Review the following explanations to help you better understand how the legislative process works and some of the terms we use in this section.

Like the federal government, California’s Legislature consists of two houses: the Senate and the Assembly. Bills must be introduced by the last half of February each year. They are assigned a number preceded by either SB or AB, which indicates whether the author is a member of the Senate or Assembly.

Bills must pass both houses of Legislature by majority vote prior to August 31 for odd-numbered years or September 12 for even-numbered years. After a bill is passed the Legislature, the governor generally has 30 days to sign the bill into law or veto it.

A bill has been introduced and is being reviewed by either the Senate or the Assembly. After review, the bill must pass both houses of the Legislature. If it does not pass, it will not be seen by the governor.

A bill that has passed both houses and is on the governor’s desk.

A bill that the governor has signed into law. A chaptered bill usually takes effect the following year on January 1. Code sections enacted in bills may require adoption by the Board of Retirement and/or the County Board of Supervisors in order to apply to SDCERA.

The governor did not sign the bill and it will not take effect. It could be reintroduced as a new bill the following year.