Political Road Map: There are more than 15 lobbyists for each lawmaker in Sacramento
Political Road Map: There are more than 15 lobbyists for each lawmaker in Sacramento
By John Myers •Contact Reporter
December 4, 2016
The first week of December after every election sparks a policy and political awakening in California’s state Capitol for the three houses of the legislative branch of government. Yes, three.
Civics books list only the state Senate and Assembly, but then there are the professional lobbyists who cheekily refer to themselves as the “third house.”
For newly elected members of the Legislature, it’s a welcoming party that can be intimidating: the official registry lists 1,871 professional lobbyists, more than 15 for every legislator.
All of that lobbying doesn’t come cheap. State records show $551.9 million in lobbyist expenditures for all but the final two months of the 2015-16 legislative session. Two decades ago, total state government lobbying cost $266.9 million.
More:
http://www.latimes.com/politics/