In summary
What you need to know on the year’s top issues in California, including climate, crime, housing, the Legislature, schools and more.
California in 2023 was a year of change, extremes and curiosities.
The year started with the most diverse state Legislature in history, continued with a change in leadership with new Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and ended with an announcement that Senate leader Toni Atkins will hand over the reins to Sen. Mike McGuire on Feb. 5.
After years of drought, devastating winter flooding kicked off a wet year that also produced the deepest Sierra snowpack in 40 years and resurrected Tulare Lake in the Central Valley.
And after some down times, unions roared back in a hot labor summer that included far more workers than in recent years and spanned a wide range of workplaces, including Hollywood.
An extreme: The state pinballed from two years of record budget surpluses to a deficit, a revenue shortfall and an even bigger projected deficit in 2024.
And a curiosity: California hosted a presidential debate, but the one involving the state’s governor happened in Georgia.
Here’s a rundown from CalMatters reporters on what happened in 2023 on key issues facing California:
