The California Conversation

Assembly Bill 84 has the potential to reduce school choice across California by making key changes to public charter schools in the state. Charter school communities and local advocacy groups are already calling on parents and teachers to speak out and oppose this bill. But what exactly would it change, and why should we care? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be covering the education landscape in our state, how this bill wo...

Ranchers in Point Reyes, California are being forced to close their operations after over 150 years of multigenerational farming practices. This raises serious questions about our state’s environmental priorities. How should we think about the impacts of farming practices on ecosystems, and why should everyone across California pay attention to what’s happening in Point Reyes? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we are diving into who ...

Erik and Lyle Menendez are notorious for the cold-blooded murder of their parents back in the 1980s. Now, the Los Angeles District Attorney and Governor Gavin Newsom appear to be at odds – as the Governor seeks to commute the brothers’ lifelong prison sentence, while the DA seeks to block efforts for resentencing. I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will dive into the details of this infamous case, recent developments in the case, a...

California’s Medi-Cal Program is facing a $6 billion shortfall for the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year. The situation is so dire that Governor Gavin Newsom has requested a loan from the state’s general fund to cover the expenses. But what’s most shocking about this is that the reason for the deficit is due to the state’s expansion of the program to provide free healthcare to illegal immigrants. I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be e...

California has the highest homeless population of any state in the nation. Governor Newsom has poured over $24 billion dollars into solving the issue, yet the problem still persists. One city mayor is proposing a new solution, but it’s already receiving backlash. I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we’ll be looking at the homelessness crisis across California, what approaches have been tried in our state so far, and principles for how ...

Assembly Bill 1333 was introduced a few weeks ago as legislation that would change self-defense protections across California. But it has quickly garnered severe backlash over concerns like rising crime and physical safety. What would this bill do if passed, how would it change existing law, and should we support or oppose it? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be covering current self-defense laws, constitutional protections,...

Chad Bianco is Sheriff of Riverside County, and he just became the most prominent conservative figure to enter the race for Governor of California in 2026. Why is he running, what are his views, and does he stand a real chance as a conservative? And why should we care about an election that is still over a year away? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be diving into the state of the 2026 California Governor’s Race, as well as ...

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an investigation into California’s high-speed rail project. But what is this project, and why is the federal government getting involved? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be diving deep into the details of the high-speed rail, where the project stands today, and all things governmental mismanagement, on this week’s episode of The California Conversation!

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In just the first month of his Presidency, the Trump Administration has issued numerous executive orders on hot topic issues like immigration, gender, and climate change. Many of the orders signed by President Trump are directly opposed to the policies in place in California. What impact do these orders have on our state? Who has the final say? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and I want to give you a framework for how to understand the...

The Palisades Fire displaced thousands of residents who are now wondering, what’s next? New regulations for affordable housing across LA county may make answering that question more complicated than many are hoping for. I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be covering everything from the development process to housing regulations and the impacts of affordable housing on this week’s episode of The California Conversation!

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Reproductive rights and abortion access were much debated topics of discussion during the 2024 Presidential Election. Since the overturning of Roe versus Wade, questions of what will be protected and what will be outlawed related to abortion have remained at the forefront of the national conversation. Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to protect abortion rights in California, but just what are the laws in our state on this issue? Cal...

California’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit against President Trump just one day into his presidency. The issue at the forefront of the debate? Birthright citizenship. But just what IS birthright citizenship and why is California getting involved? I’m your host, Tess Abraham, and we will be taking a deep dive into all things illegal immigration, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the impact on Californians, on this week’s episode of T...

Thousands of victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires were uninsured, leaving them completely devasted in the wake of losing everything. Insurance companies have been leaving California in what is being called a mass exodus over the past few years. Just what are their reasons for leaving? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we’ll be talking all about the environment that California policy has created for insurance companies on this wee...

Southern California faced the devastation of multiple massive, destructive wildfire outbreaks last week – some of the worst in the state’s history. We have to ask – were these fires preventable? How could they have spread so quickly and destroyed entire communities? What policy decisions allowed this – or worse, enabled it? I’m your host, Tess Abraham, and we will be looking at the policy failures made by our elected leaders and th...

The Biden Administration just took action to approve California’s groundbreaking mandate that all new cars sold in the state in 2035 must be electric vehicles. President Trump is touting that he will rescind that approval upon his return to office. Just what is going on in California with electric vehicles? Is Newsom’s new mandate realistic and attainable with the next ten years? I’m your host Tess Abraham, and we will be covering ...

As 2024 ends, where is your hope rooted for 2025? How will you weather the political storms that may come our way, as both a country and as a state? I’m your host, Tess Abraham, and I want to give you some encouragement on where true hope can be found on this week’s episode of The California Conversation!

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Governor Gavin Newsom called for an emergency session to safeguard California’s laws and values before President Trump takes office in January. One of the issues at the forefront of the conversation is our state's status as a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. But not everyone across California is on board with the Governor’s actions, including one outspoken Sheriff in Southern California. I’m your host, Tess Abraham, and we’ll...

Assembly Bill 28 adds an 11% excise tax to the purchase of guns and ammunition in the State of California. The revenue is supposed to fund programs and initiatives to prevent gun violence, addressing the rise in gun crime we’ve seen over the past 5 years. But how exactly are these initiatives planning to increase safety, and has their effectiveness been proven? How do our second amendment rights factor into this? I’m your host Tess...

Assembly Bill 1955, known as the SAFETY Act, prohibits school districts from requiring teachers to notify parents of changes in their child’s pronouns or gender identity. Proponents say this helps to create a safe environment for students to be themselves, but the bill has drawn stark opposition from those advocating for parent’s rights. Join me as we cover all of this and more on today's episode of The California Conversation!

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