Appointment of public guardians.

Removed the provision prohibiting DTSC from adopting regulations with an effective date earlier than July 1, 2029. Replaced with a requirement that DTSC adopt implementing regulations on or before January 1, 2027. This accelerates the regulatory process by approximately two years.

Changed the manufacturer responsibility plan submission deadline from a fixed date of January 1, 2027 to 'within one year of the adoption of the regulations described in Section 25258.26, but no later than January 1, 2028.' This ties the deadline to when regulations are actually adopted while setting an outside backstop date.

Added explicit enforcement authority in Section 25258.32(b)(3): if the department determines an annual report is noncompliant, it may require resubmittal of the report and may take enforcement action pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 25180) of the Health and Safety Code.

Added a new paragraph (4) to Section 25258.32(b) allowing DTSC to consult with or submit an annual report to another state agency or department when necessary for making a compliance determination. Time spent in consultation does not count against the department's review deadline.

In the manufacturer definition (Section 25258.27(i)(3)), changed 'the person that imports the covered product into the state for sale, distribution, or installation' to simply 'the importer,' using the defined term already established in the article.

Corrected a cross-reference in Section 25258.32(a)(9)(B) from 'paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 25258.30' to 'paragraph (6) (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 25258.30.'

In Section 25258.30(a)(4), changed 'identified in Section 25258.31' to 'identified by the department pursuant to Section 25258.31,' clarifying that the department is the entity that identifies performance standards categories.

Entirely new Section 1 amending Probate Code Section 2920 on public guardians was added to the bill, which previously dealt only with hazardous waste (marine flares). This adds a second, unrelated policy topic to the bill.

Public guardians must now conclude their investigation no more than 15 business days after receiving a referral for conservatorship or guardianship, unless there is good cause for an extension. Previously there was no such deadline.

Public guardians must notify the referring party of either the determination made at the conclusion of the investigation or any extension of the investigation.

If a public guardian determines during a probate investigation that a Lanterman-Petris-Short Act conservatorship would be more appropriate, they must refer the case for investigation under that act, and vice versa. The original investigation must remain open until the referred investigation concludes.

The manufacturer responsibility plan submission requirement was simplified. Previously it specified that a manufacturer 'that sells, offers for sale, imports, or distributes a covered product in the state' must submit a plan. The new version simply requires 'a manufacturer' to submit, removing the activity-based qualifier.

The new public guardian provisions impose a state-mandated local program, triggering potential state reimbursement to local agencies if the Commission on State Mandates determines costs are mandated by the state.

The definition of 'covered product' in the marine flare section was narrowed. The previous version included flares used for signaling in wilderness areas (large unmodified or slightly modified areas retaining natural character). The new version removes that category, limiting covered products to flares used on pleasure vessels only.

The entire Emergency Distress Flare Safe Disposal Act (new Article 16 to the Health and Safety Code) was removed. This eliminated a manufacturer responsibility program requiring producers of marine distress flares to fund collection, transportation, and safe disposal of those products, including plan approval processes, performance standards, annual reporting, financial controls, audits, a Marine Flare Recovery Fund in the State Treasury, and a ban on selling flares containing perchlorate.

The bill's scope narrowed from two subjects (hazardous waste and guardians) to a single subject (guardians). The legislative counsel digest was updated to remove all hazardous waste content and add the new guardian investigation requirements.

New requirements added for public guardians: must acknowledge receipt of a referral within 2 business days, must conclude the investigation within a reasonable period of time, must determine whether a temporary or general conservatorship is warranted for conservatorship referrals, and must inform the referring party of investigation status upon request.

DTSC is now required to adopt regulations implementing the act on or before January 1, 2027. Previously, the bill only set a floor (regulations could not take effect before July 1, 2029) without requiring DTSC to act by a specific date.

The deadline for manufacturers to submit a manufacturer responsibility plan was changed from a fixed date of January 1, 2027 to 'within one year of the adoption of the regulations described in Section 25258.26, but no later than January 1, 2028.' This gives manufacturers more time if regulations are adopted later, while capping the latest possible submission date.

A new paragraph was added to the definition of 'covered product' stating that it includes a marine flare that contains perchlorate. This explicitly broadens the scope of products covered by the extended producer responsibility program beyond the existing criteria-based definition.