Snapshot of Bill Signing Messages by California Governors
Gubernatorial signing messages over the past quarter century
By Chris Micheli, November 13, 2023 3:44 pm
In reviewing gubernatorial signing messages over the past quarter century, I compiled the following chart. The chart includes the session year, the Governor, the number of Assembly Bills with signing messages, the number of Senate Bills with signing messages, and the total number of signing messages each year. At the end of the Governor’s tenure, I included the total number of signing messages per AB and SB, the total number for that Governor, and the average number of signing messages per year.
Among the interesting notes are that the current Governor and the prior two Governors, along with Governor Wilson, had almost the same average number per year of signing messages. Governor Davis had nearly five times the average number per year.
Snapshot of Bill Signing Messages
2023 | Gavin Newsom | 10 ABs / 8 SBs | 18 total |
2022 | Gavin Newsom | 12 ABs / 10 SBs | 22 total |
2021 | Gavin Newsom | 3 ABs / 5 SBs | 8 total |
2020 | Gavin Newsom | 7 ABs / 4 SBs | 11 total |
2019 | Gavin Newsom | 5 ABs / 6 SBs | 11 total |
Total signing messages: | 36 ABs / 33 SBs | 69 total / 14 average per year | |
2018 | Jerry Brown | 6 ABs / 7 SBs | 13 total |
2017 | Jerry Brown | 15 ABs / 3 SBs | 18 total |
2016 | Jerry Brown | 10 ABs / 7 SBs | 17 total |
2015 | Jerry Brown | 7 ABs / 2 SBs | 9 total |
2014 | Jerry Brown | 5 ABs / 5 SBs | 10 total |
2013 | Jerry Brown | 8 ABs / 6 SBs | 14 total |
2012 | Jerry Brown | 7 ABs / 5 SBs | 12 total |
2011 | Jerry Brown | 11 ABs / 9 SBs | 20 total |
Total signing messages: | 69 ABs / 44 SBs | 113 total / 14 average per year | |
2010 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 3 ABs / 2 SBs | 5 total |
2009 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 0 ABs / 6 SBs | 6 total |
2008 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 3 ABs / 6 SBs | 9 total |
2007 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 6 ABs / 7 SBs | 13 total |
2006 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 6 ABs / 18 SBs | 24 total |
2005 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 11 ABs / 11 SBs | 22 total |
2004 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 29 ABs / 0 SBs | 29 total |
Total signing messages: | 58 ABs / 50 SBs | 108 total / 15 average per year | |
2003 | Gray Davis | 37 ABs / 46 SBs | 83 total |
2002 | Gray Davis | 59 ABs / 52 SBs | 111 total |
2001 | Gray Davis | 40 ABs / 51 SBs | 91 total |
2000 | Gray Davis | 40 ABs / 39 SBs | 79 total |
1999 | Gray Davis | 25 ABs / 19 SBs | 44 total |
Total signing messages: | 201 ABs / 207 SBs | 408 total / 82 average per year | |
1998 | Pete Wilson | 6 ABs / 3 SBs | 9 total |
1997 | Pete Wilson | 10 ABs / 11 SBs | 21 total |
1996 | Pete Wilson | 5 ABs / 5 SBs | 10 total |
1995 | Pete Wilson | 7 ABs / 0 SBs | 7 total |
Total signing messages: | 28 ABs / 19 SBs | 47 total / 12 average per year |
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