For the first time since 1883, Democrats have gained supermajorities in both houses of the California Legislature. Democrats, who now have near-unlimited power, are likely to feel a sense of obligation to repay the unions whose efforts helped them win elections, an expert on state politics said. So what will teachers, rank-and-file state employees and other special interest groups be looking for?

The two largest players in terms of special interest groups are the California Teachers Association and the State Council of the Service Employees International Union, together accounting for over half of labor's total spending, $168 million, according to the California Fair Political Practices Comission.

Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Chevron Corporation rounded out the list of the highest spending 15 special interest groups over the past 10 years. Their combined efforts totaled over $1 billion on California elections. MapLight.org also reported the top senate and assembly recipients funded by interest groups until late May.

Interests groups say it is too early to tell what issues will be reformed, but political analysts speculate that the supermajority will focus on bringing more revenue to schools, equalizing health care and repairing the inequitable taxation system.

"Without specific legislation proposed, I can say that we are hopeful that if additional resources are needed to adequately fund public education and other vital services in California, the state would no longer be held hostage to the minority party," said Frank Wells of the California Teachers Association (CTA).

Dean Vogel, president of the CTA, explained that he does not think a supermajority will help his union enact the type of education reforms Vogel thinks California needs.

"It's going to be a while before we see this supermajority do something," he said. "But I don't think it will move our agenda all that much."

California's public education system is "woefully underfunded," Vogel said, and it's going to take something much bigger than Proposition 30 to provide adequate funding.

Some issues that the CTA desires to reform are, teacher dismissal policies, a weighted student formula, teacher seniority and a reformation of teacher evaluations.

On top of these issues, Vogel stressed that California teachers are looking for some relief. They are dealing with exploding class sizes, the remnants of No Child Left Behind, and the program Race to the Top, pushed by the Obama administration. Vogel said these issues narrowed the curriculum to focus only on subjects addressed on standarized tests.

But Vogel said his union will continue to fight for public education by working with the Legislature to pass bills through. Vogel said that he believes another teacher evaluation bill will be coming back, as the first failed to meet its deadline and died in the Assembly.

"Some kind of substantive change in tax reform is essential," Vogel said. "And everything is so politically charged right now, it's hard to get anything done."

The State Council of the Service Employees International Union said that the plunging wages in the service sector is a huge issue for middle class workers. Immigration reform is also an issue that needs broad reformation, especially in California, said the union. But like the CTA, the union believes that it will take a lot of work and a lot of people to enact such broad changes, and they will continue to push the government over the next few years.

Ed Costantini, professor emeritus of political science at UC Davis, said there are a few scenarios that can take place in terms of interest groups' impact on the supermajority.

"In order to retain their majority position, Democrats need to pay the piper and that's not exclusively the poor and minorities," Costantini said. "One scenario is that Democrats can do what they want for their preferred interests without feeling a need to compromise."

Costantini said an elected legislator is grateful for help from unions and they do not forget where the help came from.

"It's not like [legislators] are going to do things because interests gave them money, interest groups give money because they believe the legislator will do things with it," Costantini said. "It's not like bribery, it's the fact that any legislator knows where his support came from, including financial and mobilization of electorate. And they are bound to feel a sense of gratitude and may repay that."

While Costantini said that it is impossible to predict the role of special interest groups in this Democratic Assembly, he explained that this Legislature will be less experienced than others in the past because of new term limits, so this Assembly may be "particularly available to hearing the thoughts of those [from interest groups] who have expertise on narrow issues."

Special interest groups always play an integral role in the election system. That is just how our country's political system works - money talks. But their impact on legislatures after the election is hard to determine. Costantini suggested they may play a significant role in potential tax increases, specifically in education and health care, but it is difficult to guess what tax increases are on the table.

At the same time, Democratic leaders are assuring that there will not be "imminent tax increases." California Gov. Jerry Brown reiterated this, promising no further tax increases without voter approval.

One thing is certain with a Democratic supermajority; interest groups pushing social issues will be listened to more than business centered interest groups. Democrats favor education and teachers' interests, which reflects the CTA's impressive support during this election. But Democratic leaders say they will not be giving a carte blanche to all their interest groups in order to retain a balance and keep voters at ease.

Though some experts worry that the supermajority could play things too cautiously, waste a valuable opportunity and make no valuable reforms. Again, it is too soon to tell.

The role of interest groups will most likely remain steady but Democrats do not want to lose this unique opportunity by pushing extreme reforms and plan to use their new power responsibly, and that means keeping their interests in check.

Reach Staff Reporter Brianna Sacks here.