A Historic Look at Bill Introductions in the California Legislature

Over the past two decades, the California Legislature, and its 120 legislators, introduce between 1,900 and 2,600 bills per year, each year of the 2-year legislative session, by the February introduction deadline. Fewer than 50 additional bills get introduced after the deadline (e.g., due to a rule waiver or a bill introduced by a committee, which are not subject to the introduction deadline).

The 2026 California Legislative Session saw the lowest number of bill introductions in the past twenty years. This is the first 2-year Session in which the bill introduction limits were lowered to 35 bills per Member per 2-year Session. Previously, the Assembly limit was 50 bills per Member and the Senate was 40 bills per Member.

By contrast, the 2023 Legislative Session saw a higher number of bill introductions than normal, and the highest number in over a decade, while the 2024 Session returned those introduction numbers to more normal levels. In 2025, there were 2,350 bills introduced by the February 21 deadline. In 2026, there were 1,798 bills introduced by the February 20 deadline.

For comparison purposes, the following is the list of the total number of bills introduced by the two houses by the applicable deadline each February over the past twenty years:

• Total 2026 bill introductions as of the deadline: 1,798
• Total 2025 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,350
• Total 2024 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,124
• Total 2023 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,632
• Total 2022 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,020
• Total 2021 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,369
• Total 2020 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,203
• Total 2019 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,576
• Total 2018 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,177
• Total 2017 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,495
• Total 2016 bill introductions as of the deadline: 1,993
• Total 2015 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,297
• Total 2014 bill introductions as of the deadline: 1,930
• Total 2013 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,256
• Total 2012 bill introductions as of the deadline: 1,899
• Total 2011 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,381
• Total 2010 bill introductions as of the deadline: 1,871
• Total 2009 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,423
• Total 2008 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,062
• Total 2007 bill introductions as of the deadline: 2,803

The most notable distinction is that, in the second year of the session, there are always fewer bills introduced than in the first year. So, with history is a guide, we were expecting a lower number of bill introductions. However, a drop of 550 bills was more pronounced than anticipated.

The lowest number of bills introduced during this time in the Senate was 561, which occurred this year. The previous low was 632 in the 2012 Session, while the highest was 1,052 in the 2007 Session. The 2025 total ranked fourth highest, while the 2026 total ranked last.

The lowest number of bills introduced during this time in the Assembly was 1,209 in the 2010 Session, while the highest was 1,833 (in the 2019 Session). The 2025 total ranked eleventh highest, while the 2026 total ranked second lowest.

Below is the listing of total bills introduced in the Senate and Assembly over the past two decades (but not including any special sessions):

SENATE

2026 Session – 561 bills 

2025 Session – 850 bills

2024 Session – 639 bills

2023 Session – 891 bills

2022 Session – 672 bills

2021 Session – 828 bills

2020 Session – 682 bills

2019 Session – 792 bills

2018 Session – 694 bills

2017 Session – 817 bills

2016 Session – 676 bills

2015 Session – 805 bills

2014 Session – 641 bills

2013 Session – 826 bills

2012 Session – 632 bills

2011 Session – 948 bills

2010 Session – 662 bills

2009 Session – 833 bills

2008 Session – 729 bills

2007 Session – 1,052 bills

ASSEMBLY

2026 Session – 1,237 bills 

2025 Session – 1,500 bills

2024 Session – 1,520 bills

2023 Session – 1,771 bills

2022 Session – 1,383 bills

2021 Session – 1,593 bills

2020 Session – 1,541 bills

2019 Session – 1,833 bills

2018 Session – 1,531 bills

2017 Session – 1,733 bills

2016 Session – 1,366 bills

2015 Session – 1,549 bills

2014 Session – 1,336 bills

2013 Session – 1,430 bills

2012 Session – 1,267 bills

2011 Session – 1,433 bills

2010 Session – 1,209 bills

2009 Session – 1,590 bills

2008 Session – 1,333 bills

2007 Session – 1,751 bills

As the reader can see in the two listings above, there is a surprising amount of consistency in the annual introductions in both the Assembly and Senate. This was the first 2-year Session with a 35-bill introduction limit. We will await whether these lower bill introduction numbers continue in the future.