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From: Jim Winterroth <jwinter@qdrs2a.stg.trw.com>
X-Mailer: SCO System V Mail (version 3.2)
To: chan@shell.portal.com
Subject: CA on-line
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 7:40:41 PDT
Message-Id:  <9404050740.aa24309@qdrs2a.stg.trw.com>
Status: RO

I accessed the California on-line system last night and downloaded the
latest guide to it.  It appears this guide should replace 
ca-legislation-online.  The guide below has a full name of 
README_public_access_guide_txt.  It should be noted that when you ftp into
the site leginfo.public.ca.gov you are in a ./ directory and need to cd into
pub to start finding most of the files.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------










                       A GUIDE FOR ACCESSING
                      CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
                     INFORMATION OVER INTERNET



                        



















                           


                         PREPARED BY THE
                    LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL BUREAU
                       STATE OF CALIFORNIA

                  comments@leginfo.public.ca.gov                  

                          Table of Contents




Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

What is Internet?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1

How do I Gain Access to Internet?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2

What are the Access Methods Available? . . . . . . . . . . . .   4

What Legislative Information is Available? . . . . . . . . . .   5

What Help will be Available? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6

What Assistance is Available?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6

How is the Information Organized?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6

APPENDIX A: Overview of the Legislative Process  . . . . . . .   8

APPENDIX B: Glossary of Legislative Terms . . . . . . . . . .   11

APPENDIX C: Glossary of Internet Terms. . . . . . . . . . . .   16

APPENDIX D: README Files And Indexes. . . . . . . . . . . . .   17

APPENDIX E: Getting Started with Electronic Mail. . . . . . .   19

                        A GUIDE FOR ACCESSING
                        CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
                       INFORMATION OVER INTERNET


Introduction

Information regarding matters pending before the Legislature has
been available to the citizens of California in printed form since
1849.  That same information is now available by way of a computer
network called Internet.  AB 1624 (Chapter 1235/Statutes of 1993),
authored by Assembly Member Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey, requires
that legislative information be made available to the public by way
of the largest nonproprietary, non-profit cooperative public
computer network.   This phrase refers to the computer network
known as Internet.

This Public Access Guide is designed to assist the general public
in obtaining legislative information from the public access
computer over Internet. The guide also provides the following
appendices: Overview of the Legislative Process, Glossary of
Legislative Terms, Glossary of Internet Terms, and README files and
Indexes.  A review of this guide, including the appendices, should
be completed before attempting to look at legislative information
on Internet.


What is Internet?

Internet is a world-wide computer network that is made up of many
interconnected networks.  It is the fastest growing form of
communication in history.  Anybody can use Internet.  It is
possible to send and receive electronic mail (E-mail) and retrieve
information on a variety of subjects.

Internet was created about 20 years ago by the U.S. Department of
Defense as an experimental network designed to support military
research.  At that time it was called ARPANet (Advanced Research
Project Agency Network).  Over the years, many new networks were
established.  For example, one was established by the National
Science Foundation to allow colleges and universities to access the
ARPANet for educational use.

>From these beginnings, the network has grown to a point where there
are now more than 33,000 networks interconnected with Internet and
more than 10 million users.  Internet user include government
agencies, universities, researchers, private companies, and
individuals.  Internet access is possible from almost any location
in the United States and in over 40 other countries around the
world.



                                         Public Access Guide - 1  The following are several books that will provide you with
information about Internet:


  ·  Internet: Getting Started
     April Marine, Susan Kirkpatrick, Vivian Neou, Carol Ward 
     (Staff, SRI International)                         

  ·  The Internet Companion: A Beginners Guide to Global networking

     Tracy LaQuey, Addison-Wesley

  ·  The Whole Internet Users Guide & Catalog
     Ed Krol, OReilly & Associates

  ·  The Mac Internet Tour Guide
     Michael Fraase, Ventana Press

  ·  Connecting to the Internet
     Susan Estrada, OReilly & Associates
 

There are numerous other books and periodicals, and the above list
should not be considered as an endorsement for any particular
publications.
 
