The California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) has just issued a Legislative Scorecard ranking California Assemblymembers on a spreadsheet and State Senators on another spreadsheet based on 17 bills the organization took a position on in 2007 and on which there were floor votes.

These scorecards demonstrate the vast divide between the Democratic and Republican legislators we send to Sacramento. On a scale of 100% indicating agreement with what they define as “a vote in the public interest” to 0% representing votes against the public interest or not voting at all despite being present, only in the Senate is there one instance where Democrats did not line up at the upper end and Republicans at the lower end. Both Senator Mike Machado, a Democrat, and Senator Abel Maldonado, received a 50% score—the highest for a Republican and lowest for a Democrat.

This is the mission statement of CalPIRG:

“When corporate wrongdoing threatens our health or our safety, or violates fundamental principles of fairness and justice, CALPIRG stands up for the public. We conduct investigative research. We publish consumer reports and exposes. We advocate new laws and other protections at the local, state and federal levels. And when necessary, we take corporate wrongdoers to court. Our results-oriented approach has won victories for Californians on a wide range of issues, including healthcare reform, prescription drug pricing, consumer privacy and product safety.”

In the Assembly, Democrats scored from a high of 93% to a low of 53%. Republicans scored between 7% and 40%.

Those receiving an A grade of 90% and above in the Assembly include 11 of the 48 Democrats in that body: Jim Beall, Mark DeSaulnier, Mike Feuer, Mary Hayashi, Jared Huffman, Dave Jones, John Laird, Mark Leno, Gene Mullin, Ira Ruskin, and Sandre Swanson. The lowest rated Democrat in the Assembly was Nicole Parra with a 53% rating.

The highest ranking Republicans in the Assembly at 40% wee Sam Blakeslee, and Bonnie Garcia. Republican Assemblymember Roger Niello has the lowest rating of 7% and was followed by 5 Republican Assemblymembers at 13%.

In the Senate, those receiving A grades of 90% and above included, 14 of 25 Democratic Senators in that body, Elaine Alquist, Gilbert Cedillo, Ellen Corbett, Denise Ducheny, Dean Florez, Christine Kehoe, Alan Lowenthal, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Jenny Oropeza, Alex Padilla, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Gloria Romero, Jack Scott, and Darrell Steinberg.

Republican Senator Bob Dutton has the distinction of receiving a 0% rating, followed by Dick Ackerman, Tom Harman, and George Runner, all Republicans at 8%.

The average score in the Senate was 61% and the average Assembly score was 59%.

"With so many powerful special interests lobbying in Sacramento, CALPIRG is a voice for the public on issues including health care and prescription drug reforms, consumer protections, efficient, clean transportation, and good government. We applaud and thank the twenty-six legislators who received an "A", because they consistently put the public interest ahead of special interests," said Pedro Morillas CALPIRG Legislative Advocate.

The scorecards enable California voters to learn more about their elected officials' voting records, giving them the information needed to praise or criticize their actions from the previous year.

Among the legislation included were bills to reform California's health insurance system (AB 8, SB 840), reduce risks for patients taking prescription drugs (SB 606, SB 472), and provide new consumer protections in the marketplace (AB 1673, SB 250). Additionally, CALPIRG scored two budget trailer bills, one which significantly cut public transit funding (SB 79) and another that, if passed, would have enacted new corporate tax breaks (SB 98). A complete list of the bills with a description is at the end of the Senate spreadsheet.