Steve Hilton: Abolish the DMV

CalMatters · Lynn La · September 9, 2026

The Department of Motor Vehicles in Fresno on Dec. 13, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters

Saying “enough is enough,” Steve Hilton said he wants to get rid of the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Rallying in front of a DMV office in West Hollywood on Tuesday, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor said he wants to abolish the department by transferring its functions to a combination of online services and local county offices. If elected he would also cap the annual vehicle registration to a flat fee of $73.

The message has echoes of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2003 campaign, when he blasted Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it” at rallies and rode Californians’ anger over former Gov. Gray Davis’ increase in vehicle license fees to victory.

Hilton said his push to shut down this “bloated, nanny state, bureaucratic agency” is part of his wider effort to make California more affordable. California is one of about 10 states that has its own standalone DMV, according to Hilton, and some vehicle registration fees can cost as much as $1,000.

Hilton: “You’re being ripped off by your government. They are gouging you with the DMV and vehicle registration. They charge the highest vehicle registration in the country for the worst roads in the country .”

Hilton also proposes to turn California’s nearly 170 DMV field offices into afterschool club facilities and skilled training centers.

Speaking of Hilton: The former Fox News host will face his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra, during an hourlong, televised CNN debate in Los Angeles on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.

Hilton, who said he wants a series of debates, told reporters he’s “pleased that we’re finally going to get (Becerra) out of the basement,” in reference to Becerra having few public appearances since the June primary. This is the candidates’ first confirmed one-on-one debate.

Join CalMatters and the UCR School of Public Policy on Sept. 24 in Riverside for a conversation about our investigation into the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department seizure of mail ballots and what it means for future elections. Register today .

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What the insurance commissioner means for your wallet

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara speaks during a press conference in Commerce on Sept. 26, 2022. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

In November, Californians will choose between two Democrats — state Sen. Ben Allen of El Segundo or former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim — to be the next insurance commissioner.

But what does the commissioner do ?

As CalMatters’ Levi Sumagaysay explains, the state’s insurance department makes sure policies are available, premiums are affordable and that insurance companies are held accountable.

Who’s in charge could affect your wallet — especially given the rising risks of wildfires and other climate-related disasters. In some cases, such as with auto insurance, Californians face some of the highest insurance premiums, which the insurance department is tasked with approving.

The commissioner sets policy either through the regulatory process or working with the Legislature to make new laws. Last year, for example, Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued new rules to address the growing number of insurers that stopped writing or renewing homeowner policies. One allows insurers to consider future risks, not just historical data, when setting rates. This will generally lead to rising premiums.

Read more .

Not sure who to vote for to lead the insurance department? Take our quiz from CalMatters’ voter guide .

Trump backs down in housing lawsuit

An apartment complex under construction in Temecula on Oct. 11, 2024. Photo by Kristian Carreon for CalMatters

From CalMatters housing reporter Ben Christopher:

Late last summer, the Trump administration handed down new rules that would have limited how fair housing organizations enforce anti-discrimination laws.

Nearly a dozen states including California sued in March .

Now the U.S. Housing and Urban Development department is taking the “L.”

Under the proposed rules, any fair housing group investigating or litigating discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, language, criminal record or source of income risked current and future funding cuts. Last week, HUD agreed not to enforce the restrictions.

The fight over the future of fair housing continues. Earlier this year, a coalition of non-profit fair housing enforcers sued HUD for a proposed restructuring of a major grant program that advocates say would gut enforcement of those civil rights protections. Last month, a federal judge put those changes on hold .

Insurer ordered to keep assisted living benefits

A caregiver holding a woman’s hand for support at a nursing home. Photo via iStock

California regulators are ordering Health Net — one of the country’s largest Medicaid insurers — to extend assisted living benefits for its members until the end of the year. The company initially planned to cancel benefits for some as soon as October, leaving many of the roughly 3,500 low-income patients in the state who rely on Health Net to pay for assisted living costs, scrambling to find care. Read more from CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang

California Voices

CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: It’s no coincidence that California public employee unions are demanding better benefits in Newsom’s final year as governor, since vetoing a bill to boost pensions for public safety workers could backfire if he runs for president .

Reader reaction: Medicaid has expanded well beyond the population it was built to serve, and at nearly $40 trillion in national debt, its trajectory is unsustainable, writes Jon Fleischman , a longtime California political strategist.

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Lowrider license plates could soon be available // Abridged (free)

Read the full story at CalMatters