SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday meant to strengthen struggling newsrooms in California and support their reporters.
It will establish a new funding mechanism to help qualifying local news organizations hire and retain journalists.
Assembly Bill 2222 by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) creates refundable tax credits for local news organizations based on their employment of qualifying journalists.
The credit, which begins in 2027, is designed to support both existing newsroom jobs and new journalism positions.
In a statement, Newsom said “While President Trump continues to attack the free press, California is supporting independent journalism. By signing this bill, we are signaling the profound role journalists play to cover essential issues like local schools, city halls, courts, public safety agencies, businesses, and neighborhoods. A free press isn’t supposed to make government comfortable. It’s supposed to make government accountable.”
When was the last time you visited a public library?
