Existing law, the Urban Water Management Planning Act, requires every public and private urban water supplier that directly or indirectly provides water for municipal purposes to prepare and adopt an urban water management plan. The act requires an urban water management plan to include a water shortage contingency plan, as provided. This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state to encourage, but not mandate, the development of emergency water supplies, and to support their use during times of drought or unplanned service or supply disruption, as provided.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires the Franchise Tax Board to conduct audits and field investigations regarding the reports filed by lobbyists. Existing law requires 25% of lobbyist employers and lobbying firms to be subject to a random audit and investigation every 2 years. This bill would revise the provisions above relating to audits and field investigations. Until January 1, 2033, this bill would transfer the responsibility for conducting audits and field investigations of lobbying reports to the Fair Political Practices Commission. During this period, the bill would require the Secretary of State to impose an additional fee, to be established by the commission, not to exceed $500 per year, to lobbying firms and lobbyist employers subject to audit to offset costs associated with conducting audits and field investigations. This fee would be deposited in a new fund that the bill would establish, the Field Audits and Investigations Fund, which would be continuously appropriated to the commission for these purposes. From January 1, 2027 through January 1, 2033, the bill would require 60 lobbying firms and lobbyist employers who employ one or more lobbyists to be selected for audit, as specified. Additionally, this bill would require the commission to adopt regulations or policies that would ensure the operational independence of the commission's audit personnel from the commission's enforcement operations. Audits conducted by the commission would be required to be posted on the commission's internet website for 10 years following the conclusion of the audit and the commission would be required to annually report to the Legislature on the number and types of audits completed by the commission. By creating the Field Audits and Investigations Fund, which would be continuously appropriated to the commission to offset costs associated with the above audits and investigations, the bill would make an appropriation. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the state agency primarily responsible for the administration and coordination of student financial aid programs at California postsecondary educational institutions. Existing federal law establishes the Chafee Educational and Training Vouchers Program for the purposes of providing financial aid to current and former foster youth who are attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions. Existing law provides that the Student Aid Commission, through an interagency agreement with the State Department of Social Services, currently operates the program in California, and, commencing with the 2018–19 award year, and contingent upon an appropriation of sufficient funds in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, requires the commission to make a new Chafee grant award to a student only if the student will not be 26 years of age or older by July 1 of the award year and the student attends specified qualifying institutions. This bill, commencing with the 2025–26 award year and contingent upon an appropriation of sufficient funds in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, would require the commission to make a new Chafee grant award to a student if, in addition to the above-referenced conditions, the youth, between 15 and 18 years of age, (1) is or was a dependent or ward of the court, living in foster care, (2) exited foster care to Kin-GAP, a nonrelated legal guardianship, or adoption, or (3) was placed in out-of-home care by a tribe or tribal organization.
Existing law establishes various commissions within state government. This bill would, until January 1, 2028, establish the California Commission on the United States Semiquincentennial in state government to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States of America. The bill would require the commission to plan and coordinate commemorations and observances of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The bill would require the commission to be solely supported by private or federal funds made available for the purpose of supporting the commission. The bill would require that these funds be deposited in the Semiquincentennial Fund, and would create that fund in the State Treasury. The bill would require funds in the Semiquincentennial Fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the records, files, and other memoranda of the commission, other than any private possessions, to be deposited and filed with the State Archives before January 1, 2028, and would require the State Archives to receive those materials. These provisions would become operative only if the Treasurer determines that sufficient private or federal funds have been made available.
Existing law regulates various business activities and practices, including the sale of telephones. Existing law requires a smartphone, as defined, that is manufactured on or after July 1, 2015, and sold in California after that date, to provide certain functionality, as specified. This bill would prohibit a manufacturer from selling a small electronic device, as defined, for the first time, and first sold in California, on or after January 1, 2026, unless that small electronic device meets certain criteria, including being equipped with a USB Type-C receptacle, as specified. The bill would require a wholesaler or retailer of a small electronic device manufactured on or after January 1, 2026, to offer to make the sale without a charging device, and to display, as specified, certain information depending on the existence and specifications of an included charging device. The bill also would require the wholesaler or retailer to provide a specified purchaser with certain information relating to the wired charging devices that can be used with the small electronic device, as specified. The bill would exempt from its provisions the sale of a secondhand small electronic device, the sale of a laptop before July 1, 2026, and the sale of a small electronic device of a specified size. The bill would authorize an action brought exclusively by the Attorney General, a district attorney, a county counsel, or a city attorney. The bill would entitle a prevailing plaintiff in the action to injunctive relief and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The bill would state that any waiver of these provisions is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable. The bill would state that its provisions are severable. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.
