Information How to read a California Bill

Let's look at how a bill is formatted and what the parts are and then what little you can do.

For an example, let's examine 2024's SB 1160, the annual registration bill.

Bills are on line at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces//billSearchClient.xhtml

Clicking on that link brings up this query screen:






Enter "1160" in the "Bill Number" field and click "Search"; you get


Click on SB-1160 and you get


Let's look at "Text".

The structure is the Digest from the Legislative Counsel, then Sections of the bill.

Here, the Bill proposes to add a complete new Division to the Penal Code (order of groups is Code, Part, Title, Division, Chapter, Numbered Section). In this case, the text formatting convention is to use plain black text.

If there would be a proposed insertion or amendment to the code, in the PDF version of the bill, New Text would be shown as blue italic. Deleted Text would be red strikeout. On line, the text is shown as italic and strikeout, but no color.

Note carefully that CA convention is to include a lot of existing law, to show where the changes would be; just because some text appears in a bill does not mean it is all new.

And worse, the convention is to treat the bill as introduced as the 'base', and any changes in committee are represented as italic (new) or strikeout (deleted) in reference to the prior version of the bill.

Now, let's consider Status/History:

Latest information is at the top; the scheduled hearing for April 2 was cancelled - the bill could be taken up again, so it's still alive. Remember it has to get out of Senate Public Safety, then Senate Appropriations, then the Senate Floor by May 30, 2024 so it can continue to the Assembly.

The Bill Analysis is a PDF at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB1160# - these are usually dull, but this one is entertaining.

Note that for almost all gun bills, anything like 'The Legislature finds ...' is invariably wrong, misrepresented, or unsupported-by-reality statements.

Hearings

Committee hearings are regularly scheduled and almost always in small rooms. Those allowed to testify are usually invited by the Committee or the bill's author; the public will not get a voice, and probably will not get a seat. A couple gun-organization lobbyists usually get a minute or two.

Sometimes the hearings are broadcast on line - I can't find a schedule just now, but people do listen and watch.

There is an agenda for hearings - example: https://spsf.senate.ca.gov/content/2023-2024-bill-hearings - so you can see what's coming up.

If you like, you can submit a written comment to the Committee - example: https://archive.senate.ca.gov/sites...2021-22/spsf.senate.ca.gov/committeehome.html

Note Support and opposition letters are due by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday of the week prior to the hearing.

Click to expand...

You can also submit "Comments to the Author" via the bill page, and you may contact the committee members individually, as well as send comments to the Staff.

Please try to be business-like and at least superficially polite; mostly you will get secretaries who don't deserve abuse for the actions of their employing Legislator.

Typically, committee members will ignore you unless you are a constituent of that member; don't be put off by their form-letter reply to 'contact your representative', but don't put a lot of effort into your letter/email/phone call. The legislators' offices are mostly counting 'Support/Oppose' and don't much care about your reasons.

You might get better response if you are a major donor, a local politician or public figure, or are personally known to 'Senator Bob'.