Existing law provides for the civil commitment of a person who is determined to be a sexually violent predator. Existing law establishes a procedure by which a person committed as a sexually violent predator may petition for conditional release and requires the court, if it makes a specified determination, to place the person on conditional release. This bill would require a court presiding over any proceeding held pursuant to the above-described provisions that is open to the public to provide the public with a remote access option that allows members of the public to remotely observe the proceeding. The bill would require a court to make the audio of a proceeding accessible to the public if a court is unable to provide a remote access option that includes video due to technological limitations, as defined, that are not reasonably within the control of the court. On and after January 1, 2028, the bill would require a court to provide a remote access option with a visual feed.
Existing law establishes the Department of Water Resources within the Natural Resources Agency and vests it with various powers and duties related to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer a water rights program pursuant to which the board grants and revokes permits and licenses to appropriate water. Existing law authorizes any person who has an urgent need to divert and use water to apply for, and authorizes the board to issue, a conditional, temporary permit, as prescribed. Existing law finds and declares that the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) was organized as a nonprofit corporation at the request of the Legislature for the specific purpose of offering expert advice to the state government on public policy issues significantly related to science and technology. This bill would, on or before January 1, 2028, require the Department of Water Resources, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, to select 2 watersheds that are within, or drain into, the Central Valley to conduct a watershedwide water availability study. The bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, request CCST to, in consultation with the Department of Water Resources and the board, undertake and complete a comprehensive study of water availability in the selected watersheds. The bill would require the study to, among other things, determine daily flow rates in rivers, streams, and creeks in the watersheds over the past 30 years to the extent data is available. The bill would require the study to be completed within 2 years of the Legislature appropriating money for purposes of undertaking the study. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature for the water availability study to serve as the water availability analysis for future applications to the board for standard or temporary permits for diversion of water to underground storage in the selected watersheds. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Central Valley.
Existing federal law, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) , provides for workforce development activities, including activities in which states may participate. Existing state law, the California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (CalWIOA) , establishes the California Workforce Development Board to assist the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. CalWIOA creates the Consolidated Work Program Fund in the State Treasury, for the receipt of all moneys deposited pursuant to WIOA and requires moneys in the fund to be made available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Employment Development Department for expenditure consistent with the purposes of WIOA, and requires the establishment of a local workforce development board in each local workforce development area of the state to, among other things, plan and oversee the workforce investment system. This bill would provide that federal- and state-source grants or subgrants awarded by the Employment Development Department to local workforce development boards or the fiscal agents of local workforce development areas, as defined, for the purpose of implementing workforce development programs administered by the department are exempt from specified provisions applicable to state contracts and the State Administrative Manual, and are exempt from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services. This bill would require that all funds disbursed by the department to local workforce development boards or the fiscal agents of local workforce development areas be subject to the same financial reporting, recordkeeping, and auditing requirements applicable to federal funds under WIOA, and that all records related to the disbursement and expenditure of these funds be retained in accordance with specified federal regulations. The bill would require subrecipients to maintain separate accounting for each state grant code and utilize the department's automated reporting systems. By imposing new requirements on local workforce development boards, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide that workforce directives, bulletins, or other written guidance issued by the department to implement, interpret, or make specific the administration of workforce development programs under CalWIOA or federal law are not subject to the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, and would specified requirements for that guidance issued by the department. 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 requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, on or before January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, to submit an assessment to the Governor and the Legislature that, among other things, identifies methods to ensure a reliable supply of affordable and safe transportation fuels in California and evaluates the price of transportation fuels, including branded and unbranded retail prices, alternate formulations of gasoline with lower carbon impact, and other products suitable for production from refineries in California, as provided. Existing law authorizes the State Air Resources Board (state board) to grant variances from gasoline specifications adopted by the state board and to impose fees and conditions in granting a variance. Existing law requires the commission, in the first assessment after January 1, 2026, to evaluate the cost and supply impacts of allowing the sale of gasoline with alternative specifications to support a reliable and affordable supply of transportation fuels in California. If the evaluation finds that allowing the sale of gasoline with alternative specifications is likely to support a reliable and affordable supply of transportation fuels in California, existing law requires the commission, in coordination with the state board, to recommend a strategy to facilitate the sale of gasoline with those alternative specifications that, at a minimum, considers, among other things, the use of a fee, as provided, associated with the sale of gasoline with those alternative specifications to mitigate for any increase in emissions. This bill would require the commission to submit that assessment on or before July 1, rather than January 1, of the applicable year. The bill would require the commission to implement, rather than recommend, that strategy and would require the strategy to consider the use of fees and conditions, rather than fees alone, developed for the purposes described above. Existing law establishes the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight in the commission to, among other things, provide independent oversight and analysis of the transportation fuels market for the protection of consumers by identifying market design flaws, market power abuses, and any other manner by which market participants act to harm competition or act contrary to the best interests of the consumers in the state. Existing law requires the division to report its findings and recommendations to improve market performance, at least annually, to the Legislature, the Governor, the commission, the Attorney General, and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. This bill would make the annual report due on or before July 1 of each year, and would require the report due on or before July 1, 2027, to analyze the price differential between branded and unbranded gasoline sold in California and the market barriers to competition in the gasoline imports market, as provided.
