Chris Micheli – Page 213 – California Globe

Frequently Asked Questions about Gut-and-Amend Bills

January 5, 2024 2:35 amJanuary 5, 2024 2:36 am

What is a “gut-and-amend bill”? According to the California Office of Legislative Counsel, these measures are “when amendments to a bill remove the current contents in their entirety and replace them with different provisions.” What legislative rule is invoked with...

Frequently Asked Questions About California Bills

January 4, 2024 2:30 amJanuary 4, 2024 2:31 am

Do only urgency clause bills take effect immediately? Under Article IV, Section 8(c)(3) of the California Constitution, “statutes calling elections, statutes providing for tax levies or appropriations for the usual current expenses of the State, and urgency statutes shall go...

Frequently Asked Questions about Finding California Laws

January 3, 2024 2:45 amJanuary 3, 2024 2:46 am

Where are the three main sources of California laws? Like the federal government, California laws are found in three places: the State Constitution, statutes (the Codes), and regulations (the Titles). What is the hierarchy of laws in California? It is...

Frequently Asked Questions about Drafting Rules for Specific Types of Bills

January 2, 2024 2:30 amJanuary 2, 2024 1:47 pm

How many main requirements are there for an appropriations bill? There are three major requirements for drafting bills that make an appropriation of funds. What is the first requirement for drafting an appropriation bill? In the Relating Clause, the following...

Frequently Asked Questions about Phrases Heard on the Floors of the California Legislature

January 1, 2024 2:56 amJanuary 1, 2024 2:57 am

What is a “Call of the House”? This is a phrase used to describe when the presiding officer directs the Sergeant-at-Arms to close the doors and bring into the chamber absent Members in order to vote on a measure that...

Frequently Asked Questions about Legislative Branch Support Agencies

December 31, 2023 2:30 amDecember 31, 2023 2:31 am

What is the Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC)? Founded in 1913, the Office of Legislative Counsel is a nonpartisan public agency that drafts legislative proposals, prepares legal opinions, and provides other confidential legal services to the Legislature and Governor. What...

Frequently Asked Questions about Informational and Oversight Hearings in the California Legislature

December 30, 2023 2:45 amDecember 30, 2023 2:46 am

Committees of the California Legislature can conduct several types of hearings, including bill hearings, investigative or oversight hearings, and informational hearings. What are bill hearings? They are those that are conducted to hear specific pieces of legislation, including bills, resolutions,...