Comparing 2023 Bill Introductions in the California Legislature to Past Years

We know that the 2,632 bills that were introduced in the California Legislature by the February 17 deadline was the highest amount in more than a decade. What about bill introductions in the two houses – State Senate and State Assembly? Below is a listing of total bills introduced in the Senate and Assembly respectively over the past seventeen years (not including any special sessions).

The lowest number of bill introductions during this time in the Senate was 641 (in the 2014 Session) and the highest was 1,052 (in the 2007 Session). The 2023 total ranks third highest in the past 17 years.

SENATE

2023 Session – 881 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

The lowest number of bill introductions during this time in the Assembly was 1,209 (in the 2010 Session) and the highest was 1,833 (in the 2019 Session). The 2023 total ranks second highest in the past 17 years (this year’s total is the exact same number as in the 2007 Session).

ASSEMBLY

2023 Session – 1,751 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

There is a surprising amount of consistency in the annual introductions in both the Assembly and Senate, despite the relatively higher number of introductions in this upcoming 2023 Session.