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GoGreenNation news

Democrats run the California Capitol. When the party backs a bill, lawmakers pay attention

News Feed
Monday, July 22, 2024

In summary The California Democratic Party’s primary function is electing candidates. Lately, it’s become a lobbying powerhouse, taking positions on dozens of bills. The party usually gets its way. The California Democratic Party is a multimillion dollar powerhouse whose endorsements and campaign cash can make or break a politician’s aspirations for state or federal office.  The party, as it turns out, also regularly throws its weight around on individual pieces of legislation in the California Capitol, where Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers.  So far, in the ongoing 2023-24 session, the party has supported 142 bills, according to combined records from party officials and the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. Few other organizations have weighed in on more legislation, making the party, whose primary function is electing Democrats, one of the most prolific – and successful – lobbying organizations in the Capitol. “California Democrats are committed to uplifting all Californians and moving our state forward,” the party’s chairperson, Rusty Hicks, told CalMatters in a statement. “The work of Democrats in the state Legislature is an important part of making that commitment a reality. (The party’s) inclusive, thorough process ensures the legislation we support reflects our shared values.”The bills on which the party takes a position are typically deep in the weeds of state policy. For instance, the party supported a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last year that requires judges to take into account the needs of impoverished communities and small farmers in disputes over groundwater. The party also supports a pending bill that would require artificial intelligence developers to disclose what data they use to “train” their systems. A Digital Democracy analysis last month found that the Democratic Party was one of the most successful lobbying groups in the Capitol. The analysis was based on whether bills advanced or died in accordance with a group’s position. Gregg Hart, a Democratic Assemblymember from Santa Barbara, said it’s not a sure thing he’ll vote for a bill if the party supports it. But he said the party is one of the organizations, including labor and environmental groups, whose opinions he values as he’s casting hundreds of votes in a given year. “When I see the Democratic Party has endorsed a bill,” he said, “that gives me notice.”  That doesn’t mean the party’s endorsement is a guaranteed ticket to a bill getting signed into law. One in three of the bills the party supports don’t advance, according to Digital Democracy. One recent example: The party supported a bill that Newsom vetoed last year that would have prevented local governments from punishing public employees for going on strike in solidarity of other striking workers. Newsom’s veto message said he couldn’t support the legislation out of fears simultaneous “sympathy strikes” at various levels of local government could “seriously disrupt or even halt the delivery of critical public services.”Another bill the party supported last year that stalled out is legislation aimed at creating a grant program to compensate new teachers in credential programs as they go through student teaching. Learn more about legislators mentioned in this story. Gregg Hart Democrat, State Assembly, District 37 (Santa Barbara) How the Democratic Party endorses bills To get the Democratic Party’s official endorsement on a bill, party leaders, a Democratic legislator, an official county Democratic organization or the various caucuses inside the party can file a request with the party’s legislation committee to consider endorsing or opposing a bill. Party officials say lobbyists or other individuals outside the official party apparatus are not allowed to submit applications. The 30 people on the committee are all delegates for the party’s central committee who apply for the position. Party leaders choose members every odd numbered year based on their professional backgrounds and experience as well as their demographic characteristics such as age, sexual orientation and race, party officials say. The party’s legislation committee’s co-chairs are Margaret Granado, a Los Angeles-area teacher who’s a California Teachers Association official and Amar “A.J.” Thomas, a San Francisco lawyer and city official. Party officials say they typically don’t oppose legislation, unless they’re Republican-authored bills. This session, the party never formally opposed a bill.  If the legislation makes the cut, the bills are forwarded to the party’s 400-plus member executive board for an official sign off. The executive board is made up of members of the party’s county central committees, co-chairs of the various state party committees and the members of Democratic National Committee. Democratic members of the California Senate, Assembly and U.S. Congress also have an executive board seat. The executive board typically votes on the packages of bills through what’s known as a “consent calendar” process that doesn’t involve discussing each individual bill. But members of the board can request to pull bills off the consent calendar for a full vetting, party officials say. California’s Republican Party, by contrast, doesn’t take positions on individual bills other than on ballot initiatives that first need to make it through the Legislature. The party instead focuses on political campaigns. “Our role as the (party) is to support and elect Republicans, and we leave the legislating to the legislators,” party spokesperson Ellie Hockenbury said in a statement. “We follow their lead to help them spread the message about important bills and issues. However, we do not have a formal endorsement process for those.” Hans Poschman and Thomas Gerrity, members of the CalMatters Digital Democracy team, contributed to this story.

The California Democratic Party’s primary function is electing candidates. Lately, it’s become a lobbying powerhouse, taking positions on dozens of bills. The party usually gets its way.

