Drafting Checklist for Creating a New Entity in California

February 5, 2023 8:39 amFebruary 5, 2023 8:45 am

When drafting a bill to create a new entity or commission in California law, the following are some of the component parts of that legislation: Membership and Qualifications. A committee should be composed of an odd number of members to...

Legislative Terms Compared

February 4, 2023 8:08 amFebruary 4, 2023 8:12 am

In reviewing the bill drafting manuals of the majority of states that publish them, I have read about some of the terms used in these other states, and the comparable term used in the California Legislature. California calls it a...

California Per Capita Spending Doubles – Where Is It Going?

February 3, 2023 9:22 amFebruary 3, 2023 9:39 am

California’s state government is spending twice as much as it did a decade ago, and by every metric that matters to ordinary Californians, things have only gotten worse. Even without further analysis, this is an incredible fact. California’s state government,...

More on Drafting Definitions in California Legislation

February 3, 2023 8:06 amFebruary 3, 2023 8:12 am

Definitions found in statutes need to be carefully written and ensure clarity in laws. Definitions are generally provided when a word has several different usages, as well as to avoid repetition of a phrase. There are a number of important...

Oakland Election Officials Defy Judge’s Order in Manual Recount in Mayor’s Race

February 3, 2023 7:57 amFebruary 3, 2023 7:57 am

January 4, the Globe reported that the Oakland NAACP was demanding a manual recount in the Mayor’s race “due to a razor-thin margin of victory of 677 votes, an unusually high number of disqualified votes, and widespread confusion surrounding ranked-choice voting...

Fifth Circuit Strikes Down CA Ban On Gun Ownership For Certain Domestic Violence Offenders

February 2, 2023 9:21 pmFebruary 2, 2023 9:21 pm

Gov. Gavin Newsom denounced a new Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Thursday allowing those with domestic violence restraining orders to have firearms. The ruling is the latest federal decision that further erodes strict Californian gun laws. The back...

What It’s Like to Run for Assembly as a Republican in San José

February 2, 2023 6:32 pmFebruary 3, 2023 7:24 am

Against odds that the Public Policy Institute of California pegged at 200 to 1, I ran as a Republican in California Assembly District 25, which takes in central and eastern San José. The Republican registration in this district of some...