Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with either the signature appearing on the voter's affidavit or other signature appearing on a form that is part of the voter's registration record. Existing law prohibits an elections official from reviewing or considering a voter's party preference, race, or ethnicity when comparing signatures. Existing law requires an elections official, if it is determined that the signatures do not compare, to notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter's signature, as specified. Existing law prohibits an elections official from rejecting a vote by mail ballot with signatures that do not compare if the voter delivers a signature verification statement and the signature on the verification statement compares with the signature on file in the voter's record. Existing law prohibits an elections official from rejecting a vote by mail ballot with an unsigned identification envelope if, no later than 5 p.m. two days prior to the election, the voter signs the envelope at the office of the elections official or completes and submits an unsigned identification envelope statement, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit an elections official, when comparing signatures, from considering a voter's identifying information, including gender, name, and address, and the amount of time spent reviewing a signature. The bill would require an elections official to notify the voter when the signatures do not compare after a specified determination is made that the signatures differ. The bill would authorize a voter to work with a nongovernmental entity to complete a signature verification statement and unsigned envelope statement. The bill would require a signature verification statement and unsigned envelope statement to contain a statement that the county elections official is required to compare the voter's signature with the signatures appearing in the voter's registration record, which may include the signature appearing on the voter's driver's license or state identification card. The bill would require the Secretary of State to publish on their internet website a single, combined vote by mail ballot signature verification statement and unsigned ballot identification envelope statement. The bill would require an elections official to accept a form for a signature verification statement or unsigned ballot identification envelope statement if the form was developed by the Secretary of State or an elections official, but would prohibit an elections official from accepting a form created by any other individual, organization, or entity. Existing law permits a member of the county grand jury, and at least one member each of the Republican county central committee, the Democratic county central committee, and of any other party with a candidate on the ballot, and any other interested organization, to observe and challenge the manner in which vote by mail ballots are handled. Existing law requires these individuals be allowed sufficiently close access to enable them to observe the vote by mail ballot return envelopes and the signatures thereon and challenge whether established procedures are being followed for, among other things, verifying signatures on the vote by mail return envelopes. This bill would additionally allow vote by mail observers to observe and challenge the manner in which those individuals handling vote by mail ballots are following procedures for verifying signatures on signature verification statements and unsigned envelope statements. Existing law requires elections officials, beginning no later than the Thursday following an election, to post updated information regarding an election on their internet website at least once per week until publication of the certified statement of results or until the only ballots left to count are vote by mail ballots for which a voter has the opportunity either to verify or provide their signature. Existing law requires the information at a minimum include updated results for any candidate for office or measure appearing on the ballot, the number of ballots processed and an estimated number of outstanding unprocessed ballots, according to specified categories, and the date and time when it is expected that the next results will be posted. This bill would instead require an elections official, beginning no later than the Thursday following an election, to post updated information regarding the election on their internet website at least two times by the following Thursday and at least twice a week thereafter until publication of the certified statement of results or until the only ballots left to count are vote by mail ballots for which a voter has the opportunity either to verify or provide their signature. The bill would revise the categories for reporting the number of ballots processed and estimated number of outstanding ballots remaining unprocessed. The bill would require the date and time when it is expected that the next results will be posted to be on the homepage of an elections official's internet website or on the stand-alone webpage for the specific election on an elections official's internet website. The bill would specify that posting a hyperlink to a separate file does not satisfy the requirements of these provisions. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 827 to be operative only if this bill and AB 827 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15104 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 16 to be operative only if this bill and AB 16 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. By imposing new duties on local elections 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 establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, under fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing federal Medicaid law requires the state to publish an online directory of physicians and, at state option, other providers, as specified. Existing state law sets forth Medi-Cal managed care provisions relating to a Medi-Cal applicant or beneficiary being informed of the health care options available regarding methods of receiving Medi-Cal benefits, including through certain provider directories. The department has administratively created an online provider directory through an internet website known as Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options. This bill would require, as part of the health care options information posted by the department, in the provider directory that lists accepted Medi-Cal managed care plans, through the Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options internet website and any other applicable mechanisms, that the directory include skilled nursing facilities as one of the available searchable provider types. The bill would require that this provision be implemented in conjunction with implementation of the above-described provisions. The bill would require the department to annually update that provider directory to ensure that information is accurate and readily accessible to the public.
