How Things Work In **California** - Bills, Laws, Legislators

[Librarian]

Probably ought to be 'How things are SUPPOSED to work' …

This sticky consolidates several other stickies, so we can cut down the number in the 2A forum.

HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW - In California, how does a bill become law?

Shortest possible summary: Bills are submitted, reviewed by committees, voted on by whole house, move to the other house, repeat committees and full house, go to the Governor - that's usually in September.

HOW TO READ THE BILLS - Beginner's Guide to Reading California Bills and Bill Pages

Please use the NEW web site - http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa...chClient.xhtml

INDEX TO FIND THE CALGUNS THREADS ON THE CURRENT CROP OF BILLS

2017 California Bill INDEX THREAD - look here to find the Calguns threads about bills

Don't have one of these for 2021

HOW TO CONTACT LEGISLATORS ABOUT A BILL

Lots of ways in 2013

The Official Contact pages -
--- Senate -- senate.ca.gov/senators
--- Assembly -- assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers

And, the GOVERNOR https://govnews.gov.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php

The bill pages themselves have a tab in the top right corner.

What Do I Say?

Simple is critical. All they are doing is counting incoming contacts, they really don't seem to read anything.

So, say

Dear Legislator,

Please vote against Assembly Bill 1234.

Sincerely,

That's it. That's plenty.

HOW DO I FIND OUT HOW A CALIFORNIA LEGISLATOR VOTED?

Sacramento BEE used to have a page but they dropped it. Chamber of Commerce and AFL-CIO have special-interest pages, but nothing specializing in gun bills.

A couple other attempts have been made, but seem to have died around 2010. It isn't hard, just tedious. And legislators get to change their votes after the actual vote event, so it can be bit tricky.

WHAT DOES NOT WORK IN CALIFORNIA

INITIATIVES - http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=156804

An 'initiative' gets OUR bill on the ballot, for the voters to pass or reject.

A 'referendum' gets a law passed by the Legislature on the ballot, for the voters to pass or reject.

Summary: much as we would like it to be different, we don't have the votes.

[Librarian]

Update 2020 ...

Ballotpedia has 2 very important pages on the houses of the legislature

Assembly - https://ballotpedia.org/California_State_Assembly

Senate - https://ballotpedia.org/California_State_Senate

In 2020 and 2021, Senate is 29 D, 11 R

In 2020 and 2021, Assembly is 61 D, 17 R, 1 Ind, 1 vacant

In both houses, Ds have a 2/3 majority; generally, they do not need Rs for anything, and tend to ignore them.

[Cal Liberty]

Got this link today from NRA, hope it helps. It's only for state Senate and Congress and you can enter your address to find out who is your district.

http://www.nrapvf.org/grades-endorse...alifornia.aspx

Guns are like chips, you can't stop at just one!

[Librarian]

you should already be aware that money is important.

Here's an article on money and politics, for prospective California legislators: http://calmatters.org/articles/money...idates-listen/

High on the agenda: money.

“If you simply take the time and the courtesy to have a conversation with us, and figure out where we agree and where we don’t agree, you might avoid a multimillion dollar I.E. (campaign) against you,” Carlos Marquez, political director of the California Charter Schools Association, said to the roomful of candidates.

“I think that goes for a lot of the folks here,” he said, gesturing across the panel leading a session called, “How to ace a PAC interview.”

[Librarian]

Update to post #2, D dominance of Legislature

[Librarian]

The legislature publishes a calendar for the next session, every year in December.

For 2021 it's here - https://www.senate.ca.gov/sites/sena...1_calendar.pdf

2021 is the FIRST year of the 2021-2022 session.

Most dates are rather technical, but these are important:

Feb. 19 Last day for bills to be introduced (J.R. 61(a)(1)), (J.R. 54(a)). - we have just passed this one.

No more new bills, but bills MAY be gutted and amended

May 7 Last day for policy committees to hear and report to the Floor non-fiscal
bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(3)).

Anything still in committee after May 7 will not pass in 2021.

Sept. 10 Last day for each house to pass bills (J.R. 61(a)(14)).
Interim Study Recess begins at end of this day’s session (J.R. 51(a)(4)).

That's 'last day for floor votes'; they can still screw around and stop the clock in the chambers.

Oct. 10 Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature on or before Sept. 10 and in the Governor’s possession after Sept. 10 (Art. IV, Sec. 10(b)(1)).

And January 1, 2022 would be the 'standard' date for the laws to go into effect; however, any bill might have its own specified implementation date, for all or part of the provisions, and any bill might be designated an 'urgency' bill. which would take effect as soon as the governor would sign it.

New contact page for the governor - https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/
(Gavin is "40")

[Librarian]

Update on the process 2022-2023 https://calmatters.org/explainers/ca...ernment-works/

https://www.senate.ca.gov/sites/sena...e_calendar.pdf - LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR 2023