NEWS

Democrats Show Consistent Voting Pattern on Bills to Regulate Health Insurance Rate Hikes

Owen Poindexter | June 07, 2011

June 7, 2011 - On June 2, the California Assembly passed AB 52, a bill that would require health insurance companies to seek approval from a state regulatory board before increasing their premiums. Accident & health insurance interest groups, who opposed the bill, gave on average almost three times as much to Democrats who voted 'NO' or did not vote as they gave to Democrats who supported the measure.

The California Legislature considered two bills similar to AB 52 in the 2009-2010 legislative session: AB 1218, which failed passage in the Assembly Health Committee, and AB 2578, which failed passage on the Senate floor. A MapLight analysis reveals that on both bills, there was a similar relationship between the way Democrats voted and how much money they received from Accident & health insurance interests, who opposed both measures. (See related analysis from MapLight on AB 52.)

Assembly votes:

(Based on campaign contributions connected to the Accident & health insurance interest groups: Jan. 1, 2009-Dec. 31, 2010)

AB 1218 - Assembly Committee on Health vote: April 28, 2009

Democrats not voting received $14,440 on average. No Democrats voted against this measure.

Democrats voting 'YES' received $3,814 on average.

AB 2578 - Assembly floor vote: June 2, 2010

Democrats not voting or voting 'NO' received $14,204 on average.

Democrats voting 'YES' received $6,702 on average.

Senate votes:

(Based on campaign contributions connected to the Accident & health insurance interest groups: Jan. 1, 2007-Dec. 31, 2010)

AB 2578 - Senate floor vote: August 31, 2010

Democrats not voting or voting NO received $24,406 on average.

Democrats voting YES received $8,336 on average.

Methodology: A MapLight analysis of contributions to campaigns of legislators in office on day of vote, from Accident & health insurance interest groups, January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2010 for Assemblymembers and January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2010 for senators. Campaign contributions data source: FollowTheMoney.org