New Legislative Session Gets Underway
The 2007-08 legislative session convened on December 4th with the newly elected members of the legislature sworn into office at that time. Since then members have been moving into their offices, finding housing in Sacramento, hiring staff for their district and capitol offices and researching legislative proposals.

While members are allowed to introduce legislation on the very first day of session they will have until February 23rd to introduce measures for 2007. In the Assembly, members may only introduce 40 bills over the two year cycle, but may introduce measures as they see fit as long it does not exceed the set amount of 40 (for example, they may introduce 20 each year, or they may choose to introduce up to 40 knowing that they will not have new measures in 2008). The Senate, on the other hand, has fewer members and a more collegiate atmosphere and allows members to self police the introduction of their legislation. More »

New Key Committee Leadership Announced for 2007-08 Session
While the Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nunez (D-46, Los Angeles) named a majority of the Assembly’s committee chairs last summer, he withheld the remaining assignments for the incoming Democratic freshmen members who were sworn in on December 4th. Thus, the Chair of the Assembly’s Education, Budget, and Appropriations Committees were announced early on but the Higher Education Committee and the Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance were not announced until the swearing in of the new members. More »