California State Government Guidebook Published

California Globe contributing author Chris Micheli has just published his latest book about the many aspects of California state government: “The Complete Practical Guide to California Government.”

“This guidebook builds on my earlier book on the same topic, and I have added many new chapters and expanded coverage by including several additional parts of state government,” Micheli said.

The book has just over 200 short chapters and uses a question-and-answer format for all of the chapters in an easy-to read writing style. Like the previous edition, this guidebook has two comprehensive glossaries of terms, and it is just over 400 pages in length.

“I hope this comprehensive practical guide can be used by practitioners, students,  and the general public to understand the three branches of state government along with local governments, political and election laws, and the state Constitution,” Micheli explained.

The guidebook can be purchased in either print or ebook formats at Amazon.

The following are the contents of the bill:

Chapter                                                                                    Page

Section I          Frequently Asked Questions – Legislative Branch                1

A         The Legislature                                                                       1

1          California Legislature                                                 1

2          Legislative Privilege                                                   5

3          Legislative Ethics                                                        7

4          Legislative Branch Revolving Door Limitation          9

5          Legislative Publications                                              11

6          Examining Legislative Records                                  13

7          Special Sessions                                                          15

8          Resignations and Vacancies                                        18

9          “Sunrise” Process                                                        21

10        “Sunset Review” Process                                            23

11        Vote Changes                                                              24

12        Using Letters to the Daily Journal                              25

13        Legislative Branch Support Agencies                         26

14        Per Diem and Legislators’ Expenses                          29

15        Legislative Oversight                                                  30

16        Legislative Committees Meeting Jointly                    32

17        Permissible Closed Sessions                                       33

18        Legislative Open Meetings Law                                34

19        Electing Officers                                                         36

20        Other Constitutional Provisions and the Legislature  38

21        Legislature Conducting Its Work                                40

22        Legislative Review of State Agencies                        42

23        Adjournment                                                               43

24        Improper Influences on Legislators                            44

25        Expulsion or Suspension of State Legislators             46

26        Crimes Against the Legislative Power                       48

27        Gifts and Honoraria and Legislators                           50

B         Legislation                                                                               53

28        Finding California Laws                                             53

29        Legislative Measures                                                  56

30        Placeholder Bills                                                         57

31        Bond Measures                                                           58

32        Gut-and-amend Bills                                                   59

33        Timing of Appropriations Bills                                   60

34        “Spot Bills”                                                                 61

35        Sponsored Bills                                                           63

36        Ballot Measures Proposed by the Legislature             64

37        Bills Having Certain Provisions                                 65

38        Committee Bills                                                          66

39        Author’s Amendments                                                67

40        Bills                                                                             68

 

C         Legislative Process                                                                 71

 

41        Legislative Process                                                     71

42        Legislature Procedures                                                76

43        Convening a New Legislative Session                       79

44        First Part of the Legislative Session                           80

45        Middle Part of the Legislative Session                       82

46        Last Part of the Legislative Session                            84

47        Legislative Rules of Decorum                                    86

48        Bill Referrals                                                               88

49        Legislative Committee Rules                                     90

50        Legislative Committee Hearings                                93

51        Types of Legislative Committees                                95

52        Appropriations Committees’ Actions                         96

53        Informational and Oversight Hearings                       97

54        Motions                                                                       99

55        Suspense Files                                                             102

56        Bill Deadlines                                                             104

57        Legislative Floor Actions                                            105

58        Phrases Heard on the Floors                                       107

59        Legislative Measures on Consent                               108

60        Reconsideration of Bills                                              109

61        Items on Concurrence                                                 110

62        End-of-Session Items                                                  111

63        Special Orders of Business                                         114

64        Presiding over the State Senate                                  115

65        Role of Mason’s Manual                                             116

66        Supplemental Files                                                      117

67        Enacting Statutes and Adopting Resolutions              118

68        Influences that Shape Legislation                               121

69        Vote Requirements for Bills                                        123

70        Differences in Legislative Floors Procedures             124

71        Two-year Bills                                                             126

 

D         The Budget                                                                             127

 

72        Budget Process                                                            127

73        Constitutional Rules for the State Budget                  131

74        Balanced Budget Requirement                                   133

75        May Budget Revision                                                 135

76        Fiscal Emergency Special Sessions                            137

77        Continuous Appropriations                                         138

78        Budget Terminology                                                   139

 

E          Legislative Drafting                                                                142

 

79        Bill Drafting                                                                142

80        Parts of a Bill                                                              146

81        Parts of a Resolution                                                   148

82        Parts of a Constitutional Amendment                         149

83        Types of Bills                                                              151

84        Order of Bill Authors and Co-authors                        153

85        Order of Enumeration                                                 154

86        Legislative Counsel’s Digest                                      156

87        Digest Keys                                                                157

88        Tax Levy Bills                                                             158

89        “Plus Sections” in Bills                                               159

90        General and Special Statutes                                       163

91        Bill Amendments                                                        164

92        Urgency Clause Bills                                                  167

93        Drafting Rules for Specific Types of Bills                  168

94        Effective and Operative Dates of Statutes                  172

95        Single Subject Rule                                                    174

96        Joint Rule 10.5 and Fiscal Bills                                  176

97        Retroactivity of Statutes                                              178

98        Public Right of Access Disclaimers                            180

 

F          Statutory Construction                                                            181

 

99        Statutory Interpretation Principles                              181

100      Courts Interpreting the Legislative Process                184

101      California Codes                                                         189

102      Retroactive v. Prospective Legislation                        192

103      Legislative History and Intent                                     193

104      Canons of Statutory Interpretation                              194

105      Codified and Uncodified Statutes                               196

 

