The California State Constitution

The California Constitution is one of the longest in the world and has been revised over 500 times since its original drafting in 1849. In its current incarnation, the constitution reflects the state’s mistrust of elected officials, gives cities and towns broad home rule powers, and outlines governance for the state’s university system.

The California State Constitution provides an outstanding constitutional and historical account of the state’s basic governing charter. In addition to an overview of California’s constitutional history, it offers an in-depth, section-by-section analysis of the entire constitution, detailing the many significant changes that have been made since its initial drafting in 1849. This treatment, along with a table of cases, index, and the bibliography provides an unsurpassed reference guide for students, scholars, and practitioners of California’s constitution.

The second edition updates and expands the previous edition published in 1993. The book provides new analysis, with citations to court decisions and relevant scholarly commentary, as well as accompanying explanations and a lengthy introduction to provide historical and thematic context. This new edition also contains a foreword by the current Chief Justice of California, Tani Cantil-Sakauye.

The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state’s constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research.

Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.