SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With lingering uncertainty over the fate of a signature mental health proposal and the scope of the budget deficit, California Gov. Gavin Newsom postponed his annual State of the State address.
Though it had not been announced publicly, Newsom planned to deliver the speech to a joint session of the Legislature Monday morning. Instead, his office abruptly said Friday it was coordinating with the Legislature to set a new date for the event.
“We want to be able to discuss where California is headed including on addressing homelessness, mental health and closing the budget gap, some of the biggest issues facing our state,” a spokesperson for Newsom said in an email. “The Governor will deliver a State of the State when we have more clarity on these critical issues.”
The State of the State typically provides an opportunity for the governor to tout his latest accomplishments and his forthcoming agenda — both of which are on shaky ground at the moment.
Nearly two weeks after the March primary election, Newsom is still waiting to find out whether voters passed Proposition 1, an overhaul of mental health funding and treatment in California that the governor pushed for as part of his plan to address homelessness. It leads by the barest of margins — about 20,000 votes, or 0.2%, out of more than 7 million counted as of Saturday afternoon, Alexei writes.
ELECTION LATEST: California's Proposition 1: Where the vote stands so far
Meanwhile, Republicans respond: Senate GOP leader Brian Jones, for one, isn’t happy about the speech delay, calling it “unbelievable.”
- Jones, on X (formerly Twitter): “What’s he afraid of? It’s clear he’s manipulating the timing to suit his political agenda. This blatant disrespect for the Legislature undermines trust in our government and harms all Californians.”
Last year, Newsom punted the typical State of State speech and traveled the state on a four-day policy tour.
Speaking of Newsom: The governor is also confronting another effort to kick him out of office by some of the same conservative activists who failed to recall him in 2021. In a response to the recall notice, Newsom touted his policies on abortion rights, climate, crime, education, gun safety, health care and homelessness — while also calling his adversaries “Trump Republicans.”
CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
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