Legislative Counsel – California Globe

What Is ‘Digesting’?

October 10, 2023 6:56 amOctober 10, 2023 6:56 am

Have you ever heard the term “digesting” in the California Legislature? This gerund is just one of many responsibilities of the attorneys who work in the California Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC). This gerund comes from the “action” word created...

Contingent Enactment Versus Double-Jointing Amendments

September 10, 2023 6:56 amSeptember 10, 2023 6:56 am

“Contingent enactment” amendments are found in a bill in order to effectively connect a bill to another action in order for that bill to become operative. There are several methods in which to do this, such as contingent upon a...

Are Legislative Findings in Voters FIRST Act Bills Sufficient?

May 30, 2023 2:45 amMay 30, 2023 2:46 am

In reviewing recent legislation that proposes amendments to California’s Voters FIRST Act, as enacted by the voters by Proposition 11 in November 2008, the same legislative finding and declaration is made in each bill. It is a simplistic statement that...

Globe Quiz on California Legislation Drafting

April 25, 2023 7:13 amApril 25, 2023 7:20 am

This quiz is to test your knowledge about legislative drafting in California. The Legislative Counsel provides legal advice to the Legislature, Governor, and all the other constitutional officers. The Legislative Counsel’s Digest provides a policy analysis of the bill’s provisions....

Guidelines for Drafting Bill Summaries

February 10, 2023 7:16 amFebruary 10, 2023 7:19 am

An important task for the legislative lawyer is to draft bill summaries. In general, a bill summary should be brief, but easy to read and understand. It should provide a succinct, clear, and accurate synopsis of the major points of...

Drafting Legislative Counsel Digests

January 26, 2023 9:18 amJanuary 26, 2023 9:21 am

The purpose of the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, according to the Office of Legislative Counsel, is to summarize the effect of the proposed bill on current law. It is obviously prepared by the Office of Legislative Counsel and provides a brief...

What Are the Department of Finance’s Required Reports to the Legislature?

December 9, 2022 7:08 amDecember 9, 2022 7:12 am

California Government Code Section 13308 requires five reports to the Legislature that must be submitted by the Director of the Governor’s Department of Finance (DOF). The state Constitution only requires the Governor to submit his or her budget within the...