Michael Anthony Gatto OSSML (born October 19, 1974)[2] is an American politician, who served in the California State Assembly from 2010 to 2016.

A member of the Democratic Party, data analyses of the voting records conducted by the Sacramento Bee newspaper concluded that Gatto was one of the most independent state lawmakers.

As an attorney, he worked first at O'Melveny & Myers and later at Mayer Brown; his practice focused on representing small- and medium-sized businesses to resolve issues with the government.

His bill sought to cap the exposure of well-managed cities when less frugal (or corrupt) municipalities offered top officials excessive salaries.

The constitutional amendment mandated that the legislature, during years of strong revenues, follow a strict program limiting expenditures.

Gatto's Rainy Day Fund legislation passed both houses of the legislature and was approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[25] He also authored legislation which would give small businesses a safe harbor for correcting deficiencies in Proposition 65 warnings without being subject to financial penalties and lawsuits, the first substantive Prop.

[30] Gatto also introduced measures to curb child abuse at elementary schools,[31] and to address the problem of sexual assaults on college campuses.

[36] As the end of 2014, Gatto was awarded the Medal of Mkhitar Gosh, "for outstanding state and social-political activities, as well as for significant services in the spheres of diplomacy, law, and political science.

"[40] In December 2015, Gatto was named Chairman of the Utilities and Commerce Committee, and immediately announced an investigation into the Aliso Canyon gas leak.

[41] After a number of scandals rocked the California Public Utilities Commission, Gatto introduced a constitutional amendment to break up the agency.

[42] After his tenure concluded, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon appointed Gatto to the Delta Stewardship Council, an entity that handles water-supply and environmental issues pertaining to rivers.

[47] In 2012, a data analysis conducted by the Sacramento Bee newspaper on voting records concluded that Gatto was the second-most independent democratic legislator in the California State Assembly.

[4] Gatto has been published in several publications on the topic of monetary and fiscal policy, and their effect on income inequality and wealth disparity.

[51] In 2024, Gatto served as spokesman for Proposition 36, which aims to halt fentanyl trafficking and serial retail theft, and increase the ability for judges to get people into rehab.