Community NEWS Act Clears Major Hurdle, Heads to California Senate Floor

On August 13, the Community NEWS Act (AB 2222) advanced out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee on a 5–2 vote and is set for a vote by the full Senate. It has already passed the California Assembly with bipartisan supermajority support.

The ambitious bill was introduced by Assemblymember Christopher M. Ward, jointly authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, sponsored by Rebuild Local News and has gathered a notably broad coalition of support. The bill would create refundable journalist employment credits that would help local news organizations sustain and grow essential coverage of schools, local government and other community affairs. The legislative session ends on August 31.

“Local journalism is essential infrastructure for a healthy democracy, but newsrooms across California are being asked to do more with fewer reporters and fewer resources,” said Assemblymember Ward. “The Community NEWS Act is about investing directly in the people who keep our communities informed—helping local outlets retain journalists, hire new reporters, and continue telling the stories that would otherwise go uncovered. At a time when independent journalism is under increasing economic and political pressure, California has an opportunity to strengthen trusted local news and ensure communities across our state continue to have access to the information they depend on.”

The Community NEWS Act provides financial support tied to the number of full-time and part-time local journalists. The bill provides:

• • Job retention credits: $20,000 per journalist for up to five positions, plus $15,000 for each additional journalist.
  • Part‑time credits: $7,500 for part‑time journalist roles.
  • New hire credits: $15,000 for news organizations that expand journalist headcount, stackable with retention credits.
  • Applies to commercial and nonprofit, print publications, digital‑only outlets, broadcast stations including public media, and sole proprietors.

The bill is based on Rebuild Local News’ model legislative language for local journalist employment credits.

AB 2222 is fully paid for and strengthens California’s budget because it is financed by a measure that would end corporate tax breaks for executive compensation above $1 million. Federal law does not allow this type of corporate tax break, and by aligning California’s policy with federal standards, the state can simplify its tax code and support community news jobs, with revenue left over for other state needs.

The bill has garnered a broad range of supporters including:

• • Media Guild of the West
  • SAG‑AFTRA
  • Pacific Media Workers Guild of The NewsGuild‑CWA
  • California News Publishers Association
  • California Independent News Alliance
  • California Broadcasters Association
  • Latino Media Collaborative
  • American Community Media
  • Institute for Nonprofit News
  • Local Independent Online News Publishers
  • California Black Media
  • Asian American Journalists Association of Los Angeles
  • The LA Local
  • Lookout Local
  • Cityside Journalism Initiative
  • The Sacramento Observer
  • CalMatters
  • The Journalism Chairs of the Cal State University System
  • News/Media Alliance

“The United States has lost more than 80 percent of its local journalists since 2002, and California ranks among the 10 worst states for the number of journalists per 100,000 residents,” said Matt Pearce, Director of Policy for Rebuild Local News, who was previously a Los Angeles Times staff writer and president of Media Guild of the West. “The Community NEWS Act would deliver support right to the heart of the local news crisis by making it easier for community news providers to hire and employ more journalists.”

The Community NEWS Act received bipartisan support in the Assembly. On May 27, a supermajority of California Assemblymembers voted 63–10 to advance the local journalist employment credit bill. Over the past two years, legislators in Illinois, New York and New Mexico have enacted similar policies, reflecting growing momentum behind approaches that directly support newsroom employment and community coverage.

“This measure is a safety net for news outlets on the verge of closure and a modest foundation for the sustainability and growth of community news in California.” – Former California State Senator Steve Glazer, who serves as a Senior Advisor to Rebuild Local News.

“California’s independent news outlets are reporting for the people of our state. AB 2222 supports that the vital resource of our state’s free press survives and thrives as intended by the United States Constitution.” —Laura Rearwin Ward, founder of the California Independent News Alliance and publisher of the Ojai Valley News.

“Ethnic media is essential to a healthy democracy, reaching communities too often overlooked and providing coverage in the languages, cultures, and communities people know and trust. We are grateful to Assemblymember Chris Ward and for the legislature’s continued support for championing this investment that strengthens the civic fabric of our state.” –Arturo Carmona, president of the Latino Media Collaborative.

“AB 2222 is another important tool in the toolbox that will help media companies continue to report on and serve their communities. More is still needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of local news, but this is another great example of California leading the way in supporting and strengthening local journalism.” –Regina Brown Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media.

“We applaud Assemblymember Ward for championing AB 2222. Incentivizing the hiring and retention of professional journalists is an important investment in local news and in the power of information to strengthen California communities and democracy. At a time when local journalism faces unprecedented challenges, this legislation can help ensure Californians continue to have access to trusted, human-created news coverage. We urge the California Senate to advance AB 2222 to Gov. Newsom’s desk and urge the governor to sign it into law.” –Mary Cavallaro, Chief Broadcast Officer of SAG-AFTRA, the union representing broadcast journalists.

“California’s local broadcasters are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. Supporting the journalists who deliver reliable, fact-based reporting is an investment not only in local news, but in trusted community coverage and the civic health of our state.” –Steve Stuck, President & CEO, California Broadcasters Association.

“By offering desperately needed financial support to local newsrooms that retain and hire journalists, AB 2222 would help stabilize newsroom staffing, expand community reporting and increase trust in local journalism across California. Real community journalism isn’t possible without actual journalists. And AB 2222 would mean more dedicated journalists providing local communities with the vital coverage they deserve.” –Sean Emery, President, Media Guild of the West, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39213.

“Local news is a public good, much like libraries and schools, serving, educating and informing us – and playing a vital role in a healthy democracy. Newsrooms in particular engage members of the public in issues that affect them and provide a consistent stream of fact-checked information to counter propaganda and false rumors. That’s why I’m grateful for the work done so far by our civic media coalition and strongly urge our elected officials to support AB 2222.” –Julie Patel Liss, head of journalism at Cal State LA and advisory board member of Asian American Journalists Association – Los Angeles.

“Journalism takes work, and journalists are workers. There is no substitute for a reporter with a job, a beat, and enough time to do it right: covering the school board or city council meetings no one else attends, reading budget lines no one else reads, and making calls no one else makes. Any serious effort to save local news has to start with supporting the people who do the work, and this bill does.” –Annie Sciacca, President, Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521.