Hi friend,

Our team has spent the past year diligently assessing voting records, bills, and actions from state leaders to create our 2023 California Environmental Scorecard.

We’ve been specifically looking at the political will and ambition of the State Legislature and Governor to move on major climate policy. The result was an overall California score of 86% for undercutting big wins with anti-environmental actions.

So how, and why, did we award California a B?

How? California’s score is a measure of how the state did overall on advancing climate and environmental policy through relevant legislation (we tracked 61 total environmental bills), the state budget, and regulatory actions.

Why? We’ve got a video for that, friend! There are some truly meaningful climate accomplishments to celebrate from 2023, as well as some key actions and policies that moved us in the opposite direction on environmental protection and climate leadership. Watch our video to find out why California got a B → [link removed]

Corporate leadership and accountability were huge in 2023, friend. SB 253 and SB 261 — the strongest set of corporate emissions transparency and climate risk disclosure rules in the country — will usher in a new era of accountability and responsibility in the corporate world.

The state passed seven other critical bills into law too, in addition to Advanced Clean Fleets, a game-changing regulatory rule that will require fleets that are well suited for electrification to transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

However, our leaders failed to consistently meet the moment in 2023 through:
- $2 billion in cuts to the climate budget
- 11 key bills for climate, democracy, and the environment vetoed
- 15 key bills failed to even make it to the Governor’s desk, including SB 252, which would have stopped California’s public pension funds for state employees and teachers from investing in fossil fuel companies
- The state decided to keep three fossil gas plants running that were supposed to shut down three years ago

As catastrophes like devastating flooding and extreme weather ramp up, California’s actions must match the scale of the crisis.

Learn more about California’s “Year of Unfinished Business” by watching our video and reading through all the actions, both good and bad, California took in 2023 >> [link removed]

Thanks for watching!

Melissa Romero
Deputy Legislative Director
California Environmental Voters




California Environmental Voters
1111 Broadway, Suite 300
Oakland, CA 94607
United States
+15102710900 | [email protected]

EnviroVoters is hiring! Join us to work on critical climate legislation work.

California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. To protect our air, land, water, and future, we organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. Our vision is to solve the climate crisis, build resilient, connected, healthy communities, and create a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all.

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