I don’t have to tell anyone this is an election year. Between last November’s special election, the June primary and the impending mid-terms this fall, the winds of change – or not, depending on how a few things roll out – are everywhere. All of this is reflected in this year’s Top 100 list, and will assuredly be in the future. Because in this world change is the only constant.
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Image by Panya Mingthaisong. As lawmakers race toward the end of the legislative session, AB 2575 is just one of many AI-related bills on the docket for them to consider. But amid the countless discussions currently surrounding AI, AB 2575 addresses one issue that may not immediately come to mind: the rights of healthcare workers using these systems.
Image by putilich. A measure aimed at protecting people’s privacy has instead become one of the most heavily discussed bills of 2026 among California law firms as debate over the proposal has become focused on what some see as a surprising topic: immigration.
Image by David Gyung.AB 1776 is being sold as a tool to hold Big Tech accountable, but instead opens courthouse doors to lawsuits against family-owned and small to mid-sized businesses.
We are proud to announce our 2026 class for the Capitol Weekly Top 100 Hall of Fame: Carmela Coyle, Bob White, Paula Treat, Robbie Hunter and, in memoriam, Allan Zaremberg and Scott Lay.
Lobbyist, author and McGeorge law professor Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week under the Capitol Dome.
Image by DIY 13.Registered data brokers were required to begin accessing the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform on Aug. 1.
Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo. Photo by AP. It was another busy week around the Capitol filled with intrigue and infighting as lawmakers lurch toward the end of session.
The state Capitol in Sacramento. Photo: Feoktistoff, via Shutterstock)Special interests paid contract lobbying firms more $93.4 million to lobby state government in the sixth quarter of the 2025-26 cycle, the most spent in a single quarter since Capitol Weekly started analyzing lobbying firm reports at the beginning of the last cycle.