Is Your Lawmaker a Climate Champion?

California earned a B for climate action in EnviroVoters’ 2023 California Environmental Scorecard, which grades every state legislator and the Governor on their environmental actions from the past year.

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    California in 2023: Two Climate Steps Forward, One Step Back

    By the Numbers
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    Climate Action Caucus
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    Polluter Caucus
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    How it Works
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    2022 Score

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    2023 Score

    After a huge year of climate action in 2022, California had a lot to live up to. While 2023 saw many monumental wins, resulting in a positive all-around California score, this progress was undercut by actions and policies that moved us in the opposite direction on environmental protection and climate leadership. As catastrophes like devastating flooding and extreme weather ramp up, California’s actions must match the scale of the crisis.

    Read More »

    2023 By the Numbers

    20

    Legislators received a perfect 100% score

    Down from 29 in 2022

    52%

    of legislators accept oil money (62/120)

    Down from 63% in 2022!

    8%

    Average Republican score

    100% of 26 Republicans take oil money

    84%

    Average Democrat score

    38% of the 94 Democrats take oil money

    Democrat Breakdown

    96%

    Average score of Democrats who do NOT take oil money

    66%

    Average score of Democrats who do take oil money

    Climate Action Caucus

    Members of the Climate Action Caucus are environmental champions fighting for bold policy change to address the climate crisis. These are key leaders who deserve special recognition for stepping up in new ways to help ensure 2023 was a year of action.

    Click Here to Expand Members
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    Robert Rivas

    ASSEMBLY SPEAKER (D-29)
    Courageous Captain Newly elected Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas played a pivotal role in securing the passage of SB 253 (Wiener), the Climate Corporate Leadership and Accountability Act, preventing a “do-nothing” year on climate. Rivas’ leadership highlights his long-time commitment to climate justice, makes him a key figure in advancing crucial environmental legislation, and sets a strong precedent for his tenure as Speaker. He’s been visible and vocal about the critical impact California has on climate leadership on the world stage.
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    Caroline Menjivar

    Senator (D-20)
    Environmental Justice Trailblazer As a fearless advocate for environmental justice who earned a 100% score in her very first year in office, Senator Menjivar represents a significant departure from her industry-friendly predecessor, Bob Hertzberg. Her impactful leadership is most evident in the School Extreme Heat Action Plan Act (SB 499), which mandates schools develop plans for mitigating the impacts of extreme heat, showcasing her dedication to prioritizing climate resilience. She’s a much-needed breath of fresh air.
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    Henry Stern

    SENATOR (D-27)
    Accountability All-Star Senator Stern earns a long-overdue and well-deserved spot in the 2023 Climate Action Caucus for his impactful contributions to world-changing climate legislation. As the author of the Climate Financial Risk Disclosure Act (SB 261) and a co-author of the corporate accountability package, Senator Stern has demonstrated a commitment to advancing policies that prioritize transparency and corporate responsibility.
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    Buffy Wicks

    Assemblymember (D-14)
    Water Rights Defender Assemblymember Wicks deserves significant accolades for her authorship of AB 1337, a bill aimed at curtailing water usage during shortages and modernizing water rights. Her pivotal role in garnering support to pass SB 253 (Wiener), the Climate Corporate Leadership and Accountability Act, underscores her tactical approach in rallying critical votes. Wicks’ commitment to both water conservation and corporate accountability exemplifies her impactful contributions to California's legislative landscape.
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    Rick Chavez Zbur

    ASSEMBLYMEMBER (D-51)
    Clean Energy Champion Having authored a wide array of environmentally focused bills in his first year in office, including the California Offshore Wind Energy & Jobs Act (AB 3) and the Local Electrification Planning Act (AB 1176), Assemblymember Zbur has shown an exemplary commitment to advancing climate-friendly policies. His instrumental role in the passage of critical climate legislation like SB 253 (Wiener), the Climate Corporate Leadership and Accountability Act, further underscores his influence and commitment to shaping a sustainable future for California.
    See past Climate Action Caucus members in our “Hall of Fame” »

    Polluter Caucus​

    Members of the 2023 Polluter Caucus have refused to support — and even actively worked against — climate policies. These legislators are responsible for delaying climate progress in 2023.

    Click Here to Expand Members
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    Marie Alvarado-Gil

    SENATOR (D-4)
    Score: 1% In general, Republicans have shifted away from their once robust stance on environmental protection, leaving Democrats as the relatively stronger advocates for this cause. This makes Democratic Senator Alvarado-Gil's voting pattern, characterized by abstentions and alignment with Republican positions, alarming. Even some Republicans outperform her on climate issues, blurring the line of distinction between her and her GOP counterparts in the Sierra and Inland regions. Senator Alvarado-Gil is named to the Polluter Caucus due to her shameful 1% score, making her one of the worst-scoring Democrats of all time.
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    Jasmeet Bains

    ASSEMBLYMEMBER (D-35)
    Score: 37% Assemblymember Bains earns her place in the Polluter Caucus for being the sole Assembly Democrat who proudly voted against the price-gouging bill. Despite our efforts to build a relationship with her office, her dissenting vote highlights a concerning trend, underscoring the challenge that the Central Valley faces with a lack of representatives who have an interest in protecting their constituents from poor air quality. This is especially troubling given that counties like Kern, which Assemblymember Bains represents, consistently have some of the worst year-round particulate pollution in California and the country.
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    Steve Glazer

    SENATOR (D-7)
    Score: 73% As Chair of Senate Elections, Senator Glazer consistently acts as one of the biggest barriers to pro-democracy reforms. He notably played a key role in weakening Referendum Reform (AB 421, Bryan), demonstrating a tendency to align with corporate polluters and seeking credit for undermining critical progressive legislation. He earns his place in the Polluter Caucus once again due to his track record of eroding the democratic rights of Californians.
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    Stephanie Nguyen

    ASSEMBLYMEMBER (D-10)
    Score: 44% Assemblymember Nguyen's inclusion in the Polluter Caucus is notable, as she represents an area served by a state senator with a significantly better environmental record and an area where constituents support representatives who are strong on these issues. Nevertheless, Nguyen’s environmental performance is poor, and she has accepted campaign contributions from the oil industry. This raises two important questions: Why isn’t she representing her district on critical climate issues for her region like improving air quality and addressing drought? And who is she actually representing?
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    Blanca Rubio

    ASSEMBLYMEMBER (D-48)
    Score: 33% What’s the point of having a representative who doesn’t even bother to vote? Assemblymember Rubio finds herself in the Polluter Caucus, boasting a remarkable 15 abstentions. At its most cynical, not voting is a cowardly way to sidestep important issues. To quote the 2023 scorecard from the anti-climate lobbying group, California Chamber of Commerce: “a legislator may abstain from voting, which will hinder passage of a bill, just as a ‘no’ vote does.” Behind the scenes, Rubio is also heavily aligned with corporate polluters (being one of the top Democrats who receives the most money from oil) and actively works to pull lawmakers away from doing the right thing.

    How Does the Scorecard Work?

    Since 1973, California Environmental Voters has released our annual California Environmental Scorecard, which grades the California Legislature and Governor on their environmental and climate actions from the prior legislative year. For over 50 years, the Scorecard has served as a key educational, transparency, and accountability resource for voters to get an insider’s view on how well their elected representatives are truly acting on climate.

    How we do it