Office of Legislative Counsel – Page 2

Can We Call Them Placeholder Bills Instead?

February 8, 2024 8:20 amFebruary 8, 2024 8:20 am

Quite often bills introduced in the California Legislature without substantive language in them are called “spot bills.” However, that is not always the case even though both spot and intent bills act as placeholders with substantive amendments to be added...

Frequently Asked Questions about the May Budget Revision

February 7, 2024 6:51 amFebruary 7, 2024 6:51 am

What is the “May Revision”? The Governor’s Department of Finance explains that the May Revision reflects “changes to the Governor’s Proposed Budget based upon the latest economic forecasts.” The Office of Legislative Counsel, in its Glossary of terms, explains the...

Frequently Asked Questions about Legislative Branch Support Agencies

December 31, 2023 2:30 amDecember 31, 2023 2:31 am

What is the Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC)? Founded in 1913, the Office of Legislative Counsel is a nonpartisan public agency that drafts legislative proposals, prepares legal opinions, and provides other confidential legal services to the Legislature and Governor. What...

Should There Be an Office of Regulatory Counsel?

November 17, 2023 2:45 amNovember 17, 2023 2:46 am

For those involved in the California legislative process, everyone is familiar with the outstanding work that is done by the attorneys and staff in the Office of Legislative Counsel (OLC). For those who are not regularly involved in the regulatory...

Should California Bill Statements Be Justified?

November 4, 2023 2:30 amNovember 4, 2023 2:31 am

I continue to be concerned about statements made in California bills, whether they are findings and declarations, urgency clauses, special statutes, etc. My concern is that these statements are based upon whatever information is provided by the bill author’s office...

Some Types of Bills Require Specified Statements

November 1, 2023 2:45 amNovember 1, 2023 2:46 am

Urgency statutes, fiscal emergency statutes, and local or special statutes utilize explanatory statements. Of course, I would like to see more bills contain explanatory statements. Nonetheless, only two of these three types of measures are actually required to do so...

Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Drafting in California

October 22, 2023 7:55 amOctober 22, 2023 7:55 am

For those not familiar, I put together the following questions and answers for those queries that are most often posed regarding bill drafting in California: Which types of bills take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor? Statutes calling...