While the outcome of a presidential race often takes up most of our minds and anxiety during an election, the races for our state legislature have a more impactful role in our day-to-day lives. Laws like the ones that ban plastic bags, prohibit book bans in public libraries, expand Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented immigrants, protect voters from AI, and more, are written by our state legislature and signed into law by our Governor every session. And Californians have a say in what bills get written and if they pass.
Voting is a first step in political advocacy. Engaging in our state’s lawmaking process and raising our voices for our communities at the state level is the next step to ensure we actually get the policies we need.
What is the State Legislature?
To understand the role of our state legislature, we have to think back to our high school history class for a moment. Our state government is made up of three branches: the executive branch, which is in charge of administering and enforcing California laws and includes the Governor, the legislative branch, which creates our state laws and includes the Assembly and the Senate, and the judicial branch, which checks the power of the executive and legislative branches to ensure laws don’t conflict with the State Constitution and includes our courts. This is the same structure outlined in the United States Constitution.
California’s state legislature is the legislative branch of our state government and is made up of two chambers: the State Assembly and the State Senate. There are 80 California State Assemblymembers, each serving two-year terms, and 40 State Senators, each serving four-year terms. The state of California has had a Democratic trifecta– meaning a Democratic Governor and Democratic majorities in both the State Assembly and Senate– for the last 14 consecutive years, and Democrats have a supermajority (⅔) in the state legislature.
How does our legislature pass laws?
The state legislature operates on a two-year session, with legislators convening from January to September each year. In California, newly elected state legislators are sworn in on the first Monday in December and typically convene for the regular session in January. In addition to the regular legislative session, our Governor may call for a “special session.” In 2024, Governor Newsom called for two special sessions: one in September to address gas price spikes, and a second one in December to strategize the protection of California’s values and rights in the face of an incoming Trump administration.
During the legislative session, your legislators are responsible for proposing and debating new bills, serving on issue committees, supporting or voting against bills, and supporting state budget decisions— all while advocating for you and your community at the state level.
For a breakdown of this legislative process, check out our blog: California’s Legislative Session.
Both the State Assembly and State Senate have legislative calendars that outline the different dates and deadlines involved in our legislative process, knowing when bills are heard and when they are being voted on helps us know when to reach out and get involved in our lawmaking process.
How can I get involved in our state’s lawmaking process?
Each Californian has one State Assemblymember and one State Senator that represents them. You can find out who your legislators are by visiting the Secretary of State’s website. Your legislators can be reached via their website, email, phone, voicemail, or their district and Sacramento offices. Talk with them about the issues impacting you and your community and urge them to address these issues during the legislative session.
The California State Legislature proposes thousands of bills every year. Bills can die and change quickly, making them difficult to track, but bill trackers like LegiScan are a great resource. While the legislature debates these bills, you can reach out to urge their support or opposition for the bills you care about. You don’t have to do this work on your own– building a network of trusted advocacy organizations that share your values is key to staying updated on the bills you care about most. Advocacy organizations regularly organize phone banking opportunities and State Capital visits, share email templates and petitions, and provide other resources that help you stay involved.
We have the power to defend California’s values and set higher standards for the nation through our state legislature. In the moments when we feel disheartened, powerless, and angry with the outcome of a presidential election, we must remember that our Democracy grants us the tools to protect and expand our rights right here in our golden state. In order for our state legislature to truly represent us all, our representatives need to hear from us all.