Existing law establishes the Department of Motor Vehicles, tasked with issuance and renewal of licenses to drivers. Existing law requires the department to prescribe and provide suitable forms of applications, certificates of ownership, registration cards, driver's licenses, and all other forms that are deemed necessary. This bill would, by January 1, 2027, require the department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to develop a Blue Envelope Program. Under the program, the bill would require the blue envelope to contain specified information for requesters with a condition or disability, as specified. The bill would also authorize others, including a parent or legal guardian of a passenger with a disability, to request a blue envelope.
Existing law vests the regional air pollution control districts and regional air quality management districts with regulatory jurisdiction related to the control of air pollution from nonvehicular sources. Existing law requires state agencies, in adopting, amending, or repealing a major regulation, as defined, to prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis, as provided. This bill would require certain air districts with jurisdiction over a geographic area with a certain population size, in adopting, amending, or repealing major regulations, to prepare the standardized regulatory impact analysis, as specified. Because the bill would impose additional duties on the regional air pollution control districts and regional air quality management districts, 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 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 Labor and Workforce Development Agency, consisting of various offices and entities, including the office of the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and the California Workforce Development Board. This bill would establish the Essential Worker Commission within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to review, investigate, and analyze issues relating to essential workers in the state, including workplace safety and health protections and wages and benefits for undocumented workers. The bill would require the Essential Worker Commission, based on that review, investigation, and analysis, to establish the Essential Worker Legal Work Program to provide essential workers with legal pathways to remain in California and work lawfully.
Existing law, the Physical Therapy Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physical therapists by the Physical Therapy Board of California (Physical Therapy Board) , which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law defines physical therapy as the art and science of physical or corrective rehabilitation or of physical or corrective treatment of any bodily or mental condition of any person by the use of the physical, chemical, and other properties of heat, light, water, electricity, sound, massage, and active, passive, and resistive exercise. Existing law makes a violation of the Physical Therapy Practice Act a misdemeanor. Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of veterinarians and the practice of veterinary medicine by the California Veterinary Medical Board, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. That act makes it unlawful for any person to practice veterinary medicine in this state without a license and provides that the practice of veterinary medicine includes, among other things, the treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of an animal. Existing law makes a violation of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act a misdemeanor. This bill would authorize a licensed physical therapist who meets specified education, training, and experience requirements to provide animal physical therapy, as specified. The bill would require the physical therapist to notify the Physical Therapy Board of their practice of animal physical therapy, as prescribed. The bill would require the animal physical therapy to be provided under either of 2 sets of circumstances involving a licensed veterinarian who has established a veterinary-patient-client relationship with the animal. The first set of circumstances would be under the direct supervision of the veterinarian at a premises registered with the California Veterinary Medical Board. The second set of circumstances would be pursuant to a referral from the veterinarian, would require the physical therapist to provide a specified written notification to the owner of the animal patient, and would require the physical therapist to hold an active practice agreement with the licensed veterinarian. The bill would require the physical therapist to provide a written copy of that active practice agreement to the California Veterinary Medical Board or Physical Therapy Board upon request. The bill would authorize physical therapy aides to aid the physical therapist in performing animal physical therapy, as specified. The bill would make any physical therapist providing animal physical therapy solely liable for delegated animal physical therapy tasks performed pursuant to a referral from a licensed veterinarian or by a person under the direct supervision of the physical therapist. The bill would specify that a veterinarian who issues an order for treatment for animal physical therapy is not liable for the animal physical therapy provided pursuant to that order by the physical therapist or by an aide or other assistant supervised by the physical therapist. The bill would make certain disciplinary actions against a Physical Therapy Practice Act licensee by the California Veterinary Medical Board conclusive evidence of unprofessional conduct by the licensee under the Physical Therapy Practice Act. The bill would require the Physical Therapy Board to immediately notify the California Veterinary Medical Board of any disciplinary actions or practice restrictions placed on the license of a physical therapist who has notified the Physical Therapy Board of their practice of animal physical therapy. The bill would prohibit a physical therapist whose license is suspended, revoked, or otherwise disciplined by the Physical Therapy Board from providing animal physical therapy. The bill would specify that these provisions, among other things, do not authorize an unlicensed person to practice animal physical therapy, except for physical therapy aides as described above. The bill would make a failure to comply with specified supervision requirements imposed by the bill or any regulation adopted pursuant to these provisions unprofessional conduct and grounds for disciplinary action, as prescribed. The bill would prohibit a physical therapist providing animal physical therapy from supervising or delegating any animal physical therapy, except as specified. The bill would specify that these provisions, among other things, do not authorize a physical therapist to provide any other services or perform any acts which constitute veterinary medicine. The bill would define various terms for the purposes of the above-described provisions. By imposing additional requirements and prohibitions under the Physical Therapy Practice Act and the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, a violation of either of which is 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.
