California bills Archives - California Globe

Are Severability Clauses Necessary in California Bills?

October 16, 2022 4:38 pmOctober 16, 2022 4:55 pm

Around the country, and at the federal level, there is an ongoing debate among legislative lawyers whether a severability clause must be included in legislation. If a bill contains a severability clause, then the matter of whether provisions contained in...

Examples of Common Provisions Found in California Bills

September 12, 2022 3:17 pmSeptember 12, 2022 2:54 pm

There are a number of common provisions to California legislation that can be found, and these provisions should be familiar to those reading, analyzing, or drafting bills in the Legislature. The following features examples of some of the common provisions...

Why Do California Bills Have Certain Provisions?

September 11, 2022 3:09 pmSeptember 11, 2022 3:11 pm

Why do bills in the California Legislature contain certain provisions? I am sure some readers have asked that question at least once! Or so I tell myself. Here are some examples of what I mean with an explanation: Why does...

Automatic Repeal of Reporting Requirements in California Bills

April 13, 2022 6:39 amApril 13, 2022 6:47 am

In reviewing bill language, a reader may come across a measure that requires a report to be submitted by a state agency. The following example contains language commonly found in statute: A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a)...

California State Assembly nearly empty except for a few folks in the balcony.

Appropriating Funds or Not in California Bills

March 16, 2022 6:55 amMarch 16, 2022 6:56 am

California bills can and do appropriate monies from the General Fund or special funds. In other bills, appropriations are specifically not made, even though they may otherwise be required by existing law. Subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget...

A sea of empty desks inside the California State Assembly

Should California Bills Use ‘Includes’ or ‘Means?’

March 10, 2022 9:19 amMarch 10, 2022 9:22 am

When attorneys in the Office of Legislative Counsel are drafting bills for California legislators, they often delete the word “includes” and substitute it with the word “means.” Why is that being done by these legislative lawyers? The following example comes...

Interesting Sections of California Bills

February 8, 2022 11:30 amFebruary 8, 2022 11:24 am

Over the years, I have come across some provisions of California legislation that appear at least inconsistent with general drafting norms. This statement is not meant to be a criticism of either a bill’s author or the bill drafter; it...