Snapshot of Bill Signing Messages by California Governors

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