Legislature Archives - Page 77 of 484

Open the Books Exposes California Spending & Gov. Newsom’s Donor Base

August 29, 2022 7:43 amAugust 30, 2022 11:37 am

In January 2020, Open the Books sued California Controller Betty Yee in a Sacramento Superior Court after her office rejected their sunshine request for state spending. Yee claimed that she “couldn’t locate” any of the nearly 50 million bills she...

Do California’s Legislative Rules Have Constitutional Protection?

August 29, 2022 6:28 amAugust 29, 2022 6:34 am

Some readers have asked whether the Assembly Rules, Senate Rules, and Joint Rules of the Assembly and Senate have equal standing as constitutional provisions because those rules flow from a specific grant of authority. Specifically, Article IV, Section 7(a) provides:...

Attorney General Bonta Downplays Increased Crime in California

August 29, 2022 2:37 amAugust 28, 2022 9:53 pm

In a press release dated August 25, 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the release of state crime data for 2021. Noting that violent and property crime rates “remain significantly below their historical highs,” he admitted that homicides increased...

California Energy Infrastructure Safety

August 28, 2022 5:30 pmAugust 28, 2022 4:59 pm

California has numerous formal acts in statute. Government Code Title 2, Division 3, Part 7.3 provides the California Energy Infrastructure Safety Act, which is contained in Sections 15470 to 15476. Part 7.3 was added in 2019 by Chapter 81. Section...

AB 1951 – Full Exemption for Manufacturing Equipment Purchases

August 28, 2022 4:14 pmAugust 28, 2022 4:17 pm

Assembly Bill 1951 is off to the Governor’s Desk for final action prior to the September 30 deadline for Governor Newsom to act on measures. The bill is jointly authored by Assembly Members Grayson, Cooley, Cooper, Daly, Gipson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva,...

Can the Public Be Excluded from Legislative Committee Hearings or Floor Sessions?

August 28, 2022 8:34 amAugust 29, 2022 6:27 am

As the pandemic recedes, there continue to be limitations on the public’s ability to access some of the committee hearings and floor sessions of the California Legislature. Are these limits on public participation permissible? Article IV, Section 7(c) sets forth...

How Is a Bill ‘In Print’ When It Will Be Amended Days Later?

August 28, 2022 8:08 amAugust 28, 2022 8:14 am

Those closely monitoring the California Legislative Information website (found at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/) during the final weekend before the Legislature adjourns in 2022 Session found an interesting phenomenon: Senate Bills were posted with amendments, but readers saw the following at the top...