California Lawmakers Receive Over $1 Million in Gifts, Sponsored Trips in 2024

In 2024, California legislators received nearly $250,000 in gifts and were taken on trips costing over $820,000 by nearly 100 special interest groups, a decrease from 2023's $330,000 in gifts and $1.1 million in travel. The California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE) was the largest sponsor, spending nearly $260,000 to take 42 legislators on domestic and international trips to locations including the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Taiwan. These trips, often called "study tours," provide lawmakers with educational experiences on topics like climate change, electric vehicles, and disaster preparedness, and allow special access to lobbyists and other guests. Assemblymember Damon Connolly took the most trips, eight totaling $27,000, primarily sponsored by CFEE. Other notable sponsors included the Independent Voter Project and Jewish organizations, which paid for trips to Maui, Mexico, and Israel, respectively. Transparency tools created by CalMatters allow the public to explore disclosures of gifts, assets, and travel by California lawmakers, highlighting ongoing concerns about the influence of special interests on the legislature.