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.
Police officers deployed at a Los Angeles parade. (Photo: Betto Rodrigues)OPINION: California’s Assembly Bill 931, which would modify the state legal standard governing police officers’ use of deadly force, is a promising advance on existing law, but the current proposal is deeply flawed. To meaningfully reform police practices and properly regulate the use of deadly force, some significant amendments are necessary.
State Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Shuttesrstock)Substantive amendments deal with the core of the bill. But there are also important technical amendments that need to be made to legislation, often to ensure that the bills are properly enacted into statutes.