ICYMI: 10 ways California leads the nation

Golden economy

California is home to the most Fortune 500 companies – beating out Texas, Florida, and all other states. Travel spending reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion. Plus, leading the next generation, California is home to 35 of the world’s 50 leading AI companies, high-impact research and education institutions, and a quarter of the technology’s patents and conference papers. Additionally, California has one of the most equitable tax systems in the entire country, and is #1 in the nation for new business starts, #1 for access to venture capital funding, #1 for manufacturing, #1 for high-tech, and #1 for agriculture.

Reproductive freedom

Since Roe v Wade was overturned by Republican-appointed Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, Governor Newsom has signed more than 25 bills protecting and expanding access to reproductive freedom, invested more than $200 million to support patients and providers, and led the effort to pass (overwhelmingly) a state constitutional amendment protecting reproductive freedom – including abortion, contraception, and IVF. Learn more at abortion.ca.gov.

Gun safety

California is ranked as the #1 state in the nation for the strength of its gun safety laws — along with some of the lowest rates of gun deaths and gun ownership — by Giffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety. In fact, If the firearm mortality rate in the rest of the United States had matched California’s between 2013-2022, there would have been nearly 140,000 fewer firearm-related deaths nationwide in that decade alone. 

Feeding kids

Taking advantage of a federal program – SUN Bucks – already helping 3.2 million kids and students who would not normally receive meals during the summer time. This comes as more than 13 Republican Governors rejected this opportunity. 

Health care access

California has expanded access to low-cost, high-quality health care for all lower-income California residents – regardless of age or immigration status – recognizing that providing preventative and continuous health care is more cost efficient, leading to Californians having among the highest life expectancies in the nation.

Climate action

California is investing $45 billion to tackle the climate crisis and better prepare California for a more extreme future. The state is already seeing these investments payoff – earlier this year clean electricity production  exceeded California’s electricity demand during 91 of 102 days (as of June 16) – and has 10,000 megawatts of battery energy storage capacity online to enhance grid reliability. Learn more about California’s nation-leading climate action here.

Higher education institutions

California is home to 3 of the top universities in the world – Stanford, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles. When it comes to enhancing students’ social mobility, California is home to 12 of the top 20 universities – including the top 2 and 4 of the top 5: California State University Los Angeles (1), University of California Merced (2), Fresno Pacific University (4), and California State University – Northridge (5).

Research and development

The University of California system is the highest ranking research institution when it comes to the most number of patents earned in the world.

Belonging and unity

California continues to lead the nation in celebrating people for who they are – being a sanctuary for people seeking gender-affirming care, reproductive health care, and seeking to enshrine LGBTQ+ equality in the state’s constitution this November. Earlier this year, Governor Newsom released the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism to address increasing attacks on California’s Jewish communities, and wrote a letter to California’s Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American communities. And the state launched CA vs Hate initiative to help individuals and communities targeted by hate. 

Transportation

California is working on the nation’s first high-speed rail system, which recently cleared its final regulatory hurdle. This critical mode of transportation will connect Los Angeles and San Francisco with plans to connect further to the south to San Diego and through the central valley up to Sacramento. The Golden State is full steam ahead!