Image by Robert SchlieWe’re down to just a few days left in 2023, which makes it a good time for a bit of reflection…and one final question for the year for our stable of Capitol experts: If you were king for a day, what would you change about the Capitol to make it work more effectively?
Image by Jim ValleeEven if former President Donald Trump stays on the California Republican primary ballot, there will be more than a quarter-million voters who have previously voted in a Republican Presidential primary who won’t find him on their ballot. And over 650,000 voters who previously voted in the Democratic primary who won’t find President Joe Biden on theirs.
Image by zmotionsIt probably does not come as a surprise, but those working in and around California’s Capitol use a number of terms or “lingo” to describe aspects of the legislative and executive branch processes. The following is the first of a two-part a compilation of some of the more common terms used in California state government.
Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button. Image via YouTubeKevin McCarthy is the Benjamin Button of California politics. Began his career as an adult. Ended it as a baby.
Chris Micheli photo by Scott DuncanOne of the main avenues for California legislators to clarify their bills or, most often, to express their intent behind their legislation, is to submit a formal letter to the Assembly Chief Clerk for Assembly Bills or the Senate Secretary for Senate Bills.
The Commerce Casino, image by Steve CukrovThe California Bureau of Gambling Control has unveiled draft language for potential new regulations that could effectively turn the card room industry – and the cities that depend on the revenue they generate – on their heads. Not surprisingly, card rooms are incensed. But so are their biggest rivals – tribal casinos.
Image by WallentineVacancies are nothing new in the California Legislature, and as with most things in that body there are a suite of rules and procedure to follow to fill those empty positions.
Image by zimmytwsIt is shaping up to be a very tough budget year in Sacramento, with the Legislative Analyst’s Office predicting the Golden State could be facing a $68 billion budget shortfall. With that in mind, we posed the following question to our panel of experts and let them expound.
First Lady Rosalynn Carter, photo courtesy of APTributes to First Lady Rosalynn Carter invariably cite her lifelong commitment to improving care for people with severe mental illness. As she stumped for her husband during the closing days of the 1976 presidential campaign, she brought that advocacy to the unlikely locale of Bakersfield.
Image by CassiohabibIn general, state legislative history is elusive and California, like many other states, is no exception to this rule. For those who need to research the legislative history of a bill that was enacted into law in the State of California, there are a number of options to use.