Senate Bill 702 (Limón): Transparency in Boards and Commissions
Our work to Ensure Transparency in Boards and Commissions
Since 2021, HOPE has partnered with Senator Monique Limón and sponsored legislation to require demographic reporting on Gubernatorial appointments. Previous iterations have passed through the Legislature but have unfortunately been vetoed.
Despite being a caucus priority for the Latino, LGBTQ+, AAPI and Women’s legislative caucuses and receiving bipartisan support in the Legislature, Governor Newsom once again vetoed last year’s iteration of the bill: SB 782. In his veto message, Governor Newsom finally acknowledged the public value of demographic reporting and committed to supporting legislation the following year if that legislation included the same transparency requirements for appointments made by both the Administration and the Legislature.
As a result, HOPE has once again partnered with Senator Limon to champion SB 702, this time, requiring reporting of all statewide appointing bodies. We look forward to working with closely with the Legislature and the Governor to get this critical legislation across the finish line and signed into law this year!
SB 702 (Limón)
California Gubernatorial Appointments Report
In an effort to shed light on the demographic landscape of California’s gubernatorial appointments, HOPE’s comprehensive analysis provides crucial insights into the diversity and representation within the Governor’s appointed boards, commissions, and task forces in 2023. While the Governor achieved near gender parity in the appointments made by his office in 2023, our analysis shows that diverse voices remained underrepresented, particularly Latino and AAPI Californians. White Californians continued to hold the plurality of these positions at 52%, while Latinos, Black, AAPI, and Native American individuals make up 39% combined.
Words of Support
“To ensure California’s leadership reflects its greater population, the collection of gubernatorial appointee demographic data is a critical step to achieving gender, racial, and ethnic equity on boards and commissions. The annual report will serve as a tool to shed light where gaps in representation exist, encourage outreach to communities of interest, and address any barriers. Increasing the diversity of California’s board and commission members will ensure we reflect the rich diversity of California’s population, creating a stronger state, and more equitable communities.”
“CAUSE’s partnership with HOPE has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of our diverse communities. Since the beginning of 2020, our joint efforts have highlighted the priorities and perspectives of Californians through the California Community Poll and have revealed the shared values that unite us. This collaboration has paved the way for new strategies to advance the rights of our communities, and we are proud to be members of the California Like Me Coalition in support of SB 782, to ensure our leadership truly reflects the people of California.”
“It isn’t just important that we know if Black, Brown, API, or other communities are appropriately represented in gubernatorial appointments; it’s essential. At the moment, there’s no way to know. That has got to change if we are to live up to our reputation as a bastion of progressive policies. This one should be low-hanging fruit.”
“Our democracy and our governance is more impactful when it reflects our communities. Currently, there’s no way for the public to see if they are represented in gubernatorial appointments. Accurate data plays a critical role in comprehending our current situation and evaluating our progress toward a more equitable society.”
“SB 782 is a vital step toward equitable representation within our state’s leadership. By requiring the Governor’s office to annually report demographic information on gubernatorial appointees, we can accurately assess and address gaps in representation. This is especially critical for the AAPI community, which is often viewed as just one singular group, despite its rich diversity. This legislation ensures the voices of all our communities are heard and represented.”
“As one of the most diverse states in the country, it is important that California’s diversity is reflected at all levels of our government. I applaud Senator Limón for leading this effort to better examine diversity in leadership.”
We're All for Greater Demographic Transparency in CA Leadership!
