Image by Andrii Yalanskyi. We’ve all heard the expression “The rules are the rules.” But when it comes to making rules in the state of California, the process has its own labyrinth of, well, rules to guide the process.
Sacramento, California, United States. Image by Png-StudioIn the California Legislature, there are several types of amendments that can be made to measures, including bills, resolutions and constitutional amendments. To begin, an amendment is defined by Legislative Counsel as an alteration to a bill, motion, resolution, or clause by adding, changing, substituting, or omitting language.
Image by Ray BuseWhen drafting initiative measures, there are several instances of standard language contained in those initiative measures. This article takes a brief look at several examples of that standardized language.
California law, image by Vitalii VodolazskyiThe California Government Code contains a number of provisions related to the Legislature and the lawmaking process. There have been numerous court decisions over the past one hundred years interpreting key provisions of the Government Code. The following cases highlight some of the key decisions interpreting these statutory provisions related to the California Legislature and its legislative process.
Seal of the State of California, image by Aaron KohrANALYSIS – At the end of a California Legislative Session, Capitol observers will hear about the need to have “chaptering out amendments” adopted. However, that is not the correct term to use. “Chaptering out” is the problem that needs to be addressed by amendments, and “double-jointing amendments” are the solution to that problem.
The California seal, photo by Cheri Alguire via ShutterstockANALYSIS – We are at the time of the California Legislative Session where bills are returning for a concurrence vote in their house of origin. Concurrence is the method by which the house of origin agrees to the amendments that were made to a bill by the other house.
California Governor's sealCalifornia’s Governor has three options when the Legislature sends the Governor a bill: Sign it; veto it; or, allow the bill to become law without the Governor’s signature.
The California state Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Karin Hildebrand Lau, via Shutterstock)Practical tips for those working with the staff of the policy and fiscal committees in the California Legislature.
The chamber of the state Senate in Sacramento. (Photo: Felix Lipov, via Shutterstock)In simplistic terms, lobbying the state Senate and Assembly floors is similar to lobbying legislative committees, except that the scale is much larger. For example, some committees have as few five members (elected officials), while others have over 20 members. As you would assume, most committees in the 40-member Senate have fewer members sitting on them than do their counterparts in the 80-member Assembly.
An illustration of a tooth and dental tools. (Image: REDPIXEL.PL, via Shutterstock)OPINION: California has made significant progress in improving access to dental care services to many Californians who have limited resources or who live in communities with few providers. For example, five years ago the state passed legislation that further encouraged the advancement of teledentistry paving the way for more children living in underserved communities to receive quality dental care.