Using Letters to the Daily Journals for Determining Legislative Intent
2021 Session Update of Assembly and Senate Letters from Bill Authors
By Chris Micheli, December 7, 2021 6:12 pm
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 year, may be used by the bill’s author to explain an ambiguity in the bill or explain the purpose of particular changes in the law as done by the bill.
The courts in this state can utilize these letters as extrinsic aids in determining the intent of the Legislature. Different versions of the bill, committee and floor analyses, and other items are generally given greater weight than these letters. Nonetheless, a Journal letter may be the best indicator available regarding the intent of the bill’s author and so they should be consulted.
In an effort to assist those conducting legislative history and intent research, in Fall 2018, I reviewed 23 years’ worth of Assembly Daily Journals and 16 years’ worth of Senate Daily Journals in order to compile these records. Below are the updated for the 2021 California Legislative Session.
The charts below list the bill number, bill author, subject matter of the bill, and page number from the respective Daily Journal where the letter can be found and cited.
2021 Legislative Session – Senate Bills
Bill Number |
Author |
Date |
Page Number |
Topic |
SB 41 |
Umberg |
Sept. 9 |
2570 |
Privacy: genetic testing companies |
SB 60 |
Glazer |
Sept. 1 |
2305 |
Residential short-term rental ordinances: health or safety infractions: maximum fines |
SB 81 |
Skinner |
Sept. 10 |
2638 |
Sentencing: dismissal of enhancements |
SB 226 |
Pan |
Sept. 7 |
2427 |
Medi-Cal: County of Sacramento |
SB 311 |
Hueso |
Sept. 10 |
2641 |
Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act or Ryan’s Law |
SB 343 |
Allen |
Sept. 10 |
2640 |
Environmental advertising: recycling symbol: recyclability: products and packaging |
SB 378 |
Gonzalez |
Sept. 2 |
2323 |
Local government: broadband infrastructure development project permit processing: microtrenching permit processing ordinance |
SB 409 |
Caballero |
Sept. 10 |
2640 |
Pharmacy practice: testing |
SB 423 |
Stern |
Sept. 10 |
2637 |
Energy: firm zero-carbon resources |
SB 524 |
Skinner |
Sept. 10 |
2639 |
Health care coverage: patient steering |
SB 538 |
Rubio |
Sept. 10 |
2629 |
Domestic violence and gun violence restraining orders |
SB 552 |
Hertzberg |
Sept. 9 |
2559 |
Drought planning: small water suppliers: nontransient noncommunity water systems |
2021 Legislative Session – Assembly Bills
Bill Number |
Author |
Date |
Page Number |
Topic |
AB 7 |
Rodriquez |
Sept. 7 |
2805 |
Emergency ambulance employees: multithreat body protective gear |
AB 9 |
Wood |
Sept. 10 |
3167 |
Fire safety and prevention: wildfires: fire adapted communities: Office of the State Fire Marshal: community wildfire preparedness and mitigation |
AB 70 |
Salas |
Sept. 10 |
3168 |
Gene synthesis providers |
AB 130 |
Reyes |
July 8 |
2276 |
Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill |
AB 335 |
Boerner Horvath |
Sept. 10 |
3168 |
California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018: vessel information |
AB 379 |
Gallagher |
Sept. 10 |
3169 |
Wildlife conservation |
AB 389 |
Grayson |
Sept. 10 |
3169 |
Ambulance services |
AB 450 |
Gonzalez |
Sept. 10 |
3170 |
Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board |
AB 457 |
Santiago |
Sept. 10 |
3170 |
Protection of Patient Choice in Telehealth Provider Act |
AB 680 |
Burke |
Sept. 10 |
3171 |
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: California Jobs Plan Act of 2021 |
AB 707 |
Quirk |
Sept. 10 |
3172 |
Mercury Thermostat Collection Act of 2021 |
AB 824 |
Bennett |
Sept. 7 |
2805 |
Local educational agencies: county boards of education: governing boards of school districts: governing bodies of charter schools: pupil members |
AB 1094 |
Arambula |
Sept. 10 |
3172 |
Sexual orientation and gender identity data collection pilot project |
AB 1201 |
Ting |
Sept. 10 |
3173 |
Solid waste: products: labeling: compostability and biodegradability |
SB 129 |
Budget |
July 15 |
2346 |
Budget Act of 2021 |
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I see no comments here from the usual close-minded Trumptards.
This kind of stuff is too complicated for their feeble minds to understand.