Last summer, lobbying efforts cost a record $168 million. Here’s what we know

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Big Tech and Big Oil launched a record-breaking lobbying campaign this summer, with nearly $168 million spent to influence state policymakers in the third quarter of this year alone.

That’s up from the previous quarter last spring, when a new record was set with more than $131 million spent on lobbying by labor unions, companies and nonprofits, according to a CalMatters analysis of data from the California Secretary of State.

Overall spending to lobby state legislators was about $420 million in the first nine months of 2024, compared with $484 million in all of 2023 and $443 million in all of 2022. Both 2023 and 2022 broke records for lobbyist spending.

Google was the single biggest spender in the last quarter; $10.7 millionMost of them purchase advertising through consulting firms. This is the largest quarterly lobbying tab in a decade.

About $10 million of those spending went to two groups — $7 million to the Computer and Communications Industry Association and $2.75 million to the California Taxpayers Union — for public affairs, including coalition building and grassroots campaigns. latest disclosure report. Together, the two associations spent $9.7 million on media consulting and advertising on TV And social media We oppose two bills that would trap some tech companies for millions of dollars a year to fund California journalism. Both bills died in late summer an agreement was reached He’s on a program to help local newsrooms and explore artificial intelligence.

Part of the tech giant’s persuasion wallet has been allocated to fighting a bill that would increase regulation of artificial intelligence, including a bill carried by Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, that would require large-scale manufacturers of artificial intelligence systems to conduct testing. to harm them. The bill was vetoed by Newsom.

Lobbying employers are not required to report how much was spent on lobbying for individual bills, only the quarterly total.

The Western States Petroleum Association, a major oil trade group, ranked No. 2 in terms of amount of money spent last summer, with $10.1 million in spending; this is also the second-highest amount spent by an organization in any quarter in the last decade. The industry association is one of the most prolific lobby groups, having been among the top five spenders for the past seven quarters, spending more than $131 million over the past 20 years.

By comparison, the next big spender by a non-oil-related organization during this period is the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, a labor union made up of public and private employees. SEIU has reported lobbying expenditures of approximately $82 million since 2005.

The oil and gas industry had a lot to lobby for in the last quarter, both during the regular legislative session and in a parliamentary hearing. special session Newsom’s call focused on gas prices. The organization’s most recent statement said it lobbied on 25 bills during the regular session, including a proposed constitutional amendment that would ensure Californians’ rights to clean air and water and a healthy environment. special session legislation This requires oil refineries to hold more inventory and was ultimately signed into law by Newsom. The association also said it is trying to persuade a number of executive bodies, governorships and the Energy Commission.