Article XI of California’s Constitution, as well as the Government Code, provide for local governments. There are 58 counties, 482 cities, more than 3,500 special districts, and numerous regional entities. In California, there are local governments and regional entities, often...
The California Law Revision Commission was established almost seventy years ago as an independent agency. It exists in law for the purpose of assisting the Legislature and Governor in reviewing and making reform suggestions to state laws. The Commission conducts...
California’s Constitution provides a number of voting rights for its residents, which are found in Article II. Article 2 was most recently amended by Proposition 14 on the June 9, 1976 ballot and it includes a number of provisions related...
The Governor’s Department of Finance (DOF), similar to the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), serves as the Governor’s chief fiscal policy advisor, and their employees work on issues and programs that are of concern to the Governor, the...
The California Legislative Analyst Office (LAO), similar to the federal Congressional Budget Office (CBO), serves as the fiscal and policy advisor to the Legislature. It has done so for more than 75 years and the LAO is known for its...
For those who need to research the legislative history of a bill that was enacted into law in the State of California, there are a number of options to use. This article briefly describes some of those avenues for the...
When drafting bills and amendments in California, a number of key reminders are worth reviewing. At a most basic level, every bill draft should clearly describe who is required or allowed to do what; what is required or allowed to...