Author: Chris Micheli
Chris Micheli is an attorney and lobbyist with Snodgrass & Micheli, LLC, as well as an Adjunct Professor at McGeorge School of Law.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Drafting Legislation, But Were Afraid to Ask
The purpose of this article is to provide general guidance to drafting bills and amendments in California. We first discuss some of the considerations for a bill drafter and then follow with examples of bill language addressing the major types...
Using Letters to the Daily Journals for Determining Legislative Intent
One method to help ascertain the legislative intent behind a specified measure is a letter that is published in the Assembly Daily Journal or the Senate Daily Journal by the bill’s author. These letters, for which there are many each...
Employers and Lawyers Should Be Wary of SB 1300’s ‘Guidance’ to the Courts
By Laura Curtis and Chris Micheli Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1300 (Jackson) on September 30, 2018 as Chapter 955. Among other provisions, this comprehensive bill makes a number of statutory changes for litigating sexual harassment claims and prohibits...
A Unique Role for the Legislature in the Rulemaking Process
The State of California has over 200 agencies, departments, boards, and commissions that can make public policy via their authority to adopt regulations, often referred to as their rule-making authority. There is a lengthy list of state agencies that have...
The Mechanics of California’s Forms of Direct Democracy
California has three forms of direct democracy and they are set forth in Article 2 of the state constitution. The purpose of this article is to provide information on the initiative, referendum and recall processes used in this state. The...
In Influencing the Legislature, Expect the Unexpected; Be Honest
There are mainly two types of lobbying: legislative and regulatory. Some advocates may add budgetary and procurement lobbying to the list, but the main types involve lobbying the legislative and executive branches of state government. At its core, legislative lobbying...