A Few Bill Statistics from the California Legislature
The Globe’s ‘self-described legislative geek’ researched different types of bills that have been considered by the California Legislature
By Chris Micheli, June 6, 2023 2:30 am
As a self-described legislative geek, I was researching different types of bills that have been considered by the California Legislature. I began with the 2023 California Legislative Session and found that there currently are:
- Over 2,660 bills introduced
- 124 bills would take effect immediately
- 717 bills contain a state mandated local program
- 2,007 bills would have a fiscal effect
- 78 bills contain an appropriation
- 2,520 bills require a majority vote for passage
- 158 bills require a 2/3 vote for passage
- 68 bills are special statutes
- 58 bills have urgency clauses
- 65 bills are tax levies
- 53 bills are of statewide concern, rather than municipal affairs
- 85 bills have severability clauses
- 61 bills contain Section 41 findings, related to new tax expenditure programs
- 4 bills are contingent upon the enactment of another measure
- 38 bills are contingent upon the appropriation of funds
- 14 bills disclaim being gifts of public funds
- 551 bills were introduced as intent bills
- 495 bills were introduced as “spot” bills
In addition, since 1999 (over the past quarter century), according to a review of the Legislative Counsel’s Digest Keys, the:
- Total number of bills that would take effect immediately: 6,429
- Total number of bills that contain a state-mandated local program: 12,751
- Total number of bills that would have a fiscal effect: 40,176
- Total number of bills that contain an appropriation: 4,864
This is a new set of data that I have begun tracking. It will be interesting to see if the 2023 Session data is indicative of what will happen in the second year of the 2023-24 Session and forthcoming. I plan to update these figures going forward.
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