The National Conference of State Legislatures was created by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975. NCSL serves America’s 50 states, commonwealths, territories and the District of Columbia with access to bipartisan policy research, training resources and technical assistance and hosts the annual NCSL Legislative Summit, the largest policy meeting in the US. We're joined today by Tim Storey, who has headed the organization since 2019. We asked him what the 'hot' topics were at this year's Summit, how his members feel about the Redistricting wave sweeping the nation, and how the organization has maintained its bipartisan status in a deeply partisan era.

1:22 New polling on Newsom approval rating

2:46 West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative

3:14 Breakout Top 100 star: Jim Wunderman

6:11 Tim Storey

8:23 Jess Unruh

9:45 Bringing people together

10:38 "The largest policy meeting in the United States"

14:40 The difficulty of staying nonpartisan in a deeply partisan era

19:00 Redistricting

24:12 California connection

27:25 A national redistricting law?

28:10 Big issues?

30:53 "More states are projecting slow revenue growth"

33:12 The pig story

37:37: #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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We're joined by Assembly Minority Leader-Elect Heath Flora, who will take over as head of the lower house's Republican caucus later this month, succeeding Asm. James Gallagher. The collegial, no-drama GOP leadership transition stood in stark contrast to the last two Dem leadership fights - owing at least in part to Flora's reputation as one of the most well-liked members of the legislature. A straight-talking member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Flora had compliments for colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and voiced his frustrations overly partisan policymaking. 

1:40 Talking Top 100

2:34 Health Care Conference, October 1

3:28 Special Edition

4:20 Asm. Heath Flora

5:18 The transition

7:10 Agenda/priorities

8:56 Bringing firefighting experiences to wildfire policy

13:39 "You can manage fire"

14:41 looking at the best-available approach

17:07 CEQA and #AB103

20:46 The lawmaker that people want to hang out with

27:59 Redistricting

32:33 What would you like to see from your time in the legislature

34:30 Fly fishing and Henry Winkler

39:08 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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Last night we published the 17th edition of Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 – our annual analysis of the unelected political power structure in California. We look at the mostlybehind the scenes players who influence policy, elections and governance, including Capitol staff, lobbyists, Agency staff, donors, business leaders, activists, Labor leaders – and even journalists.

Hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster are joined by KQED's Marisa Lagos, co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast and radio show. Lagos has been reporting on California politics for nearly two decades, and is intimately familiar with the Golden State's political power players - elected and not. Lagos, Ehisen and Foster discuss the themes running through the 2025 list, look at the new faces, and talk about the sophomore class of the Top 100 Hall of Fame.

1:11 "It is A list, not THE list"

1:56 The Top 100 Hall of Fame

6:20 Nancy McFadden

9:31 Mike Belote

10:37 Rex Frazier

12:19 Kip Lipper

15:16 Catherine Reheis-Boyd

19:07 Themes of the year?

22:41 Housing

23:36 Ron Conway

25:55 "The legislature hasn't flexed its muscle really since COVID"

27:04 Bob Salladay

28:43 Paul Mitchell

29:00 Jodi Hicks

29:13 Ann Patterson/Nathan Barankin/Nani Coloretti

32:47 Jason Elliot, Jim DeBoo

34:05 Dave Sapp

35:38 Dee Dee Myers

35:51 Steve Wertheimer

36:15 Steve O'Mara

37:34 Toks Omishakin

38:37 Defending DMV!

40:01 Where are the GOP officials?

42:00 "Were you actually effective?"

42:27 Jennifer Barrera

43:22 Jim Wunderman

45:50 Rob Lapsley

49:24 Chris Cadelago

51:11 Nick Gerda

53:33 Ashley Zavala

1:00:51 Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian

1:04:14 Political Breakdown

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

Governor Newsom and Democratic allies announced Thursday that they will propose a constitutional amendment — The Election Rigging Response Act — to counter Texas and other Red states' mid-decade redistricting plans. Framing the proposal as a response to GOP efforts to Gerrymander and "rig" Texas’ elections next year in order to protect Republican control of congress, the proposal would replace California's current congressional district maps with new maps to be used in the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections.  The California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission would resume mapmaking duties after the 2030 census.

Our guest today is California political data and redistricting whiz Paul Mitchell, who was tasked with coming up with the new maps just two weeks ago. Mitchell described the process of drawing the new maps, why the redistricting effort was necessary, and tells us which seats will see the most changes.

Plus-  Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics

:47 Redistricting

1:58 Podcast Schedule

3:31 Paul Mitchell and an intense two weeks

7:14 The opposition

8:16 "Can we do a 52 - zero map?"

9:42 "The Commission's work is the Gold Standard"

12:34 Comparison to other states' process

14:55 Kevin Kiley's proposal

16:44 Role of AI in redistricting

20:57 There is no perfect map

22:47 Which seats are in for a significant change?

23:35 "Young Kim gets a great district?"

26:15 "There are winners and losers"

28:35 It's not about the maps - it's about the fight against Trump

29:40 "It is a gross-looking district"

32:08 The polling

36:23 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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We're joined today by Kevin Liao of Frontrunner Strategies. Liao spent over four years as Press Secretary and Communications Director for former Speaker Anthony Rendon, before moving on to national campaign work. He was on first Elizabeth Warren and then Joe Biden's 2020 campaign teams, and handled comms for Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz as she barnstormed the Midwest for the Harris-Walz ticket in 2024. He shares stories from the road - and tells what advice he'd give any other California politicians who might be seeking the White House. Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.

