Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

CA Scorecard 2023

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the California State Legislature in 2023 and ranks state assemblymen and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Assembly

1. Article V Convention: Gun Control

Good Vote: No

SJR7 Article V Convention: Gun Control (passed 53 to 17 on 9/14/2023). Applies to Congress to call an Article V convention for the purpose of proposing a constitutional amendment on “firearms regulations and prohibitions.”

2. Firearm Purchase Waiting Periods

Good Vote: No

AB1406 Firearm Purchase Waiting Periods (passed 67 to 9 on 9/11/2023). Allows the California Department of Justice to delay a firearms background check up to 30 days if “additional research” is required or by “emergency” order of the Attorney General.

3. "Gender Identity" Affirmation for Child Custody

Good Vote: No

AB957 "Gender Identity" Affirmation for Child Custody (passed 61 to 16 on 9/8/2023). Would include a parent’s affirmation of the child’s “gender identity or gender expression” as part of the “health, safety, and welfare” factors used to determine the “best interests of the child” for the purposes of deciding custody.

4. Aspiration Abortions by Physician Assistants

Good Vote: No

SB385 Aspiration Abortions by Physician Assistants (passed 58 to 15 on 8/24/2023). Expands aspiration abortion training for physician assistants and permits them to perform aspiration abortions without the presence of a supervising physician and surgeon.

5. “Climate-Resilient” Bond Act of 2024

Good Vote: No

AB408 “Climate-Resilient” Bond Act of 2024 (passed 67 to 9 on 5/31/2023). Would authorize $3.4 billion in general bond obligations to finance programs related to “climate change,” “food insecurity,” and an “equitable economy.”

6. Ban on Biometric Police Bodycam Surveillance

Good Vote: Yes

AB1034 Ban on Biometric Police Bodycam Surveillance (passed 41 to 17 on 5/15/2023). Would prohibit a law enforcement officer or agency from using any biometric surveillance system in connection with a law enforcement agency’s body-worn camera or data collected from an officer camera.

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Dawn Addis D HD-030 17% -----+
Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry D HD-004 17% -----+
Juan Alanis R HD-022 40% +-+.--
David Alvarez D HD-080 20% .----+
Joaquin Arambula D HD-031 0% -----.
Jasmeet Bains D HD-035 0% .---..
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan D HD-016 20% .----+
Steve Bennett D HD-038 17% -----+
Marc Berman D HD-023 17% -----+
Tasha Boerner D HD-077 0% -----.
Mia Bonta D HD-018 20% ---.-+
Isaac G. Bryan D HD-054 17% -----+
Lisa Calderon D HD-056 0% -----.
Wendy Carrillo D HD-052 17% -----+
Juan Carrillo D HD-039 17% -----+
Sabrina Cervantes D HD-058 0% -----.
Phillip Chen R HD-059 60% +.++--
Damon Connolly D HD-012 17% -----+
Megan Dahle R HD-001 83% +++++-
Laurie Davies R HD-074 60% .-+++-
Diane Dixon R HD-072 67% +-+++-
Bill Essayli R HD-063 83% +++++-
Heath Flora R HD-009 75% +.++-.
Vince Fong R HD-032 83% +++++-
Mike Fong D HD-049 17% -----+
Laura Friedman D HD-044 0% -----.
Jesse Gabriel D HD-046 17% -----+
James Gallagher R HD-003 80% +++.+-
Eduardo Garcia D HD-036 20% ---.-+
Mike A. Gipson D HD-065 0% -----.
Timothy S. Grayson D HD-015 25% .-.--+
Matt Haney D HD-017 17% -----+
Gregg Hart D HD-037 17% -----+
Chris R. Holden D HD-041 17% -----+
Josh Hoover R HD-007 60% +.++--
Jacqui Irwin D HD-042 0% -----.
Corey Jackson D HD-060 17% -----+
Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer D HD-057 20% ---.-+
Ash Kalra D HD-034 17% -----+
Tom Lackey R HD-036 60% +-++.-
Alex Lee D HD-024 17% -----+
Evan Low D HD-026 0% -----.
Josh Lowenthal D HD-069 17% -----+
Brian Maienschein D HD-076 20% ---.-+
Devon J. Mathis R HD-033 80% ++.++-
Kevin McCarty D HD-006 17% -----+
Tina McKinnor D HD-061 20% ---.-+
Al Muratsuchi D HD-066 0% -----.
Stephanie Nguyen D HD-010 0% -----.
Liz Ortega D HD-020 17% -----+
Blanca Pacheco D HD-064 0% -----.
Diane Papan D HD-021 17% -----+
Jim Patterson R HD-008 75% ++.+.-
Joe Patterson R HD-005 83% +++++-
Gail Pellerin D HD-028 17% -----+
Cottie Petrie-Norris D HD-073 0% ------
Sharon Quirk-Silva D HD-065 0% -----.
James C. Ramos D HD-045 0% -----.
Anthony Rendon D HD-062 17% -----+
Eloise Gómez Reyes D HD-050 17% -----+
Robert Rivas D HD-029 17% -----+
Luz M. Rivas D HD-043 0% -----.
Freddie Rodriguez D HD-053 0% -----.
Blanca E. Rubio D HD-048 0% -----.
Kate Sanchez R HD-071 67% +-+++-
Miguel Santiago D HD-054 17% -----+
Pilar Schiavo D HD-040 20% .----+
Esmeralda Soria D HD-027 0% .----.
Tri Ta R HD-070 80% ++++.-
Philip Y. Ting D HD-019 17% -----+
Avelino Valencia D HD-068 0% .----.
Carlos Villapudua D HD-013 0% .----.
Marie Waldron R HD-075 80% ++++-.
Greg Wallis R HD-047 40% +.+---
Christopher M. Ward D HD-078 17% -----+
Akilah Weber, M.D. D HD-079 17% -----+
Buffy Wicks D HD-014 17% -----+
Lori D. Wilson D HD-011 20% .----+
Jim Wood D HD-002 17% -----+
Rick Zbur D HD-051 17% -----+

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 11.8%
Republican 69.8%