20 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com MANY OF THE SERVICES CHLA provides its members are readily apparent, such as our human trafficking prevention training, discount healthcare benefits, and our conferences and events. However, there is one less well understood, yet incredibly important, asset that we provide for our members which shapes every facet of your property’s daily operations— CHLA’s advocacy program. Under this program, CHLA is involved in supporting or opposing various laws proposed by elected members of the state legislature. Often, we urge CHLA members to become involved at various stages in the legislative process to help amplify our position to legislators. You may wonder why we ask for your involvement at certain times— and that’s understandable, because for many outside observers, the legislative process can seem overly complex and opaque. In fact, while there are a number of steps for any bill to become law, the process itself is fairly straightforward. Understanding how it works can help our members understand when it is most helpful and effective for them to make their voices heard. A proposed new law, or bill, can be introduced in either the Assembly or a Senate by one or more members of the chamber. Often, bills are the result of a suggestion by an industry association, a union, or a citizen’s group to address an issue of concern to them and introduced by a legislator who shares their concerns. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned a number in sequence for that legislative session, preceded by “AB” if introduced in the Assembly, or “SB” if introduced in the Senate. While many bills have names or even clever acronyms, the number is how the bill will be formally identified and how it can be tracked throughout the legislative process. The first step for any bill is the Rules Committee in the chamber where it was introduced. That committee determines which of the several policy committees will be involved in debating and revising the original bill, based on the policy committee’s focus. The policy committee will consider the bill and may hold hearings and listen to presentations by interested individuals who are either in favor of or oppose the bill. This is one of the most important times to attempt to influence the language of the proposed law or attempt to persuade the committee to reject the bill. If a bill involves government spending or revenue, it also will be heard by the Appropriations Committee, which will consider the fiscal effects of the measure. If the bill passes the policy committee (and the Appropriations Committee, if needed), it then goes to the floor of that chamber for a vote, possibly with a debate on the floor. Some of the proposed amendments may change the nature of the bill in a way that changes our position on it, and so it may be crucial at this stage for our members to once again speak out, either for or against the amendment. Once all the amendments have been considered and either approved or rejected, the entire bill is voted on by the full Assembly or Senate. If it passes (usually with a simple majority), it is sent to the other chamber for consideration, repeating the entire process of committee hearings, amendments and a floor vote. Follow That Bill Note: Interactive Article! Click here to view a flowchart that you can use to follow along with this article. HELD IN COMMITTEE PASSAGE REFUSED PASSAGE REFUSED HELD IN COMMITTEE COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS PASS Proposed Amendments Revised Third Reading Analysis TO ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS PASS HELD IN COMMITTEE COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS PASS ASSEMBLY BILL PREPARED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL SENATE BILL PREPARED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL RULES COMMITTEE ASSIGNS BILL TO COMMITTEE Bill may not be heard by committee until 31st day after introduction COMMITTEE HEARING: Policy or Appropriations CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS TESTIFY: BILL AUTHOR CITIZENS EXPERTS LOBBYISTS RULES COMMITTEE ASSIGNS BILLS TO COMMITTEE SECOND SENATE READING THIRD SENATE READING DEBATE VOTE FIRST ASSEMBLY READING COMMITTEE HEARING: Policy or Appropriations CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS TESTIMONY BY: BILL AUTHOR CITIZENS EXPERTS LOBBYISTS THIRD ASSEMBLY READING DEBATE VOTE THE LIFE CYCLE OF LEGISLATION From Idea into Law INTRODUCED BY MEMBER, NUMBERED, FIRST READING, PRINTED RULES COMMITTEE ASSIGNS BILL TO COMMITTEE Bill may not be heard by committee until 31st day after introduction COMMITTEE HEARING: Policy or Appropriations CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS TESTIFY: BILL AUTHOR CITIZENS EXPERTS LOBBYISTS RULES ASSIGNS BILLS TO COMMITTEE THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE A S S E M B LY RU L E S C OMM I T T E E Although the procedure can become complicated, this chart shows the essential steps for passage of a bill. Typical committee actions are used to simplify charting the course of legislation. Some bills require hearings by more than one committee, in which case a committee may re–refer the bill to another committee. For example, bills with monetary implications must be re–referred to the proper fiscal committee in each House before they are sent to the second reading file and final action. A bill may be amended at various times as it moves through the Houses. The bill must be reprinted each time an amendment is adopted by either house. All bill actions are printed in the DAILY FILES, JOURNALS and HISTORIES. If a bill is amended in the opposite House, it is returned to the House of Origin for concurrence in amendments. If House of Origin does not concur, a Conference Committee Report must then be adopted by each House before the bill can be sent to the Governor. SUGGESTIONS FOR NEEDED LEGISLATION FROM Agencies, Citizens, Governor, Lobbyists ASSEMBLY MEMBER SENATOR SECOND ASSEMBLY READING THIRD ASSEMBLY READING DEBATE VOTE FIRST SENATE READING COMMITTEE HEARING: Policy or Appropriations CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS TESTIMONY BY: BILL AUTHOR CITIZENS EXPERTS LOBBYISTS THIRD SENATE READING DEBATE VOTE Revised Third Reading Analysis GOVERNOR RETURN TO ASSEMBLY FLOOR Concurrence in Senate Amendments YES NO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 3 Assembly Members 3 Senate Members CONFERENCE REPORT ASSEMBLY and SENATE Adopt Conference Report YES NO *Follow same procedures as in the Assembly RETURN TO SENATE FLOOR Concurrence in Assembly Amendments LEGISLATURE HAS 60 DAYS (not including joint recesses) TO OVERRIDE VETO WITH 2/3 VOTE IN EACH HOUSE BILL IS CHAPTERED BY SECRETARY OF STATE Bill becomes law January 1st of the following year unless it contains an urgency clause (takes effect immediately) or specifies its own effective date. Proposed Amendments PASSED WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS WITHOUT SENATE AMENDMENTS SIGN PASSED WITH ASSEMBLY AMENDMENTS WITHOUT ASSEMBLY AMENDMENTS BECOMES LAW WITHOUT SIGNATURE VETO Proposed Amendments Revised Third Reading Analysis SECOND SENATE READING SECOND ASSEMBLY READING ** Assembly policy committee will do Governor's Veto analysis PASSAGE REFUSED INTRODUCED BY MEMBER, NUMBERED, FIRST READING, PRINTED TO SENATE PASSAGE REFUSED HELD IN COMMITTEE COMMITTEE RECOMENDATIONS PASS Revised Third Reading Analysis Proposed Amendments
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