Eileen Newhall Consulting LLC
Legislative drafting
Poor legislative drafting can doom your bill idea long before you have the chance to convince anyone why your proposal should become law. I can turn your bill idea into statutory language that clearly describes what you’re trying to achieve, in a format that committee consultants and Legislative Counsel are used to seeing. Spend more time telling decisionmakers why your proposal should become law and less time arguing with those who want to rewrite it.
Regulatory drafting
Well-written regulations clearly identify departmental expectations and provide clarity that may be missing from the statute. Poorly-written regulations can become compliance landmines; licensees are left guessing about the rules or (worse yet) are forced to comply with rules that make little sense. I can work with you to suggest original or amended regulatory language and draft comment letters for submission to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation or the Office of Administrative Law.
Legislative and regulatory analysis
Identifying problems and suggesting solutions early in the process can often be highly effective. Let me help you and your clients by preparing a detailed analysis of proposed bills or regulations, with an eye to how the proposal impacts the client, what portions of the proposal make sense, and what portions may need to be fixed or deleted. I can also work with you and your clients on suggested amendments.
Strategy
Even experienced professionals can often benefit from a fresh perspective. Let’s talk about what you and your client are trying to accomplish and figure out what approach makes the most sense. Maybe a legislative approach is the way to go, or maybe you can much more easily accomplish your goals through non-legislative means. I can help you identify which existing law(s) apply; tell you if anyone has previously tried to accomplish something similar, either in California or at the federal level; and work with you to figure out the approach most likely to succeed.
Background and historical perspective
Increasingly, it’s hard to find people who were around 15 to 20 years ago and can remember who said what, who authored what, what amendments were negotiated, and what ended up on the cutting room floor. Not only did I participate in most of the debates regarding important financial services and real estate-related legislation beginning in 2005, I drafted a lot of the bills that became law. If you need a legislative history drafted up or simply have a question about the background of a particular law or failed bill idea, give me a call.
Advice for financial product or service providers unfamiliar with Sacramento
You’ve developed a great, new financial product or service and want to offer it in California; or maybe you’re already offering it in California and want to make sure you’re doing so in accordance with applicable law. I can help you figure out which laws likely apply to you, walk you through what options you have if existing law doesn’t appear to fit your business model, and help you think through which of those options makes the most sense for your particular situation. I am not a lobbyist, but if you need one, I can recommend one to you based on your specific needs and work with that lobbyist to help serve your best interests.
Research
Do you need someone to do the subject matter research you simply don’t have time to do during crunch periods? Or someone who can supplement the expertise of your staff and help out on a particularly gnarly research question? I’d be happy to help.
Public Speaking
I’m available to talk to your group regarding any of the subjects above, in a manner designed to demystify what goes on under the Capitol Dome in Sacramento.
Looking for a service not described above?
Not sure whether or how I can help? Call me and let’s figure it out together.