California State Assemblymember Damon Connolly authored 11 bills that became law last year. Representing District 12, which includes Marin County and part of Sonoma County, he hit the ground running in 2025 and never stopped.
Let’s do the numbers. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 476 bills into law that were authored by assemblymembers. With 80 members in the State Assembly, that equates to an average of just under six bills per elected official.
Connolly, who is in the middle of his second two-year term, far surpassed the average. In fact, he came close to doubling it. And he has five bills from last year that are still alive and must be acted on, one way or the other, by the end of this month.
“We had a strong session,” Connolly said. “We were able to get 12 bills to the governor’s desk, 11 of which were signed. That’s a very effective showing, particularly because most of the legislation is tied to our district and provides solutions for people who live in our district.”
The issues addressed by Connolly’s 11 bills run the gamut. From wildfire insurance reform to protecting affordable housing, he has championed a variety of causes important not only to his constituents but also to residents throughout the state.
Assembly Bill 1, the first introduced in the 2025 session, was authored by Connolly and co-sponsored by the state insurance commissioner. The bill, receiving bipartisan support and signed into law, reforms wildfire insurance by extending discounts to homeowners who make their homes more fire resistant.
“Too many people are losing their home insurance over wildfire coverage or getting priced out of the market,” Connolly said.
Wildfire safety remained top of mind for the assembly member when he authored AB 1177, which was also signed into law last year. It improves Cal FIRE staffing, helping to protect all Californians.
With climate change increasing the threat of wildfires in California and home insurance rates skyrocketing, these two new laws provide some much-needed relief.
Long an advocate for mobile home park residents since his days on the San Rafael City Council and Marin County Board of Supervisors, Connolly continues fighting for them as an assembly member. While many mobile home park residents own their homes, they rent their lots from park owners. Sometimes interests diverge, creating problems for mobile homeowners who need affordable housing.
“It became very evident early on that many of the mobile home parks I represent are having significant issues, particularly with corporate mobile home park owners,” Connolly said. “So, we’ve dug in with residents in Petaluma and worked with Sonoma County Legal Aid to better understand those issues and then have brought forth three bills that have all been signed.”
Two of those bills were introduced in 2025. AB 456 streamlined the sales process for mobile homeowners to guarantee that transactions are completed in a timely manner without interference. The second bill, AB 806, prohibits mobile home park owners from penalizing residents for installing cooling systems in their homes.
During Connolly’s first year in the Assembly, he introduced AB 319, which was signed into law in 2023. It prevents mobile home park inspectors from having an economic interest in the parks that they’re in charge of inspecting.
“I remain committed to ensuring mobile home park residents receive transparency and fair treatment,” Connolly said. “I have been surprised at the level of opposition I’ve received to what I view as pretty basic issues, but we’ll continue to work through those.”
The assembly member also protected affordable housing with AB 754, signed by the governor in 2025. It provides a safe port for floating homeowners, like those in Sausalito, who rent spaces from marinas. Under the new law, marinas will offer leases for a minimum of 10 years, with annual rate hikes tied to the Consumer Price Index and capped at 7.5%.
Wildlife, too, has benefited from Connolly’s bills. In 2024, AB 2196 was signed into law, codifying beaver habitat restoration policy in California. AB 14, signed into law last year, extends programs that protect whales off of the coast and addresses air pollution issues.
Ideas for bills come to Connolly from different sources, although he says they primarily originate from listening to constituents. Right now, he’s running his popular “There Ought to be a Law” contest, asking residents to submit suggestions for legislation. Advocacy groups also bring recommendations to the assembly member. And he hosts his staff at an annual retreat to brainstorm about potential bills, which are then vetted by his research team.
Constituents also contribute in other ways. Connolly appreciates it when people from his district make the trek to Sacramento to advocate for something they care deeply about. The local perspective makes a difference in getting a measure through the legislative process, he said.
In addition to introducing bills and shepherding them to the governor’s desk, Connolly plays another important role by bringing state funding allocations to the region or district. The assembly member, who supported Proposition 4—a climate bond for $450 million—now sits on the budget subcommittee that allocates those funds statewide.
“It’s important to continue to advocate for our region to make sure that money is getting back from those bond funds,” Connolly said. “This year, I was able to help secure, along with my Northern California colleagues, $33.5 million [from the climate bond fund] for the State Coastal Conservancy, which represents the North Bay and North Coast.”
Now in his fourth year as an assembly member, Connolly aspires to broaden his advocacy to a larger region. In April, he joined the race for California State Sen. Mike McGuire’s seat. McGuire has reached his term limit and is running for the U.S. House of Representatives.
For Connolly, the decision to run boiled down to the seven-county Senate district needing effective leadership, especially with the challenges presented by the current federal administration.
“In terms of what issues are front and center in this campaign, not surprisingly, wildfire insurance impacts the district from one end to the other,” Connolly explained.
Affordability, including utility rates, and health care access, especially for rural communities, rank among the top priorities, as does increasing housing opportunities. Connolly has put together his “seven-county pledge” to highlight the important issues he wants to tackle in each area of Senate District 2.
Currently, he has no opponent for the primary election, although a candidate can still file through March 6. It’s likely that he will go on to face a Republican challenger in the Nov. 3 general election.Connolly says that he wants to continue serving because he’s constantly reminded of the best part of the job: rewarding work.
“For me, it’s a chance to meet and work with so many amazing individuals and groups from my community and bring real change and benefits to the people who call the North Bay their home,” Connolly said.
