Frequently Asked Questions about Digest Keys

What are a California bill’s “Digest Keys”? These “keys” cover four areas and the keys are determined by the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) for each bill that the office drafts.

What do the Digest Keys look like? At the end of the Legislative Counsel’s Digest is a line of “keys”. It looks like the following example:

Vote: majority   Appropriation: yes   Fiscal Committee: yes   Local Program: yes

Are Digest Keys used for the other legislative measures in California? Yes, variations of keys are also used in proposed certain resolutions drafted by the OLC, and all four keys appear are used with proposed constitutional amendments.

What questions do the Digest Keys answer? These keys answer the following questions: What is the vote requirement for the bill to pass each house? Does the bill appropriate funds? Should the bill be referred to the fiscal committee (i.e., Appropriations Committee) in each house? Does the bill impose a state-mandated local program?

What is the Vote Key? This key addresses the required vote threshold. Most bills in the California Legislature require a simple majority vote for passage. There are other vote thresholds, including 2/3, ¾, 55%, and even 70%, for a limited number of measures.

What is the Appropriation Key? Thie key addresses whether the bill appropriates funds. If the bill results in an appropriation from the State’s General Fund or any special funds, then an appropriation would occur. The second key specifies either “yes” the bill would result in an appropriation or “no” the bill would not appropriate funds.

What is the Fiscal Committee Key? Joint Rule 10.5 governs the determination of this key because this JR provides guidance to the Office of the Legislative Counsel when determining whether a bill should be “keyed” as a fiscal bill. If the OLC determines that a bill is “fiscal,” then the measure is supposed to be re-referred to the Appropriations Committee in each house.

What is the Local Program Key? The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. The fourth key specifies either “yes” the bill would result in a state-mandated local program or “no” the bill would not result in such a mandate.