Existing law imposes certain requirements on grocery employers, as defined, upon the purchase or change in control of a grocery establishment, including requiring a successor grocery employer to retain eligible grocery workers for a specified period after transfer of the grocery establishment. This bill would prohibit a grocery retail store or a retail drug establishment, as those terms are defined, from providing a self-service checkout option for customers unless specified conditions are satisfied, including having no more than 2 self-service checkout stations monitored by any one employee and requiring the employee to be relieved of all other duties. The bill would require a grocery retail store or retail drug establishment that offers self-service checkout to include self-service checkout in the employer's illness and prevention program, as required by Division of Occupational Safety and Health regulations. The bill would require a grocery retail store or retail drug establishment that intends to implement consequential workplace technology, as defined, to notify workers, their collective bargaining representatives, and the public at least 60 days in advance of the implementation of the technology with a general description of the technology and the intended purpose of the technology, as specified. This bill would establish remedies and penalties for a violation of the bill's provisions, including a civil penalty of $100 for each day in violation, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $10,000.
(1) The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation of public water systems and imposes on the State Water Resources Control Board various responsibilities and duties relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Existing law establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury to help water systems provide an adequate and affordable supply of safe drinking water in both the near and long terms. Existing law requires the state board to annually adopt a fund expenditure plan, as provided, and requires expenditures from the fund to be consistent with the fund expenditure plan. Existing law requires the state board to base the fund expenditure plan on data and analysis drawn from a specified drinking water needs assessment. This bill would require the state board to update a needs analysis of the state's public water systems to include an assessment, as specified, of the funds necessary to provide a 20% bill credit for low-income households served by community water systems with fewer than 3,300 service connections and for community water systems with fewer than 3,300 service connections to meet a specified affordability threshold on or before July 1, 2026, and on or before July 1 of every 3 years thereafter. (2) Existing law requires the state board, by January 1, 2018, to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Existing law requires the plan to include, among other things, a description of the method for collecting moneys to support and implement the program and a description of the method for determining the amount of moneys that may need to be collected from water ratepayers to fund the program. This bill would require qualified systems, defined as any retail water supplier that serves over 3,300 residential connections, to begin providing water rate assistance to eligible ratepayers, defined to mean a low-income residential ratepayer with an annual household income that is no greater than 200% of the federal poverty guideline level, on or before July 1, 2027. The bill would require a qualified system to automatically enroll an eligible ratepayer in the water rate assistance program if available information, which includes, among other things, authorizing a ratepayer to confirm eligibility by self-certification made under penalty of perjury, indicates that they are qualified to receive assistance and provide a water bill credit, as specified. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require a qualified system, on or before September 1, 2026, to provide an opportunity for each ratepayer to provide a voluntary contribution as part of the ratepayer's water bill to provide funding for the qualified system's water rate assistance program. The bill would require a qualified system to recommend a voluntary contribution amount on the bill of each ratepayer, other than an eligible ratepayer, at a level intended to raise sufficient funding to provide a bill credit to eligible ratepayers, pay for the qualified system's administrative costs to implement the program beginning January 1, 2025, and establish a balancing account if the qualified system chooses to do so. The bill would require a qualified system to notify ratepayers of the voluntary contribution on the water bill and provide each ratepayer the option and method of opting out of the voluntary contribution, as specified. The bill would also prohibit a qualified system from sanctioning or holding liable a ratepayer in any manner for not paying the voluntary contribution. The bill would authorize a qualified system to use any state or federal funds that are available to support a ratepayer assistance program by offsetting or supplementing the funds collected from voluntary contributions. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring an action in state court to restrain the use of any method, act, or practice in violation of these provisions, except as provided. (3) 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 federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person's immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. This bill would delete the above-described contingency and, commencing on October 1, 2027, remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, 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 federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person's immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. This bill would remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, 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 San Francisco Bay Area Regional Housing Finance Act, establishes the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority to raise, administer, and allocate funding for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay area, as defined, and provide technical assistance at a regional level for tenant protection, affordable housing preservation, and new affordable housing production. The act vests the authority with various powers, including authorizing it to place a measure on the ballot to raise revenue and allocate funds throughout the San Francisco Bay area, apply for and receive grants or loans from public and private entities, incur and issue bonds and other indebtedness, and otherwise incur liabilities or obligations, as specified. The act authorizes the authority to allocate and deploy financing to cities, counties, other public agencies within the San Francisco Bay area, and private affordable housing developers to finance affordable housing development, as specified. The act requires revenue generated pursuant to the act be used for the construction of new affordable housing, affordable housing preservation, tenant protection programs, planning and technical assistance related to affordable housing, and for infrastructure to support housing and other