Local newspapers across California play a vital and indispensable role during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing invaluable information about the virus and its many impacts on our communities, economy, and public healthcare system, and highlighting the myriad efforts to halt its spread.

Through poignant and often painful stories, they put a human face on the tragedy and highlight the courage and bravery of our frontline healthcare and other workers. And they hold accountable the public officials and institutions responsible for leading the COVID response.

Ensuring that our newspaper industry — one of the pillars of our democratic system — survives must be a top priority. As California moves forward on economic recovery plans, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature can act on three policies to help sustain community news…