An additional source of information is Internet itself.  Once you
gain access to Internet there are many Internet users' manuals,
guides, and bibliographies available throughout Internet.


How do I Gain Access to Internet?

Individuals with a computer, a modem, and a phone line can access
Internet.  A modem allows your computer to use your regular home
phone line to dial-up and communicate with Internet and other
computers.  In addition, a subscription to one of the Internet
access services is required.  These Internet access services
provide a doorway into Internet.  The fee-based services may be a
flat monthly fee, usage-based fee, or a combination of the two. 
Several books, including The Internet Companion and Connecting to
the Internet, list these companies.  You can also call InterNIC, an
Internet information service, at 800-444-4345, for a list of access
service providers.  

There are other services that provide Internet access through
electronic mail.  Many of the companies that provide E-mail access
to Internet are commercial (for a fee) services.  Most of the major
service providers offer E-mail access and a variety of services,
such as news, weather and sports, shopping, travel arrangements,
bulletin boards (also called forums or roundtables), games, online
chatting, investment advice and services, educational services, and
reference works.
                                         Public Access Guide - 2These Online services charge fees, ranging from monthly memberships
to specific feature fees.  The following is a list of some of the
major services and their phone numbers:


               ·  America Online   800-827-6364                   
                                                          
               ·  CompuServe       800-848-8199
                                                       
               ·  Netcom Online    800-501-8649                   
                                                                  
               ·  Prodigy          800-776-3449                   
                 
               ·  The Well         415-332-4335                   
                                                       
               ·  Ziffnet          800-666-0330                   
                                            
                                                                  
There are numerous other providers, and the above list should not
be considered as an endorsement for any particular service.

Many companies and government organizations also have access to
Internet.  If you are attending a four-year college or university,
you should be able to get access to Internet as a student.  College
students often can obtain a free account through the school.  More
and more public schools are connecting to Internet.  Check with
your administration office to find out if your school has Internet
access. 

If your company or school does not have an Internet connection,
there is still another way of gaining Internet access.  Check out
your public library.  It may offer a method of access to Internet
or information regarding how you might obtain access to Internet.




















                                         Public Access Guide - 3What are the Access Methods Available?

After you have established a connection to Internet, there are two
methods for retrieving legislative information:  Direct File
Transfer and File Transfer by way of Electronic  Mail.  Both
methods use File Transfer Protocol (FTP), an Internet tool that
allows you to transfer files from the public access computer to
your local computer.  Any of the sources mentioned in this guide
will assist you in the use of FTP commands.


Direct File Transfer

The Direct File Transfer method provides a direct connection to the
public access computer by way of an Internet FTP prompt.  At this
prompt, you will type FTP commands to retrieve files of legislative
information.  To access the Internet FTP prompt, enter the "open"
or "connect" FTP command and the following address of the public
access computer:

                   leginfo.public.ca.gov



File Transfer by way of Electronic Mail

The File Transfer by way of Electronic Mail method allows you to
retrieve legislative information by typing FTP commands in the
body of your E-mail message.  The public access computer then
E-mails the information back to you.  This is possible through a
facility called FTPmail; it enables many individuals who only
have E-mail to retrieve files of legislative information.  

Send your E-mail message to the following address (See Appendix
E):

               ftpmail@leginfo.public.ca.gov
















                                         Public Access Guide - 4What Legislative Information is Available?

