Does the Governor’s line-item veto authority apply only to budget bills? Under Article IV, Section 10(e) of the state constitution, “The Governor may reduce or eliminate one or more items of appropriation while approving other portions of a bill. The...
As you might think, there are several different types of bill analyses used in the California Legislature. First, there are committee and floor analyses of bills. Second, at the committee level, there are analyses prepared by the policy and fiscal...
How many standing committees are there in the State Senate? 22 How many standing committees are there in the State Assembly? 33 Which rules govern the California Legislature’s committee rules? The committees operate under the Joint Rules of the Legislature,...
While there are several tips for reading and understanding what a bill in the California Legislature proposes to do, the key is to review the main sections of the bill which contain the substantive changes in the law. There are...
For those not fully acquainted with the California legislative process, new laws (called statutes) are enacted by the California Legislature as bills (and signed by the Governor to become statutes). The Legislature can also amend or repeal existing statutes. Pursuant...
Is the legislative branch of government the only branch to make laws? No, the executive branch state agencies and departments that administer the law need to engage in rulemaking activities, which are quasi-legislative in nature. By what authority does the...
How many statewide officers are there? In California state government, there are nine constitutional offices elected statewide. Are there term limits for constitutional officers? Yes, they are limited to serving a maximum of two 4-year terms in each office. How...