“How Often Do Governors Say No?” — The October 2011 Official Update

 

 

 

Senate Committee on Governance & Finance

State Capitol, Sacramento, California 95814

October 10, 2011

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How Often Do Governors Say No?

 

 

• Brown considered the lowest number of bills (870) of any governor since the California Constitution was changed to disallow the pocket veto in 1966 (Proposition 1A). 

• Brown vetoed a higher percentage in 2011 (14.36 percent) than any of his prior years as governor.  

• Brown’s veto percentage (14.36 percent), is only slightly above the average since 1967 (13.82 percent). 

• Deukmejian and Schwarzenegger still hold the record for the most bills vetoed in a year, 436 (1990) and 414 (2008) respectively.

• 2011 holds the fewest vetoed bills (125) since the recall year in 2003 (58). 

• The five years with the lowest number of chaptered bills have all been since 2007. 

• Between 1967 and 2002, the average number of bills considered by the Governor per year was 1,558.  Since 2003, the average number of bills considered per year dropped to 1,033, a 33 percent decrease. 

• Deukmejian vetoed the most bills (2,298 over eight years).  However, with 1,970 vetoes over his seven years, Schwarzenegger — at 281 — is close to Deukmejian’s average of 287 vetoes a year. 

• Schwarzenegger vetoed over three times as many bills in his seven years (1,970) as Brown did in his first eight years (528), and twice as many as Reagan did in eight years (843). 

• In his five years, Davis vetoed twice as many bills (1,098) as Brown did in eight years (528). 

• In 1982, Brown vetoed just 30 bills, setting the record for the lowest number of vetoes. 

• The five years with the highest number of chaptered bills — bills that became law — were all with Republican governors: 1971, 1984, 1967, 1990 and 1988.

Most Vetoes

436            1990            Deukmejian                                   

414            2008            Schwarzenegger                       

372            1998            Deukmejian                                   

362            2000            Davis                                               

351            1998            Wilson                                               

336            1992            Wilson           

 

Fewest Vetoes

30        1982      Brown

35        1981      Brown

49        1978      Brown

58        2003      Davis

60        1979      Brown

61        1968      Reagan

 

Highest Percent Vetoed                                   

35.17            2008              Schwarzenegger                       

28.77            2010              Schwarzenegger                       

27.00            2009              Schwarzenegger                       

24.91            2000              Davis                                               

24.58            2004              Schwarzenegger                       

24.53            1998              Wilson

 

Lowest Percent Vetoed

1.79            1982              Brown

2.87            1981              Brown

3.31            1978              Brown

3.97            1968              Reagan

4.40            1979              Reagan

4.43            1980              Brown 

 

  (Editor’s Note: This annual update and comparison of guberntorial vetoes and chaptered legislation has been compiled since 1998. It was created by Peter Detwiler, the venerable — and now retired — chief consultant of the Senate Governance & Finance Committee. It continues through the grace and diligence of his friend and fellow committee consultant, Gayle Miller.)  

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