California law Archives - California Globe

Drafting a New Program in California Law

March 23, 2022 7:00 amMarch 23, 2022 7:04 am

California legislators regularly propose creation of a new program in state government and the Office of Legislative Counsel is required to draft such bills. A bill that creates a new program in this state has several component parts, usually including...

What Does the Term ‘Construe’ Mean in California Statutes?

March 9, 2022 9:53 amMarch 9, 2022 9:58 am

While continuing to read through proposed new laws for the 2022 California Legislative Session, I occasionally come by a bill that uses the term “construed” and it mostly is used in a negative form. The word “construe” basically means to...

California’s ‘Plain English’ Statutes

July 24, 2020 6:27 amJuly 24, 2020 6:29 am

One of the directives in drafting legislation is the “Plain English” rule. The purpose of this rule is for the bill drafter to use straightforward language that can be easily understood and interpreted as the Legislature intended. In that regard,...