New Books Gives Keen Insights into California’s Legislature and Lawmaking

Regular California Globe contributor Chris Micheli just released his newest practical guide, which is titled “A Complete Practical Guide to California’s Legislature and Its Legislative Process.”

Micheli said that the book is intended for those who want to have a good understanding about the California Legislature as an institution, as well as the lawmaking process. Micheli’s chapters are primarily written in a question-and-answer format for ease of reading. “I hope this approach to the practical guide makes the information easily digestible for readers. I want them to be able to read a short, but thorough explanation of how and why the Legislature operates as it does,” Micheli explained.

The book has just over 100 short chapters and is about 200 pages in length. The following are its contents:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This book can be purchased on Amazon for $24.99.