WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court broke new ground this month when it ruled the Constitution forbids school policies in California that prevent parents from being told about their child's gender transition at school.

But the reach of this new parental right remains unclear.

Does it mean all parents have a right to be informed if their child is ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A new poll shows California voters are sharply divided over two brewing statewide ballot measures stirring up the nation's partisan and economic divides: a one-time tax on billionaires to pay for mostly healthcare and a voter ID mandate that includes citizenship verification.

The survey conducted by UC Berkeley's ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Almost a decade ago, a Simi Valley-based medical supply company began providing the California Department of Justice urinalysis tests for law enforcement agencies around the state that didn't have local forensic labs to test for alcohol.

For most of that time, the test kits Andwin Scientific supplied were faulty, potentially ...Read more

There’s no doubt that raising sales taxes in order to lower property taxes will shift more of South Dakota’s tax burden to lower-income residents, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff said.

“It is regressive,” he said. “There’s no denying that.”

But Mehlhaff said the state’s modest sales tax increase will bring a much...Read more

Sen. Markwayne Mullin won a committee vote to become the new Homeland Security secretary by a narrow 8-7 margin with a boost from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.

The nomination of Mullin, who has a bitter feud with Republican colleague Sen. Rand Paul, advanced to the full Senate after Fetterman broke ranks with the rest of his party to advance ...Read more

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday presented several high-powered rifles tied to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, along with a ballistics expert who testified that high-velocity bullets he tested were fired from one of the guns.

“These three ammunition components were all identified as having been fired from the same ...Read more

Sheldon Ekirch is used to being disappointed by her health insurance company.

That’s why Ekirch, 31, of Henrico, Virginia, was stunned when she learned Anthem would finally have to pay for life-changing medical treatment.

For two years, she had battled the company to cover blood plasma infusions called intravenous immunoglobulin, or IVIG. ...Read more

It’s hundreds of miles from the AI boom and tech billionaire class of Silicon Valley.

It maintains an image, at least in some minds, as a beachside mecca for old money, big yachts and conspicuous consumption.

And now, a new Times analysis of the highest home values in California shows Newport Beach perched at the top. Among California’s ...Read more

When Mike McKee thinks about saving money for the future, he has a few priorities. Maxing out his retirement is one. Building up his kid’s college fund is another.

Opening up a health savings account? Not so much, even though he qualifies because of his high-deductible health plan.

“I’m so frustrated with the system that has anything to ...Read more

In a Sierra Nevada canyon all but incinerated in the 2021 KNP Complex fire, a new forest of California's beloved giant sequoias is now growing. Only not yet one that is actually giant.

The seedlings and saplings are mostly knee-high to chest-high and mixed with thickets of ceanothus and other post-fire brush growing amid the true giants that ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Judges in one of the nation's largest court systems have started using artificial intelligence, testing a tool that can rapidly distill hundreds of pages of legal motions and use samples of a jurist's writing style to help reach conclusions and even draft tentative rulings.

The program, which launched last month, gave half a ...Read more

CHICAGO — A recent pledge by President Donald Trump to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp comes as his administration continues to withhold federal funding for a key Illinois project designed to stop the spread into Lake Michigan.

Illinois officials say they welcome the president’s public support but are urging immediate action. ...Read more

A coalition of mostly Democratic-led states is suing the Trump administration over a new federal requirement that would force colleges to report detailed admissions data, including race, gender, test scores and financial aid for individual students.

The mandate is an expansion of a 40-year-old system known as IPEDS and follows the 2023 Supreme ...Read more

California lawmakers’ latest attempt to address the environmental impacts of rapidly growing data centers was introduced in January through a bill authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.

Assembly Bill 1577, or the Data Center Accountability Act, would require California data centers to disclose their energy use to the California ...Read more

The Democratic primary for Illinois comptroller remained too close to call Wednesday as state Rep. Margaret Croke maintained a slim lead over state Sen. Karina Villa.

With an estimated 92% of votes counted, Croke led Villa 34.6% to 32.2%, according to unofficial results from The Associated Press. Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, who had secured...Read more