In California, drafters of regulations and bills are instructed to use the active voice, rather than the passive voice. This is a change in the historical manner of drafting that previously included lots of passive voice language in state laws.<\/p>\n
As a result, many examples of the passive voice remain in California regulations and statutes. The following examples of passive versus active voice changes to state statutes are contained in bills recently enacted into law in this state:<\/p>\n
\u2026provide comments to the department on all proposed projects funded from the Big Game Management Account to help ensure that the requirements of this section\u00a0have been\u00a0are\u00a0met.<\/p>\n
Nothing in this chapter shall\u00a0This chapter does not\u00a0restrict, limit, or prevent\u00a0any\u00a0a\u00a0person licensed to provide health care services under the laws of this state, including, but not limited to, licensed physicians and surgeons and registered nurses, from practicing the profession or occupation<\/p>\n
In no event shall the\u00a0The\u00a0admission of nonresident students\u00a0shall not\u00a0come at the expense of resident enrollment.<\/p>\n
That fee\u00a0is to\u00a0shall\u00a0be included in the FTES adjustments described in Section 76300 for purposes of computing apportionments.<\/p>\n
The following definitions\u00a0shall\u00a0\u00a0apply:<\/p>\n
This section\u00a0shall not be construed to\u00a0\u00a0does not\u00a0\u00a0alter the scope of practice.<\/p>\n
In establishing rates for recovery of the costs of used and useful water plant, the commission may\u00a0utilize\u00a0use\u00a0 a capital structure and payback methodology that\u00a0shall maintain\u00a0\u00a0maintains\u00a0\u00a0the reliability of water service,\u00a0shall minimize\u00a0\u00a0minimizes\u00a0\u00a0the long-term cost to ratepayers,\u00a0shall provide\u00a0\u00a0provides\u00a0\u00a0equity between present and future ratepayers, and\u00a0shall afford\u00a0\u00a0affords\u00a0\u00a0the utility an opportunity to earn a reasonable return on its used and useful investment,\u00a0to\u00a0\u00a0attract capital for investment on reasonable\u00a0terms\u00a0terms,\u00a0 and\u00a0to\u00a0\u00a0ensure the financial integrity of the utility.<\/p>\n
These examples of the passive voice being replaced by the active voice are important for those drafting regulations. This approach should be followed in the future.<\/p>\n