AB 1624 required that for each current legislative session, the
following information be made available on Internet:


     ·   The legislative calendar

     ·   The schedule of legislative committee hearings

     ·   A list of matters pending on the floors of both houses
         of the Legislature

     ·   A list of the committees of the Legislature and their
         members

     ·   The text of each bill introduced, including each
         amended, enrolled, and chaptered form of each bill

     ·   The history of each bill introduced and amended

     ·   The status of each bill introduced and amended

     ·   All bill analyses prepared by legislative committees     
         in connection with each bill

     ·   All vote information concerning each bill

     ·   Any veto message concerning a bill

     ·   The California Codes

     ·   The California Constitution

     ·   All statutes enacted on or after January 1, 1993


All of the information is directly related to the legislative
process and how a bill becomes law.  Once laws are passed by the
Legislature they can have a direct impact on your life.  In a
representative form of government, citizens possessing knowledge
about issues and the process of government can affect the policy
decisions under consideration by the Legislature.

Prior to selecting any of the legislative information, it is
important that you understand the legislative process and how and
where the legislative information fits into the process.  A
review of Appendix A, Overview of Legislative  Process, Appendix
B, Glossary of Legislative Terms, and Appendix D, README Files
and Indexes, should be helpful.  



                                         Public Access Guide - 5What Help will be Available?

Help information is provided by way of README files.  A README
file is a file that contains information to inform you about such
things as what directories and files are available, how they are
named, and how to retrieve one or more files.  There are general
README files that include an overview of the available five
directories, the file structure and contents, the text of AB
1624, and general information about the legislative process. 
There are additional README files that provide more specific
information on the contents of each of the directories and the
specific procedures on how to retrieve one or more files of
information. 


What Assistance is Available?

As with any other computer program you have obtained, assistance
can be provided by a variety of sources.  For example, colleges
and universities, libraries, public schools, instructors and
students, and your friends, many of whom are very knowledgeable
about computers and/or Internet, can provide helpful assistance.

There will be an E-mail account for you to send messages or
comments you may have.  The E-mail address is:

            comments@leginfo.public.ca.gov 


You can also request to be placed on an E-mail list to
autoatically receive notices regarding system availability, new
features, or topics that arise.  If you would like to be placed
on this list, send your request to the above E-mail address.


How is the Information Organized?

The legislative information is indexed by several directories and
sub-directories.  The directories point to the information. 
Understanding the directories is critical to your understanding
of the information.  There is a main legislative information
directory and five other directories that contain the Daily File,
Bill Information, California Codes, California Constitution,
and Statutes.  Each of these five directories is broken down
further into sub-directories to allow you to more readily
retrieve the information.  The main legislative information
directory can be thought of as a tree trunk with branches
representing the five directories.  Additional branches represent
the sub-directories.




                                         Public Access Guide - 6The Daily File directory contains a file with the Legislative
Calendar for the current session and two sub-directories:  Senate
and Assembly.  The Senate and Assembly sub-directories contain
the following legislative information:  The schedule of
legislative committee hearings, a list of the matters pending on
the floors of both houses of the Legislature, and a list of the
names and addresses of the Senators and Assembly Members.

The Bill directory contains two sub-directories:  Senate and
Assembly.  The Senate and Assembly sub-directories contain
additional sub-directories grouped in numerical ranges of 50
bills.  The numerical sub-directories correspond to bill numbers
and contain files of specific information for each bill:  text of
each version of the bill, all bill analyses, bill status, bill
history, vote information, and, if applicable, a veto message.

The Code directory contains 29 sub-directories corresponding to
the 29 California Codes.  Each of the 29 sub-directories is
broken down into two additional levels of sub-directories. One
level is grouped into numerical ranges of 1000 Code section
numbers, and the second level into numerical ranges of 100 Code
section numbers.  The second level sub-directories contain files
of Code section text.

The Constitution directory contains 24 sub-directories
corresponding to the 24 Articles of the State Constitution.  The
sub-directories contain files of Constitution section text for
each Article.

The Statute directory contains sub-directories grouped in
numerical ranges of 50 chapters.  The numerical sub-directories
correspond to chapter numbers and contain files of the text of
each Statute.      




















