News Summary

California’s lobbying efforts have reached a historic peak in 2024, with over $540 million spent to influence state government, reflecting a more than 10% increase from 2023. Major corporations and interest groups, including tech giants and oil companies, are notably driving this surge. The rise in lobbying expenditure underscores California’s substantial economic impact, with significant spending from organizations like the Western States Petroleum Association and Google, amidst a shifting policy landscape and ongoing corporate interests.

California has reached a new milestone in lobbying efforts, with over $540 million spent on influencing state government in 2024. This figure marks a significant increase of more than 10% from the $485 million reported in 2023, according to recent data filed with the California Secretary of State and reviewed by CalMatters.

The notable rise in lobbying expenditures is driven primarily by major corporations and interest groups, including technology giants like Google, oil companies, and utility firms, particularly during special legislative sessions. These groups are increasingly seeking to sway California’s legislative decisions, reflecting the state’s status as one of the largest economies in the world.

Economics experts highlight that such substantial spending aligns proportionately with California’s economic size, providing context for the escalating figures seen in recent years. As a full-time legislative body, California sees considerable lobbying activity that appears to correlate with rising corporate influence and strategic policy decisions that have national implications.

A closer examination of individual spending reveals the scale of various lobbying efforts. The Western States Petroleum Association, for instance, reported expenditures exceeding $17.3 million in 2024, a staggering increase that more than doubles its lobbying costs from the previous year. More than $10 million of this was allocated specifically to advocacy efforts related to gas price regulations in the summer months.

On the other hand, PacifiCorp emerged as the largest non-oil spender, reporting over $13.4 million in lobbying expenses—30 times its average spending in the past two decades. Pacific Gas & Electric followed closely, having spent nearly $3.6 million, and was successful in influencing approximately two-thirds of the 45 bills it engaged with during the year.

Google has also made headlines with its lobbying approach, spending more in 2024 than in the previous two decades combined. This surge in spending particularly escalated during the third quarter when the company actively lobbied against regulations concerning media and artificial intelligence (AI).

Additionally, Google contributed approximately $7 million to the total spending of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, which reported nearly $7.4 million in overall lobbying costs. This situation underscores the fierce competition and necessity for corporations to guard their interests in an evolving policy landscape.

Labor groups have not been as dominant in lobbying expenditures. The Service Employees International Union and the California Teachers Association are notable exceptions, each investing over $1 million in lobbying activities. The SEIU’s expenditures were close to $3.4 million, while the Teachers Association posted over $3.1 million, both achieving success on roughly 70% of the bills they influenced.

It’s important to note that California law currently does not require full disclosure of which specific offices or staff members meet with lobbyists. This absence of transparency complicates the ability to track lobbying efforts accurately, as organizations often report their expenditures inconsistently and may contribute funding to industry groups, leading to double counting of lobbying costs.

According to the analyses, corporate lobbying efforts during 2024 enjoyed a success rate of about 60%, though this figure may not fully account for initiatives requiring multiple legislative cycles to succeed. Collectively, these insights illustrate the complexities of lobbying and the lengths to which various actors are willing to go to exert influence within California’s legislative framework.

The data used in this analysis primarily comes from quarterly reports filed by organizations to the California Secretary of State, providing a comprehensive look at the lobbying landscape within the state. As lobbying continues to evolve and grow, observers will likely keep a close watch on how these expenditures affect California’s legislative priorities and outcomes moving forward.