An Updated Analysis of the Cal Chamber’s ‘Job Killer’ Bill Program

The California Chamber of Commerce is well-known for its annual “Job Killer” designation that has been in existence for just over a quarter century. How have bills fared with the Job Killer designation during the past five gubernatorial administrations? Let’s take a look generally as well as at those governors’ final actions.

The first year that Job Killer bills were identified was in 1997, the second to last year of Governor Pete Wilson’s tenure. That year, 57 Job Killer bills were identified. Of those 57 bills, only 9 made it to his Desk and Governor Wilson vetoed all 9 of those bills.

In this most recent year that Job Killer bills were identified, which is the fifth year of Governor Newsom’s tenure, 19 Job Killer bills were identified (same as last year). Of those 19 bills, 7 made it to his Desk (the most in the last 14 years) and Governor Newsom signed 4 of those bills and vetoed 3 of them. In only one year (2000), there were no Job Killer bills identified.

The following statistics set forth the “Job Killer” (JK) bill designations and their results over the past twenty-seven years:

Overall Statistics

The total number of Job Killer bills identified over the past 27 years: 843

Of the total number of JK bills identified during those 26 years, the number of JK bills that failed to reach the Governor’s Desk: 669 (79.4%)

Of the total number of JK bills identified during those 26 years, the number of JK bills that reached the Governor’s Desk: 174 (20.6%)

Of the total number of JK bills that reached the Governor’s Desk during those 26 years, the number of JK bills that were signed by the Governor: 62 (35.6%)

Of the total number of JK bills that reached the Governor’s Desk during those 26 years, the number of JK bills that were vetoed by the Governor: 112 (65.4%)

Highest and Lowest for Specific Years

The highest number of JK bills identified in a single year: 64 (1998, Governor Wilson)

The lowest number of JK bills identified in a single year: 12 (2001, Governor Davis)

The highest number of JK bills to get to the Governor’s Desk in a single year: 17 (2002, Governor Davis)

The lowest number of JK bills to get to the Governor’s Desk in a single year: 1 (2018, 2013, Governor Brown)

The highest number of JK bills signed in a single year: 12 (2002, Governor Davis)

The lowest number of JK bills signed in a single year: 0 (2018, Governor Brown; 2009, 2007, 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger; 1998, 1997, Governor Wilson)

The highest number of JK bills vetoed in a single year: 12 (2007, Governor Schwarzenegger)

The lowest number of JK bills vetoed in a single year: 0 (2022, Governor Newsom; 2014, 2013, Brown)

Bill Actions Per Governor

Beginning with the current Governor and working backwards:

Total number of Job Killer bills sent to Governor Gavin Newsom over 5 years: 15 (3 JK bills annually each of his 5 years in office)

Out of the total number of JK bills identified during those 5 years (113) 13.3% of the JK bills identified reached the Governor’s Desk

Total number of JK bills signed: 9 (60%)

Total number of JK bills vetoed: 6 (40%)

Total number of Job Killer bills sent to Governor Jerry Brown over 8 years: 26 (on average, just over 3 JK bills per year each of his 8 years in office)

Out of the total number of JK bills identified during those 8 years (226) 11.5% of the JK bills identified reached the Governor’s Desk

Total number of JK bills signed: 15 (57.7%)

Total number of JK bills vetoed: 11 (42.3%)

Total number of Job Killer bills sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger over 7 years: 69 (on average, almost 10 JK bills per year each of his 7 years in office)

Out of the total number of JK bills identified during those 7 years (253) 27.3% of the JK bills identified reached the Governor’s Desk

Total number of JK bills signed: 6 (8.7%)

Total number of JK bills vetoed: 63 (91.3%)

Total number of Job Killer bills sent to Governor Gray Davis over 5 years: 44 (on average, almost 9 JK bills per year each of his 5 years in office)

Out of the total number of JK bills identified during those 5 years (130) 33.8% of the JK bills identified reached the Governor’s Desk

Total number of JK bills signed: 32 (72.7%)

Total number of JK bills vetoed: 12 (27.3%)

Total number of Job Killer bills sent to Governor Pete Wilson over 2 years: 20 (on average, 10 JK bills per year during those 2 years in office)

Out of the total number of JK bills identified during those 2 years (121) 16.5% of the JK bills identified reached the Governor’s Desk

Total number of JK bills signed: 0 (0%)

Total number of JK bills vetoed: 20 (100%)