KQED's The California Report KQED

California has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, but a Democratic state lawmaker says there’s a big loophole for some people deemed mentally ill by a state court - and he wants to fix it. The loophole - while California law prohibits someone from possessing a gun if a court finds them mentally incompetent to face a felony charge, it doesn’t apply to people being prosecuted for a misdemeanor.
Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office says the state could save up to a billion dollars a year by closing more prisons. This as California faces a budget deficit in the tens of billions. But Governor Gavin Newsom is taking a more cautious approach to trimming prison beds. 
Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters 

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A multi-billion dollar budget deficit in California is putting organizations across the state at risk. One program facing an uncertain future is Market Match. It works with EBT, or food stamps, to give recipients vouchers they can use at local farmers markets.
Reporter: Ava Norgrove, North State Public Radio

Governor Gavin Newsom says he has a plan to deal with a staggering $27 billion state deficit next year --without cutting core services or raising taxes. Newsom says California is facing a $56 billion shortfall over the next two years. He wants lawmakers to approve a spending plan that spans those two years.
Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

An encampment to protest the war in Gaza was set up at the University of California Merced on Sunday. It came after the school held its commencement ceremony over the weekend.
Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR
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State regulators have approved a controversial proposal that will add a monthly charge of $24 to many Californian's electricity bills. But in exchange, utility customers should see reductions in charges per kilowatt hour of electricity used. 

As college campus protests continue over Israel's War in Gaza, students at UC Merced are asking the university to refrain from what they say is over-policing. 
Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR

It’s finally warming up in California. As more bugs come out in the heat, so do bats to feed on them. And one bat species is emerging from hibernation with a new distinction -- the pallid bat is now the official state bat of California.
Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED
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As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on, American protesters are accusing Silicon Valley companies like Intel and Google of complicity in the violence, and urging them to divest. But US tech has been deeply involved with Israeli tech for half a century.
Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

The California Public Utilities Commission votes Thursday on a controversial flat electricity rate. Regulators say the change would lower bills for many, but critics argue it could do the opposite.
Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED
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Two years ago, the northern Imperial County town of Niland lost its only post office in a fire. It was supposed to be a temporary closure. But residents are still fighting to get it back.
Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS

California prison officials say it will cost billions of dollars to enforce new indoor heat regulations that the state’s proposed for workers. But they have declined to share exact cost estimates.
Reporter: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters
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It’s been over a month since California started requiring most fast food employers in the state to pay a minimum wage of $20 dollars an hour -- a big jump from the state’s general minimum wage of $16 dollars.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED News

San Francisco State University’s top administrator is promising to provide more transparency about financial ties to Israel … and to explore school divestment. That’s in a public meeting Monday with pro-Palestinian student protesters... who’ve camped out on campus for the past week.
Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED News 

The Shasta County Board of Supervisors is set to meet today to discuss next steps now that the longstanding County Registrar of Voters has retired, but it’s unclear exactly how her position will be filled.
Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio
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