California State Capitol Archives

Charles Swanston’s Headless Rancher Statue is a Casualty of War

January 4, 2023 11:25 amJanuary 4, 2023 2:15 pm

Rekindling ugly memories of the summer of 2020 when anarchist vandals burned and desecrated public memorials across America, the statue of a California rancher had its head cut off in a Sacramento park the day after Christmas. No one yet...

Historical Sacramento Statue of Local Cattle Rancher Decapitated

December 29, 2022 9:07 amDecember 29, 2022 2:56 pm

The statue of George Swanston, a 19th-century northern California cattleman, and meat-packing businessman, was decapitated Monday in the Sacramento neighborhood of Land Park. Vandals removed the head from the historic memorial statue to Charles Swanston, residents first reported Monday on...

Judge Halts California Capitol Annex Remodel Over CA Environmental Law Violations

December 7, 2022 3:48 pmDecember 9, 2022 7:40 am

In September 2020, while the state was still suffering under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s oppressive COVID restrictions of lockdowns, and business and school closures, the Legislature’s Joint Legislative Committee on Rules held a hearing on the plans for the $1.2 billion...

Teaching Law Students the Intricacies of Legislative Drafting

May 16, 2022 3:40 pmMay 16, 2022 9:19 am

At the University of California, Davis King Hall School of Law, the author co-teaches a 2-unit, semester-length course dedicated entirely to legislative drafting. Meeting weekly for 2-hour sessions, students in this course are provided practical experience in researching, analyzing, and...

CA Legislature Ignoring Environmental Laws in State Capitol Renovation and Historic Tree Removal

April 25, 2022 4:26 pmApril 25, 2022 5:03 pm

In September 2020, while the state was still suffering under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s oppressive COVID restrictions of lockdowns, and business and school closures, the Joint Legislative Committee on Rules held a hearing on the plans for the $1.2 billion renovation...

Peaking Under the Dome: Is It Deal-Making or Vote Trading in California’s Capitol?

January 9, 2022 12:05 pmJanuary 9, 2022 3:45 pm

We often read about the “wheeling and dealing” among elected officials that occurs in state capitols across this country, even here in California. While some Capitol observers refer to it as deal-making and lawful, others claim it is vote trading...

California Assembly and Senate Putting the Squeeze on Unvaccinated Employees

August 18, 2021 12:54 pm

The California State Assembly and Senate leaders have been incrementally ratcheting down on COVID mandates now that the State Capitol building is open. The Globe reported in June: As California Capitol Reopens, Leg Staff Required to Show Proof of Vaccine,...