Office of Legislative Counsel – Page 6

What Is a Code Maintenance Bill?

October 4, 2022 7:16 amOctober 4, 2022 7:23 am

Several times per year, the Office of Legislative Counsel drafts a “code maintenance bill.” What is that and what is its purpose? A floor analysis described this type of bill as follows: This bill is the annual maintenance of the...

What Are ‘Statutes Other Than Codes?’

October 2, 2022 3:25 pmOctober 2, 2022 3:36 pm

If you review two of the main legislative publications produced by the Office of Legislative Counsel, you may come across a section of each of them titled, “Statutes Other Than Codes.” What are those? Both the “Table of Sections Affected”...

California State Capitol dome shines against blue sky

AB 2183 – An Interesting Bill Signing Case Study

September 29, 2022 1:09 pmSeptember 29, 2022 1:17 pm

While the media has covered all of the political and legislative dynamics of Governor Gavin Newsom signing Assembly Bill 2183, concerning agricultural workers unionizing efforts, what stands out for some Capitol observers was the press statement issued by the Governor’s...

Which Version of the Bill?

September 20, 2022 10:03 amSeptember 20, 2022 10:38 am

Most Capitol observers would answer the question, “which version of the bill below is this?” with the following statement: “It is the August 15th version.” That is one answer, but it is not the answer that the Office of Legislative...

Are Companion Bills Used in the California Legislature?

September 17, 2022 4:36 pmSeptember 17, 2022 4:39 pm

In the United States Congress, a common approach to take is to have two identical measures, one in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate, introduced and run at the same time. These two measures are referred to...

What Is a Special Order of Business in the CA Legislature?

September 16, 2022 6:48 amSeptember 16, 2022 6:53 am

Almost always used in committee, a special order of business is used when a bill or similarly related bills are set to be heard at a specified time and specified order (for multiple bills) at the hearing. The Office of...

Why Do California Legislators Speak ‘On Condition of the File?’

September 14, 2022 3:30 pmSeptember 14, 2022 2:59 pm

On occasion, you may hear a legislator on the Floor of the State Senate or State Assembly rise and seek permission to “speak on condition of the File.” What does this mean and why is it used? The reference to...