purposes, as specified. Existing law defines "public works," for the purposes of regulating public works contracts, as, among other things, construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public funds. Existing law further requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages be paid to workers employed on public works and imposes misdemeanor penalties for a willful violation of this requirement. Under this bill, a construction or rehabilitation project receiving funding or financing from revenue under the act, as specified, would constitute a public work for which prevailing wages are required to be paid pursuant to existing law. The bill would require that certain projects with 40 units or more be eligible to receive funding or financing from revenue generated under the act only if all construction and rehabilitation will be subject to a project labor agreement, as defined, with the same terms as the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Major Projects Project Stabilization Agreement, as specified and defined, except that if a regional or countywide project labor agreement, as defined, that meets certain requirements is negotiated, then the bill would provide that those projects are eligible for funding or financing from the agency only if all construction and rehabilitation is subject to that project labor agreement. The bill would authorize the authority to negotiate and enter into project labor agreements for projects receiving funding or financing from revenue generated under the act. Because the willful violation of prevailing wage requirements when engaged in these public works projects would result in the imposition of misdemeanor penalties, 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 the State Board of Education, and requires the state board to adopt rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of the state, to govern the public elementary and secondary schools of the state. Existing law requires the state board to determine all questions of policy within its powers. Pursuant to these powers, the state board has adopted a policy known as the California English Learner Roadmap State Board of Education Policy: Educational Programs and Services for English Learners, also known as the EL Roadmap Policy, for the stated purpose of assisting the State Department of Education in providing guidance to local educational agencies with respect to educating English learners attending California public schools. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns the department numerous duties relating to the governance and funding of local educational agencies. This bill would require the state board to, on or before March 15, 2026, develop and adopt a "California English Learner Roadmap: Parent Toolkit" that will be made available to families served by school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools that are implementing the EL Roadmap Policy. The bill would require the state board to convene a workgroup to assist in the development of the parent toolkit, as provided. The bill would require the department to develop forms that may be used by parents of English learner pupils to request services from the pupil's teacher or administrator as it relates to the parent toolkit. The bill would establish the English Learner Roadmap Implementation Grant Pilot Program with the goal of locally planning and implementing the EL Roadmap Policy. The bill would require the department, on or before September 1, 2025, to award no more than 8 one-time grants of up to $1,500,000 per grant and no more than 4 one-time grants of up to $750,000 per grant to school districts, county offices of education, or charter schools, as provided. The bill would require the department to, among other things, determine application procedures and selection criteria for grant awards, review applications, identify and determine how data will be collected and shared with the public, and meet quarterly with leaders from the grant recipients for specified purposes. The bill would require grant recipients to submit to the department specified data as it relates to the grant received. The bill would require the department to submit to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a progress report on or before January 31, 2027, and, on or before December 1, 2028, a final report, with specified information about, among other things, the successes and challenges of the grant program, as provided. This bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature, as provided.
Existing law, the Professional Fiduciaries Act, establishes, until January 1, 2028, the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau, within the Department of Consumer Affairs under the supervision and control of the Director of Consumer affairs, and requires the bureau to license and regulate professional fiduciaries. The act defines various terms for these purposes. Existing law makes a violation of specified law, including provisions of the act, an infraction, as specified. Existing law, the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act, defines and regulates professional corporations. The act provides that a professional organization renders professional services that may be lawfully rendered only pursuant to a license, certification, or registration authorized by, among others, the Business and Professions Code pursuant to a certificate of registration issued by the governmental agency regulating the profession, as specified. This bill would, beginning July 1, 2025, require the bureau to issue a certificate of registration to a professional corporation if the professional corporation files certain items with the bureau under penalty of perjury, and would require a professional corporation that has a certificate of registration to annually file those items with the bureau under penalty of perjury. The bill would prohibit a professional corporation from rendering professional services requiring a license under the Professional Fiduciaries Act or acting or holding itself out to the public as an entity acting as a professional fiduciary unless the professional corporation is a registrant under the bill's provisions. The bill would prescribe imposition of fees, as specified. The bill would define various terms for these purposes. The bill would make a violation of these provisions an infraction. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law prohibits a superior court from appointing a person to carry out the duties of a professional fiduciary, as defined, unless that person holds a valid, unexpired, and unsuspended license as a professional fiduciary or is exempt from those licensing requirements, as specified. This bill would delete that prohibition and would instead prohibit a superior court from appointing a professional fiduciary, as defined, as a guardian, conservator, or other officer, or permit a professional fiduciary to continue in any of those offices, unless they hold a current, unsuspended license or certificate of registration, as specified. The bill would include in the definition of "professional fiduciary" a professional corporation that receives a certificate of registration pursuant to the provisions described above. The bill would also make technical and conforming changes. 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.