Existing law, the State Housing Law, establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Existing law requires the building department of every city or county to enforce within its jurisdiction all the provisions published in the California Building Standards Code and the provisions of the State Housing Law, as provided. Existing law makes any violation of the State Housing Law a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, by imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or by both. Existing law requires the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development to research and develop, and authorizes those entities to propose for adoption by the commission, mandatory building standards for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in existing multifamily dwellings, hotels, motels, and nonresidential developments, as provided. This bill would require a new or existing affordable housing development, as defined, for which a permit application is submitted between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, to comply with either the requirements for installation of low power Level 2 or higher electric vehicle charging receptacles in the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code, as provided, or the applicable requirements for installation of low power Level 2 or higher electric vehicle charging receptacles in the 2024 supplement to the 2022 edition of the California Green Building Standards Code. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030. By adding to the duties of local officials, and by expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes the State Board of Education and requires the state board to study educational conditions and needs of the state and to make plans for the improvement of the administration and efficiency of the public schools of the state. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and assigns to the department numerous responsibilities relating to the governance of the public elementary and secondary schools in the state. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office, on or before December 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, and as a component of the assessment of the state budget, to assess and publicly report to the Legislature and the Governor the state's progress in closing pupil academic achievement gaps and to include recommendations of actions that the state can take to meet its specific goals and benchmarks to support local educational agencies in closing the achievement gap proposed to be established by AB 2225 of the 2025–26 Regular Session. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to consult with education stakeholders to develop each annual report. This bill would become operative only if AB 2225 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2027, and adds Section 52090 to the Education Code.
Existing law generally authorizes the court to suspend a criminal sentence and make and enforce terms of probation for a period not to exceed 2 years, and in misdemeanor cases, for a period not to exceed one year. Existing law imposes various penalties for theft- or fraud-related crimes, including, among others, the abuse or neglect of an elder or dependent adult, mortgage fraud, or identity theft. This bill would authorize the court, upon a conviction of certain felony offenses related to, among other things, the purchase or sale of real property or the recording or attempted recording of a real estate instrument, if the court grants the defendant probation, to impose up to a one-year extension to the probationary term. The bill would create a process for the court to impose the one-year extension if the defendant is on formal probation by requiring the probation department to file a petition to the court to extend the probationary period and requiring the court to make a finding that additional time is necessary for programming. By increasing the period of probation, and increasing the duties on local officials, 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, 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 Merced County Flood Control District Act, establishes the Merced County Flood Control District to control the flood and stormwaters of the district, which consists of all the territory of the County of Merced. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct and submit to the Legislature and the Governor an assessment, on or before July 1, 2027, evaluating the efficacy of the Merced County Flood Control District, as prescribed.
Existing law establishes specified rights for victims and witnesses of crimes, including to be notified or informed regarding specified court proceedings and inmate placement or parole eligibility. This bill would require the district attorney's office or other prosecuting agency to ensure that the contact information of the victim and the victim's next of kin is provided to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the time of sentencing in cases that result in a sentence to state prison, to the extent that contact information is reasonably available. By increasing the burdens on local prosecuting agencies, 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, 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 California Emergency Services Act, requires the Office of Emergency Services and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to jointly establish and lead the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center, which serves as the state's central organizing hub for, among other things, wildfire forecasting. Existing law requires the center to, among other things, provide specified intelligence and guidelines about wildfire threats to government agencies and designated alerting authorities. Existing law authorizes the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency, and local officials and local governments to proclaim a local emergency, when specified conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist, and authorizes the Governor or the appropriate local government to exercise certain powers in response to that emergency. This bill would require the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center to proactively coordinate with the National Weather Service and the California State Warning Center to share forecasted extreme, life-threatening fire weather conditions to ensure wide distribution of information for all potentially impacted agencies. The bill would require the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center to create a written report that contains specified information analyzing forecasted extreme, life-threatening fire weather conditions and disseminate it to the California State Warning Center. The bill would require the California State Warning Center to proactively disseminate the report and related information to operational area duty officers and public safety answering points within the geography of an impacted area. The bill would authorize the proclamation of a state of emergency or local emergency based on the information contained in a report, as specified. This bill would require the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center to create and disseminate a training program for operational areas to interpret the analysis of the reports described above and educate the operational area emergency managers on the urgency, information, and potential actions to take upon receipt of a report.
The California Constitution provides that the University of California constitutes a public trust, and requires the university to be administered by the Regents of the University of California, a corporation in the form of a board, with full powers of organization and government, subject to legislative control only for specified purposes. The California Constitution requires the board to consist of 7 ex officio members and 18 appointive members appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate. The California Constitution authorizes the members of the board to appoint either a member of the faculty at a campus of the university or of another institution of higher education, or a person enrolled as a student at a campus of the university, or both, as members of the board serving for no less than one year with all rights of participation. Beginning on July 1, 2027, this measure would require, instead of authorize, the members of the board to appoint to the board for 2-year terms, 2 undergraduate students and 2 graduate students enrolled at a campus of the university for each regular academic term during their service as members of the board, as provided. The measure would require each student board member to serve as a nonvoting student regent-designate in the first year of their 2-year term, and would authorize a student member who graduates from the university on or after January 1 of the 2nd year of the student member's 2-year term to serve the remainder of their term.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law requires each electrical corporation to identify a separate rate component to fund certain programs that enhance system reliability and provide in-state benefits. Existing law requires that the rate component be a nonbypassable element of the local distribution service. This bill would require the commission to require a large electrical corporation, if the commission approves the large electrical corporation's request to upgrade its smart meter infrastructure relative to infrastructure in place on January 1, 2026, to offer eligible customer segments at least one dynamic rate option no later than 18 months after the upgraded smart meter infrastructure is anticipated to be placed into service, as specified. The bill would require the commission to ensure, in reviewing a request of a large electrical corporation to recover costs associated with upgrading its smart meter infrastructure, that specified conditions are met. The bill would also require the commission to ensure, among other things, the large electrical corporation makes the same time-varying distribution rates available to both bundled customers and unbundled customers located in the same geographic area, as specified. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the above provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing this bill's requirements 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.
