Chris Micheli – Page 332 – California Globe

Modernizing California Statutes

March 6, 2022 8:20 amMarch 6, 2022 8:27 am

As new legislation is considered in the California Legislature, it is incumbent on the attorneys in the Office of Legislative Counsel to update and modernize state statutes. There are examples of this ongoing effort throughout California bills and is an...

Are Legislative Findings in California’s Political Reform Act Bills Sufficient?

March 5, 2022 8:00 amMarch 5, 2022 8:09 am

In reviewing recently-introduced legislation that proposes amendments to California’s Political Reform Act (PRA), the same legislative finding and declaration is made in each bill. It is a simplistic statement that raises the question whether this language meets the requirement of...

A sea of empty desks inside the California State Assembly

For First Time in Several Years Joint Rules Set to Be Adopted by California Legislature

March 4, 2022 10:00 amMarch 4, 2022 10:28 am

For the first time in several years, the California Legislature is poised to adopt Joint Rules which are binding on the Assembly and Senate. Normally, the Joint Rules are adopted at the beginning of each two-year Session, just as the...

Are Acronyms Used in California Statutes?

March 4, 2022 7:03 amMarch 4, 2022 7:06 am

With the formal language used in California statutes, a reader would expect that a program or department name is used, rather than an acronym. However, that is not always the case. Here are a few examples of acronyms that are...

Why Do Bills Request the UC Regents to Adopt Education Policies?

March 3, 2022 6:50 amMarch 3, 2022 6:59 am

The Legislature has authority to enact statutes impacting school districts, the community colleges, and the California State University system. These provisions are set forth in the Education Code. However, it is the University of California Board of Regents who adopt...

Interpreting California Statutes Using Legislative Guidance

March 2, 2022 6:33 amMarch 2, 2022 6:46 am

I have written previously about legislative intent and statutory construction in California. After reviewing just over 2,000 newly-introduced bills in the Legislature for the 2022 Session, I came across a number of interesting provisions related to this topic. Below are...

Citing Statutes and Court Decisions in California Legislation

March 1, 2022 6:17 amMarch 1, 2022 6:38 am

On occasion, bills in the California Legislature must cite statutes or court decisions and there are rules that the Office of Legislative Counsel follows in drafting legislation. Examples of each type of citation include the following: How California legislation cites...