Letter from Sacramento: Opportunities to Get Involved in the 2023 Legislative Session

Earlier this month I gave you all a quick recap of the election's impacts on the state legislature. More races have been called since then, but in some ways, the 2022 election here was much of the same. 

Everyone Sierra Club California endorsed for statewide races won, and all but one was an incumbent. Likewise, most of our endorsed legislative candidates won, and those who didn’t were in tough battles against incumbents or in difficult to win districts. As a result, many incumbents who were not termed out won their races. 

But in other ways, the 2022 election was a breath of fresh air for some districts. A number of districts elected progressive, Sierra Club California-endorsed candidates who we anticipate will be much better on the environment than the incumbent. 

One notable example is Senate District 20, where Sierra Club California-endorsed candidate Caroline Menjivar will be taking over for incumbent Bob Hertzberg. Hertzberg bragged back in 2020 about single-handedly stopping SB 467, a health-protective legislation that would have established oil and gas setbacks to prevent drilling near Californian communities. This legislation finally passed this year in the form of SB 1137. Sierra Club CA’s Dirty Dollars Report at the time later showed that Hertzberg received nearly $60,000 in donations from pro-oil entities that opposed the legislation.

Having Menjivar - a candidate backed by a number of environmental and EJ groups and who has pledged not to take fossil fuel contributions - in this seat will be important for the vital work the legislature must do in the coming years in the fight against the climate crisis. Getting candidates like Menjivar elected is just the first step though - now the real work begins.

It’s imperative that our legislators know what Sierra Club members want from them,  and what positions Sierra Club wants them to take on legislation and other policy issues.
 
In January, the California legislature begins a new two-year session. There will be many  opportunities for elected officials to vote with the environment  on crucial pieces of legislation. However, many of them will only vote this way if they know their constituents care about environmental issues. One of the most effective ways to make sure your legislature prioritizes the environment is to talk to them in their home district. 

That’s where you come in.

In January, our policy staff will be holding a statewide webinar discussing the legislative process: what it is, what it isn’t, and how Sierra Club works to influence that process. In February, our communications and organizing staff will hold In-district lobbying webinars to educate folks on how to be effective in-district lobbyists. Plan to attend these webinars if you would like an inside look into how the California legislature operates, and how to get more involved locally so that our grassroots efforts benefit statewide policy. 

The dates will be announced in December, so keep an eye on your email for the registration link!  

Many of our members often tell me they’d like to become more involved in state-level issues. Talking to legislators when they’re in their home district is one valuable way to do that. We’ll train you so you can effectively do it with confidence and knowledge about the issues.

Sincerely,