Legislative Inaction on Affordability: A Growing Crisis Ignored

A new report from KCRA reveals a troubling pattern emerging from Sacramento: despite bold declarations that 2024 would be “the year of affordability,” California’s legislative leadership has failed to present any coherent strategy to lower the cost of living for working families, small businesses, or energy consumers.

Among the 697 active bills reviewed by KCRA, fewer than a dozen are specifically aimed at reducing the state’s astronomical costs in areas like housing, utility bills, energy prices, and basic goods. Most proposals remain siloed or symbolic, focusing primarily on housing subsidies or labor enforcement, without offering a unified, effective approach.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire have not introduced an overarching legislative plan to reduce costs for Californians. Instead, their public comments have centered on deflecting criticism and blaming national trends, despite California consistently ranking among the highest-cost states in the nation for fuel, electricity, housing, and transportation.

This lack of leadership raises serious concerns, especially as working Californians face higher prices not only at the pump but also in their monthly energy bills, all of which are exacerbated by state policies that continue to suppress affordable, local sources of energy.