The Secretary of State assigns an Assembly or Senate bill (bill) a number known as the chapter number; when the Governor approves, signs, dates, and deposits the bill with the Secretary of State. This copy is the official record and law of the State.

The bills are numbered consecutively in the order in which they are received, and the resulting sequence is presumed to be the order in which the Governor approved the bills. (Government Code Section 9510)

When the Governor vetoes a bill, he or she returns it to the House of origin, with his or her objections.

A statute enacted during a regular session of the Legislature takes effect on January 1 of the following year, unless a later date is specified in the statute. An urgency statute, which must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in each house of the Legislature, can take effect immediately after it is signed by the Governor and chaptered into law. Any measure passed by the Legislature, signed by the Governor, and chaptered into law during a special or extraordinary session of the Legislature takes effect 90 days after the special or extraordinary session is adjourned, unless a later date is specified. An urgency statute that is adopted during a special or extraordinary session of the Legislature takes effect immediately after it is signed by the Governor and chaptered into law. Statutes calling for elections, providing for tax levies or appropriations for the usual current expenses of the state, and urgency measures go into effect immediately upon their enactment. Every concurrent and joint resolution takes effect upon filing with the Secretary of State. (Government Code section 9600)

We have provided you with an opportunity to view chapter lists. Chapter lists are updated each time a bill is chaptered with the new date noted in parentheses ( ).

Terms Defined

ACTION CODES - Bills that note one of the following codes, usually, take effect immediately.

  • A = APPROPRIATION
  • E = ELECTION
  • I = IMMEDIATE - The budget bill and budget related bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill passed by a majority vote takes effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation
  • T = TAX LEVY - Any bill that imposes, repeals, or materially alters a state tax. Legislative Counsel determines whether a bill is a tax levy.
  • U = URGENCY - A clause adopted by the House by a two-thirds vote of the elected members

BILL - A draft of a proposed law introduced by a member of the Legislature. (Assembly Bill 4000 = AB 4000 or Senate Bill 10 = SB 10)

CHAPTER - After a bill has been signed by the Governor, the Secretary of State assigns the bill a "Chapter Number" such as "Chapter 123, Statutes of 1992," which is subsequently used to refer to the measure rather than the bill number.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION - A measure that can be introduced in either house, but must be approved by both houses and filed with the Secretary of State to take effect. These measures usually involve the business of the Legislature. (e.g., adoption of the Joint Rules.)

HOUSE RESOLUTION - A document that is the expression of one house. House resolutions are generally used to amend house rules or to create committees.

JOINT RESOLUTION - Expresses an opinion about an issue pertaining to the federal government; forwarded to Congress for its information. Joint resolutions require the approval of both the Assembly and Senate but does not require the signature of the Governor to take effect.

VETO - The formal action when the Governor disapproves a bill. A two-thirds vote of each house is necessary to override the veto and make the bill become law .

Chapter Lists

2024

2023

2023-2024 Extraordinary Session

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2015-2016 Extraordinary Session

2014

2013

2013-2014 Extraordinary Session

2012

2011

2011-2012 Extraordinary Session

2010

2009

2009-2010 Extraordinary Session

2008

2007

2006

2005