Legislative Success in California: Unions and Progressive Groups Lead

In a recent analysis by CalMatters’ Digital Democracy project, it was found that in the current California Legislature session, organizations from Los Angeles and the Bay Area, labor unions, social justice groups, and defense attorneys have been most successful in passing their agendas. The analysis reviewed the positions taken by various organizations on at least 25 bills since January 2023, and their success rate in influencing those bills.
Key findings include:
– Labor unions, which had a 67% success rate, secured significant legislative victories, including laws increasing sick days, raising minimum wages for healthcare and fast food workers, and allowing legislative staff to unionize.
– Social justice and civil rights organizations like the ACLU and the San Francisco Public Defender also had high success rates.
– Los Angeles and Bay Area entities, including the LA District Attorney’s Office and the Bay Area Council, were among the most successful groups.
Conversely, police, anti-tax, and business groups were less successful. The California Chamber of Commerce, while opposing 130 bills, saw only 36 of them die. Law enforcement groups and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association also faced significant challenges in advancing their positions.
The findings underscore the influence of a liberal-leaning legislature where Democrats have held supermajorities since 2018. The success of progressive groups and unions in particular reflects the ideological tendencies of the current legislative body.