January 2026 Round-Up

January marked a new beginning across California, a time to reflect on where we have been and to look ahead with optimism and purpose. From our coastlines to our Central Valley, Californians welcomed the new year grounded in the shared belief that home is not just a place, but a promise to care for one another and to keep moving forward together.

We began the year by celebrating New Year’s Day with hope for continued progress and opportunity in every corner of our state. We honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose leadership and moral clarity continue to guide our work toward racial and economic justice. We also marked the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, reaffirming our commitment to protecting reproductive freedom and the right of every person to make decisions about their own body. And on International Day of Education, we lifted up the power of learning and recommitted to building an education system that is accessible, affordable, and worthy of California’s nearly three million public higher education students.

As I enter my final year serving as California’s Lieutenant Governor, I am deeply grateful for the privilege of this role and for the trust Californians have placed in me. I remain inspired by the resilience, compassion, and determination of the people who call this state home, and I look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead.

Eleni Kounalakis
Lieutenant Governor of California

2026 State of the State  

Seven years ago, I stood in the Assembly chamber to introduce Governor Gavin Newsom for his first State of the State address. As we returned for our final State of the State, I reflected on just how far California has come. We confronted a global pandemic, economic upheaval, climate disasters, and deep national division, and each time, California chose action and delivered results. As we enter the final year of this administration, I was proud to lift up our historic investments in education, housing, health care, and climate action, and to thank the Governor for his steady leadership, our strong partnership, and a California that continues to lead, deliver, and move the nation forward.

California’s Coast is NOT for Sale

Last month, I stood alongside Assemblymember Dawn Addis, legislative leaders, and environmental advocates to send a clear message to the federal administration: there should be no new offshore drilling off the coast of California. Californians across party lines know the cost of offshore drilling, from the 1969 spill that scarred our shoreline to the Refugio spill in 2015, and we have rejected it every time. I made clear that attempts to push forward offshore drilling by bypassing environmental laws, public input, and the will of Californians will not stand, and that California will continue fighting back through public comments, legislative action, and in the courts.

Strengthening Global Ties with Ireland

It was an honor to welcome Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris to California for a bilateral meeting focused on deepening our shared commitment to innovation, technology, and economic collaboration. Together with Governor Newsom, I was proud to reaffirm California’s strong relationship with Ireland, particularly as both of us lead in cutting edge research, health care, and technology. This visit underscored how vital international partnerships are to California’s economy and to our role as a global leader.

Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy 

I was grateful to join labor leaders and community members at the MLK Labor and Community Breakfast to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His vision for dignity, fairness, and justice continues to guide our work today. I left inspired by the ongoing efforts to advance racial and economic justice for working families across California.

Standing With Health Care Workers

I joined nurses and health care professionals with the United Nurses of California and the Union of Health Care Professionals on the Riverside strike line to stand in solidarity with those who care for Californians every day. More than 30,000 nurses and health care workers across California are in the midst of a 10-day strike at hospitals and clinics statewide, fighting for safe staffing, fair pay that keeps pace with rising costs, and the retirement security they have earned. I was proud to stand with them as negotiations with Kaiser continue, and to reaffirm that California’s health care system must put patients and workers first.

Higher Education Updates

In January, I participated in meetings of all three of California’s higher education governing boards: the CSU Board of Trustees, the UC Board of Regents, and the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. As a member of each of these boards, I remain focused on protecting affordability and advancing equity for students across our higher education systems.

At the UC Board of Regents, I continued my long-standing opposition to tuition increases, voting against proposed hikes for select graduate programs. I also met with student Regents Sonya Brooks and Miguel Craven, along with leaders from the UCLA Graduate Student Association and UAW Local 4811, to hear directly from undergraduate and graduate students about the challenges they face across the UC system.

At the CSU Board of Trustees, I voted against increases in executive compensation and emphasized the need to better recognize and fairly compensate the faculty, staff, and student employees who are essential to student success and the strength of our public universities.

Rancho Mirage Writer’s Festival

It was an honor to participate in two panel discussions at the 2026 Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, engaging with national leaders on culture, global influence, and America’s future. During my first panel on “America: The Next 250 Years,” we focused on soft power and the cultural forces that shape our country’s role in the world, including the importance of a clean energy future. I also joined a discussion on U.S. foreign policy that examined the state of global alliances, U.S.–China relations, and the long-term implications of recent disruptions to the international order. Across both conversations, I emphasized the critical role of higher education and research institutions, and the risks posed by threats to federal funding, in maintaining America’s global leadership.