The Daily File: The Legislature’s Go-To Resource

In both the California State Assembly and State Senate, there are three major publications: Weekly History, Daily File, and Daily Journal, all of which are generally published each day the two houses are in session.

While the Assembly and Senate Daily Files are best known as containing the agendas of the two Houses of the California Legislature, these two publications are also the “go-to” resource for those in and around the State Capitol concerned with legislative business. Both publications contain valuable resources as discussed below.

What helpful information, in order, is contained in the Senate Daily File?

On the front cover is the day’s schedule (whether it is a session day or a check-in day; what time they convene, and contact information)

The Table of Contents lists more than a dozen tables, committee hearings, and the items on the Daily File

Listing of the Officers of the Senate

Order of Business

Listing of legislators by name, occupation, party, district, office number, phone number, counties, and district address

Seating arrangement on the Floor

Listing of committees by name, members, committee office, phone, and consultants (Committee memberships are listed with room numbers, consultants’ and secretaries’ names, and phone numbers are included on this page)

Weekly committee schedule

Senate Calendar for 2022 Session

30-day rule waived for all Senate measures, with listing of all bills to which it applies

Joint Rule 55 chart showing each measure, its introduction date, and 31^st day in print (Print Rule Table tells you when the 31st day in print is for an Assembly or Senate Bill or Assembly or Senate Constitutional Amendment)

January – August session schedule

Holiday schedule

Committee hearings (All Assembly and Senate committees must provide proper public notice prior to holding hearings on legislation. Joint Rule 62(a) mandates that a notice be printed in the Daily File for a minimum of 4 days prior to a hearing. Only 2 days’ notice is required for a bill that has already been heard in another committee (J.R. 64).)

Items on the Floor are generally in this order:

Second Reading

Governor’s Appointments

Vetoes

Unfinished Business

Third Reading

Consent

Inactive

Held at the Desk

Index of bills on the Floor

(Item numbers change daily in the Assembly and Senate Daily Files. The bill number, author, and “relating clause” are listed first, followed by the vote requirement and bill history. History actions show what has happened to a particular Assembly or Senate Bill since it was introduced.) All measures eligible for Floor action are listed by item number in the order they may be taken up. Item numbers may change day to day depending on the progress of the Legislature.

What helpful information, in order, is contained in the Assembly Daily File?

On the front cover is the day’s schedule (whether it is a session day or a check-in day; what time they convene, and contact information)

The Table of Contents lists more than a dozen tables, committee hearings, and the items on the Daily File

Order of Business

Listing of the Officers of the Assembly

Seating arrangement on the Floor

General provisions and exemption related to Joint Rule 61 deadlines

Legislative calendar for 2022 Session

Schedule of Standing Committee hearings

Schedule of Subcommittee meeting

Listing of legislators by name, party, office number, and phone number

Officers of the Assembly

Listing of committees by name, members, committee office, phone, and consultants

Dates showing each measure, its introduction date, and 31^st day in print

Print rule table chart

Committee hearings

Items on the Floor are generally in the same order as the Senate

Index of bills on the Floors

As reading can show, there is a tremendous amount of up-to-date information contained in the Daily Files and they can be relied upon by all those involved in the legislative process. The Assembly Daily File is compiled under the direction of Sue Parker, Assembly Chief Clerk. The Senate Daily File is compiled under the direction of Erika Contreras, Secretary of the Senate.