The California Democratic Party convention at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento on Nov. 17, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

In summary

The California Democratic Party’s primary function is electing candidates. Lately, it’s become a lobbying powerhouse, taking positions on dozens of bills. The party usually gets its way.

The California Democratic Party is a multimillion dollar powerhouse whose endorsements and campaign cash can make or break a politician’s aspirations for state or federal office. 

The party, as it turns out, also regularly throws its weight around on individual pieces of legislation in the California Capitol, where Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers. 

So far, in the ongoing 2023-24 session, the party has supported 142 bills, according to combined records from party officials and the CalMatters Digital Democracy database.

Few other organizations have weighed in on more legislation, making the party, whose primary function is electing Democrats, one of the most prolific – and successful – lobbying organizations in the Capitol.

“California Democrats are committed to uplifting all Californians and moving our state forward,” the party’s chairperson, Rusty Hicks, told CalMatters in a statement. “The work of Democrats in the state Legislature is an important part of making that commitment a reality. (The party’s) inclusive, thorough process ensures the legislation we support reflects our shared values.”

The bills on which the party takes a position are typically deep in the weeds of state policy. For instance, the party supported a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last year that requires judges to take into account the needs of impoverished communities and small farmers in disputes over groundwater.

The party also supports a pending bill that would require artificial intelligence developers to disclose what data they use to “train” their systems.

A Digital Democracy analysis last month found that the Democratic Party was one of the most successful lobbying groups in the Capitol. The analysis was based on whether bills advanced or died in accordance with a group’s position.

Gregg Hart, a Democratic Assemblymember from Santa Barbara, said it’s not a sure thing he’ll vote for a bill if the party supports it. But he said the party is one of the organizations, including labor and environmental groups, whose opinions he values as he’s casting hundreds of votes in a given year.

“When I see the Democratic Party has endorsed a bill,” he said, “that gives me notice.” 

That doesn’t mean the party’s endorsement is a guaranteed ticket to a bill getting signed into law. One in three of the bills the party supports don’t advance, according to Digital Democracy.

One recent example: The party supported a bill that Newsom vetoed last year that would have prevented local governments from punishing public employees for going on strike in solidarity of other striking workers. Newsom’s veto message said he couldn’t support the legislation out of fears simultaneous “sympathy strikes” at various levels of local government could “seriously disrupt or even halt the delivery of critical public services.”

Another bill the party supported last year that stalled out is legislation aimed at creating a grant program to compensate new teachers in credential programs as they go through student teaching.

Learn more about legislators mentioned in this story.

How the Democratic Party endorses bills

To get the Democratic Party’s official endorsement on a bill, party leaders, a Democratic legislator, an official county Democratic organization or the various caucuses inside the party can file a request with the party’s legislation committee to consider endorsing or opposing a bill. Party officials say lobbyists or other individuals outside the official party apparatus are not allowed to submit applications.

The 30 people on the committee are all delegates for the party’s central committee who apply for the position. Party leaders choose members every odd numbered year based on their professional backgrounds and experience as well as their demographic characteristics such as age, sexual orientation and race, party officials say.

The party’s legislation committee’s co-chairs are Margaret Granado, a Los Angeles-area teacher who’s a California Teachers Association official and Amar “A.J.” Thomas, a San Francisco lawyer and city official.

Party officials say they typically don’t oppose legislation, unless they’re Republican-authored bills. This session, the party never formally opposed a bill. 

If the legislation makes the cut, the bills are forwarded to the party’s 400-plus member executive board for an official sign off. The executive board is made up of members of the party’s county central committees, co-chairs of the various state party committees and the members of Democratic National Committee. Democratic members of the California Senate, Assembly and U.S. Congress also have an executive board seat.

The executive board typically votes on the packages of bills through what’s known as a “consent calendar” process that doesn’t involve discussing each individual bill. But members of the board can request to pull bills off the consent calendar for a full vetting, party officials say.

California’s Republican Party, by contrast, doesn’t take positions on individual bills other than on ballot initiatives that first need to make it through the Legislature. The party instead focuses on political campaigns.

“Our role as the (party) is to support and elect Republicans, and we leave the legislating to the legislators,” party spokesperson Ellie Hockenbury said in a statement. “We follow their lead to help them spread the message about important bills and issues. However, we do not have a formal endorsement process for those.”

