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Legislative Intent Service, Inc. News and Notes

Some bill research does not include the Governor's file because at the time we researched the bill, the sitting Governor had not released his chaptered bill file. If the Governor's file is not included with this particular research, please contact our office (1-530-666-1917 or quote@legintent.com) and we will be happy to provide this file at no charge if it is available. Please Note: Governor files did not exist prior to 1943.

LEGISLATIVE INTENT SERVICE, INC.

Your partner in legislative history research for 40 years!

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LIS NEWS AND NOTES

California’s Plastic Bag Ban:  On September 30, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. signed Senate Bill 270, which enacted the country’s first state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags.  The ban will take effect regarding grocery stores on July 1, 2015 and liquor and convenience stores on July 1, 2016.

According to a press release issued by Governor Brown’s office, over 120 local governments had already passed ordinances banning single-use bags.  According to the Executive Director of Californians Against Waste, this equated to nearly 10 million Californians for whom “life without plastic grocery bags is already a reality.” 

Wisconsin’s 2013 Law Calls for Independent Review of Police Shootings Resulting in Death: The August 9, 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer launched protests, rioting and debate about how police officer shootings should be handled.

Just four months earlier, on April 23, 2014, Wisconsin enacted Assembly Bill 409 (Act 348), which requires law enforcement agencies to have a written policy regarding the investigation of officer-involved deaths.  The law requires independent investigators to provide a complete report to the district attorney in an expeditious manner.  If the DA determines there is no basis to prosecute, the report must be released to the public.

The new law also expands Wisconsin’s Victim’s Basic Bill of Rights to require that a victim’s family members be informed of the process for filing a complaint and a “coroner’s inquest.” 

The approval of Assembly Bill 409 was the culmination of retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Bell’s 10-year fight for change following the shooting death of his son, also named Michael Bell.  The younger Bell was shot and killed by a Kenosha police officer, who was cleared of all wrong-doing within 48 hours following an investigation by the Kenosha Police Department.  You can read more about the shooting, and the legal and legislative efforts that followed here.

The “Kings Dominion Law”:  At this point, the beginning of school and even Labor Day Weekend are distant memories (the back-to-school supply areas in stores have quickly been replaced with Halloween and some Christmas decorations!).  However, that first day of school was more recent for students in Virginia, thanks to a 1986 law that prohibits public schools from starting classes before Labor Day.  Dubbed the “Kings Dominion Law,” the act helps ensures more time for families to visit the popular amusement park before school starts.  You can read more here.

California: $2,500 is a Key Amount in Consumer Lending:  We recently assisted a reporter with the Orange County Register on a story involving consumer lending.  In California, there are interest-rate caps for loans up to $2,500.  However there are fewer restrictions for loans above that amount.  With our help, the reporter was able to access documents regarding the 1985 legislation that reduced the amount from $5,000 to $2,500.  At the time, this was seen as a favorable move to increase competition among lenders.  Unfortunately, this has led to triple-digit interest rates for some borrowers. 

Three Free Self-Study MCLEs:  LIS now offers THREE California State Bar approved self-study exams on the separate subjects of legislative process (1 hr.), the California Public Records Act of 1968 (1 hr.) and legal ethics (1 hr. ethics!).  These free exams are easily available 24/7 at our website for your convenience and will help you meet your State Bar MCLE compliance.  In a timely manner, we will correct the exams and provide you with your State Bar approved certificates electronically.  

Free Quotes:   Need legislative intent and history research?  We’ll provide you with a free email quote, M-F, within one to three hours.  Fill out the “Contact” form at our website or simply reply to this email or call us directly at 1-800-666-1917. 

LIS 40th Anniversary:  With 2014 marking Legislative Intent Service, Inc. ’s 40th year in business, LIS has been in the business of researching legislative history and intent longer than any other private research law firm in California. Many of our long-term clients can look back to our earlier days because they still have our research binders available to their attorneys on their office and library shelves. Now, with pdf delivery of documents, our clients have their legislative history research needs met quickly and completely without copying or scanning charges!

LIS provides excellence in research built upon these four decades of experience, leading to an unparalleled expertise in legislative intent, history and research by our staff attorneys and researchers.  Our firm researches all 50 states’ and federal bills. We also research state and federal regulations and California’s Industrial Welfare Commission. Visit our website to learn more about how our legislative research, whether custom or online store , can help you win your case!

 

WWW.LEGINTENT.COM

  • Our Services :  federal and state legislation and areas of expertise.
  • Free Quotes :  Call toll-free 1-800-666-1917 or email your request and one of our LIS attorneys will provide you with a free quote for legislative history research for federal and state laws and regulations. 
  • Free MCLEs :  1 hr. legislative history, 1 hr. ethics, and 1 hr. California Public Records Act

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