Kathryn Palmer

Author of the Capitol Confidential newsletter from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Buffy Wicks lays out more big housing targets

Oct 23, 2026

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4 min read

Buffy Wicks lays out more big housing targets

Also, why legislators want a bigger rainy day fund

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Public money in elections? Prop 4 could allow it

Oct 21, 2026

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7 min read

Public money in elections? Prop 4 could allow it

UC researchers slam science funding ballot measure

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Is the state’s new ICE mask ban in trouble?

Oct 19, 2026

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6 min read

Is the state’s new ICE mask ban in trouble?

Also, here’s which state legislators support the billionaire tax

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Oct 16, 2026

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6 min read

Four nail-biter state legislative races

Also, Newsom and Schwarzenegger bond over CEQA

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Why are former parks officials upset about a health bond?

Oct 14, 2026

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6 min read

Why are former parks officials upset about a health bond?

Also, would the voter ID ballot measure speed up or slow down vote-counting?

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Prop 43 would raise the bar on raising taxes

Oct 12, 2026

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6 min read

Prop 43 would raise the bar on raising taxes

Also, here’s how the governor is voting on almost all 14 ballot measures

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Oct 9, 2026

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6 min read

No on Prop 45 campaign gets labor boost

Also: Will Hilton and Becerra’s wildly different strategies move the needle?

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

The Dem-on-Dem race for insurance commissioner

Oct 7, 2026

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6 min read

The Dem-on-Dem race for insurance commissioner

Also, state lawmakers slam Trump over Iran comments

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

California’s redesigned health tax hit with lawsuit

Oct 5, 2026

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5 min read

California’s redesigned health tax hit with lawsuit

Also, the new law aimed at reining in sexual assault lawsuits

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Oct 2, 2026

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5 min read

Newsom signs landmark anti-trust law

Also, California bans child marriage

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom signs slew of anti-ICE, detention center bills

Sep 30, 2026

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6 min read

Newsom signs slew of anti-ICE, detention center bills

Immigration package includes several first-in-nation laws

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom signs bill on conversion therapy definition

Sep 28, 2026

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5 min read

Newsom signs bill on conversion therapy definition

Top takeaways after Newsom signs dozens of bills over the weekend

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Court calls Bianco’s ballot seizure ‘unlawful,’ orders them returned

Sep 25, 2026

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5 min read

Court calls Bianco’s ballot seizure ‘unlawful,’ orders them returned

Also, what has Newsom been up to in NYC this week?

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

In split from allies, Newsom vetoes abortion shield law

Sep 23, 2026

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5 min read

In split from allies, Newsom vetoes abortion shield law

Newsom's eyebrow-raising veto decisions

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Law aims to ban GOP states from sending troops to CA

Sep 21, 2026

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5 min read

Law aims to ban GOP states from sending troops to CA

Also, Newsom signs order to speed up AI regulations and consider a ‘kill switch’

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom signs AI ad disclosure bill, teases more AI action

Sep 18, 2026

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5 min read

Newsom signs AI ad disclosure bill, teases more AI action

Also, high-speed rail audit reveals billing gone wild

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom signs first-in-nation wildfire smoke damage bills

Sep 16, 2026

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4 min read

Newsom signs first-in-nation wildfire smoke damage bills

Also, California Democrats celebrate Supreme Court’s mail-in voting ruling.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

As Newsom exits, abortion rights group seeks to codify shield laws

Sep 14, 2026

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5 min read

As Newsom exits, abortion rights group seeks to codify shield laws

How the Cervantes sisters, both lawmakers, took on California’s most controversial sheriff.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom signs nation-leading bills on social media, AI

Sep 11, 2026

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6 min read

Newsom signs nation-leading bills on social media, AI

Also, Newsom continues his tiptoe around a wildfire liability special session.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

House candidate aims to take vaccine fight to RFK’s door

Sep 9, 2026

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4 min read

House candidate aims to take vaccine fight to RFK’s door

Also, how a bill died last week not over a lack of votes, but a lack of time.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom says he has ‘open mind’ on special session, after PG&E announces cuts

Sep 4, 2026

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6 min read

Newsom says he has ‘open mind’ on special session, after PG&E announces cuts

Also, Legislature moves to create first-in-nation smoke damage standards.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Assembly kills wildfire bill in surprise last-minute move

Sep 2, 2026

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6 min read

Assembly kills wildfire bill in surprise last-minute move

Also, ban on electroshock gloves heads to Newsom.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Lawmakers shoot down Newsom’s biggest wildfire liability targets

Aug 31, 2026

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5 min read

Lawmakers shoot down Newsom’s biggest wildfire liability targets

Also, contentious anti-trust bill passes after bruising battle.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Shock glove ban joins end-of-session crush

Aug 28, 2026

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5 min read

Shock glove ban joins end-of-session crush

Dozens rally for controversial bill that would give tribes more control over ancestral state lands.

Kathryn Palmer

CapCon California

Newsom, lawmakers at odds over key pieces of wildfire deal

Aug 26, 2026

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5 min read

Newsom, lawmakers at odds over key pieces of wildfire deal

Also, Newsom touts new elections bills in wake of Supreme Court’s mail voting decision.

Kathryn Palmer