The California Legislature is made up of a 40-member California Senate (elected for a maximum of two four-year terms) and an 80-member California Assembly (elected for no more than three two-year terms). Show Each California resident has a state senator and state representative that represents them in Sacramento. Members of the Senate and Assembly must be over 18 years of age and be citizens of the United States and of California. How Long Does the Session Run? The California legislative session convenes at noon on the first Monday in December following the election. Both houses then go into recess until the first Monday in January, except when that first Monday is January 1, or January 1 is a Sunday, in which case they meet the following Wednesday. Apart from the recess, the California legislature remains in session throughout the year. Terms and Term Limits Elections in the state senate are staggered at two-year intervals. Every two years, one half of the Senate (20 seats) is subject to election. Seats in odd-numbered districts are up for election during presidential elections. Seats in even-numbered districts are up for elections during the midterms. Additional Facts The California State Legislature is one of only 10 full-time state legislatures in the United States.
There is a common phrase that’s tossed around in California state politics — “As goes California, so goes the nation” — the idea that landmark policy change is first enacted in the most populous state, and then spreads to other states, and eventually Congress. California is the fifth largest economy in the world and houses 12% of the United States population. Our state legislature has a Democratic supermajority in both houses and progressive Democratic governor. With this level of economic might and political power, we can make progressive policy a reality in California and serve as a model for other states and the federal government to follow. Unfortunately, the legislative process in California is confusing and the average resident doesn’t know how to get involved, so state legislators face few demands for accountability from their constituents. As a result, many politicians are more responsive to the energy, pharmaceutical, tobacco, agriculture and real estate lobbies, and progressive policy changes that we support are lost. But because legislators are not used to hearing from their constituents, small numbers of calls can make a huge difference. Indivisible groups in California have coalesced into a statewide coalition called Indivisible CA: StateStrong and are ready to make waves in California politics through constituent power! In this guide, we’ll walk you through how the California State Legislature operates. For more information on the importance of state advocacy, what motivates state legislators, and how to get started, check out the Indivisible States Guide. The California Legislature 101The BasicsCalifornia has a bicameral legislature, which means there are two chambers: the Assembly and the Senate. The Assembly has 80 members: currently 60 Democrats and 20 Republicans. Meanwhile, the Senate has 40 members: currently 27 Democrats and 13 Republicans. The Assembly is led by the Assembly Speaker, Anthony Rendon, and the Senate is led by the Senate Pro Tempore, Toni Atkins. Legislative sessions in California last for two years. The current two-year legislative session met briefly in December to swear in new legislators but began proper on January 7, 2019 and ends in August of 2020. Each year within the legislative session has its own legislative timeline with deadlines for bills to move through the legislative process. However, any legislation that is introduced in January 2019 but does not pass by the end of 2019 can be picked up and continue through the legislative process in 2020 without needing to be re-introduced. In odd numbered years, the legislative year goes from January to October. In even numbered years, the legislative session goes from January to August to allow legislators time to campaign for their elections in September - November. Bill ideas are hatched in late winter. After a year’s legislative session ends, legislators begin to collect ideas for legislation for the following year. They meet with advocates, policy experts, and lobbyists who propose bill ideas. While bills are authored by legislators, organizations can co-sponsor legislation and commit to helping the author to shepherd it through the legislative process using their own resources (e.g. policy expertise, lobbying influence, grassroots power, communications prowess, etc). Bills travel through a streamlined process to become law. Bills must pass through committees and floor votes in both houses before being sent to the Governor for a signature. The process is marked by several stages.
The legislative process is marked by key deadlines. Luckily for advocates, California’s legislative process contains a series of deadlines (see below) to ensure that legislation moves along the process. This allows us to understand when bills will likely be in a committee versus voted on the floor and to plan our strategic activism tactics accordingly. Key 2019 Legislative Session Dates
The Inside ScoopWhile the legislative process tends to follow the steps outlined above, there are some extra intricacies to be aware of.
Learn about your state elected officialsYou can look up your CA state legislators here. Look up how well they represent progressive values by looking up their Courage Score. Indivisible States also has lots of information on how to learn about who represents you in the state legislature and how to keep track of what they’re up to. Tips for tracking billsYou can read legislation and find out where it is in the legislative process on the California legislature’s website. Check out Indivisible CA: StateStrong’s resource on how to research a bill on leginfo. LegiScan is a free online legislative tracking tool that allows you to track legislation in one state and Congress. If you choose California as your state, you can track bills that you are interested in and receive alerts when they are scheduled for hearings, debates, and votes. Twitter is also a great resource for learning about what is happening in Albany minute by minute. Political reporters tweet from inside the statehouse, often providing real time updates of floor debates and committee hearings. Check out these twitter lists: Check out Indivisible States!Now that you understand how the California Legislature, works, be sure to check out our Indivisible States Guide. It has more information on campaign development and tactics, developing strong partnerships with local advocates and reporters, and more. |