SAN DIEGO — California’s Governor Gavin Newsom ended the legislative year on Sunday by singing 870 bills, of the over 1,000 bills that were brought to his desk during his first year in office.
That may seem like a lot, but as it turns out, it is actually pretty average compared to past California governors.
Some notable bills signed by Gov. Newsom include: banning the sale of guns and ammunition at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, making abortion pills available on college campuses, rent cap, allowing college athletes to make money from sponsorships, offering two years of community college tuition free to certain students, and a controversial vaccination bill that will crack down on doctors who make a profit form writing vaccine medical exemptions and requiring the state’s department of health to view them.
Gov. Newsom also signed SB 276 which will make California the first state in the country to push back school start times for middle and high school students.
The governor also vetoed a few bills. While he was presented with 1,042 bills, he signed 870 bills – vetoing 16.5% of the bills that were brought to his desk.
A chart provided by Cal Matters shows how Gov. Newsom veto rate compares with previous governors.
The governor vetoed a bill that would have limited the use of paid signatures gatherers for qualifying ballot initiatives, a bill authorizing up to $2 billion in annual state funding for affordable housing projects, and a bill that would have implemented a toll to drive down San Francisco’s famed Lombard Street.
In 2011, during Jerry Brown’s tenure, he signed an average of 848 bills every year, according to the governor’s office. That number lines up with Gov. Newsom’s first year in office.
Most of the bills will not go into effect right away. Later school start times will begin in 2022.
Governor Gavin Newsom also issued a statement regarding the bills he signed which can be read here.