Senate Archives - California Globe

Key Provisions of the Legislature’s Internal Rules – The Senate Rules – Part II

March 27, 2020 6:08 amMarch 26, 2020 9:40 pm

This is Part ll of Key Provisions of the Legislature’s Internal Rules: The Senate Rules — Part l is HERE. Whenever a bill is authored by an individual who is no longer a Member of the Legislature, the Senate Rules...

Reconsideration of Bills

March 20, 2020 8:56 amMarch 20, 2020 8:59 am

When a bill in the California Legislature fails passage either in committee or on the floor of the Assembly or Senate, it can be granted “reconsideration.” According to the Legislative Counsel, reconsideration means a motion giving the opportunity to take...

Senate Resolution 86 a Power Grab by Sen. President Toni Atkins During ‘Emergency?’

March 19, 2020 2:21 amMarch 19, 2020 11:21 am

If Senators or Assembly members can vote remotely, does California need a full time Legislature? While most of the California public and news media was focused on the coronavirus earlier this week, the California State Senate worked into the...

California Legislature: Concurrence in Bill Amendments

March 16, 2020 6:15 amMarch 15, 2020 8:52 pm

As the California Legislature is a bicameral body, after a bill has been passed by its house of origin, it is transmitted to the other house for further consideration. If the second house makes amendments to the bill, then the...

Sending or Withdrawing Bills from the Floor

March 13, 2020 2:16 amMarch 12, 2020 8:10 pm

In the California Legislature, generally committees deal with legislation before passing measures to the Floor of either the Assembly or Senate. However, there are rare instances where legislators choose to return a bill to committee when it is pending on...

The Three Readings of a Bill and Other Floor Procedures in the California Legislature

March 11, 2020 6:01 amMarch 11, 2020 6:02 am

The California Constitution requires a bill to be “read” three times before it can be debated and voted upon by either house. A “reading” of a bill in the Assembly or Senate is defined as being the presentation of the...

The ‘Suspense File’ Process Used in Considering Fiscal Legislation

March 9, 2020 2:20 amMarch 8, 2020 5:43 pm

The two Appropriations Committees in the California Legislature have a unique procedure they each use called the “Suspense File.” Basically, any bill which has been keyed “fiscal” by the Legislative Counsel is referred to the fiscal committee in each house,...