Image by EviartDuring his time as governor, Gavin Newsom has not been shy about using the gubernatorial bully pulpit to prod lawmakers to take up causes he feels passionately about. Advocates for greater regulation of social media sites like Meta, X, Instagram and Tik Tok hope this is the year he does the same for their cause as well.
Image by Andrey_PopovWhether a bill proposes to make a substantive or non-substantive change in law has several implications. Inquiring legislative minds want to know.
The judicial branch of government has its own unique language. The purpose of this glossary is to provide a listing of terms and phrases related to the judicial branch of California state government for those who work in and around the State Capitol.
The idea behind pilot program legislation is to give a public policy proposal a try. As part of this effort, there is usually an effort to collect data and determine whether the temporarily adopted program is meeting expectations.
MICHELI FILES: In the third of three parts, longtime Capitol lobbyist and parliamentary authority Chris Micheli reviews the recent history of letters to the Daily Journal related to Senate bills. Parts I and II can be found here and here respectively.
Image by Maliutina AnnaOPINION – Families across California experienced a decline in violence and poverty in the wake of COVID-19, but according to the Public Policy Institute of California, the rate of poverty has since grown from 11.7% in 2021 to 13.2% in 2023.
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.
Image by Black SalmonOPINION – California was already experiencing a workforce shortage among mental health care workers prior to the pandemic. A 2022 report from the California Health Care Foundation found that the state has less than 12 licensed psychiatrists and slightly more than 44 licensed psychologists per 100,000 people. Since-adopted payment reform has only made it worse.
Image by Ritu Manoj JethaniMICHELI FILES: Despite no constitutional provision allowing them (or prohibiting them), many California Governors have used “signing messages” to accompany a Governor’s signature on a bill. U.S. Presidents also have long used signing messages.
Laura Wilcox, whose shooting death in Nevada County inspired "Laura's Law." (Family photo)Ever since Ronald Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act in 1967 granting people with severe mental illness greater rights and speeding the emptying of state asylums, governors have been sidestepping the issue, until now. Unlike governors before him in this state or perhaps any other, Newsom is confronting the issue of untreated mental illness.