Existing law authorizes specific school administrators to issue a work permit to pupils subject to specific requirements, including requiring certain information to be included on a notification of intent to employ a minor, provided to the administrator by an employer. Existing law requires that the notification of intent to employ a minor be signed by the parent or guardian, the minor, and the employer. Existing law relating to the employment of minors makes it a crime for any person, firm, corporation, or agent or officer of a firm or corporation to violate these provisions. This bill would require that the notification of intent to employ a minor include a certification that the minor has completed a mandatory training on sexual harassment prevention, retaliation, and reporting resources using an online training course made available on the internet website of the Civil Rights Department or other specified training and materials. The bill would require the minor's parent or legal guardian to certify that the training has been completed and present a certificate of completion from the training. The bill would require that training for the minor be in the language understood by that person, whenever reasonably possible. Because a violation of these requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, among other things, creates the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) , which is responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services, as specified. Existing law requires Cal OES to establish the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) with the primary mission of reducing the likelihood and severity of cyber incidents that could damage California's economy, its critical infrastructure, or public and private sector computer networks in the state. Existing law requires Cal OES to direct Cal-CSIC to prepare, and Cal OES to submit to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2024, a strategic, multiyear outreach plan to assist the food and agriculture sector and wastewater sector in their efforts to improve cybersecurity and an evaluation of options for providing grants or alternative forms of funding to, and potential voluntary actions that do not require funding and that assist, those sectors in their efforts to improve security preparedness. This bill would require Cal OES to direct Cal-CSIC to prepare, and Cal OES to submit to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2025, a strategic, multiyear outreach plan to assist critical infrastructure sectors, as defined, in their efforts to improve cybersecurity and an evaluation of options for providing grants or alternative forms of funding to, and potential voluntary actions that do not require funding and that assist, that sector in their efforts to improve cybersecurity preparedness. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Existing law requires each law enforcement agency to monthly furnish specified information to the Department of Justice regarding the use of force by a peace officer. This bill would require municipalities, as defined, to annually post on their internet websites specified information relating to settlements and judgments of $50,000 or more resulting from allegations of improper police conduct, including, among other information, amounts paid, broken down by individual settlement and judgment, information on bonds used to finance use of force settlement and judgment payments, and settlements or judgments paid by insurance. The bill would also require municipalities to annually post additional information pertaining to settlements and judgments, as specified, irrespective of the amount paid. By increasing requirements for local governments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law, the Sex Offender Registration Act (the Act) , requires a person convicted of specified crimes to register with law enforcement as a sex offender while residing in California or while attending school or working in California, as specified. Existing law establishes 3 tiers of registration based on specified criteria, for periods of at least 10 years, at least 20 years, and life, respectively, for a conviction of specified sex offenses. Existing law exempts from mandatory registration under the Act a person convicted of certain offenses involving minors if the person is not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the person to register. A willful failure to register, as required by the Act, is a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the underlying offense. This bill would require offenders guilty of engaging in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than 3 years younger than the offender, or, if the offender was 21 years of age or older, engaging in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age, to register for 10 years as a tier one offender under the Act, unless the offender was not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the offender to register. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes in state government the Natural Resources Agency and provides that the agency consists of, among other things, the Department of Parks and Recreation. Existing law designates all parks, public campgrounds, monument sites, landmark sites, and sites of historical interest established or acquired by the state, or that are under its control, as the state park system, except as specified. This bill would establish the Conservation Stewardship Endowment Fund, as provided, and would require moneys in the fund to be allocated to the Natural Resources Agency, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to support the maintenance and stewardship of lands and facilities owned or managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation and generate funding through investment earnings for the support of stewardship and maintenance of these lands and facilities. The bill would require moneys in the fund to be invested by the Treasurer with the goal of achieving capital appreciation to create a balance sufficient to generate ongoing earnings to cover the estimated annual costs associated with the purposes described above. The bill would authorize the fund to receive donations or contributions from public and private entities, partnerships between public and private entities, fees, cash advances, and transfers from the General Fund or other public sources. The bill would require any funds, public or private, allocated from the Endowment Fund to supplement, not supplant, the department's budget allocations for any fiscal year. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to establish a governing body, consisting of specified members, including the Director of Parks and Recreation, to oversee the administration of the fund and the disbursement of the moneys in the fund. The bill would require, on or before December 31, 2030, the Legislative Analyst's Office to submit a report to the Legislature that reviews the impact and performance of the fund, as specified.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, requires the Department of Managed Health Care to license and regulate health care service plans and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also requires the Department of Insurance to regulate health insurers. Existing law requires a health care service plan or disability insurer, as specified, to base medical necessity determinations and the utilization review criteria the plan or insurer, and any entity acting on the plan's or insurer's behalf, applies to determine the medical necessity of health care services and benefits for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, on current generally accepted standards of mental health and substance use disorder care. This bill would require a health care service plan and a disability insurer, and an entity acting on a plan's or insurer's behalf, to ensure compliance with specific requirements for utilization review, including maintaining telephone access and other direct communication access during California business hours for a health care provider to request authorization for mental health and substance use disorder care and conducting peer-to-peer discussions regarding specific patient issues related to treatment. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, by January 1, 2021, to assess the potential for the state to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from the state's residential and commercial building stock by at least 40% below 1990 levels by January 1, 2030. Existing law requires the commission to include in the 2021 edition of the integrated energy policy report and all subsequent integrated energy policy reports a report on the emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the supply of energy to residential and commercial buildings. Existing law requires the commission to establish the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program that includes a direct install program and a statewide incentive program for low-carbon building technologies. Existing law establishes the policy of the state to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2045, and to ensure that, by 2045, statewide anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 85% below the statewide greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. This bill would require the commission, on or before June 1, 2024, to adopt a strategy, with milestones, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases for the building sector, as provided. The bill would require the commission, in developing the strategy, to consult and collaborate with certain entities, to hold at least 2 public workshops, and to convene stakeholder sessions. The bill would require the commission, on or before September 31, 2024, to submit the adopted strategy to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature.