Section II         Frequently Asked Questions – Executive Branch                  197

 

A         The Governor                                                                          197

 

106      Executive Branch                                                        197

107      Governor’s Legislative Role                                       199

108      Governor’s Actions on Bills                                       201

109      Signing Messages by Governors                                203

110      Vetoed Bills                                                                 204

111       Bills Becoming Law without Governor’s Signature   205

112      Governor’s Pardon and Commutation Powers           206

113      Statutory Role in International Relations                    208

114      EBRs and Gubernatorial Actions                                210

115      Governor and Public Records Act                              212

116      Governor’s Reorganization Plans                               213

117      Governor’s Line-item Veto Authority                         214

 

B         State Agencies and Rulemaking                                             215

 

118      Administrative Agencies                                             215

119      State Agency Ethics Training                                      217

120      Legislative Delegation of Authority                           218

121      Office of Administrative Law                                     219

122      Rulemaking Process                                                    221

123      Regular versus Emergency Rulemaking                     230

124      OAL’s Standards of Review of Regulations               232

125      OAL Disapproval Process of Regulations                  234

126      Judicial Review of Regulations                                  235

127      Legislature’s Role in Rulemaking                              236

128      Exhausting Administrative Remedies                         238

129      Effective Dates of Regulations                                   239

130      Public Hearings under the APA                                  240

131      Agency Rulemaking Notifications                              241

132      Underground Regulations                                           242

133      Economic Impact Analysis                                         245

134      Disapproval Process for Regulations                          246

135      Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act                             247

136      Rulemaking Appeals to the Governor                        249

137      Possible Influences on State Agencies                        250

 

C         Other State Constitutional Officers                                         251

 

138      California’s Other Constitutional Officers                  251

139      Executive Branch Revolving Door Limit                   254

140      Filling Constitutional Office Vacancies                      256

141      Impeachment of State Officers                                   258

142      Order of Precedence                                                   261

143      State Officers and Honoraria and Gifts                       262

 

Section III       Frequently Asked Questions – Judicial Branch                      264

 

144      California’s Judicial Branch                                       264

145      Role of the Judiciary in Lawmaking                           270

146      Choosing Judges in California                                    271

147      Separation of Powers Doctrine                                   272

148      Judicial Branch Support Agencies                              273

 

Section IV       Frequently Asked Questions – Election Laws                        275

 

149      California’s Electoral System                                     275

150      Election Laws                                                             277

151      Direct Democracy                                                       280

152      Amending or Revising the state Constitution             283

153      Libel and Slander in Political Campaigns                  284

154      Role of Legislative Counsel in Initiatives                   285

155      Role of the AG in Initiatives                                       286

156      Role of the LAO in Initiatives                                     287

157      Ballot Titles                                                                 289

158      Ballot Arguments                                                        290

159      Political Activities of Public Employees                    292

160      Political Activities in the Workplace                          294

161      Nonpartisan Races                                                      295

162      When Elected Officials Take Office                           296

163      Single Subject Rule and Initiatives                             297

164      Privileges of Voters                                                     298

165      Knowing When Initiatives Are Being Amended        299

166      Voting on a Recall Petition                                         300

167      What Is Subject to Referendum                                  302

168      Voting on a Referendum                                             303

 

Section V        Frequently Asked Questions – Political Laws                        303

 

169      Fair Political Practices Commission                           303

170      Lobbying Laws                                                           305

171      Political Laws                                                             310

172      Placement Agents and the PRA                                  315

173      Behested Payments under the Political Reform Act   316

174      Lobbyist Prohibitions                                                  317

175      Lobbyist Exemptions                                                  319

 

Section VI       Frequently Asked Questions – Local Government                 320

 

176      Local Governments                                                     320

177      Special Districts                                                          322

178      Brown Act Open Meetings Law                                 323

179      Incompatible Activities                                               325

180      Regional Governments                                               327

181      Ethics Training for Local Agencies                            328

 

Section VII      Frequently Asked Questions – California Constitution          329

 

182      California’s Constitution                                            329

183      Article I – Declaration of Rights                                330

184      Article II – Voting and Direct Democracy                  334

185      Article III – State of California                                  337

186      Article IV – Legislative Branch                                  339

187      Article V – Executive Branch                                     344

188      Article VI – Judicial Branch                                       347

189      Article VII – Public Officers and Employees             351

190      Article IX – Education                                                353

191      Article X – Water                                                        356

192      Article XI – Local Government                                  357

193      Article XII – Public Utilities                                      359

194      Article XIIIA – Tax Limitation                                   361

195      Article XIV – Labor Relations                                   362

196      Article XV – Usury                                                     364

197      Article XVIII – Amending / Revising Constitution    365

198      Article XIX – Motor Vehicle Revenues                     366

199      Article XX – Miscellaneous Subjects                         368

200      Article XXI – Redistricting                                        370

201      Article XXII – Architectural / Engineering Services  372

202      Article XXXV – Medical Research                            373

 

Section VIII    Frequently Asked Questions – Comparing California            374

 

203      Comparing U.S. and California Constitutions            374

204      Comparing California Government to Other States   376

205      Comparing Judicial Branches                                     378

206      Comparing Executive Branches                                 381

207      Comparing Legislative Branches                                383

 

Section IX       Glossary of Common California Government Terms             385

 

Section X        Glossary of Common California Judicial Branch Terms        421