Under existing law, criminal offenders sentenced to imprisonment in the state prison are sentenced for either a determinate term or an indeterminate life sentence, and a person sentenced to an indeterminate life sentence is held until release by the Board of Parole Hearings. Under existing law, a person sentenced to a determinate sentence is released after serving the term of their sentence, minus any credits earned, and is required to serve a period of time after release under parole supervision. Existing constitutional provisions, enacted by Proposition 57 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, make an inmate sentenced to state prison for a conviction of a nonviolent felony offense eligible for early parole consideration after completing the full term for their primary offense, as defined. This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, by March 1, 2026, and by March 1 of each year thereafter, to compile an annual report for each department facility that awards sentence credits, as specified, and post that report on its internet website.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in this state. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct a study evaluating the demographics and unique issues and barriers that housing-insecure community college students 25 years of age and older and students with dependents, as defined, face in securing housing. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to submit a report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2026, with the results of the study, including, among other things, policy recommendations, as specified.
Existing law authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development, upon appropriation, to make loans or grants, or both loans and grants, to rehabilitate, capitalize operating subsidy reserves for, and extend the long-term affordability of department-funded housing projects that have an affordability restriction that has expired, that have an affordability restriction with a remaining term of less than 10 years, or are otherwise at risk of conversion to market-rate housing. This bill would also authorize the department to make those loans and grants to rehabilitate, capitalize operating subsidy reserves for, and extend the long-term affordability of housing projects that qualify as a challenged development. The bill would define "challenged development" for these purposes to mean a development that meets a specified criteria including that the development is at least 15 years old, serves households of very low income or extremely low income, and has insufficient access to private or other public resources to complete substantial rehabilitation, as determined by the department. This bill would require the department to grant priority for these loans and grants to housing projects that are department funded and have an affordability restriction that has expired or have a remaining term of less than 10 years, or are otherwise at risk for conversion.
Under existing law, the California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2022 (loan act) , the California School Finance Authority or the California Educational Facilities Authority, as applicable, provide zero-interest loans to qualifying applicants of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges for the purpose of constructing affordable student housing and affordable faculty and staff housing, as provided. Existing law establishes the California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund as a continuously appropriated fund in the State Treasury. Existing law requires the Pooled Money Investment Board to determine whether moneys on deposit in the State Treasury, exclusive of the General Fund and other specified funds, is not necessary for immediate use and, if so, to determine the amount which is then designated as surplus moneys. Existing law creates the Surplus Money Investment Fund and requires the Controller to transfer surplus moneys to it, provided that moneys from a special fund are not to be transferred if that will interfere with carrying out the purposes that the special fund supports. Existing law requires that moneys in the Surplus Money Investment Fund be invested by the Treasurer as part of the Pooled Money Investment Account. Under existing law, moneys in the Surplus Money Investment Fund are continuously appropriated. This bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as described, the Controller to transfer $200,000,000 in the 2024–25 fiscal year to the California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund from the Surplus Money Investment Fund and other funds in the Pooled Money Investment Account that accrue interest to the General Fund as a cash loan, for purposes of funding the program supported by the California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund. The bill would require the loan principal and interest to be fully repaid on or before June 30, 2035, as described. The bill would require that loans made to applicants under the loan act from moneys made available pursuant to the cash loan be repaid at a 3% interest rate.
The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to adopt building design and construction standards and energy and water conservation standards for new residential and nonresidential buildings to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy, including energy associated with the use of water. The act requires those standards to be cost effective when taken in their entirety and when amortized over the economic life of the structure compared with historic practice. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to update the scoping plan at least once every 5 years. This bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2026, to evaluate opportunities to increase electrification of industrial heat processes to meet the state's industrial emissions reduction goals, as provided. The bill would, as part of the state board's next update to the scoping plan occurring on or after January 1, 2025, require the state board to assess the potential for the state to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from the state's industrial facilities' heat application equipment and processes, as specified. The bill would require the state board to incorporate the commissions' evaluation required by the bill into the assessment and to identify potential emission reductions associated with the recommendations provided in the commission's evaluation.
