Top 10 Common-Sense Bills Rejected by California’s Democrat-Dominated Legislature in 2023

The 2023 legislative session just wrapped up in Sacramento — and it is clear that California Democrat legislators are so extreme that even common-sense bills that enjoyed widespread bipartisan support got killed.  

To raise awareness of the extremism that has overtaken the California State Legislature, Reform California released a "Top 10 List of Common-Sense Bills Killed by California Democrats in 2023."

“It’s laughable that these great, common-sense bills were rejected by California Democrats — but it just goes to show how extreme some of these Democrat legislators are in California,” says Carl DeMaio, Chairman of Reform California.  

“You can tell a lot about their flawed and extremist thinking by the bills they decided to kill — and it's clear that they are more concerned with appeasing their union and special-interest backers and the far-Left fringe activists in their party than helping the average Californian,” said DeMaio.  

Here’s the list of good bills Democrats killed in 2023:

1. Addressing the Fentanyl Epidemic: Democrats rejected SB-44 (also known as Alexandra’s Law) by State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R), which would require fentanyl drug dealers to be admonished that they could face murder charges if they sell drugs and someone dies from an overdose. Bills with similar reforms from Republicans Joe Patterson (AB-18) and Diane Dixon (ACA-12) also were rejected by Democrats.

2. Fixing the Homelessness Crisis: As homelessness spikes across California, Democrats rejected AB-257, introduced by Josh Hoover (R). The bill prohibited homeless encampments to be within 500 feet of schools, daycare centers, parks, and libraries. In addition, Democrats rejected AB-975, introduced by Tri Ta (10), which mandated courts to award attorney’s fees to a prevailing plaintiff in actions compelling a government entity to address public nuisances caused by homeless encampments.

3. Suspending the Gas Tax: With California gas prices now at a staggering $6 per gallon (that’s a full $2 more than the national average), Democrats killed AB-16, introduced by Diane Dixon (R). The bill would have paused any state gas tax hikes. Despite the struggles of California working families, Democrats increased the state gas tax by 11% this year alone!

4. Fighting the Crime Wave: Both property crime and violent crime are spiking across California, but Democrats rejected AB-335, introduced by Juan Alanis (R), that would effectively repeal the flawed crime-spiking Prop 47. In 2014, Prop 47 reclassified theft offenses of $950 from felonies to misdemeanors, resulting in a shocking rise in retail theft. California currently makes organized retail thefts a misdemeanor, encompassing acts like stealing as part of an organized plan such as with the wave of “smash and grabs” occurring across the state.  

5. School Choice: California schools are failing, but Democrats refuse to give parents the ability to get their children into better schools. They rejected AB-237, introduced by Greg Wallis (R), which was a school choice bill. The bill aimed to offer vulnerable children in underperforming schools the opportunity to transfer to institutions that could offer them improved education.

6. Parents’ Right to Know: California Democrats rejected a bill (AB-1314, by Republican Bill Essayli) that would require school district staff to tell parents when a child is struggling with their gender identity or sexual orientation. The US Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that parents have 14^th Amendment rights to know about the welfare of their children and govern decisions for their children – but apparently not in California in the eyes of state Democrats.

7. Investigating Sex Assaults: California Democrats refused to stand with women who are sexually assaulted by blocking SB-268, which would have classified the rape of an unconscious person a “violent” crime. They even blocked AB-1368, introduced by Tom Lackey (R), which mandates timely submission of sexual assault forensic evidence to crime labs, aiding case resolution, and addresses funding for associated costs.  

8. Environmental Transparency: California Democrats passed numerous climate change mandates and reporting requirements this year, but oddly they blocked a bill (SB-15 by Republican Shannon Grove) that would apply some of those same reporting requirements to foreign companies that import oil to the California.  

9. Improving Gun Safety: California Democrats are constantly trying to eliminate 2^nd Amendment rights of law abiding citizens, but they refuse to go after criminals who use guns in violent crimes. AB-328, introduced by Bill Essayli (R), would have limited the court's’ ability to dismiss firearms-related enhancements, except in cases where the firearm wasn’t personally used or was unloaded.  

10. Help with Childcare Costs: Democrats blocked AB-14, introduced by Laurie Davies (R), which proposes a new California Personal Income Tax Law credit for qualified taxpayers, equivalent to childcare expenses paid in the state. The credit would be up to $500 or the gap between the existing state and deferral child and dependent care credits, in addition to the current California child and dependent care expenses credit.  

Not all the bills that California Democrats tried to kill stayed dead!  

In fact, Democrats initially killed a bill written by State Senator Shannon Grove (R), SB-14, that would make the human trafficking of a child a “serious felony” in the state and help crack down on crime.

To their credit, Republicans and outside groups rallied to save the bill by informing the public — and a public uproar ensued. The public pressure campaign prevailed, and the bill passed unanimously with extremist Democrats flipping their NO votes to YES!

Carl DeMaio called SB-14 a “rare win” for common-sense in California and said that it provided a key lesson going forward.

“If common-sense reformers in California want to have any hope of passing bills in a Legislature with a liberal supermajority, the SB-14 win gives us a blueprint — a massive public pressure campaign, especially on a public safety issue where Democrats are weak, can force politicians’ hands to vote for a bill,” said DeMaio.

DeMaio also has hopes to change the composition of the state legislature and resurrect common-sense bills killed by liberal Democrats.

“Things can change in Sacramento if we replace these bad faith politicians with common-sense reformers, and we have the chance to do that in 2024,” he continued.

DeMaio and Reform California are leading a campaign to elect new and better leaders that will champion good bills like these. DeMaio says that concerned Californians can join the fight by contributing to the campaign and by using and circulating his annual “Plain English” Voter Guide. The guide contains recommendations for the 2024 election and will be released closer to California’s March primary election.