30: Kounalakis: Out!

2:17 Experts Expound

3:23 Lobbying numbers

8:00 Kevin Liao

12:43 Rendon's campaign for SUPI

13:22 On the trail with Harris/Walz

18:03 "The Capitol Community isn't the same..."

19:31 Scrapple, butter sculptures and Tomato Pies

25:30 Advice for Gov. Newsom?

27:01 "Inconceivably nasty"

31:55 A conundrum: Democratic ideas are popular, but not when associated with Democrats

33:26 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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Another jam-packed episode. We start with reaction to Kamala Harris' bombshell announcement that she will not seek the governorship in 2026, effectively resetting the race, at least on the Dem side. Next up, we welcome Brad Heavner who has stepped into big shoes as Executive Director of The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA), replacing longtime ED Bernadette Del Chiaro.  Heavner has his job cut out for him; the transition comes at a crucial time for California's solar industry, with rooftop solar facing headwinds from DC and Sacramento. And finally, we tell you Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics. 

1:52 The Top 100 is coming

4:08 The Intern Program

8:22 Kamala: OUT!

14:43 Brad Heavner

17:11 A fraught time for alternative energies

18:35 Net Metering

19:42 Rate changes

22:14 Who has solar?

25:01 Legislation

29:59 Labor vs. Enviros

32:16 Are you optimistic?

35:38 #WWCA

40:05 Lyndon LaRouche

45:38 Things Fell Apart

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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We've got a jam-packed episode this week: Podcast cohost Tim Foster marks TWENTY years at Capitol Weekly. Then we speak with Frank Torres, the new Director of Political and Legislative Advocacy for the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals. Finally, we tell you who had the Worst Week in California Politics, and for the first time ever, the #WWCA 'winner' is not human!

:54 What's on Capitol Weekly

2:50 Twenty years at Capitol Weekly!

4:28 A California version of Roll Call

5:44 "I was happily working as a construction worker"

8:20 "Shane [Goldmacher] was the first person to identify Paul Mitchell as someone we should keep an eye on"

10:18 Tom Hoeber

14:00 Frank Torres

14:44 Following the budget

16:35 The difference between UNAC/UHCP and California Nurses Association

18:56 Nurse staffing

21:32 AB1400

22:25 Impact of Immigration policy

22:33 Addressing healthcare worker shortfall

26:10 Origin story

28:19 The Karen Bass campaign

30:31 Al Checchi reference

31:06 #WWCA

37:00 Adam Gottlieb shout out

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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We won't use that old Mark Twain quote (that he probably never wrote anyway) but fighting over water has been California's favorite pastime for at least 175 years. If you think norcal/socal baseball rivalries are bitter - try the socal vs. Delta water wars. One of the people tasked with managing that aqua drama is Jennifer Pierre, General Manager for the State Water Contractors  – a statewide, non-profit association of the public water agencies that contract with the Department of Water Resources to receive water from the State Water Project. The SWP provides water for 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.  A UC Davis alumna with a bachelor’s in environmental biology and conservation, Pierre has 20 years of experience in Delta management and uses that experience to help improve water supply and operations for the SWC. She joined us to talk about challenges of climate change, issues from overpumping groundwater, and if DC and and California can make nice on Water Policy.

1:01 Capitol Weekly Insiders Survey

1:58 Dominique Donette

2:58 AI podcasts

3:33 Top 100 Party

6:04 Jennifer Pierre

7:30 Water in the California Budget

8:53 "Housing doesn't happen without water"

9:41 Background

12:53 Managing Climate Change: Hydrology

13:41 Subsidence: "We've got a major problem on our hands"

16:59 Status of DC vs. California water fights

20:04 Playing peacemaker among different stakeholders

22:43 Prop. 4 implementation

26:30 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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On July 8, Capitol Weekly and the University of California Student and Policy Center presented California and AI, a daylong look at the Golden State's approach to regulating Artificial Intelligence. California is a global leader in AI technology and lawmakers in Sacramento are tasked with creating legislation and regulations that will help the state maintain leadership in this emerging industry, while creating guardrails that protect Californians. Legislators have introduced over 30 AI-related bills this session, and nearly 20 AI bills were signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2024. Senator Scott Wiener led the charge both this year and last, and has emerged as one of the key voices in the discussion around AI regulation, and we present his Keynote as part of today's podcast. His remarks begin at about the 16 minute mark.

1:48 Mecha-Hitler

3:15 Op-Eds

12:25 Remembering George Steffes

15:58 Senator Scott Wiener

42:23 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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We're joined today by Christina Snider-Ashtari, Tribal Affairs Secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom and head of the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs. Snider-Ashtari was first appointed to the position in 2018 by Governor Brown and previously served as Executive Secretary of the California Native American Heritage Commission. We spoke to her about both governors' approaches to Tribal policy, about the California Truth & Healing Council, and about the deep Native history on Alcatraz, which President Trump has suggested might be returned to use as a federal prison.

Plus, Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?

1:03 Capitol Weekly story update

2:05 Ai Conference

3:17 Capitol Insiders Survey

4:45 Christina Snider-Ashtari

7:16 Appointed February 2018

10:32 Governor Brown

11:40 Differences between Brown and Newsom

13:43 Governor Newsom's apology for genocide of California Indians

16:52 Alcatraz

18:10 Red Power movement

22:19 California Truth & Healing Council

26:02 "Nothing was here, then gold was found, then people came"

29:25 What has been the response of the Tribes?

33:56 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

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