SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Assemblyman Anthony Rendon likes to spend his spare time away from the Capitol in Sacramento with his 4-year-old daughter back home near Los Angeles. Last weekend, he took her ice skating and to an indoor playground, then let her get a donut after she agreed to ride her scooter on the way there.

“In an interview outside the state Assembly chambers this week, he mentioned that these are the things that bring joy to his life. He has been a lawmaker there for twelve years.”

Reginald Rendon, a member of the Democratic Party and previously the speaker of the California Assembly for a record amount of time, is currently focused on incorporating happiness into policy development during his final year in office. He initiated a unique initiative, the Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes, which recently conducted its initial public hearing.

Rendon stated that it would be foolish for policymakers to neglect researching methods to increase happiness among individuals.

“If everyone is provided with clothing, shelter, and employment, but are still unhappy, then we have not succeeded in our goals,” he stated. He believes that lawmakers should make happiness a key consideration in their policymaking.

According to a survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California in September 2023, 75% of Californian adults report being either “very happy” or “pretty happy,” while 26% state they are “not too happy.” The study found that individuals between the ages of 18 and 34, renters, those without a post-high school education, and Californians with a yearly household income of $40,000 or less are generally less content compared to other groups.

The state of California is making strides in the United States. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, while at least 12 state legislatures have committees dedicated to mental health and substance abuse, California is the only state with a committee specifically focusing on happiness.

The concept of including happiness in public policy is not new. Bhutan, a landlocked country in South Asia, has made happiness a key objective of its public policy. This is measured through the Gross National Happiness Index, which is written into the country’s constitution. Bhutan surveys its residents on their happiness levels and takes actions to promote happiness, such as offering free healthcare and education, preserving cultural practices, and conserving forests. Phuntsho Norbu, consul general of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United States, explains these efforts.

According to Norbu, the government cannot ensure happiness for every individual, but it should focus on establishing favorable circumstances that enable people to pursue happiness.

The newly formed committee in California was informed by specialists this week about factors that contribute to overall happiness, potential actions that could be taken by government officials, and the potential involvement of state and local government. According to Katie Talbot, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, the committee has not reached a verdict on specific solutions but intends to publish a report with their conclusions after the end of the legislative session in August.

Pilar Schiavo, a member of the Democratic party who represents a section of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, is eager for the committee’s efforts to tackle the issue of inadequate mental health resources for young people in California. She was moved to take action after her 11-year-old daughter expressed concerns about this prevalent issue in her school.

“This is a genuine crisis that we are currently facing,” stated Schiavo. “It is delving deep into the core of what this crisis is truly about.”

According to Meliksah Demir, a happiness expert at California State University, Sacramento, studies have shown that leisure activities, social connections, and life situations all play a role in an individual’s happiness. Demir suggests that government officials can promote happiness by prioritizing mental health services, creating more accessible green spaces, and educating students about the importance of happiness at a young age.

According to him, being happy has numerous advantages, such as increasing the likelihood of people voting, enhancing creativity, and improving overall health.

According to a survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California in September, 33% of adults expressed high levels of job satisfaction, 31% reported being very satisfied with their leisure activities, and 44% were very satisfied with their housing.

The pandemic caused a decrease in happiness among Californians, but Mark Baldassare, the survey director for the group, explains that the reasons for this decline are still being studied by experts.

According to Rendon, California is known for being a leader in areas like climate policy and civil rights, but falls behind other regions in considering happiness as an important factor in policymaking. The establishment of a happiness committee was influenced by an annual report on happiness published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The previous year’s study stated that people’s perception of government effectiveness, such as its ability to generate revenue, provide services, and prevent civil unrest, can impact their happiness. According to the report, the United States ranked 15th in global happiness based on a three-year average from 2020 to 2022. Scandinavian countries, like Finland and Iceland, ranked the highest.

Rendon’s decision to create the happiness committee aligns with his approach to making state policy that focuses on “bigger picture” social issues, longtime labor lobbyist Kristina Bas Hamilton said. People have different perspectives on government involvement in their lives, but the creation of the committee evokes the ultimate purpose of government, she said.

Bas Hamilton stated that it is the responsibility of the government to take care of its citizens and ensure their happiness, which is the ultimate goal of public policy.

___

Austin works for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative as a corps member. Report for America is a non-profit organization that helps place journalists in local newsrooms to cover important but often overlooked topics. You can find Austin on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, using the handle @sophieadanna.