A person arranges posters of people who have died while in-custody in San Diego jails on a table during an event. One poster, containing photos of 19 individuals, reads "stop the deaths!" at the bottom.
Four white voting booths with American flags and the word "VOTE" emblazoned on the side are visible. A person wearing a baseball cap casts a ballot in one of the booths. They're located in a room, reminiscent of a community center.
A side view of elderly person wearing a blue knitted sweater sitting in a yellow chair on stage next to another person during an event.
A close-up view of a person's hands sifting through a small black basket filled with pink mail-in ballot envelopes. A stack of pink mail-in ballot envelopes can be seen laying on the table in the background.
Two people stand in front of a framed International Union of Painters and Allied Trades logo hung up on a wall in an office. The person on the left
A lawmaker, standing on the left and wearing a black suit with a purple tie, holds their right hand up while placing their left hand on a book. A person, standing in the center and wearing a black blazer, holds the book as they look towards Vice President Kamala Harris, standing on the right and wearing a purple blazer, as she directs the swearing-in ceremony.
A teacher points at a book while a child sitting at their desk looks at it. Other students are visible in the frame. The setting is a classroom.