FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2022
Contact: Michael Blenner, michael.blenner@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club California Releases 2022 Legislative Report Card: Scores Sink Thanks to Diablo Canyon Vote
Sacramento, CA - Today, Sierra Club California released its annual legislative report card, which tracks the performance of legislators and the governor on environmental issues and key climate bills.
2022’s legislative session featured high peaks and low valleys for environmental and climate legislation, and the legislator’s scores this year reflect these mixed results. There were massive environmental victories, including the passage of SB 1137, which enacts health-protective setbacks between communities and oil and gas drilling, and SB 1314, which bans the use of captured carbon for fossil fuel extraction. Governor Newsom also spearheaded unprecedented budget investments in transportation and building electrification.
But ultimately only 6 legislators earned 100-percent scores (voting with the environment on all of the scored bills in the report card), compared to 22 in 2021. The esteemed 2022 100%ers are: Senator Monique Limón (SD 19), and Assemblymembers Tasha Boerner Horvath (AD 76), Alex Lee (AD 25), Al Muratsuchi (AD 66), Luz Rivas (AD 39), and Mark Stone (AD 29).
Scores were driven down by votes for Senate Bill 846, an eleventh-hour Newsom administration priority bill that extends the operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant by overriding key environmental protections and giving PG&E a $1.4 billion forgivable loan. Sierra Club California and other environmental groups consistently opposed efforts to keep Diablo Canyon open.
“This year’s scores reflect a dramatic legislative session that included both historic environmental and climate wins and regressive bills that will harm the important progress California has made on our clean energy goals,” said Brandon Dawson, Director of Sierra Club California. “We’re especially perplexed with the mixed performance of the Governor this year, and hope that climate victories in 2023 will not be similarly marred by his backwards energy policy and ill-informed vetoes.”
To prepare the report card, Sierra Club California staff selected a total of 10 bills to score in each house (16 bills total, since 4 bills were scored in both houses). The bills chosen represent a diverse array of important environmental justice and environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emissions, oil and gas extraction, sustainable housing, plastic recycling, corporate accountability, and water conservation. All of the bills were among those that Sierra Club California advocates and volunteers were actively engaged in supporting or opposing throughout the year.
Legislator’s scores are determined by dividing the number of times the legislator voted with Sierra Club’s position by the total number of bills for which the legislator was present to cast a vote.
Further information on scoring details, as well as individual legislator’s votes and scores are noted on the scorecard, which is available on Sierra Club California’s website.
Sierra Club California is the legislative and regulatory arm of Sierra Club’s 13 local chapters in California, representing half a million members and supporters.