https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/legislative-publications
While the legislative publications of the California State Assembly and California State Senate have the same names and are intended to serve the same purposes, when we look a little bit more closely, there are several keen differences between the Senate’s and the Assembly’s legislative publications.
The Assembly Daily Journal and the Senate Daily
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/the-california-commission-on-state-mandates
California’s Commission on State Mandates derives its power from Article XIII B, Section 6 of the California State Constitution, which deals with a government spending limitation.
Section 6 of Article XIII B provides that whenever the Legislature or any state agency mandates a new program or a higher level of service on any local
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/drafting-bill-analyses-in-the-california-legislature
An important part of the California legislative process involves the preparation of analyses for legislators when considering bills. All of the committees, both policy and fiscal, prepare analyses of measures then the floors before the process repeats itself in the opposite house.
When reviewing bill analyses, an observer quickly notes the different approaches taken
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/examining-ca-legislative-records
Members of the public can examine California legislative records based upon the provisions of the Legislative Open Records Act (“LORA”). Found in California’s Government Code, LORA was enacted in 1975 in order to allow public access to legislative records. LORA also limits the public’s right
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/direct-democracy-in-california-a-brief-history-and-its-functions
Direct democracy is the term we in government use to describe the ability of the voters to take matters into their own hands. In other words, it is the ability of the voters to enact or repeal laws, or recall elected officials. California is one of two dozen
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/the-impact-of-the-state-budget-on-public-policy
California’s budget process continues to be and have a major impact on the state’s public policy agenda. From my vantage point, this is because numerous policy changes are enacted every year as part of the state budget. In other words, state public policy continues to be done as
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/governor-browns-vetoes-of-labor-legislation-in-2018
Today’s post and podcast looks at some of Governor Jerry Brown’s vetoes of labor bills from the 2018 legislative session.
While this series of posts has focused on bills that became law, there were a number of significant labor and employment law related bills that were vetoed by Governor Brown that merit discussion. I
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/role-of-local-government-in-california
The role of local government cannot be overstated. The 58 counties, the 482 cities, and over 3000 special districts from transportation agencies to local air districts, water boards, and vector control agencies, all play a very critical role in making and implementing public policy throughout the state of California.
Counties are specified as “political
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/comparing-california-government-to-other-state-governments
Structurally speaking, California state government is not unique among the other states. All fifty states provide for a republican form of government in their individual constitutions. And all the states are based upon the federal government model with three branches of state government: the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch. Let’s
https://soundcloud.com/capimpactca/sb-224
Senate Bill 224 deals with sexual harassment. Governor Brown signed SB 224 by State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson on September 30, as Chapter 951. The bill adds investors, elected officials, lobbyists, directors, and producers to the list of examples of relationships that are covered by Civil Code Section 51.9. Civil Code Section 51.9 imposes civil