{"id":2369,"date":"2025-05-15T11:46:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T18:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/?post_type=article&p=2369"},"modified":"2025-07-29T09:57:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T16:57:27","slug":"our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/articles\/our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Our 2025 Legislative Priorities \u2013 Strengthening California\u2019s Democracy"},"template":"","class_list":["post-2369","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-blog-post"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"","featured_image":22517,"article_type":183,"authors":"","related_issues":[429],"related_work":false,"location":null},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Our 2025 Legislative Priorities \u2013 Strengthening California\u2019s Democracy <\/strong><\/h4>\r\nWhile the new presidential administration dangerously hacks away at institutions of our federal government, we\u2019re helping California pave a different path. The 2025 legislative session is underway, and we\u2019re working to strengthen all aspects of our democracy from within our state. No matter who is in charge at the federal level, we\u2019re ensuring that all Californians will have a healthy, inclusive, and thriving democracy for generations to come.\r\n
SB 42: The California Fair Elections Act<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\r\nPublic financing of campaigns is the best way to empower voters, increase the diversity of candidates running for office, and give voters confidence that big money can\u2019t just buy our elections.\r\n\r\nFive California charter cities currently provide public financing matching funds or \u201cdemocracy vouchers\u201d to help voters support qualified candidates of their choice, but state law currently bans counties, districts, general law cities, and the State from offering public funds for campaigns. SB 42 would put a measure on the November 2026 ballot to remove this ban.\r\n\r\nVoters across the political spectrum know that the crushing expense of campaigning can prevent great candidates from getting elected. This bill empowers candidates from all walks of life to compete for public office without having to rely on wealthy donors.\r\n
SB 266: Expanding language access in elections<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\r\nSB 266 would bring translated votable ballots\u2014not just sample ones\u2014to more California voters, including more of the most popular languages spoken in the state.\r\n\r\nEvery vote matters, and ensuring voters can cast an informed ballot means protecting their right to representation. SB 266 ensures that more voters, regardless of their language skills, can fully understand their choices, hold their leaders accountable, and have a say in the decisions that shape their lives and communities.\r\n
AB 611: Keep News Independent Act<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\r\nThe Keep News Independent Act is about putting communities, not corporations, in control of their local news.\r\n\r\nAB 611 would require advance notice and transparency when a local newspaper is being sold to a non-independent buyer, giving journalists and community-based organizations a chance to step in and preserve independent journalism. It aims to slow the wave of media consolidation that\u2019s threatening California\u2019s information ecosystem and how everyday people get information about what is happening in their neighborhoods and communities.\r\n\r\nAt its core, this is all about giving communities a fighting chance to protect something fundamental to our democracy \u2014 trusted, local journalism. When hedge funds quietly acquire local newspapers and gut their newsrooms, the public loses access to information that helps them vote, advocate, and hold power accountable.\r\n
AB 868: Ensuring better representation in local elections<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\r\nToo often, important local offices that impact our day-to-day lives are determined by the smallest number of voters in primary elections. AB 868, a two-year bill, helps ensure more voices are heard by requiring elections for county offices be decided in general elections, when most voters participate. This leads to better representation and county offices that reflect the communities they are intended to serve.\r\n\r\nTo stay updated on our work this legislative session, sign up for our email list<\/strong><\/a>."}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_add_component","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_add_component":null},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_work","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_work":{"heading":"Work","manually_curate":false,"work":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_related_articles","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_related_articles":{"heading":"Updates","button_text":"See all Related Articles","manually_curate":false,"articles":null}}]},"yoast_head":"\nOur 2025 Legislative Priorities \u2013 Strengthening California\u2019s Democracy - Common Cause California<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/articles\/our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Our 2025 Legislative Priorities \u2013 Strengthening California\u2019s Democracy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/articles\/our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Common Cause California\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-29T16:57:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/common-cause-share-image.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/articles\/our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/california\/articles\/our-2025-legislative-priorities-strengthening-californias-democracy\/\",\"name\":\"Our 2025 Legislative Priorities \u2013 Strengthening California\u2019s Democracy - 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