Digital Democracy (CalMatters)

https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org

Digital Democracy is a CalMatters portal with information about every legislator in the California State Senate and Assembly. It also includes an AI support tool that suggests article ideas for reporters. The core dataset includes:

Transcripts: Every word uttered in a public hearing or floor session is captured in the database.

• This data is often available on Digital Democracy within 48 hours of a hearing. 

• By April 2024, the archive of transcripts will span from January 2023 to present. 

• Bill information: The database includes the text of every bill, amendments, bill analysis, vote, supporters and opponents.

  • This data is available within hours or days of when a bill is introduced or amended and as it proceeds through committee and floor votes

  • Digital Democracy includes this bill information since 2013

• Financial information including campaign donations, independent expenditures, political party spending, gifts, travel and behests.

  • Data for campaign donations, independent expenditures and political party spending cover the period from 2013 to 2023 with periodic updates from Open Secrets.

  • Data for gifts to legislators and sponsored travel is filed annually to the Fair Political Practices Commission. Digital Democracy contains this data since 2022.

  • Behests, or payments made to third parties at the request of a legislator, is required to be posted within a month of the payment. The Digital Democracy database is updated daily with a record of payments to 2013. 

• District data including voter registration, election results and demographics.

  • Data about voter registration is provided by the California Secretary of State. Digital Democracy includes data from 2022.

  • Election results are updated after each election.

  • Demographic data is drawn from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The Digital Democracy data is from 2022.