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Report Card Time on California Lawmakers

Report Card Time on California Lawmakers

October 20, 2022 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

Report Card Time on California Lawmakers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Kabateck, California State Director, John.Kabateck@nfib.org
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, Anthony.Malandra@nfib.org

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 20, 2022—Today, the state’s leading small-business association released its voting record for the 2021-22 legislative session on all 40 California Senators and 80 Assembly members, and to no one’s surprise, it found most of them woefully lacking in their support of the Main Street enterprises that line the commercial arteries of their districts.

“We publish biennial voting records to recognize and distinguish the true friends of small business from the ones who merely say they are,” said John Kabateck, California state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “I would argue this session of the Legislature was one of the most anti-business in state history. Still, there were 15 senators and assembly members with 100% pro-small-business voting records and 14 with 75% to 90%, and we thank them.”

Lawmakers were graded on 11 bills impacting California small businesses that were voted on in both chambers. A brief description of each and each legislator’s vote on them can be read here. The legislator with the worst record came in at 9%. Legislators with 100% records were named Guardians of Small Business by NFIB. Incumbents, running in their new districts, with a 70% or better small-business voting record were endorsed by the NFIB CA PAC.

“It’s time for state policymakers to put up or shut up,” added Kabateck. “Capitol leaders can’t exclaim that small businesses are the ‘backbone of our economy’ on one hand, and then break their backs with votes in support of more taxes, regulations and frivolous lawsuits on the other. Fortunately, employers and all voters have an opportunity to make real change at the ballot on November 8th.”

Sixty percent of NFIB-member small businesses employ between one and five workers. Add firms employing six to nine workers and the percentage grows to 74%. Click here to read the four distinctions separating a small business from a big business and here to read The Power of the Small Business Voice.

Keep up with the latest on California small-business news at www.nfib.com/california or by following NFIB on Twitter @NFIB_CA or on Facebook @NFIB.CA.

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For nearly 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

NFIB California
915 L. Street, Suite C-411
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-448-9904
www.nfib.com/CA
Twitter: @NFIB_CA
Facebook: @NFIB.CA

 

 

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