The California Environmental Legislation & Policy Clinic gives students a unique opportunity to experience the legislative process in California through direct work with legislative staffers, advocates, and stakeholders. Students work on cutting-edge environmental issues, contributing to innovative legislative solutions, and gain a nuanced understanding of what it takes to make law in California.
In the Clinic seminar, students learn the nuts and bolts of the California legislative process, legislative drafting, and lobbying. Guest speakers include attorneys, policymakers, and lobbyists at a variety of state agencies and organizations. Through their clinical work, students make valuable connections with environmental advocates, policy experts, and the legislative staffers with whom they collaborate.
Students in the Clinic work in small teams in collaboration with legislative staffers in the California State Senate and Assembly. Since the clinic’s launch in fall 2019, students have partnered on projects with the offices of State Senators Ben Allen (SD-26, Chair – Senate Environmental Quality Committee), Henry Stern (SD-27, Chair – Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee) and Sydney Kamlager (SD-30, Member – Senate Budget Committee), and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (AD-56, Chair – Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee).