2021 FWC Legislative Summary and 2022 Forecast

By: Political Solutions

The second year of the coronavirus pandemic in California was largely shaped by two political undercurrents at the Capitol: an impending recall election attempting to take Governor Newsom out ofoffice, and a budget packed with cash resulting from a thriving stock market and federal aid.

California lawmakers finished their work for the 2021 legislative session on the evening of September 10th. The Democratic-held Legislature passed close to 900 bills this year and delayed hundreds of others until next session. In an unusually early close of session, both houses completed their business before 9 p.m., evidence of a more mellow adjournment and a stark contrast to last year which was plagued with technical issues and quarantined legislators. Leaders of both houses worked to limit the spread of the coronavirus amongst staff and members in order to avoid delays in the final weeks of session, including the Assembly requiring all staff to get vaccinated or face possible termination. The Senate did not impose the same rule.

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