Steve Bennett
- Assembly: 2020-present
News coverage of Steve Bennett
Bio
Steve Bennett, 73, is a former high school economics and American history teacher. He also is a former Ventura City Council member and a member of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. Since his election to the Assembly in 2020, he’s been an advocate for reigning in environmentally harmful water use. He’s a graduate of Brown University with a master’s in education from Butler University. For the past 14 years, Bennett and his wife, Leslie, have shared their home with an immigrant family from Mexico.
Ideology
Left
Moderate
Right
Bill Activity
0
Of 36 bills:For this session year, this legislator initiated 36 bills: 4 passed, 13 failed, and 19 are currently pending.
Alignment Meter
See all-time percentage of this legislator’s alignment with any organization based on total votes.
Financials
This feature tracks three sources of money intended to help a candidate win election: 1-Money given directly to a candidate’s committee, 2-Money given to an Independent Expenditure Committee, 3-Money given to a political party. (NOTE: Senators are elected every four years. Twenty of the 40 Senators are on the ballot in even-numbered years, so Senators may do little or no fundraising in the first two-year session of their Senate term).
Election
This display shows money given directly to the incumbent’s campaign committee (NOTE: The industry categories for donors come from Open Secrets, a nonpartisan research organization for campaign finance. Some contributions are “uncoded,” meaning they have not been assigned to an industry sector. As a result, the total for each sector is also an estimate).
Agriculture
Candidate Contributions
Communications & Electronics
Bauwesen
Energy & Natural Resources
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
General Business
Government Agencies/Education/Other
Health
Ideology/Single Issue
Labor
Lawyers & Lobbyists
Party
Transport
Uncoded
Unitemized Contributions
Candidate Donations
Individuals, corporations, organizations and committees are limited to a maximum donation to candidates of $5,500 for the primary and for the general elections.
31.0% lower than the average legislators
Party Committees
This is independent expenditure money spent by political parties for advertising, grassroots mobilization or other activities targeting this candidate. Separately, political parties can give an unlimited amount of money directly to a candidate's campaign committee. Digital Democracy tallies that money under "candidate donations".
74.0% lower than the average legislators
Independent Expenditures
Money from Independent Expenditure Committees (IEC) for advertising or grassroots activity to help a candidate win office is unlimited, but it cannot be spent in coordination with the candidate or the candidate's campaign.
100.0% lower than the average legislators
Grand Total for Elections
48.0% lower than the average legislators
This is a total of the money to help this legislator win office including direct donations to the candidate, money from Independent Expenditure Committees and money from political parties.
Influence
There are three categories of donations to legislators after they are elected that encourage a working relationship between the donor and the legislator. The three categories are: 1-Gifts, 2-Travel, 3-Behests.
Giver | Value | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Low for Assembly 2022 | $193 | Jun 7, 2021 | Food and Beverage |
| Adam Gray for Assembly 2020 | $92 | Feb 1, 2021 | Food and beverage |
| Rendon for Assembly 2022 | $67.8 | Aug 15, 2021 | Jacket |
| Southern California Edison | $60 | Nov 10, 2021 | Food and Beverage |
| California Democratic Party | $57 | May 4, 2021 | Food and beverage |
| Rendon for Assembly 2022 | $35.38 | Dec 22, 2021 | Food and Beverage |
| Rendon for Assembly 2022 | $24.64 | Jan 28, 2021 | Book |
| Evan Low for Assembly 2022 | $12.15 | Jul 14, 2021 | t-shirt |
| Rendon for Assembly 2022 | $7.09 | Jul 7, 2021 | Food and Beverage |
| Rendon for Assembly 2022 | $5.83 | Jun 2, 2021 | Food and Beverage |
Personal Gifts
Legislators are not allowed to accept gifts of more than $10 per month from registered lobbyists. Gifts from any other single source are limited to $590 in a calendar year.
Gift Received Rating
This legislator is ranked 50th highest for the amount of personal gifts received.
Policy
Bills Authored by Steve Bennett
Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Health
Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife
Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services
Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
Committees
Most of the policy work in the state Capitol is done in “Standing” committees. Legislators also work on budget subcommittees. There are also “Special” and “Select” committees with a more narrow topic focus. And there are “Joint” committees with members from the Senate and Assembly.
Interest Group Rankings
Generally Aligned
Hearings
Featured Comments
Below are links to the video and transcript of recent, substantive comments by this legislator in committee hearings or floor sessions.
2MINAB 2313
Farmer Equity Act of 2017: Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Pilot Program.
District
Previous Election:
Party Registration
Key
District
State
Census Data
Median age