The government of California is the governmental structure of the U.S. state of California as established by the California Constitution. California uses the separation of powers system to structure its government. It is composed of three branches: the executive, consisting of the governor of California and the other constitutionally elected and appointed officers and offices; the legislative, consisting of the California State Legislature, which includes the Assembly and the Senate; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. There is also local government, consisting of counties, cities, special districts, and school districts, as well as government entities and offices that operate independently on a constitutional, statutory, or common law basis. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall and ratification.
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 40th governor of California. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.
Fiona Ma is an American accountant and politician. She has been serving as the California state treasurer since January 7, 2019. She previously served as a member of the California Board of Equalization (2015–2019), the California State Assembly (2006–2012), and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002–2006).
The California executive branch consists of elected officers and other offices and officers. The elected executive officers are:
The California Department of Conservation is a department within the government of California, belonging to the California Natural Resources Agency. With a team of scientists, engineers, environmental experts, and other specialists, the Department of Conservation administers a variety of programs vital to California's public safety, environment and economy. The department's mission is to manage California's working lands. It regulates oil, natural gas and geothermal wells; studies and maps earthquakes and other geologic phenomena; maps and classifies areas containing mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of land used for mining; and administers agricultural and open-space land conservation programs. A division within the department dedicated to encouraging beverage container recycling has been moved into the newly created Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle). Despite the similar name, the Department of Conservation should not be confused with the California Conservation Corps, another department within the Natural Resources Agency, which provides work experience for young adults. The Department of Conservation often collaborates with its federal equivalents, such as the U.S. Geological Survey.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is a California state agency for many of the programs defined as part of the social safety net in the United States, and is within the auspices of the California Health and Human Services Agency. Federal and State funds for adoptions, the largest SNAP program in the country, CalWORKs program, foster care, aid for people with disabilities, family crisis counseling, subsistence payments to poor families with children, child welfare services and many other efforts are distributed through this department.
The California Department of Finance is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The Department of Finance is responsible for preparing, explaining, and administering the state's annual financial plan, which the governor of California is required under the Constitution of California to present by January 10 of each year to the general public. The Department of Finance's other duties include analyzing the budgets of proposed laws in the California State Legislature, creating and monitoring current and future economic forecasts of the state, estimating population demographics and enrollment projections, and maintaining the state's accounting and financial reporting systems.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the state agency that registers motor vehicles and boats and issues driver licenses in the U.S. state of California. It regulates new car dealers, commercial cargo carriers, private driving schools, and private traffic schools. The DMV works with the superior courts of California to promptly record convictions against driver licenses, and initiates administrative proceedings before its own administrative law judges to suspend or revoke licenses when drivers accumulate excessive convictions. It issues California license plates and driver's licenses. The DMV also issues identification cards to people who request one.
The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The mission of CalEPA is to restore, protect and enhance the environment, to ensure public health, environmental quality and economic vitality.
The Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) is a state agency of the U.S. state of California that oversees the provision of compensation to victims of violent crime and the collection of restitution from criminal offenders. CalVCB is part of the California Government Operations Agency (CalGovOps). The board consists of three members: the Secretary of CalGovOps, who serves as the chair; the California State Controller; and a member appointed by the Governor, currently vacant.
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) is the state agency tasked with administration and oversight of "state and federal programs for health care, social services, public assistance and rehabilitation" in the U.S. state of California. The agency is headed by the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, with headquarters in Sacramento. Many of the laws in the California Health and Safety Codes are enforced by it.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is a branch of the California Environmental Protection Agency that oversees the state's waste management, recycling, and waste reduction programs. CalRecycle was established in 2010 to replace the California Integrated Waste Management Board. It is known for administering the California Redemption Value (CRV) program, among other responsibilities.
Nancy L. Ward is the Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security Adviser to the Governor of California. Previously, Ward served in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the Regional Administrator for Region IX from 2006 until 2014. During this time, from January until May of 2009, Ward was selected to serve as FEMA's Acting Administrator by her predecessor, R. David Paulison to serve in his place after he retired on January 21, 2009. She returned to the position of Region IX Administrator in May 2009 after Craig Fugate was appointed as Federal Administrator.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is a department within the California Health and Human Services Agency that finances and administers a number of individual health care service delivery programs, including Medi-Cal, which provides health care services to low-income people. It was formerly known as the California Department of Health Services, which was reorganized in 2007 into the DHCS and the California Department of Public Health. On September 10, 2019, DHCS Director Jennifer Kent announced her resignation, effective September 30, 2019. On September 25, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Richard Figueroa, Jr. as Acting Director. Will Lightbourne was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom and began serving as Director on June 16, 2020. Subsequently, Michelle Baass was appointed Director of DHCS by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 10, 2021, replacing the outgoing Will Lightbourne.
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) is a state cabinet-level agency with the government of California. The agency is responsible for transportation-related departments within the state. The agency was created under governor Jerry Brown in 2013 after the previous Business, Transportation and Housing Agency's portfolio underwent reorganization.
Ann M. O'Leary is an American political advisor, attorney, and nonprofit leader, who served as Chief of Staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom and as co-chair of the Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery. She is now a partner at the international law firm Jenner & Block.
Kevin Patrick Kiley is an American politician, attorney, and former educator serving as the U.S. representative for California's 3rd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 6th district in the California State Assembly from 2016 to 2022. Kiley was a candidate to replace California governor Gavin Newsom in the voter-initiated recall election on September 14, 2021.
The California Governor's Office of Planning and Research, also known as OPR or Cal OPR, is the long-range planning and research agency of the government of California, and reports to the Governor of California. It was created by statute in 1970 and is part of the office of the Governor of California. Under Governor Jerry Brown, its director was Ken Alex. In 2019, incoming governor Gavin Newsom appointed Kate Gordon to lead the office.
The 2021 California gubernatorial recall election was a special recall election that began in August 2021 and concluded on September 14, 2021, when California voters chose not to recall incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, elected for the term January 2019 to January 2023.
