Understanding California's Lawmaking Process: Bills To Laws

The process of turning a bill into law in California is known as the Legislative Process. The California State Legislature is made up of two houses: the Senate and the Assembly. The process begins when a Senator or Assembly Member decides to author a bill. A Legislator sends the idea for the bill to the Legislative Counsel, where it is drafted into an official bill. The bill is then introduced in the Senate or Assembly, depending on the author. After the first reading, the bill goes to the Rules Committee of the house of origin, where it is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing. Bills are assigned to policy committees according to their subject area. During the committee hearing, the author presents the bill, and testimony can be heard in support of or opposition to the bill. The committee then votes by passing the bill, passing the bill with amendments, or defeating it. Bills passed by committees are read a second time on the floor in the house of origin and then assigned to the third reading. Once the bill has been approved by the house of origin, it proceeds to the other house, where the procedure is repeated. If a bill is amended in the second house, it must go back to the house of origin for concurrence on the amendments. If agreement cannot be reached, the bill is referred to a two-house conference committee to resolve differences. If both houses approve a bill, it then goes to the Governor, who can sign it into law, allow it to become law without their signature, or veto it. Most bills go into effect on the first day of January of the next year, while urgency measures take effect immediately after being signed or allowed to become law without a signature.

Bills must be printed and available for public review for 30 days before being acted on

In California, the process of turning a bill into law is known as the Legislative Process. This process is highly structured, with a series of steps that must be followed for a bill to become a law. One of the critical steps in this process is the requirement that bills must be printed and made available for public review for 30 days before any action can be taken on them. This stage of the Legislative Process ensures transparency and allows for public input and engagement.

The 30-day waiting period for public review begins after a bill is introduced and printed. During this time, the bill is required to appear in the Daily File for four days before it can be discussed in a committee. The Daily File serves as an agenda for the upcoming legislative business, providing public notice of bills scheduled for committee hearings. This period offers ample opportunity for members of the public to review and understand the proposed legislation. It also enables them to communicate their positions and concerns to their legislators.

The public review stage is crucial as it allows for a thorough examination of the bill's content and potential impact. During this time, individuals and groups can express their support or opposition to the bill. They can also provide valuable input and insights to the legislators, helping to shape and improve the bill. This period is essential for ensuring that the legislation reflects the interests and needs of the citizens of California. It encourages active participation in the democratic process and enables a more informed decision-making process.

While there are exceptions to the 30-day rule, such as Budget Bills and resolutions, the standard timeline ensures a thoughtful and deliberate approach to lawmaking. It empowers citizens to have a voice in the legislative process and helps hold legislators accountable to those they represent. This step in the Legislative Process is a testament to California's commitment to transparency and citizen engagement in governance.

Bills are assigned to a policy committee according to subject area

The legislative process in California involves several steps and begins when a Senator or Assembly Member decides to author a bill. Once a bill has been introduced, it is sent to the Rules Committee of the house of origin, where it is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing.

Bills are assigned to policy committees according to their subject area. For instance, a Senate bill concerning health care facilities would first be assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for policy review. Each bill must appear in the Daily File for four days prior to being heard in a committee. The Daily File is the agenda of the day's business, along with public notice of bills set for committee hearings. By checking the File, one can keep track of bills that are scheduled for committee.

Each house has several policy committees and a fiscal committee, and each committee is made up of a specified number of Senators or Assembly Members. During the committee hearing, the author presents the bill, and testimony can be heard in support of or opposition to the bill. The committee then votes by passing the bill, passing the bill with amendments, or defeating it. Bills can be amended multiple times, and it takes a majority vote of the full committee membership for a bill to be passed by the committee.

Bills that require the expenditure of funds must also be heard by the fiscal committees: the Senate Appropriations or Assembly Appropriations. If the bill has a fiscal impact or a state cost, it will be heard in either the Senate or Assembly Appropriations Committee. At this stage, individuals or groups who support or oppose the bill should inform the committee members about their position based on the fiscal arguments.