Existing law establishes various programs to address the needs of migrant agricultural families. Existing law also provides funding to enhance and maintain rural health services. This bill would establish the Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program, and would require the State Department of Public Health to administer the program to expand access to health services for farmworkers in rural communities. The bill would require the department to distribute grants to partnerships of 2 separate community-based organizations, except as specified, to establish and deploy virtual health hubs, as defined, and to administer the program and to provide technical assistance to the grant recipients for any licensing or reporting requirements necessary to fulfill the program obligations. The bill would outline criteria for the grants and require the department to give priority to community-based organizations that meet specified criteria, including, but not limited to, a history of serving medically underserved communities. The bill would require the grant recipients, among other things, to deploy virtual health hubs in 2 rural communities based on farmworker population and access to health care and to submit specified information on the program to the department. Under the bill, the virtual health hubs would include, at a minimum, computers, Wi-Fi, cubicles for virtual visits, and exam rooms for telemedicine. The bill would create the Virtual Health Hub Fund and would condition implementation of these provisions on no General Fund moneys being used, there being a minimum of $2,000,000 in the fund, and the department posting a notice on its internet website. The bill would also require the department, 2 years after the notice is posted on the internet website, to submit a report to the Legislature and post to its internet website specified information provided by the grant recipients, including age ranges and type of health services accessed by the people served. The bill would repeal these provisions when specified conditions are met. The bill would make findings and declarations in support of its provisions.
Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs related to health care infrastructure, such as health policy and planning, health professions development, and facilities design review and construction, among others. Existing law requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to establish the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework to require the exchange of health information among health care entities and government agencies in the state, among other things. Existing law requires the agency to convene a stakeholder advisory group to advise on the development, implementation, and administration of the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework. This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information, on or before January 1, 2026, to take over the establishment, implementation, and all of the functions related to the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework, including the data sharing agreement and policies and procedures, from the agency. The bill would expand the entities that are specifically required to execute a data sharing agreement with the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework. The bill would require the department, no later than July 1, 2026, to establish a process to designate qualified health information organizations as data sharing intermediaries that have demonstrated their ability to meet requirements of the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework. The bill would require the department, by July 1, 2027, and in collaboration with the stakeholder advisory group, to develop and submit a report to the Legislature on the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework, including compliance with data sharing agreements. The bill would expand the membership of the stakeholder advisory group, as specified.
(1) Existing law provides that ballots cast in all-mailed ballot elections, as specified, are considered timely cast if they are received by the voter's elections official by mail no later than 3 days after election day and additional, specified conditions are satisfied. This bill would extend the above deadline for mailed ballots to be timely cast to 7 days after election day. (2) Existing law establishes requirements for the conduct of recount elections, including with respect to the order in which precincts must be recounted, procedures for special recount boards, and notices issued by elections officials with respect to the commencement and results of a recount. If the votes subject to recount were cast or tabulated by a voting system, existing law requires that the voter requesting the recount, for each set of ballots cast or tabulated by a type of voting system, select whether the recount will be conducted manually or by means of the voting system used originally. Existing law allows only one method of recount to be used for all ballots cast or tabulated by the same type of voting system. This bill would allow a voter requesting a recount to specify the order in which votes are recounted by the batch in which ballots were scanned or, in the case of a recount that involves more than one county, the order in which counties will conduct the recount within the jurisdiction. The bill would prohibit unauthorized access to the voting system in use by the elections office and impose other protections on access to a voter's personal identifying information. The bill would require the requester to reimburse the county for the cost of each member of a recount board. The bill would require that a member of a special recount board be eligible to register to vote in California if they are required to tally any ballots as part of their role on the board. The bill would set qualifications for an official appointed to supervise a special recount board. The bill would impose specified requirements for notices issued by elections officials. The bill would, if the recount is to be conducted manually and the voting system has the capability to display ballot images, require the voter requesting the recount to select whether the recount will be conducted by use of paper ballots or the official ballot images. If more than one voter requests a recount for the same office or measure and at least one request is for the recount to be conducted by use of paper ballots, the bill would require the county elections official to conduct only a manual recount of the paper ballots, the result of which would be controlling. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15621 of the Elections Code proposed by Assembly Bill 1513 to be operative only if this bill and Assembly Bill 1513 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) By increasing the duties of local elections officials, the bill would create 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.
