Overview of the California Assembly and Senate Joint Rules

In most instances, on the first day of the start of each two-year legislative session, the Assembly and Senate adopt rules for their internal procedures. For the 2021-2022 Session, the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly are contained in Senate Concurrent Resolution 82 (Atkins). The following are all of those rules:

1 – Standing Committees

3 – Joint Meeting of Committees

3.5 – Effect of Adoption of Joint Rules

4 – Definition of Word “Bill”

5 – Concurrent and Joint Resolutions

6 – Resolutions Treated as Bills

7 – Title of Bill

8 – Division of Bill into Sections

8.5 – Digest of Bills Introduced

8.6 – Digest of Bills Amended

8.7 – Errors in Digest

8.8 – Bills Amending Title 9 of the Government Code

8.9 – Bills Amending the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act

8.95 – Bills Amending Section 6 of the Smaller Classes, Safer Schools and Financial Accountability Act

8.96 – Bills Amending the Protect App-Based Drivers and Services Act

9 – Restrictions as to Amendments

10 – Changes in Existing Law to be Marked by Author

10.5 – Rereferral to Fiscal and Rules Committees

10.6 – Short Title

10.7 – Heading of Bills

10.8 – Consideration of Bills

11 – Printing of Amendments

12 – Manner of Printing Bills

13 – Distribution of Legislative Publications

13.1 – Legislative Index

13.3 – Summary Digest

13.5 – Statutory Record

14 – Printing of the Daily Journal

15 – What Shall Be Printed in the Daily Journal

16 – Printing of the Daily File

17 – Printing of History

18 – Authority for Printing Orders

19 – Secretary and Chief Clerk to Keep Records

20 – Secretary and Chief Clerk Shall Endorse Bills

21 – After a Bill Has Been Passed by the Senate or Assembly

22 – Messages to Be in Writing Under Proper Signatures

22.1 – Consent Calendar: Uncontested Bills

22.2 – Consent Calendar

22.3 – Consideration of Bills on Consent Calendar

23.5 – Procedure on Defeat of More Than Majority Bill

24 – Enrollment of Bill After Passage

25 – Amendments to Amended Bills Must Be Attached

25.5 – Amendments to Concurrent and Joint Resolutions

26 – To Concur or Refuse to Concur in Amendments

26.5 – Reference to Committee

27 – Concurring in Amendments Adding Urgency Section

28 – When Senate or Assembly Refuses to Concur

28.1 – Conference Committees

29 – Conference Committee Organization and Reports

29.5 – Conference Committee Meetings

30 – Conference Committee Reports

30.5 – Conference Committee Reports on Urgency Statutes

30.7 – Failure to Agree on Report

31 – Authority When Rules Do Not Govern

32 – Press Rules

33 – Dispensing with Joint Rules

33.1 – Dispensing with Joint Rules: Unanimous Consent

34 – Opinions of Legislative Counsel

34.1 – Resolutions Prepared by Legislative Counsel

34.2 – Resolutions

34.5 – Identical Drafting Requests

35 – Expense of Members

35.5 – Issuance of Subpoenas

36 – Investigating Committees

36.1 – Expenses of Committee Employees

36.5 – Appointment of Committees

36.7 – Appointment of Joint Committee Chairpersons

36.8 – Joint Committee Funds

37 – Joint Legislative Budget Committee

37.1 – Citizen Cost Impact Report

37.3 – Joint Legislative Audit Committee

37.4 – Study or Audits

37.5 – Waiver

37.7 – Administrative Regulations

40 – Joint Rules Committee

40.1 – Review of Administrative Regulations

40.3 – Subcommittee on Legislative Space and Facilities

41 – Claims for Workers’ Compensation

42 – Information Concerning Committees

43 – Joint Committees

44 – Conflict of Interest

45 – Ethics Committees

50 – Designating Legislative Sessions

50.3 – Designating Extraordinary Sessions

50.5 – Days and Dates

51 – Legislative Calendar

52 – Recall from Recess

53 – Procedure on Suspending Rules by Single House

54 – Introduction of Bills

55 – 30-Day Waiting Period

56 – Return of Bills

57 – Appropriation Bills

58 – Urgency Clauses

58.5 – Vetoes

59 – Publications

60 – Committee Hearings

61 – Deadlines

62 – Committee Procedure

63 – Uniform Rules

64 – Votes on Bills

65 – Conflicting Rules