Legislators’ year: McNerney, Bauer-Kahan reflect on successful bills, and those vetoed, during busy 2025

Tri-Valley state legislators came out mostly ahead during the trick-or-treat period in Sacramento.

When the dust settled upon the Oct. 13 deadline for California Gov. Gavin Newsom to confirm or deny bills passed by the State Legislature, Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) and Asm. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) each celebrated six signatures and lamented multiple vetoes on legislation they introduced. 

McNerney, the former U.S. congressman winding down his first year in the State Senate, considers 2025 “very productive” with 10 original bills passed by both houses and a half-dozen inked by the governor. 

“My 2025 legislative package was designed to help make California and our Senate district more affordable, expand water recycling, create clean energy jobs, and ensure that artificial intelligence is safe and beneficial,” McNerney told me by email Tuesday. “I was also proud to secure $10 million in funding for the Valley Link rail project’s first phase, connecting Livermore to Dublin-Pleasanton BART.”

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