(1) Existing law requires specified notices, affidavits, and communications regarding elections to be delivered by registered mail. This bill would instead require delivery by certified mail or, for certain communications between local officials and the Secretary of State, by electronic delivery. By imposing new duties on local officials with respect to elections, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law provides procedures for the recall of enumerated elective officers, including, among others, trial court judges. This bill would replace references to trial courts in these provisions with references to superior courts. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15621 of the Elections Code proposed by Assembly Bill 930 to be operative only if this bill and Assembly Bill 930 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) 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 specifies the rules to be used when determining the residence of a child or a nonminor dependent for purposes of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and under certain circumstances, the county in which the child or nonminor dependent is living is deemed the county of residence if the child or nonminor dependent has had a physical presence in the county for one year, and in the case of a nonminor dependent, they have expressed their intent to remain in that county. Existing law authorizes the residence of a nonminor dependent to be changed to another county where they are living if the court finds that the nonminor dependent has had a continuous physical presence in the new county for one year as a nonminor dependent and the nonminor dependent expressed intent to remain in that county. Existing law requires the juvenile court of the county where that nonminor dependent then resides to take jurisdiction of the case upon the receipt and filing of the finding of the facts and an order transferring the case. This bill would additionally authorize the residence of a nonminor dependent to be changed to another county where they are living if the nonminor dependent requests the transfer of jurisdiction to the new county and the court finds that the transfer is in the best interest of the nonminor dependent, as specified. The bill would require a court issuing an order to transfer the case pursuant to this new authority to issue the order within 30 court days of the nonminor dependent's request, and deems the new county to have jurisdiction over the nonminor dependent within 10 calendar days of an issuance of an order to transfer. Existing law specifies conditions for a review hearing that is the last hearing held before a child attains 18 years of age or that is held in the 6-month period before the child attains 18 years of age, and for subsequent review hearings for the nonminor dependent, including that the hearings be conducted in a manner that respects the nonminor's status as a legal adult and is focused on the goals and services described in the youth's transitional independent living case plans. This bill would require during those and other certain review hearings that the court consider whether the nonminor dependent requests the transfer of jurisdiction to a new county.
(1) Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare a state voter information guide that includes, among other things, a complete copy of each state measure, the Voter Bill of Rights, and information on candidates for the office of United States Senator and the offices of President and Vice President of the United States, as specified. Existing law requires county elections officials to prepare a county voter information guide that contains, among other things, a substantial facsimile of the official ballot. This bill would conform provisions in the Political Reform Act of 1974 that currently refer to the ballot pamphlet or sample ballot to instead refer to the state voter information guide or county voter information guide, respectively. (2) The Political Reform Act of 1974 authorizes a candidate for elective state, county, or city office to raise contributions for a general election before the primary election, and for a special general election before a special primary election, for the same office under specified conditions. If the candidate is defeated in the primary election or special primary election, or otherwise withdraws from the general election or special general election, the act requires the candidate to refund the general election or special general election funds, as specified. Existing law, for purposes of these provisions, specifies that a candidate who does not file a declaration of candidacy to qualify for a primary election or special primary election is not required to refund the general election or special general election contributions, and that such a candidate may transfer these funds to a committee for the same or a different office as specified. This bill would instead provide that a candidate is not required to refund the general election or special general election contributions and may transfer these funds, as specified above, if the candidate's name has not been listed on the ballot at a primary election or special primary election, and the candidate has not qualified to have write-in votes cast on their behalf, as specified. (3) This bill would also correct a cross-reference to federal law. 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 requires a 3-part test, commonly known as the "ABC" test, to determine if workers are employees or independent contractors for purposes of the Labor Code, the Unemployment Insurance Code, and the wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission. Under the ABC test, a person providing labor or services for remuneration is considered an employee rather than an independent contractor unless the hiring entity demonstrates that the person is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity in connection with the performance of the work, the person performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business, and the person is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business. Existing law charges the Labor Commissioner with the enforcement of labor laws, including worker classification. Existing law exempts specified occupations and business relationships from the application of the ABC test described above. Existing law, instead, provides that these exempt relationships are governed by the multifactor test previously adopted in the case of S. G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Department of Industrial Relations (1989) 48 Cal.3d 341. Existing law includes an exemption for services provided by a licensed manicurist, subject to the manicurist meeting specified conditions, and makes this exemption for licensed manicurists inoperative on January 1, 2025. This bill would delete the January 1, 2025, inoperative date, and, instead, until January 1, 2029, reapply the above-specified exemption to certain licensed manicurists. The bill would also require the Employment Development Department and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to, by June 1, 2026, report to the Legislature the annual number of allegations of misclassification or other specified violations involving licensed manicurists since January 1, 2020, as specified. Existing law also provides an exemption for a commercial fisher working on an American vessel, as defined. Existing law makes those commercial fishers eligible for unemployment insurance benefits subject to certain conditions, and requires the Employment Development Department to issue an annual report, on March 1, to the Legislature on the use of unemployment insurance in the commercial fishing industry, as provided. Existing law makes these various provisions related to commercial fishers working on an American vessel inoperative on January 1, 2026. This bill would extend the inoperative date to January 1, 2031, and, thereby, until January 1, 2031, reapply the above-specified exemption to those commercial fishers, as prescribed. The bill would change the above-described annual reporting date from March 1 to June 30.
Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to install screening on state freeway overpasses to prevent objects from being dropped or thrown upon vehicles passing underneath, as provided. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2028, the department to identify best practices for the implementation of suicide countermeasures designed to deter suicide attempts on bridges and overpasses, as provided.
Existing law declares the public policy of the state regarding labor organization, including, among other things, that it is necessary for a worker to have full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment, and to be free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives or in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. Existing law, the Protect App-Based Drivers and Services Act, added by Proposition 22, as approved by the voters at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election (the initiative) , categorizes app-based drivers for network companies, as defined, as independent contractors if certain conditions are met. Existing law requires, among other things, that the network company provide a health care subsidy to qualifying app-based drivers, provide a minimum level of compensation for app-based drivers, and not restrict app-based drivers from working in any other lawful occupation or business. Existing case law holds that specified provisions of the initiative are invalid on separation of powers grounds; however, the court severed the unconstitutional provisions, allowing the rest of the initiative to remain in effect. Existing law also establishes the Public Employment Relations Board (board) in state government as a means of resolving disputes and enforcing the statutory duties and rights of specified public employers and employees under various acts regulating collective bargaining. Existing law vests the board with jurisdiction to enforce certain provisions over charges of unfair practices for represented employees. This bill, the Transportation Network Company Drivers Labor Relations Act (act) , would establish that transportation network company (TNC) drivers have the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of TNC driver organizations, to bargain through representatives of their own choosing, to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and to refrain from such activities. The bill would require the board to enforce these provisions. This bill would require all TNCs to submit certain information every quarter, including information identifying and related personal work information about TNC drivers to the board in a list format, as prescribed. The bill would establish various procedures governing the certification and decertification of TNC driver organizations for purposes of representing drivers in the collective bargaining process. In this connection, the bill would require the board to determine if an entity is a TNC driver organization, as prescribed, and make certain determinations as to whether a specific organization has been designated as the bargaining representative for TNC drivers pursuant to an election process. The bill would establish various notice requirements, conditions, and timelines governing the representation of TNC drivers. The bill would, among other things, require TNCs and certified driver bargaining organizations to negotiate in good faith pursuant to the act, as described, and would set forth procedures for mediation and arbitration for purposes of reaching a sectoral agreement. The bill would set forth procedures and guidelines for the board to approve or disapprove sectoral agreements. The bill would require a TNC that was not a covered TNC when a sectoral agreement took effect but subsequently became a covered TNC to be bound by all terms of the sectoral agreement, as specified. This bill would make it an unfair practice for a TNC, an agent of a TNC, or a multicompany committee, as defined, to fail or refuse to negotiate in good faith with a certified driver bargaining organization, among other things. The bill would also make it an unfair practice for a certified driver bargaining organization or its agents to fail to negotiate in good faith with a TNC or multicompany committee, among other things. The bill would set forth unfair practice charge procedures and remedies for those practices. The bill would define terms for purposes of the act, make the provisions of the act severable, and make related legislative policy statements. Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, generally requires all meetings of a state body to be open and public. This bill would exempt any meeting of a mediator or arbitrator with any party or group to the negotiations process and the mediation and arbitration processes in the act from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting act. Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. This bill would exclude from public disclosure information regarding TNC drivers that is submitted to the board pursuant to the act, except as specified. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law requires elections officials to commence the canvass for an election no later than the Thursday following the election and to make the canvass open to the public. Existing law requires the canvass to be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than six hours each day until completed. Existing law requires elections officials to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election within 30 days of the election and to send the Secretary of State a complete copy of all election results within 31 days of the election. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote no later than the 38th day after the election. This bill would require elections officials, on or before the 13th day following an election, to finish counting all ballots, with certain exceptions, including provisional ballots and ballots for which the voter must either verify or provide a signature, and release a vote count for those ballots. If an elections official will not meet that deadline, they would be required to file a notice of extension, including the reason for the extension, with the Secretary of State. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, 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, 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.
