Top 10 California lobbyist employers spent $57 million in 2 years

SACRAMENTO -- California’s 10 biggest-spending special interest groups paid lobbyists about $57 million to lobby the Legislature, the governor’s administration and other state agencies.

The biggest spender during the two-year legislative session that recessed Sept. 30 was the Western States Petroleum Assn. The group, which represents international oil giants and small, independent producers, reported expenses of $8.5 million.

Quiz: How much do you know about California’s economy?

The association lobbies on a variety of bills dealing with proposed taxes on oil production and environmental quality issues, among others, according to reports to the secretary of State’s office between July 1, 2011, and Sept. 30, 2012.

The second-largest lobbyist spender was the California Teachers Assn. at $8 million, followed by another labor group representing government workers, the California State Council of Service Employees with $7.9 million.

The two organizations were involved with dozens of bills dealing with schools, taxes and public employee pensions.

Rounding out the top 10 list are:

California Chamber of Commerce -- $5.7 million

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. -- $5.3 million

Chevron Corp. and subsidiaries -- $4.7 million

California Hospital Assn. -- $4.5 million

City of Vernon -- $4.2 million

California Manufacturers and Technology Assn. -- $4 million

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. -- $3.7 million

ALSO:

Proposition 39 would recoup $1 billion California lost in tax breaks

Governor signs bill to modernize campaign disclosure website

Consumer groups seek veto of Internet phone service bill