Earlier this month, the Senate Office of Research (SOR) released its annual publication titled “How Often Do Governors Say No?”  Each year, the SOR provides a veto scorecard, whereby it tallies how often a California Governor disapproves measures.  Of the last five Governors, three vetoed the most bills of their tenures, both by percentage and absolute number, in their final year in office (Brown in 2018, Wilson in 1998, and Deukmejian in 1990). 

This year, Governor Brown considered 1,217 bills, the highest number of bills in his third and fourth terms as Governor (1,074 bills in 2014 and 1,059 in 2016).  Of the bills considered, Governor Brown vetoed 16.5 percent of bills, his highest veto percentage as Governor (15 percent in 2016 and14.4 percent in 2011).

On average, Governor Brown’s veto rate (13.5 percent) during his last two terms (2011–18) is nearly triple his average veto rate during his first two terms (4.6 percent).  During his 16 years as Governor, Governor Brown has vetoed 8.4 percent of the 19,436 bills he has considered.

The SOR’s publication can be accessed here