Bills are read three times before being voted on

The California Constitution requires a bill to be read three times before it can be debated and voted upon by either house. The first reading occurs when the bill is introduced in either house. The bill is placed "across the desk" of the Assembly or Senate, which is the official act of introducing a bill in the Legislature. The bill is given a bill number upon introduction. Once a bill passes over to the other house for consideration, it is simply read for the first time. Introduced bills are noted in the Assembly Daily File or the Senate Daily File. No floor analysis is prepared of the introduced bill.

The second reading occurs after a bill has been reported to the floor from the committee (with or without amendments). This process occurs whether the bill has been amended or not. Also, a bill can be on Second Reading several times, such as when the bill has been reported out of the policy committee and then again after being reported out of the fiscal committee. There is a Second Reading portion in both the Assembly and Senate Daily Files. This portion lists by file number (assigned to each bill once it has been listed in the File) each bill that has been reported out of the committee to the floor. The general rule is that a bill remains on the Second Reading File for one day before moving to the Third Reading File. No floor analysis is prepared for the Second Reading file bills.

The third reading occurs when the bill is about to be taken up for consideration (i.e., presentation, debate, and vote) on either the Assembly Floor or the Senate Floor for final passage. There is a Third Reading portion in both the Assembly and Senate Daily Files. This portion lists by file number each bill that is eligible to be taken up for a final vote on either Floor. A Third Reading Analysis is prepared for bills eligible for consideration on either the Assembly or Senate Floors. This analysis of the bill generally provides an explanation of existing law, what this bill does to existing law, any amendments, a listing of supporters and opponents, etc.

Bills require a majority vote to pass

The process of turning bills into laws in California is commonly referred to as the Legislative Process. It involves several steps, from the conception of an idea to the enactment of a law. At the core of this process is the requirement for a majority vote to pass a bill, ensuring that it progresses through the legislative journey towards becoming a law.

The California State Legislature, consisting of the Senate and the Assembly, plays a pivotal role in this process. Each legislator, whether a Senator or an Assembly Member, has the power to initiate a bill by sending their idea to the Legislative Counsel, where it is drafted into a formal bill. This bill is then introduced in either the Senate or the Assembly, depending on the author's chamber of origin.

Once introduced, the bill undergoes its first reading, where essential details such as the bill number, author's name, and descriptive title are read out. After this, the bill is sent to the respective Rules Committee (Senate or Assembly), which assigns it to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing. This hearing allows for testimony in support of or opposition to the bill, and it takes a majority vote of the full committee membership for the bill to pass this stage.

The committee hearing is a crucial step, as it provides an opportunity for the bill to be thoroughly examined, amended if necessary, and either passed, passed with amendments, or defeated. This stage ensures that the bill is scrutinised and shaped by the input of experts and stakeholders before progressing further.

Following the committee hearing, the bill is read a second time in its house of origin and then assigned to a third reading. During this third reading, the author explains the bill, and it is discussed and voted on by a roll call vote. The voting requirements differ depending on the nature of the bill. For instance, bills requiring an appropriation or immediate effect generally need 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the Assembly, while other bills typically require 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the Assembly.

In conclusion, while the journey from bill to law in California entails multiple steps and considerations, the requirement for a majority vote at various stages is a fundamental aspect of the legislative process. This majority vote ensures that bills receive sufficient support to advance and ultimately become laws that represent the best interests of the citizens of California.

The Governor can sign a bill into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it

Once a bill has been approved by both houses of the California State Legislature, it is sent to the Governor, who has three options: they can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without their signature, or veto it.

If the Governor chooses to sign the bill, it will become law on the first day of January of the following year, unless it is an urgency measure, in which case it will take effect immediately. If the Governor does nothing, the bill will automatically become law after 12 days (or 30 days if the annual winter recess is approaching) without their signature. This is known as a 'pocket veto', and it cannot be overridden by the legislature.

If the Governor chooses to veto the bill, this can be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. If the bill contains items of appropriation, the Governor may use a line-item veto to eliminate or reduce these while approving the rest of the bill.

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