Chris Micheli – Page 205 – California Globe

A Closer Look at Appropriations Bills in the California Legislature

October 17, 2022 3:05 pmOctober 17, 2022 3:22 pm

In California, the main appropriations measure is the annual state budget bill. Article IV, Section 12(d) of the state Constitution provides that the budget bill is the main measure that may contain more than one item of appropriation. In addition,...

What Is the ‘Order of Enumeration?’

October 17, 2022 6:44 amOctober 17, 2022 6:49 am

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9 of the California Constitution, there is a requirement for each bill to have a title. The constitutional provision states: “A statute shall embrace but one subject, which shall be expressed in its title. If...

Should There Be a Distinction Among the Types of Legislative History?

October 17, 2022 6:02 amOctober 16, 2022 9:30 pm

At the federal level, according to Harvard Law School Professors John Manning and Matthew Stephenson, “there has traditionally been a rough hierarchy of legislative history sources, with committee reports at the top, sponsor statements somewhere in the middle, and other...

Are Severability Clauses Necessary in California Bills?

October 16, 2022 4:38 pmOctober 16, 2022 4:55 pm

Around the country, and at the federal level, there is an ongoing debate among legislative lawyers whether a severability clause must be included in legislation. If a bill contains a severability clause, then the matter of whether provisions contained in...

Some Additional Bill Drafting Rules in California

October 16, 2022 8:40 amOctober 16, 2022 8:46 am

When drafting bills in the California Legislature, there are many constitutional, statutory, and rules-based provisions to consider, depending on the type of bill that is being drafted. And, there are certainly some very narrow rules to be aware of when...

Interesting Severability Clause

October 15, 2022 3:17 pmOctober 15, 2022 5:01 pm

In reviewing bills that were pending on the Governor’s Desk at the conclusion of the 2022 Legislative Session, a few bills contain a severability clause. What is the purpose of such a clause? Basically, a severability clause is a statement...

A Different Type of Contingent Enactment Amendment

October 15, 2022 11:46 amOctober 15, 2022 11:49 am

As you may be aware, “contingent enactment language” is found in a bill and is used to effectively connect a bill to another action in order for that bill to become operative. There are several methods such as contingent upon...