California Legislature – Page 51

Frequently Asked Questions about the Order of Bill Authors and Co-Authors

December 15, 2023 11:19 am

In the California Legislature, there is an order to listing a bill’s authors and co-authors and there are different types of co-authors. What do the Joint Rules provide? Joint Rule 10.7, titled “Heading of Bills,” provides the following: “10.7. A...

Frequently Asked Questions About California Legislative Ethics

December 14, 2023 9:05 am

Does the “revolving door” limitation apply to legislators and staff alike? Under Article IV, Section 5(e) of the state constitution, “The Legislature shall enact laws that prohibit a Member of the Legislature whose term of office commences on or after...

Frequently Asked Questions about General and Special Statutes

December 13, 2023 6:28 amDecember 13, 2023 6:28 am

What is a general statute? A general statute is essentially a law that pertains uniformly to an entire community or all persons generally. What is a special statute? A special statute is essentially a law that applies to a particular person, place,...

Frequently Asked Questions about ‘Plus Sections’ in California Bills

December 12, 2023 6:49 amDecember 12, 2023 6:49 am

What is a double-jointing plus section? This section is used to address when one bill would “chapter out” the language of a bill that amends the same code section if it got enacted earlier. What is an example of a...

Frequently Asked Questions about Digest Keys

December 11, 2023 2:52 amDecember 11, 2023 2:53 am

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...

Frequently Asked Questions about Fiscal Emergency Special Sessions

December 9, 2023 2:45 amDecember 9, 2023 2:46 am

In addition to extraordinary or special sessions being called by the Governor, California allows for special sessions in certain “fiscal emergencies.” Adopted by the voters in March 2004 as Proposition 58, Section 10 of Article IV of the California Constitution...

More on OAL’s Review of Rulemaking Files – The ‘Clarity’ Standard

December 8, 2023 6:59 amDecember 8, 2023 11:29 am

California’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL), unless there is a statutory exemption, is required to review rulemaking files developed by executive branch state agencies when they adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation. Under California’s Administrative Procedure Act (APA), found in...