What really happens inside California’s state Capitol — and how can regular people actually follow it?

In this episode of So, Does It Matter?, Jon Fleischman talks with investigative reporter Ryan Sabalow of CalMatters about a powerful new transparency tool called Digital Democracy. The platform uses AI to transcribe legislative hearings, track votes in real time, and connect campaign contributions to lawmaker behavior.

For the first time, Californians can search what their legislators said in hearings, follow a bill through the full process, and see how often lawmakers align with major interest groups.

We cover:

• How AI is turning the Legislature into a searchable database

• Why committee hearings matter more than most people realize

• How to track how your own legislator votes

• The free “My Legislator” email tool that sends weekly updates

• How journalists are using AI to uncover hidden political stories

• What this means for transparency and accountability in Sacramento

If you want to better understand how decisions are really made in California — and how to keep your elected officials accountable — this is a must-listen episode.

CalMatters Website
CalMatters Digital Democracy Page
Sign up for Digital Democracy Monday E-mails on YOUR legislators.
CalMatters on X.

Jon Fleischman on X.