Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference this past Wednesday livestreamed from Sacramento where he signed a landmark bill that would give a financial boost to California's struggling newsrooms. This bill was one of hundreds that Newsom was scheduled to sign on Wednesday.
Newsom took the time to focus specifically on the signing of AB 2222 in response to what he said was an assault by the Trump administration on the free press.
The measure was authored by Assemblymembers Christopher Ward, D-San Diego, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, and supported by a broad coalition of newspaper publishers, broadcasters, digital outlets, nonprofit news organizations and labor unions.
Assembly Bill 2222 will create refundable tax credits for California local news organizations based on the number of journalists they employ. It passed through both houses. It marks an innovative yet controversial attempt to slow the decline of local journalism.
The bill, called the Community Newsroom Employment and Workforce Sustainability Act, works by assigning a "job retention credit" of $20,000 per journalist for up to five positions, and after that $15,000 for every additional journalist. Part-time positions will be awarded half-credits. It also stacks an additional $15,000 credit for each new hire, to incentivize expanding journalist head counts.
Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego), who co-authored the bill, said the governor's signature shows California's commitment to the free press at a time when newsrooms are shrinking and misinformation is rampant.
"Local journalism is the backbone of an informed democracy, and today California made clear that the people doing this essential work are worth investing in," Ward said in a statement. "This historic investment will help keep reporters in our communities, strengthen nonprofit and public media, and ensure Californians continue to have access to trusted, fact-based local news."
According to Newsom, the state of journalism and the assault of the free press coming from Washington is a factor in Newsom signing the bill into law. He cited the banning of media outlets by the Trump administration among other alarming attacks on the free press.
The Governor went on to explain his reasoning behind his support of AB2222.
“I’m not naïve about the struggles that local newsrooms are facing,” stated Newsom.
“I’ve watched to hallowing out of newsrooms since my days as county supervisor with dozens of reporters in the room. I’ve done press events as governor of the fourth largest economy in the world with two or three reporters in the room. That is not health for any of us, we’ve seen what happens when there is a void when you lose local journalism. More partisan organizations step in, more mistrust, more division, more anger, and more biased that is expressed, we’ve seen it in California, there are legendary outlets that are just propaganda machines, this bill will even benefit them.”
Newsom also spoke of the components of other efforts that he has worked on in support of local newsrooms that include the California Civic Fund which is pending the announcement of recipient local news outlets for the 2026 application period and the California Local News Fellowship. Approximately 75 fellows were selected to work in local newsrooms across California to produce community centered journalism in small to medium sized outlets.
“We are building on the legacy of supporting legacy media, supporting the status quo so we don’t see further erosion and but also supporting what I hope is the growth of your industry.” Concluded Newsom before signing the bill in the company of several news reporters who he acknowledged several times as being an important part of this bill.
“It is an honor that I sign AB2222 in your presence.” Added Newsom.
Over 100 local news outlets across the state, including El Popular, joined together to advocate for the passage of this bill.