The California Family Alliance has just released its 2024 Scorecards for California State Legislators, showcasing where each member of the Assembly and Senate stands on issues of critical importance to biblical values. This year’s scores were determined based on how each legislator voted on 22 key bills that align with the principles of life, family, and liberty. Legislators who voted in accordance with California Family Alliance’s (CFA) biblical convictions received higher grades, while those who voted otherwise or missed votes were marked down. (CFA is a 501c4 organization connected with the California Family Council)
The bills used to grade California legislators in the 2024 Scorecards covered a wide range of issues that reflect biblical values, focusing particularly on the sanctity of life, the preservation of family, and the protection of religious liberty. Some bills centered around abortion, such as those that would allow out-of-state doctors to perform abortions in California or expand access to abortion services in emergency departments. Others aimed to restrict the ability of communities to block the opening of new abortion clinics.
In addition to life issues, the scorecards also graded legislators on bills related to education, where some sought to limit parental rights by allowing schools to withhold information about a student’s gender transition. There were also bills that would make sexual content more accessible to minors in public libraries and require public schools to provide condoms to high school and even middle school students. Other bills focused on LGBTQ issues, such as those requiring implicit bias training for maternity care providers or mandating the collection of demographic data on sexual orientation and gender identity by health departments.
Highlights from the Scorecards:
- Top-Performing Legislators: Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher and Assemblyman Jim Patterson scored at the top with 91%, reflecting consistent support for biblical principles in their voting records. Senators Brian Dahle, Shannon Grove, Janet Nguyen, Kelly Seyarto, and Brian Jones also stood out, with scores around 88%.
- Lower Scoring Legislators: On the other end of the spectrum, many legislators who routinely voted against what CFC considers biblical positions scored below 30%. For example, Assembly members such as Corey Jackson, Alex Lee and former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon scored 18%. These scores reflect a consistent opposition to policies that protect life, family, and religious freedom.
- Absentee Impact: Legislators who chose not to vote or were absent on key bills saw their scores drop slightly. This policy ensures that accountability is maintained, emphasizing the importance of participation in these critical issues.
- Lowest-Graded Republicans: Assembly members Juan Alanis (50%) and Greg Wallis (41%) received the lowest scores among Republicans. These scores suggest some deviations within their party concerning issues prioritized by the California Family Alliance.
- Highest-Graded Democrats: The top scores among Democrats were Assembly members Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Liz Ortega, both at 39%. Despite being the highest within their party, these scores still reflect a lack of alignment with biblical values compared to their Republican counterparts.
- Significant Party Contrast: Overall, Republicans received higher scores, generally over 70%, indicating a stronger alignment with biblical values. In contrast, Democrats predominantly scored below 30%, highlighting a substantial ideological divide between the two parties on issues like abortion, parental rights, and religious freedom.
Why These Scores Matter
The scores serve as a guide for constituents who want to support legislators committed to protecting religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and the traditional family structure. By evaluating legislators based on their adherence to biblical principles, California Family Alliance aims to inform and empower voters to make decisions that will help shape a California that honors God’s design for society.
For a full breakdown of the scores for each Assembly member and Senator, you can access the individual scorecards for the Senate and the Assembly here. By providing these insights, California Family Alliance encourages voters to engage with their representatives and advocate for policies aligned with biblical values.
