Tag: California legislation
Checklist for Drafting a Criminal Law Statute
With the complexity of drafting criminal laws, or those statutes found in the California Penal Code, a checklist of major provisions may be of use. The following is a checklist for drafting a criminal offense: First, the essential components of...
Facial Recognition Legislation in California
Two new bills in the California Legislature were substantially amended on March 2 to deal with facial recognition technology. They are AB 642 by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) and AB 1034 by Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). AB...
Guidelines for Drafting Legislative Statements in Bills
There are differences between legislative findings and declarations and statements of legislative intent, and the bill drafter needs to be aware of these. The Colorado Bill Drafting Manual states: “A legislative declaration statement is an explicit or formal statement or...
More on Drafting Definitions in California Legislation
Definitions found in statutes need to be carefully written and ensure clarity in laws. Definitions are generally provided when a word has several different usages, as well as to avoid repetition of a phrase. There are a number of important...
What Is the Difference Between GO and Revenue Bonds?
For those involved in California legislation, you might have heard about “G.O. bonds” and “revenue bonds.” What is the difference between the two types of bond measures? First, G.O. stands for general obligation. Second, California’s Department of Finance (DOF) defines...
Effective Dates of California Regulations
We know that, absent bills that take effect immediately, new statutes in California take effective on January 1, following their enactment the previous year. But, when do regulations take effect in this state? Government Code Section 11343.4, which is part...