CLCV 2007 Environmental Scorecard for Schwarzenegger & Legislature Finds Heroes, Villains and Freshmen Hopefuls

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• Schwarzenegger Scores Highest Rating of his Governorship – 63%
• Senate Republicans’ average 9% while Senate Democrats averaged 89%
• Assembly Democrats averaged 94% in stark contrast to Assembly Republicans at 5%

By Susan Smartt
Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters

As the Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) – the political arm of the environmental movement in America’s leading environmental state – I am happy to announce the release of its annual California Environmental Scorecard today, revealing highlights of the 2007 legislative session. Governor Schwarzenegger’s 63% represents the highest score of his tenure, and Assembly Democrats led the pack with 29 members earning perfect 100% scores. In a year when global warming was on everyone’s mind, the legislature approved several alternative energy measures but left the two most important greenhouse gas emission bills – SB 375 and SB 974 –to be decided in 2008.

It was business as usual along party lines. Despite strong bi-partisan support for environmental protection by the voters, Republicans aren’t following suit. Senate Republicans’ average score was 9% while Senate Democrats averaged 89% and Assembly Democrats averaged 94% in stark contrast to Assembly Republicans at 5%.

Breaking from the pack, Senator Abel Maldonado (San Luis Obispo) distinguished himself by supporting nine of CLCV’s priority bills and earning the highest Republican score in the legislature at 43%, over four times the average for Republican Senators. “Senator Maldonado courageously split from his caucus to cast deciding votes to ban toxins in toys and support funding for alternative fuels,” said Susan Smartt, Executive Director of CLCV. “His decisive action made it possible for those bills to make it onto the Governor’s desk, and into law.”

Bolstered by an extraordinary freshman class of legislators, Assembly Democrats averaged an impressive 94%, the highest of any such group. Eleven of the 25 first-year Democrats scored a perfect 100%. Several carried impressive packages of environmental bills, notably Jared Huffman (San Rafael), Mark DeSaulnier (Martinez) and Mike Feuer (Los Angeles). This is CLCV’s ‘Cycle of Accountability’ in action: We worked to elect these legislators last year, and they are already distinguishing themselves as environmental leaders this year. We believe California has every reason to expect great accomplishments from them in the years to come.