Press Conferences and Media Briefings
Improve Your Tomorrow's Sacramento Region holds its second annual Mental Health Is Wealth Summit on Friday, October 23, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Wyndham Garden Sacramento Airport Natomas, 2298 Terracina Drive in Sacramento. The organization's media advisory, issued October 20, invites media to attend, record and photograph the day of community panels and breakout sessions on supporting boys and young men of color.
Attorney General Rob Bonta announced felony charges on Thursday against 103 caregivers in the In-Home Supportive Services program, accusing them of billing Medi-Cal for home-care hours while clients were in hospitals or nursing homes, with alleged losses of more than $4.5 million. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles announced a separate health-care fraud takedown the same morning, and the two announcements set off a public dispute between state and federal officials over who is policing fraud in California's health programs.
Inside the Legislature
No Senate or Assembly floor sessions are scheduled for Friday, October 23. The Legislature is in its final recess under the 2026 calendar: the last day for each house to pass bills was August 31, the two-year session formally ends November 30, and the 2027-28 regular session convenes December 7.
The Governor's Office
Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on October 22 establishing an Interagency Effort to promote Community Safety, the governor's office announced. The effort is charged with itemizing existing state public-safety programs and investments, evaluating what is producing results, and recommending a coordinated, evidence-based strategy across prevention, deterrence, rehabilitation and reentry that can be sustained by the next administration.
The governor announced on October 22 that he has granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations. The governor's office said the grantees were recommended by elected officials, correctional staff including a former prison warden, medical professionals, teachers, and community and faith leaders, bringing his totals in office to 303 pardons, 199 commutations and 45 reprieves.
The governor's office on October 22 welcomed the inaugural cohort of 34 students pursuing bachelor's degrees through California State University, Los Angeles at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. The 21-month Liberal Studies program is taught inside San Quentin's new Learning Center, which the office said has classroom space, a technology and media hub and an open-stack library.
Fundraising
No campaign fundraiser for Friday, October 23 was publicly posted or announced in the sources checked this morning. Most Capitol fundraisers circulate by email invitation only and do not appear in public listings, so this section is intentionally brief rather than filled with unverified events.
New Appointments
Governor Gavin Newsom announced appointments on October 22, led by Garry South of Marina Del Rey to the California Water Commission. South, principal at Garry South Consulting since 2016 and a former senior political advisor to Governor Gray Davis, takes a position that requires Senate confirmation and pays $100 per diem.
Also announced October 22: Kenneth Houston of Oakland, Shane Harris of San Diego and Edward Goldman of Nevada City were appointed to the State Advisory Group on Youth Justice, positions that do not require Senate confirmation and carry no compensation. Kristian Latta of Eastvale and Nancy Corrigan of Glendora were reappointed to the California Board of Accountancy, and Beatriz Gonzalez of Indio was reappointed to the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board, a Senate-confirmation post paying $250 per diem.
People and Moves
No personnel move in California government or campaigns was publicly announced on October 22 or 23 in the sources checked this morning, so no moves are listed today rather than repeating older announcements.
Boards and Commissions
The California Air Resources Board held its October board meeting on Thursday, October 22, with an informational update on the California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program as the agenda item the board highlighted as the meeting got underway. The program, established by Senate Bill 253, requires large companies doing business in California to disclose greenhouse gas emissions, with first reports due November 10, 2026.
No meeting of the California Public Utilities Commission or CalPERS falls on Friday, October 23. The CPUC's published calendar lists its next voting meeting for October 29, 2026 at 11 a.m. in San Francisco, and CalPERS lists its next board meeting for November 16-18, 2026.
Reports and Studies
No report or study from the Legislative Analyst's Office, the State Auditor, PPIC, the Department of Finance or the State Controller dated October 22 or 23 was verified this morning, so no new release is listed today. A State Auditor high-risk assessment of the Department of Health Care Services' oversight of Medi-Cal provider payments, dated October 15, 2026, remains in the news this week and is referenced in coverage of this week's Medi-Cal fraud announcements.
Talks and Addresses
Speakers at Friday's Mental Health Is Wealth Summit in Sacramento include Sacramento County Superintendent of Education Jackie White, Sacramento City College Vice President Dr. Davin Brown, and educator and recording artist Karega Bailey, according to the host's media advisory. No separate speech by a state official on October 23 was publicly announced in the sources checked this morning.
Rallies and Protests
No rally at the Capitol on Friday, October 23 was announced by press release or news report in the sources checked this morning. The week's Capitol-area labor action was SEIU Local 1000's one-day strike on Wednesday, October 21; after the walkout, union President Anica Walls told rallying state workers in downtown Sacramento that the union is prepared to escalate if the state continues to bargain in bad faith, and the two sides are scheduled to return to mediation on October 30.
Odds and Ends
The Sacramento Kings play their home opener on Friday, October 23, hosting the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. said this week he grew up watching Portland guard Damian Lillard, who returned Wednesday from an Achilles injury.
It's a Girlfriend Celebration, a two-day women's empowerment event, opens Friday, October 23 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, 1400 J Street in Sacramento, with registration from 4 p.m. and the program beginning at 6 p.m., according to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership listing.
Campaign Notes
President Donald Trump endorsed seven California Republicans for the 2026 elections, including gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, in a social media post reported October 23. Hilton separately responded on October 23 to Governor Newsom's new public-safety executive order, vowing that as governor he would reverse the state's prison closure program.
A University of Southern California survey of 454 likely voters, conducted October 16-19 and reported October 22, puts state Senator Scott Wiener ahead of San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, 47 percent to 41 percent, in the race to succeed retiring Representative Nancy Pelosi, who has endorsed Chan. The poll's director said Pelosi's support does not appear to be fully transferring to Chan.
The California Police Chiefs Association, led by Tustin Police Chief Sean Thuilliez, wrote to Governor Newsom on Wednesday urging him not to commute the sentences of the 563 people on California's death row, a step news reports on October 12 said the governor is considering before leaving office. No decision has been announced.
State Controller candidate Herb Morgan announced on October 22 the launch of MaliaCohen.org, a website compiling audits, public financial records and news coverage of incumbent Controller Malia Cohen's tenure ahead of the November 3 election.
In Irvine, the Democratic Party of Orange County sent a cease-and-desist letter over a joint campaign mailer for Mayor Larry Agran and District 6 council candidate Scotty Hong that the party says falsely implies both candidates are supported by the California Democratic Party; only Proposition 1 on the mailer carries the state party's endorsement, according to an October 22 report by the Irvine Watchdog.
Send news, releases, fundraiser invitations and personnel announcements for the Capitol Brief to the Capitol Daybook newsroom.