                                         Public Access Guide - 7                           APPENDIX A

               OVERVIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS


The process of government by which bills are considered and laws
enacted is commonly referred to as the Legislative Process.  The
California State Legislature is made up of two houses: the Senate
and the Assembly.  There are 40 Senators and 80 Assembly Members
representing the people of the State of California.  The
Legislature has a legislative calendar containing important dates
of activities during its two-year session.


Idea

All legislation begins as an idea or concept.  Ideas and concepts
can come from a variety of sources.  The process begins when a
Senator or Assembly Member decides to author a bill.    


The Author

A Legislator sends the idea for the bill to the Legislative
Counsel where it is drafted into the actual bill.  The draft of
the bill is returned to the Legislator for introduction.  If the
author is a Senator, the bill is introduced in the Senate.  If
the author is an Assembly Member, the bill is introduced in the
Assembly.  


First Reading/Introduction 

A bill is introduced or read the first time when the bill number,
the name of the author, and the descriptive title of the bill is
read on the floor of the house.  The bill is then sent to the
Office of State Printing.  No bill may be acted upon until 30
days has passed from the date of its introduction.















                                         Public Access Guide - 8Committee Hearings

The bill then goes to the Rules Committee of the house where it
is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first
hearing.  Bills are assigned to policy committees according to
subject area.  For example, a Senate bill dealing with health
care facilities would first be assigned to the Senate Health and
Human Services Committee for policy review.  Bills that require
the expenditure of funds must also be heard in the fiscal
committees:  Senate Appropriations or Assembly Ways and Means. 
Each house has a number of policy committees and a fiscal
committee.  Each committee is made of up of a specified number of
Senators or Assembly Members. 

During the committee hearing the author presents the bill to the
committee and testimony can be heard in support or opposition of
the bill.  The committee then votes by passing the bill, passing
the bill as amended, or defeating the bill.  Bills can be amended
several times.  Letters of support or opposition are important
and should be mailed to the author and committee members before
the bill is scheduled to be heard in committee.  It takes a
ajority vote of the full committee membership for a bill to be
passed by the committee.

Each house maintains a schedule of legislative committee
hearings.  Prior to a bills hearing, a bill analysis is prepared
that explains current law, what the bill is intended to do, and
some background information.  Typically the analysis also lists
organizations that support or oppose the bill.  


Second and Third Reading

Bills passed by committees are read a second time on the floor in
the house of origin and then assigned to third reading.  Bill
Analyses are also prepared prior to third reading.  When a bill
is read the third time it is explained by the author, discussed
by the Members and voted on by a roll call vote.  Bills that
require an appropriation or that take effect immediately,
generally require 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the
Assembly to be passed.  Other bills generally require 21 votes in
the Senate and 41 votes in the Assembly.  If a bill is defeated,
the Member may seek reconsideration and another vote.


Repeat Process in other House

Once the bill has been approved by the house of origin, it
proceeds to the other house where the procedure is repeated.




                                         Public Access Guide - 9Resolution of Differences

If a bill is amended in the second house, it must go back to the
house of origin for concurrence, which is agreement on the
amendments.  If agreement cannot be reached, the bill is referred
to a two house conference committee to resolve differences. 
Three members of the committee are from the Senate and threee are
from the Assembly.  If a compromise is reached, the bill is
returned to both houses for a vote.


Governor

If both houses approve a bill, it then goes to the Governor.  The
Governor has three choices.  The Governor can sign the bill into
law, allow it to become law without his or her signature, or veto
it.  A governor's veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in
both houses.  Most bills go into effect on the first day of
January of the next year.  Urgency measures take effect
immediately after they are signed.


California Law

Bills that are passed by the Legislature and approved by the
Governor are assigned a chapter number by the Secretary of State. 
These Chaptered Bills (also referred to as Statutes of the year
they were enacted) then become part of the California Codes.  the
California Codes are a comprehensive collection of laws grouped
by subject matter.

