Resolution on political group

Summary#

SR-138, “Relative to the Democratic Socialists of America,” is a California Senate resolution, not a bill that creates or amends a law. Its stated goal is to oppose the Democratic Socialists of America’s policy platform and reaffirm the Senate’s support for housing supply, public safety, free enterprise, and other listed priorities.

  • The Senate would formally express disagreement with the DSA platform. Claims in the resolution about that platform are the Senate’s characterizations, not new legal findings.
  • The Senate would reaffirm its support for listed policy goals, including more housing, economic growth, effective law enforcement, and protection of private property rights.
  • The Senate Secretary must send copies of the resolution to its author for distribution.
  • The resolution creates no new program, benefit, tax, fee, fine, or enforcement power. It does not require governments or businesses to change their policies.
  • The resolution has been introduced and referred to committee. It is not yet adopted; whether it will pass is uncertain.

What it means for you#

  • Californians: The resolution would state the Senate’s position, but it would not directly change your rights, services, taxes, housing rules, or public safety policies.
  • The Senate Secretary: If adopted, the Secretary must send copies to the author for distribution. The resolution does not specify who must receive them or how distribution should happen.
  • State agencies, businesses, and local governments: The resolution does not direct them to take action.

Money#

No cost information is in the available material.

  • The resolution contains no appropriation or estimate for sending copies.
  • It does not impose a fee, tax, fine, or other payment.

What is unclear#

  • Whether the Senate will adopt the resolution is not known.
  • “Appropriate distribution” is not explained: the text does not name recipients or set a method or timeline.
  • The resolution lists broad policy goals but does not define how to measure or carry them out. It creates no requirement to do so.
  • The supplied material does not include evidence supporting the resolution’s claims about the DSA platform or the effects of its proposals.

Case for#

  • A possible argument for the resolution is that the Senate can state its policy priorities and its disagreement with proposals it believes would threaten private property, economic growth, or public safety.
  • The resolution names the outcomes it says it values, including more housing, affordable living costs, public safety, and constitutional liberties.
  • It calls for measurable results, which could be seen as a useful standard for judging public policy.

Case against#

  • The resolution states broad claims about the DSA and the effects of its proposals, but the supplied material does not provide evidence to assess those claims.
  • It does not set out actions to achieve its stated goals, so it is unclear how the resolution would affect housing costs, public safety, or other conditions.
  • A possible trade-off is that the resolution takes a firm position on an organization’s platform without defining which specific proposals it is addressing.