By Jordan Gerard | State Affairs
If filing bills were a competition, Senate Republicans would take gold, but winning silver may say more about the state of the Legislature than it does about their Democratic opposition.
Just two Senate Democrat bills have been pre-filed as of Friday, Jan. 2, and both are by Sen. Catherine Miranda. Meanwhile, Republicans have thrown just about everything at the wall — from appropriations bills to bicycle speed limits and a study on Trump Derangement Syndrome — to see what sticks.
Last session, Democrats passed just 10 bills out of the Legislature, seven from the House and three from the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan said Democrats noticed that fewer measures from their boards get heard in committees, so they’ve chosen a new approach for 2026 — prioritization.
And their two main priorities? The cost of living and affordability.
