13 Bills to Make California Work for Everyone
Real bills. Real solutions. From livable wages to clean oceans, from affordable housing to fair taxes — Gregory Burgess drafted legislation for the California State Legislature that tackles the problems families actually face.
Show Your Work — At the State Level
These 13 bills were submitted to the California State Legislature as part of the "There Ought to Be a Law" program and Gregory Burgess's broader An Honest Economy for All platform. Each bill is fiscally solvent, constitutionally sound, and designed with real Californians in mind — from essential workers in Marin to farmworkers in Sonoma to fishers in Humboldt. Every one is voluntary. None add to the deficit.
If you work full time in California, you should be able to pay your rent and feed your family. This bill ties the minimum wage to the actual cost of living in your area, gives small businesses tax credits to help them pay it, protects workers from surprise layoffs, and cracks down on companies that cheat workers out of benefits by calling them "contractors."
Read the Full BillGetting to work shouldn't cost a fortune. This bill makes public transit more affordable across California — with fare-free rides for students and low-income riders, expanded rural routes so small-town residents aren't stranded, and funding for clean zero-emission buses that help our air and our planet.
Read the Full BillRenters deserve a path to owning their home. This bill creates "earned equity" programs where a portion of every rent payment builds toward a down payment, protects tenants from unfair evictions, and pilots community land trusts in neighborhoods like Marin City and the Canal district — so the people who build a community can actually afford to stay in it.
Read the Full BillEssential workers — firefighters, nurses, teachers, farmworkers — shouldn't have to commute two hours to afford a place to live. This bill creates affordable housing near where essential workers are needed, streamlines accessory dwelling units (ADUs), supports adaptive reuse of empty commercial buildings into apartments, and funds it all through a dedicated trust.
Read the Full BillThe big one. This omnibus bill tackles the cost of living from every angle — wages, transit, sales taxes, fuel costs, housing, and utilities — all in one comprehensive package. It combines the best ideas from across the platform into a single, fiscally responsible law that makes California more affordable without raising taxes on working families. Every program is funded through a dedicated trust with built-in caps and sunset provisions.
Read the Full BillSales taxes hit low-income families the hardest. This bill exempts groceries, medicine, diapers, and other essentials from state sales tax, so the things you need to survive aren't taxed like luxury goods. It's simple, it's fair, and it puts money back in the pockets of the families who need it most.
Read the Full BillProperty taxes shouldn't force seniors out of homes they've lived in for decades. This bill — fully compliant with Prop 13 — expands tax postponement for families struggling to keep up, creates a refundable credit when property taxes exceed 3-5% of your income, and boosts the renter's credit from $60 to $500–$1,000. No changes to assessment caps. Just relief for people who need it.
Read the Full BillCalifornians pay some of the highest utility rates in the country — and most people can't even understand their bills. This bill forces utilities to show exactly where your money goes in plain language, strengthens the CARE and FERA discount programs for low-income families, expands LIHEAP energy assistance, and requires the CPUC to put affordability first when approving rate increases.
Read the Full BillGas prices in California are brutal — especially for rural families who have no choice but to drive. This bill provides targeted fuel rebates for low- and middle-income households, expands EV charging infrastructure in underserved and rural areas, and creates a fair transition timeline so nobody is forced to go electric before they can afford to. It bridges the gap between today's gas prices and tomorrow's clean energy future.
Read the Full BillOur coast is in crisis — 95% of bull kelp forests are gone, salmon fisheries have been closed for three straight years, and the ports that feed our communities are crumbling. This bill restores kelp forests, supports commercial fishers during closures, rebuilds working waterfronts in places like Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg, launches regenerative aquaculture, and honors tribal fishing rights and traditional ecological knowledge.
Read the Full BillHealthy soil grows healthy food. This bill helps California farmers transition to organic and regenerative practices with financial support during the 3-year certification period — when costs go up but premium prices haven't kicked in yet. It supports composting, cover cropping, reduced pesticide use, and food security for California communities. It connects the forest-slash-to-compost circular economy with farm soil health.
Read the Full BillNo Californian should go bankrupt because they got sick. This bill creates a Medi-Cal Choice public option for adults who fall through the cracks — too much income for Medi-Cal, too little for the marketplace — and Healthy California Kids universal coverage for every child in the state regardless of family income. Participation is 100% voluntary. Private insurance stays available. It simply gives families one more affordable choice.
Read the Full BillEighty percent of low-income Californians face legal problems — eviction, wage theft, domestic violence, immigration — without a lawyer. This bill gives attorneys a tax credit for providing free legal help to people who can't afford it. It's capped at $75 million statewide, outcome-based so it rewards results, and generates $2–$4 in legal services for every $1 in credits. Justice shouldn't depend on your bank account.
Read the Full BillEvery Bill Meets These Standards
Not talking points — tested principles. Every piece of California legislation in this platform was designed from the ground up to meet all eight standards, verified through constitutional analysis and fiscal scoring.