The California Constitution sets forth the fundamental laws by
which the State of California is governed.  All amendments to the
Constitution come about as a result of constitutional amendements
presented to the people for their approval.


















                                        Public Access Guide - 10                           APPENDIX B

                  GLOSSARY OF LEGISLATIVE TERMS


Amendment -  Formal proposal to change the language of a bill
after it has been introduced. 
Appropriation -  The amount of money set aside for a specific
propose and designated from a specific source such as the General
Fund, Environmental License Plate Fund, etc.

Approved By The Governor -  Signature of the Governor on a bill
passed by the Legislature.

Assembly -  One house of the California Legislature, consisting
of 80 members, elected from districts apportioned on the basis of
population, who serve two-year terms.

Bill - A proposed law introduced in the Senate or Assembly and
identified with a number.

Bill Analysis -  A document that must be prepared by committee
staff prior to hearing the bill in committee.  It explains how a
bill would change current law and sometimes lists support and
opposition from major interest groups.

Chamber -  The Senate or Assembly chamber where Floor Sessions
are held.

Chapter - After a bill has been signed by the Governor, the
Secretary of State assigns the bill a "Chapter Number" such as
"Chapter 1235, Statutes of 1993," which is subsequently used to
refer to the measure rather than the bill number.

Coauthor -  Any member of either house, with the agreement of the
author of a bill, who adds his or her name on that members bill
as coauthor, thus indicating support for the proposal.

Codes -  Sets of law organized by subject matter.  The code to be
changed by a bill is referred to in the bill.

Concurrence -  The action of a house in approving a bill as
amended in the other house.

Concurrent Resolution -  A measure introduced in one house that,
if approved, must be sent to the other house for approval.  The
Governors signature is not required.  These measures usually
involve the business of the Legislature.





                                        Public Access Guide - 11Conference Committee - A committee composed of three legislators
from each house who meet in public session to resolve differences
between similar Senate and Assembly bills.  The final conference
committee version must be approved by both the Assembly and
Senate.

Consent Calendar -  A group of noncontroversial bills passed by a
committee or by the Senate or Assembly on one vote.

Constituent -  Citizen residing within the district of a
legislator.

Constitutional Amendment -  A resolution affecting the
Constitution requiring an affirmative vote of the electorate to
become effective.

Daily File -  A publication produced by the Senate and Assembly,
respectively, for each day the house is in session.  The
publication provides information about bills to be considered at
upcoming committee hearings and bills eligible for consideration
during the next scheduled Floor Session.  Generally, any bill to
be heard in committee must be noticed in the Daily file for four
days, including weekend days.  The Daily File also contains
useful information about committee assignments and the
legislative calendar.

Daily History -  A publication produced by the Senate and
Assembly, respectively, for each day the house is in session.  It
lists specific actions taken on legislation. 

Daily Journal -  A publication produced by the Senate and
Assembly, respectively, for each day the house is in session.  It
contains roll call votes on bills heard in policy committees and
ills considered on the floor, and other official action taken by
the body.  Any official messages from the Governor are also
included.

Do Pass -  The affirmative recommendation made by a committee in
sending a bill to the floor for final vote;  Do Pass as amended -
an affirmative recommendation providing certain changes are made.

Enrolled Bill -  Whenever a bill passes both houses of the
Legislature, it is ordered enrolled.  In enrollment, the bill is
reprinted and then delivered to the Governor.

Extraordinary Session -  A special legislative session called by
the Governor to address only those issues specified in the
proclamation.  Measures introduced in these sessions are numbered
chronologically with a lower case "x" after the number (i.e.,
ABx).



                                        Public Access Guide - 12First Reading -  Each bill introduced must be read three times
before the final passage.  The first reading of a bill occurs
when the measure is introduced.

Fiscal Committee - The Appropriations Committee in the Senate and
the Ways and Means Committee in the Assembly to which all fiscal
bills are referred if they are approved by policy committees.  If
the fiscal committee approves a bill, it then moves to the floor.

Floor - The Senate or Assembly chambers.

Hearing - A committee meeting convened for the purpose of
gathering information on a specific subject or considering
specific legislative measures.

Inactive File - The portion of the Daily File containing
legislation that is ready for floor consideration, but, for a
variety of reasons, is dormant.  An author may move a bill to the
inactive file and subsequently move it off the inactive file at a
later date.

Interim - The period of time between the end of the legislative
year and the beginning of the next legislative year.  The
legislative year generally ends on August 31 in even-numbered
years and about September 15 in odd-numbered years.

Joint Resolution - A resolution expressing an opinion about an
issue pertaining to the federal government; forwarded to Congress
for its information.  Requires the approval of both Senate And
Assembly, but does not require the signature of the Governor to
take effect.

Legislative Counsel's Digest - The digest is a brief summary of
the changes the proposed bill would make to current law.  The
digest is found on the front of each printed bill.

Majority Vote -  A vote of more than half of the legislative body
considering a measure.  A majority vote in the Senate is 21 and
in the Assembly is 41.

On File - A bill on the second or third reading file of the
Senate or Assembly Daily File.

President of the Senate -  The State Constitution designates the
Lieutenant Governor as President of the Senate, allowing him or
her to preside over the Senate and cast a vote only in the event
of a tie. 

President pro tempore of the Senate - The leader of the Senate;
elected by all Senators.



                                        Public Access Guide - 13Reading -  Presentation of a bill before either house by the
reading of its title; a stage in the enactment of a measure.  A
bill, until passed, is either in process of first, second or
third reading, no matter how many times it has actually been
read.

Resolution -  An opinion expressed by one or both houses that
does not have the force of law.  Concurrent and joint resolutions
are voted on by both houses but do not require the Governors
signature.

Roll Call -  A vote of a committee or the Senate or Assembly. 
Committee roll calls are conducted by the committee secretary who
calls each members name in alphabetical order with the Chairs
name last.  Senate roll calls are conducted by the Reading Clerk
who reads each Senators name in alphabetical order.  Assembly
roll calls are conducted electronically with each member
operating a button from his or her assigned seat.

Second Reading -  Each bill introduced must be read three times
before final passage.  The second reading of a bill occurs after
a bill has been reported from committee.

Section -  A portion of a code.  It is cited in each bill that
proposes to amend, create, or repeal a section.

Senate -  One house of the California Legislature, consisting of
40 members elected from districts apportioned on the basis of
population, one-half of whom are elected every two years for
four-year terms.

Session -  Period during which the Legislature meets:  Regular -
the two-year session at which all classes of legislation may be
considered; Special - session called by, and limited to matters
specified by, the Governor; Daily - each days meeting; Joint -
meeting of the two houses together.

Speaker -  The leader of the Assembly; elected by all Assembly
Members at the beginning of each two-year legislative session.

Statute -  A bill that has been signed by the Governor.

Third Reading -  Each bill introduced must be read three times
before final passage.  The third reading occurs when the measure
is taken up on the floor of either house for final passage.

Third Reading Analysis -  A summary of a measure ready for floor
consideration.  Contains most recent amendments and information
regarding how members voted on the measure when it was heard in
committees.



                                        Public Access Guide - 14Title -  A brief paragraph that identifies the subject matter of
a measure and precedes the contents of the measure.
Unfinished Business -  That portion of the Daily File that
contains measures awaiting Senate or Assembly concurrence in
amendments made in the other house.  It also contains measures
vetoed by the Governor.

Urgency Claue -  A bill that contains an urgency clause takes
effect upon the Governors signature.  A vote on the urgency
clause must precede a vote on the bill and requires a 2/3 vote
for passage.

Veto -  The Governors refusal to approve a measure sent to him or
her by the Legislature.







































                                        Public Access Guide - 15                           APPENDIX C

                   GLOSSARY OF INTERNET TERMS


ARPANet - An experimental network established in the 1970's on
which Internet is based, but no longer exists.

