The Los Angeles Post

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Unveils Gubernatorial Appointments Report: A Call for Transparency and Equity in California’s Leadership

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Sacramento, CA (January 8, 2024) – In an effort to shed light on the demographic landscape of California’s gubernatorial appointments, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) has released the “California Gubernatorial Appointments Report.” This comprehensive analysis, conducted in response to the latest veto of Senate Bill 702, provides crucial insights into the diversity and representation within the Governor’s appointed boards, commissions, agencies, and task forces in 2023.

While the Governor has achieved near gender parity in the appointments made by his office in 2023 and has made strides in appointing more people of color to these important and influential roles, HOPE’s analysis shows that diverse voices remained underrepresented. White Californians continue to hold the plurality of these positions at 52%, while Latinos, Black, AAPI, and Native American Californians collectively make up 39%.

Since 2021, HOPE has championed legislation urging the publication of demographic information on gubernatorial appointees which the Governor’s office currently collects. Despite bipartisan support, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed similar bills three times. In light of the latest veto in October 2023 of Senate Bill 702, HOPE initiated a thorough analysis of publicly available data from January 1 to December 15, 2023, to uncover the true state of diversity in California’s gubernatorial appointments.

“We believe in the power of transparency to drive change. The Gubernatorial Appointments Report is not just a reflection of the current state of affairs; it’s a call to action for equity and inclusivity in California’s leadership. Our mission at HOPE is to ensure that all communities have a voice at decision-making tables. This report is a testament to our commitment to fostering a California for All,” said Helen Torres, CEO of HOPE.

Senator Monique Limón will reintroduce legislation in the form of SB 782 to require the Governor’s office to annually report the aggregate demographic information of individuals appointed by the Governor. The annual requirements for that Gubernational appointments report match the demographic analysis conducted by HOPE in this report.

“Without a public report to evaluate our progress, gaps in representation will continue to exist. This report reiterates the need for self-reported demographic data to be made available to the public. The work to advance transparency must start in-house,” said Senator Monique Limón

Key Findings

The Gubernatorial Appointments Report analyzes 480 appointments made in 2023, revealing a stark underrepresentation of diverse voices in California’s leadership roles. Key findings include:

  • Disparities in racial representation: Notably, White Californians hold the majority of appointments at 52%, while Latinos, Black, AAPI, and Native American Californians collectively make up 39%, with 9% being unknown of unavailable.
  • Gender parity: The gender distribution of gubernatorial appointments indicates that 47% are female, 52% are male, and 1% fall under the category of other/unknown.
  • Intersection of race and gender: Our analysis combines race and gender to reveal where further representation gaps may exist with White men comprising 30%, White women at 22%, Black men at 5%, Black women at 6%, Latino men at 8.5%, Latina women at 9%, AAPI men at 3.5%, AAPI women at 5%, Native American men at 1%, and Native American women at 1%.
  • Geographic representation: The majority of appointees reside in Northern California and the Bay Area (63%), with Los Angeles County at 15%, the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Greater San Diego area all at 5% each, and Orange County and Central Coast at about 3% each.
  • Political Affiliation: The majority of appointments are Democrats (71%), with Republicans at 9%, No Preference at 18%, and Others at 2%.

Call for Transparency

HOPE calls for increased transparency in the Governor’s office by publishing self-reported demographic data, similar to existing practices in the state’s Judicial Council. The report cites successful implementations in other states, such as Illinois, and local governments, including Los Angeles County and Santa Cruz County.

Next Steps

In light of the report’s findings, Senator Monique Limón has reintroduced legislation requiring the annual publication of aggregate demographic information for gubernatorial appointees. HOPE will continue tracking appointments in 2024, emphasizing the need for in-house reporting by the Governor’s office to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Conducting this report would come at nearly no cost to the Administration, given that they already collect this demographic data. This report would also establish a legacy of accountability and transparency for future Administrations and would advance California’s goals of having a government that is representative of the people of our state.