A Look Back at Bill Introductions in the California Legislature

Over the past decade, the California Legislature, and its 120 legislators, introduce between 1,900 and 2,500 bills per year, each year of the 2-year legislative sessions. While 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 2023 California Legislative Session saw a higher number of introductions than normal, and the highest number in over a decade. The 2024 Session returns those introduction numbers to more normal levels.

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 dozen years:

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

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, if history is a guide, there will be about 2,500 bills introduced next year, the first year of the 2025-26 Legislative Session.

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 ranked third highest in the past 17 years.

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 ranked second highest in the past 17 years (the prior year’s total is the exact same number as in the 2007 Session).

In addition, below is the listing of total bills introduced in the Senate and Assembly over the past eighteen years, including those introduced after the February deadline (but not including any special sessions):

SENATE

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

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.