Dial-up - A connection made from your computer to an Internet
computer by way of a modem and a telephone.

Directory - A listing of a collection of files related by topic.

Electronic Mail - Method of on-line communication for sending and
receiving messages and files of information.

Electronic Mail List - A list that an individual voluntarily
signs up to be on to receive notices regarding the legislative
information system.

File - A document containing related information.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) - Internet tool that allows you to
send and receive files of information over Internet.

Internet - World-wide computer network made up of many
interconnected networks.

InterNIC - An Internet information service (800-444-4345).

Modem - A device that connects your computer to a telephone line
in order to send and receive information by way of Internet.

Network - A collection of computers linked together to allow the
exchange of information.

README files - On-line help files that contain information about
the directories and files of legislative information.

Service Providers - Commercial (for a fee) services that provide
direct access or access through electronic mail to Internet.

Sub-directory - Any directory that is subordinate to a higher and
more general directory.









                                        Public Access Guide - 16                           APPENDIX D

                    README FILES AND INDEXES


README files contain reference or help information about the
directories, sub-directories, and files of legislative
information.  Index files contain a reference listing of authors,
bills, and bill topics.  

The following provides a description of what is contained in each
README and index file:

README_WELCOME - Initial overview of leginfo.public.ca.gov

README_public_access_guide_ps - Text of this document, Guide to
Accessing California Legislative Information over Internet (in
PostScript format).

README_FIRST - Introduction to leginfo.public.ca.gov

README_ab_1624 - Text of AB 1624, public access bill authored by
Assembly Member Debra Bowen.

README_legislative_process - Overview of the process by which a
bill becomes law.

README_glossary - Definitions of legislative terms.

README_dailyfile - Overview of the Daily File directory and help
on how to retrieve the legislative calendar, committee
information, matters pending on the floor, and names and
addresses of Senators and Assembly Members.

README_bill - Overview of the Bill directory and help on how to
retrieve the text of a specific bill or the status, history,
analysis, vote information, or veto information of a bill.

README_code - Overview of the Code directory and help on how to
retrieve a specific Code section.

README_constitution - Overview of the Constitution directory and
help on how to retrieve a specific section of the California
Constitution.

README_statute - Overview of the Statute directory and help on
how to retrieve the text of a specific chaptered bill.






                                        Public Access Guide - 17index_senate_author_bill_topic - A list of Senate bills with
author and topic.  This list is sorted alphabetically by author.

index_assembly_author_bill_topic - A list of Assembly bills with
author and topic.  This list is sorted alphabetically by author.

index_senate_bill_author_topic - A list of Senate bills with
author and topic.  This list is sorted sequentially by bill
number.

index_assembly_bill_author_topic - A list of Assembly bills with
author and topic.  This list is sorted sequentially by bill
number.








































                                        Public Access Guide - 18                           APPENDIX E

              GETTING STARTED WITH ELECTRONIC MAIL


To retrieve one or more files of legislative information by way
of Electronic mail, a facility called FTPmail is used.  FTPmail
enables you to E-mail FTP commands to the public access computer. 
The public access computer interprets the FTP commands and
E-mails the requested legislative information back to you.

To retrieve help on how to get started using FTPmail, send the
following E-mail message:

To: ftpmail@leginfo.public.ca.gov
Subject: (optional - FTPmail ignores the subject line)
connect leginfo.public.ca.gov
help
quit

To retrieve the README_WELCOME and README_FIRST files, send the
following E-mail message:

To: ftpmail@leginfo.public.ca.gov
Subject: (optional - FTPmail ignores the subject line)
connect leginfo.public.ca.gov
get README_WELCOME
cd pub
get README_FIRST
quit

To retrieve any of the other files listed or described in this
guide, use the same method described above.




















                                        Public Access Guide - 19

