Bills by Vote Requirement in California

Article IV of the California Constitution deals with the Legislature and the legislative process in this state. The Legislature enacts statutes by using bills. Bills that are enacted in California, per the state Constitution, generally require a majority vote of both houses to reach the Governor’s Desk for final action.

Nonetheless, there are the following six vote thresholds in California bills: majority; 55%; two-thirds; 70%; three-fourths; and, four-fifths. While the vast majority of bills require a simple majority vote, there are a number of them requiring a 2/3 vote. The other four types of vote thresholds are rare.

So, how many bills each year are one of the two main vote threshold types of bills? The following chart provides this data: