Three Inland Empire state legislators have ranked highly in a newly released report card on the California Legislature’s 2023-24 session.

State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, R-Redlands, Assemblymember Phillip Chen, R-Brea, and former state Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, have all done well in the Center for Effective Lawmaking’s first-ever State Legislative Score for California.

The center, a joint project of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, awards lawmakers a state legislative effectiveness score (SLES). Lawmakers accumulate points for the quality and quantity of bills introduced, along with how far those bills get in the legislative process. There are 15 ways to earn points, including the significance of policy proposals. In contrast, the Southern California News Group’s analysis in October 2024 looked only at the number of bills introduced and how many were signed into law.

The center also compared legislators to a benchmark score for all members of their respective political parties. Both chambers of the state Legislature are controlled by Democratic supermajorities. Democrats hold 30 out of 40 seats in the state Senate and 60 out of 80 seats in the Assembly.

The center also produces a report card for Congress, which was incorporated into SCNG’s Congressional report card, published in May. And the center produces report cards for state legislatures in Georgia, Illinois, Montana, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

How Inland Empire legislators scored
California State Assembly

Sabrina Cervantes

Cervantes, D-Riverside, now a state senator, represented Grand Terrace, Jurupa Valley and parts of Corona, Eastvale and Riverside.

She ranked 52nd out of 62 Assembly Democrats, according to the center.

During the 2023-24 session, she introduced 31 bills. Ten of her bills later signed into law, although Newsom vetoed four of others.

Among her bills signed into law was Assembly Bill 1807, which established rules for how supervisor district boundaries are redrawn in Riverside County.

Phillip Chen

Chen, R-Brea, represents Brea, Chino Hills, Placentia, Villa Park, Yorba Linda and parts of Anaheim, Chino, Fullerton and Orange.

Chen is the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the Assembly, according to the center.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 50 bills, 14 of them eventually signed into law. Newsom vetoed three others.

Among his bills signed into law was AB 3134, which raises the maximum property tax refund a taxpayer could get on property that declined in value from $5,000 to $10,000.

Bill Essayli

Essayli, R-Corona, formerly represented Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Norco and parts of Corona, Eastvale and Riverside.

The center ranked him 17th out of 18, or second to last among Assembly Republicans.

During the 2023-24 session, he introduced 37 bills, none of which were signed into law. Essayli was the only legislator that session to fail to do get any signed.

Among the bills he introduced was AB 13, which would have repealed existing laws requiring county election offices to mail a ballot to all registered voters and authorizing the offices to conduct an all-mail election.

In April, Trump appointed Essayli the U.S. attorney for Southern California.

Chris Holden

Holden, D-Pasadena, represents Bradbury, Claremont, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Verne, Pasadena, San Dimas, Sierra Madre and parts of Hesperia, Monrovia and Rancho Cucamonga.

The center ranked him 46/62 among Assembly Democrats.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 29 bills and saw 12 signed into law. Newsom vetoed seven others.

One of the bills passed, AB 776, will add highway signs and markers to the 210 Freeway to recognize sites of historical or cultural importance to local Native American tribes.

Corey Jackson

Jackson, D-Moreno Valley, represents Moreno Valley, Perris and parts of Hemet, Riverside and San Jacinto.

The center ranked him 38/62 among Assembly Democrats.

During the 2023-24 session, he introduced 42 bills. Ten were signed into law and Newsom vetoed five others.

Among the bills passed was AB 443, which requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to create a standard definition of “biased conduct” to be used in judging whether police officers have committed serious misconduct.

James Ramos

Ramos, D-San Bernardino, represents parts of Fontana, Highland, Redlands, Rialto and San Bernardino.

The center ranked him 19/62 among Assembly Democrats.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 46 bills and saw 25 signed into law. Newsom vetoed two other bills.

Among Ramos’ bills signed into law was AB 1821, which requires the perspective of Native Americans to be mentioned in secondary school classes that discuss Spanish colonization or the California Gold Rush.

Eloise Gómez Reyes

Reyes, D-Colton, now a state senator, represented Colton, Loma Linda and parts of Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto and San Bernardino.

The center ranked her 25/62 among Assembly Democrats.

During the 2023-24 session, she introduced 40 bills. Sixteen were signed into law. Newsom vetoed three.

Her bills signed into law include AB 2590, which requires the San Bernardino Transportation Authority to get at least three bids on supplies, equipment or materials expenses between $5,000 and $100,000.

Freddie Rodriguez

Rodriguez, D-Chino, represented Montclair, Pomona and parts of Chino, Ontario and Upland. The 2023-24 session was his last, due to term limits on state legislators.

The center ranked him 42/62 among Assembly Democrats.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 37 bills, 12 of which were signed into law. Newsom vetoed four others.

Among Rodriguez’s bills signed into law was AB 750, which prohibits journalists from bringing unauthorized people into disaster areas that are closed to the general public.

Kate Sanchez

Sanchez, R-Rancho Santa Margarita, represents Mission Viejo, Murrieta, Rancho Santa Margarita, Temecula and Wildomar.

The center ranked her 16/18 among Assembly Republicans.

During the 2023-24 session, she introduced 26 bills. Six were signed into law and Newsom vetoed one.

Among the bills she saw signed into law was AB 88, which requires the courts to allow victims of a crime to testify before a resentencing hearing.

Greg Wallis

Wallis, R-Rancho Mirage, represents Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Yucaipa and Yucca Valley as well as parts of Highland, Redlands and San Jacinto.

The center ranked him 14/18 among Assembly Republicans.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 37 bills, five of which were signed into law. Newsom vetoed one of Wallis’ bills.

Wallis’ bills that became law included AB 2111, which prohibits altering a license plate for the purpose of preventing identification.

California State Senate

Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh

Ochoa Bogh, R-Redlands, represents Banning, Beaumont, Crestline, Hemet,  Hesperia, Highland, Lake Arrowhead, Lancaster, Mentone, Palmdale, Phelan, Redlands, Running Springs, San Jacinto, Santa Clarita, Yucaipa, and parts of Loma Linda, Menifee, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino and Wrightwood.

Bogh was the top performing Republican in the state Senate last term, according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

“She introduced 40 bills, 38 of which received action in committee, 37 of which received action beyond committee, 26 of which passed the Senate, and 14 of which became law,” the center’s report reads in part.

During the 2023-24 session, she introduced 40 bills. Fourteen were signed into law and Newsom vetoed one.

Among the bills signed into law was SB 371, which allows nonprofits contracted with a county to remove wild burros onto private lands or public roads and to provide medical care to a seriously ill or injured wild burro.

Josh Newman

Newman, D-Fullerton, represented parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

He was the 10th most-effective Democrat in the state Senate last term, according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

During the 2023-24 session, Newman introduced 30 bills, with 18 signed into law.

Those bills included SB 291, which requires public schools and charter schools to give elementary school students at least 30 minutes of recess time on a regular school day and 15 minutes of recess time on early-release days. School districts are also prohibited from restricting a student’s access to recess unless there is an immediate threat to student safety.

Newman, who was ousted after a surprise loss in 2024 to Steven Choi, announced in April that he’s running for state superintendent of public instruction next year.

Richard Roth

Roth, D-Riverside, represented Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley, Perris, San Jacinto and parts of Corona, Fontana, Menifee and Riverside. The 2023-24 term was his last, due to term limits.

The center ranked him 21/32 among state Senate Democrats.

In the 2023-24 session, he introduced 36 bills and saw 19 signed into law, making him the Inland Empire’s most productive state senator in terms of bills signed.

Among his bills signed into law was SB 902, which prevents anyone convicted of animal cruelty from possessing a firearm for 10 years.

Kelly Seyarto

Seyarto, R-Murrieta, represents Canyon Lake, Chino Hills, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Norco, Temecula, Wildomar and parts of Brea, Corona, Menifee, Riverside, and Yorba Linda.

The center ranked him 2/8 among state Senate Republicans. Seyarto was also highlighted as a “top performing freshman” in the center’s report.

During the 2023-24 session, he introduced 37 bills. Twelve were signed into law.

Among the bills he saw signed into law was SB 19, which establishes a state Fentanyl Misuse and Overdose Prevention Task Force, which will study fentanyl abuse in California and evaluate public education efforts connected to the drug.