Public Policy Day in Sacramento 2025

By Richa Upadhyay and Caroline Zdanowski

Students enrolled in PUBLPOL 154: Politics and Policy in California had the incredible opportunity to visit the State Capitol in Sacramento for a day packed with one-on-one discussions, panels, and insights into the policymaking process. Led by Professor Joe Nation and Lecturer David Crane, the class engaged with state legislators, elected officials, media reporters, and even Governor Gavin Newsom, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges, frustrations, and joys of the policymaking process.

The trip began bright and early at 6 am as students boarded the bus to Sacramento. Upon arrival and fueled by coffee, the class went through security and to the state capitol building for morning meetings. The first speaker, Sue Parker, the Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly, spoke to the class about her work digitizing the bill introduction process and reflected on her career. Senator Roger Niello, from the Sacramento area, spoke about his priorities and the challenges of being in the minority party in the California legislature.

After a quick break, the class got to hear from lobbyists and media in two thematic panels. The lobbyists—Chris Micheli, founding partner of the governmental relations and advocacy firm of Snodgrass & Micheli, and Caitlin Vega, General Counsel on The California Federation of Labor Unions Team—discussed their careers, the challenging misconceptions of lobbyists, and some of their most impactful achievements. During the media panel, two members of the press—Ashley Zavala from KCRA and Nicole Nixon from the Sacramento Bee—joined HD Palmer, the Director of External Affairs from the Department of Finance, to discuss the changes in media’s role in the Capitol over the last few decades and the challenges of holding government officials accountable. For lunch, the class walked a few blocks to the Govern for California office space, where southern California Senator Ben Allen spoke to the class about his legislation on the recent Los Angeles wildfires and plastic waste.

One of the day's most anticipated moments came in the afternoon when students had the rare opportunity to meet with Governor Gavin Newsom. In a lively and candid discussion, students posed critical questions on topics ranging from the state budget and cap-and-trade policies to affordable housing and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The Governor also shared his thoughts on California’s relationship with the Trump administration and his strategic responses to federal policies. Originally scheduled for an hour, the conversation extended to nearly two hours, with Newsom generously taking the time to engage with students and discuss his policy vision.

The day continued with exclusive tours of the Senate and Assembly floors. Professor Nation took the class around the Assembly floor, showing us his desk from nearly 20 years ago and recounting key moments from his time in the Assembly. Afterwards, Senator Umberg from Orange County gave us a tour of the Senate floor and discussed his extensive government career and the implications of California’s term limits.

For the last session of the day, the class got to listen to a panel on careers in Sacramento. The esteemed panelists included analysts from the Legislative Analyst Office, staffers from Senators’ offices, and committee consultants. They shared how they began their careers, what they appreciate about working in the state capitol, and advice to students interested in similar paths.

Even after a long, 15-hour day of countless discussions covering everything from social media’s role in policymaking to the art of coalition-building, the bus on the way back to campus was buzzing with conversations about what students learned, disagreed with, and what they appreciated about the trip. For many students, it was an unforgettable experience that brought the workings of California politics and our own class lectures to life.