Hans Poschman and Thomas Gerrity, members of the CalMatters Digital Democracy team, contributed to this story.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

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Crocodile made famous by Steve Irwin ‘wrongfully arrested’ and should be returned to wild, traditional owners say

Exclusive: ‘Old Faithful’ was captured after Queensland authorities deemed him ‘a problem crocodile’, but Rinyirru Aboriginal Corporation says the government is mistakenGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTraditional owners have called on the Queensland environment minister to return an iconic saltwater crocodile to the wild, arguing his capture was a “wrongful arrest” – but that his case could prove “a landmark” in redefining consultation with First Nations people and the management of crocodiles.Rinyirru (Lakefield) Aboriginal Corporation chair, Alwyn Lyall, wrote to the environment minister, Andrew Powell, on Friday saying the removal of a crocodile longer than 4 metres, known as “Old Faithful”, from Rinyirru – or Lakefield national park – last month was based on a “flawed and outdated” test of his behaviour and highlighted “a bigger problem in how crocodiles are managed”. Continue reading...

Traditional owners have called on the Queensland environment minister to return an iconic saltwater crocodile to the wild, arguing his capture was a “wrongful arrest” – but that his case could prove “a landmark” in redefining consultation with First Nations people and the management of crocodiles.Rinyirru (Lakefield) Aboriginal Corporation chair, Alwyn Lyall, wrote to the environment minister, Andrew Powell, on Friday saying the removal of a crocodile longer than 4 metres, known as “Old Faithful”, from Rinyirru – or Lakefield national park – last month was based on a “flawed and outdated” test of his behaviour and highlighted “a bigger problem in how crocodiles are managed”.Sign up: AU Breaking News emailThe letter called on the state government to dismantle all crocodile traps and cease removals from the park – described as “Queensland’s Kakadu” – until the problems highlighted in the case of Old Faithful were resolved.The crocodile, which Lyall wrote was about 4.5 metres long, has a distinctive white scar across his belly and jaw and was made famous by Steve Irwin in his 1990s series, when Old Faithful was “hazed” by “The Crocodile Hunter” in an effort to instil fear of humans into the big reptile.Almost 30 years later, the crocodile was captured once again and, this time, removed from Rinyirru on 8 September by wildlife officers. He is being held in a government facility in Cairns, more than 250km south, awaiting transfer to a crocodile farm.After his removal, the Queensland environment department said they had been monitoring Old Faithful due to reports from the public and observed him “displaying concerning behaviour” in the prized barramundi fishing hole on the Normanby River that has been his territory for decades. So, the department said, the crocodile was “removed to ensure public safety”.Old Faithful is being held at a government facility in Cairns after his removal from the wild. Rangers also removed a smaller saltwater crocodile, between 3metres and 3.5m metres long. The department said the decision to remove both crocodiles was made after consultation with traditional owners.But in his letter, Lyall wrote that “key information” was “withheld” from traditional owners by the department during that consultation in what he now believes was “the hope of gaining our approval and expediting the removal process for their own agenda”.“We have reason to believe that Old Faithful was not the crocodile targeted for removal and that the animal reported by the public as the ‘problem crocodile’ was the smaller, emaciated crocodile, also caught during the trapping process,” Lyall wrote in a statement.“Our board have engaged with many stakeholders and we strongly believe Old Faithful was caught as a wrongful arrest.”The Kuku Yalanji man wrote that the “simulated fishing test” where a crocodile is lured with bait was “designed to elicit the behaviour needed to warrant removal” and likened it to “constantly throwing bananas at a cassowary at Etty Bay until it feeds, or kicking a dingo on K’gari until it bites”.“If you throw a barramundi out on a piece of rope and drag it back in and throw it out again and drag it back in and throw it out … You’re gonna get that crocodile’s attention sooner or later,” Lyall said.The Rinyirru Aboriginal Corporation chair said that big crocodiles like Old Faithful were a major tourist drawcard – but the attraction had proved a double-edged sword.While some were “just happy to see that crocodile on the bank”, others wanted the crocodile “right in front of them”.“If all of these people are feeding these crocodiles so they can take a photo of it, it makes that crocodile become lazy … it depends on hand outs,” he said. “Then our iconic crocodiles become the problem, because they are just sitting there waiting to be fed.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Breaking News AustraliaGet the most important news as it breaksPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotion“I find that to be very unfair – I think more onus should be coming back to the visitors that come into the park”.Lyall said he believed the department was “eyeing off” another three big crocodiles from Rinyirru as a result of the behaviour of visitors and the standard of tests used to determine if a crocodile was “a problem”.“For that reason, our board have asked the Queensland government to halt any further removals and to dismantle traps currently set in the park until a better plan is developed,” he wrote.Lyall wrote that the Rinyirru corporation’s board had engaged crocodile scientists emeritus professor Gordon Grigg and Dr and were advised that a captured crocodile could be returned to the wild and that there was precedent for it being done.“Old Faithful could be 80 or 100 years old – he deserves to live out his life in peace,” Lyall wrote.“We are asking that Old Faithful be returned home. 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Factbox-Who Is Still Working and Who Has Been Furloughed in the US Government Shutdown?

By Andy SullivanWASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal workers have been ordered not to report to work, while others have been...

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