Newsom postpones State of the State address

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has postponed his State of the State address, the governor’s office confirmed to The Hill Friday night.

Newsom’s address was originally scheduled to be delivered on Monday. A new date for the speech has not been provided.

His office is coordinating with the legislature to nail a new date for the governor’s address, per an email to The Hill.

The office wants to be able to discuss where the state is headed, particularly with tackling “some of the biggest issues” like the budget gap, mental health and homelessness, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The address will be delivered when the governor has “more clarity” on these issues, the source said.

The postponement of the address comes as his push to overhaul how California treats disorders related to mental health is still active, even with Proposition 1 having a slim lead. Newsom is making a last-minute effort to correct rejected ballots, notes Politico.

“This ballot initiative is SO CLOSE that your commitment to volunteer could mean the difference between people getting off the streets and into the treatment they need… or not,” reads a Friday email from Campaign for Democracy, Newsom’s federal PAC, obtained by Politico. “Truly. It is that close.”

Newsom, a two-term leader of the state, is facing another recall, after defeating a 2021 attempt. He also has to wrangle with a record $68 billion budget deficit, which has made buying goods in the state and hiring workers by businesses harder.

Updated 9:28 a.m.

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