There exists a significant amount of legislation at the state level, as anyone would surmise. Many of the laws passed at the state level are, for the most part, known by residents. However, there are amendments and resolutions that slightly alter or add to those laws; including the Constitution which has been amended 27 times since its creation. These resolutions widely go unnoticed by the public and are often dismissed by the lawmakers themselves once an alteration is passed. These resolutions to state legislation offer little no actual enforcement and are, in essence, forms of recognition or a means to pacify constituents in times of ... Read More >
Mar 15
FAQ: Understanding SLAPP and Anti-SLAPP Laws
If you've ever been in a courtroom, or if you are just addicted to legal television shows and courtroom dramas, you may have heard the term anti-SLAPP. SLAPP laws, or strategic lawsuits against public participation, are exactly what they sound like -- lawsuits designed not to right a wrong, but to intimidate or suppress public action, usually speech. Because corporations usually have the financial resources to fund lawsuits and pay endless legal fees, simply filing a lawsuit against an ordinary citizen is enough to silence them. Looking for more information on SLAPP lawsuits and anti-SLAPP laws? Legal research websites such as Legislative ... Read More >
Jan 23
FAQ: Do All Functions of Government Stop During a Shutdown?
The United States government officially shut down at midnight on Friday, January 19. It's not the first time the federal government has shutdown in the 21st century, and unless there are some radical changes in Washington, D.C., it won't be the last time either. As is traditional during government shutdowns, both parties believe the opposing party is 100% responsible for the shutdown. Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government for four weeks, but the Senate failed to agree on a spending bill. The disagreement resulted in a government shutdown. In any ... Read More >
Jan 10
California Government Signed These New Laws Into Effect for 2018
Even though it's been over 200 years since the U.S. Constitution was created, new laws go into effect on a regular basis. And with the beginning of the new year, now is a popular time for states to put new state regulations into effect. In fact, California recently signed multiple state regulations. If you're a California resident, or just curious about what rules are changing in the state, you should know the new laws we'll be discussing in this article. Baby-changing tables in men's rooms: For dads out with their babies, they'll no longer have to face the difficulties of finding a place in public to change their babies' diapers. Thanks ... Read More >
Dec 14
Digging back to the 1920s in our Archives: The Bank Taxation crisis and California’s swift response
Often we may characterize our government as being slow to react to various needs. Well, we have an example in 1928 of this not being the case. On August 16, 1928, California Governor C.C. Young convened a special session of the Legislature due to “a most serious fiscal problem which involves [the state’s] financial stability…” The issue came about through the Tax Commission’s discovery that California’s method of bank taxation from 1910 had become a “dead letter” due to its conflict with recent United States Supreme Court decisions. Governor Young concluded that the only way to remedy this situation quickly was through a constitutional ... Read More >
Dec 11
12 States Asking the Supreme Court to Disband California’s Egg Law
Twelve California states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to disband one of their federal laws that currently requires any eggs sold there to come from hens who have space to stretch out within their cages. Missouri Atty. Gen. Josh Hawley plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of the states. Allegedly, since the law took effect in 2015, it has cost consumers $350 million nationwide due to higher egg prices. The lawsuit will argue that California's requirements violate the U.S. Constitution's interstate commerce clause and are prevented by federal law. California produced about 5 billion eggs in 2012 and imported an additional 4 billion from ... Read More >