The San Diego Regional Transportation Consolidation Act establishes a 21-member board of directors to govern the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) . The act requires 2 supervisors from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to serve on the SANDAG board of directors. The act refers to these directors as primary and secondary representatives. The act requires one of these directors to be from a district that is substantially an incorporated area and the other to be from a district that is substantially an unincorporated area. This bill would replace the secondary representative from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on the SANDAG board of directors with a resident of an unincorporated area of the County of San Diego that is selected by, and subject to recall by, a majority of the community planning groups in the County of San Diego. The bill would provide for an alternative to serve on the SANDAG board of directors if the secondary representative is not available. The bill would eliminate the requirement that one of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on the SANDAG board of directors be from a district that is substantially an incorporated area and the other to be from a district that is substantially an unincorporated area. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on local agencies, 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.
(1) Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, 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. This bill would require, beginning January 1, 2027, a county welfare department, for each person receiving CalFresh benefits, to determine whether that person is eligible for specified refundable tax credits. The bill would require the county welfare department to serve as the primary agency responsible for calculating and distributing the value of those credits to recipients in the form of a Fresh Start Grants, as provided, and would require the county welfare department, where a recipient is overpaid due to administrative error, to notify the individual and deduct the overpaid amount from future grants. The bill would also require county welfare departments to evaluate recipients of other specified programs for eligibility for Fresh Start Grants without duplicative documentation. The bill would establish the continuously appropriated Fresh Start Grants Fund in the State Treasury to provide these increased benefits. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board, no later than June 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, to estimate the amount of credits to be issued pursuant to specified law for the subsequent taxable year, and request that the Controller transfer that amount from the Tax Relief and Refund Account to the Fresh Start Grants Fund, for allocation to county welfare departments to administer the Fresh Start Grants. By creating a new continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. By expanding the duties of county welfare departments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to provide relevant information relating to the issuance of Fresh Start Grants to the Franchise Tax Board and county welfare departments, including the value of grants issued and the data necessary to ensure accurate distribution and tracking, as provided. The bill would also require the Franchise Tax Board to share any information with the State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments necessary to calculate the specified tax credits. The bill would make information shared by the Franchise Tax Board subject to specified law limiting the sharing and use of taxpayer information, the violation of which is a crime. By expanding the operation of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to commission an independent study of the Fresh Start Grants Program in collaboration with the Franchise Tax Board and county welfare departments, as provided. (2) Existing law, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) , grants a consumer various rights with respect to personal information that is collected or sold by a business. The CCPA defines various terms for these purposes. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA) , approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA and establishes the California Privacy Protection Agency (agency) and vests the agency with full administrative power, authority, and jurisdiction to enforce the CCPA. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, county welfare departments, and all entities administering the Fresh Start Grants Program to implement data safeguards, as specified, and would require the California Privacy Protection Agency to monitor compliance with data security protocols, as specified. (3) The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, an earned income tax credit, and authorizes a payment from the Tax Relief and Refund Account, a continuously appropriated fund, for allowable credits in excess of tax liability to an eligible individual that is equal to that portion of the earned income tax credit allowed by federal law, as determined by the earned income tax credit adjustment factor, as specified. The Personal Income Tax Law also allows a refundable young child tax credit against the taxes imposed under that law for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2019, and a refundable foster youth tax credit for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, to a qualified taxpayer in a specified amount multiplied by the earned income tax credit adjustment factor, as provided. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, would reduce the amount allowed as an earned income tax credit, a young child tax credit, or a foster youth tax credit by the amount received as a Fresh Start Grant. (4) This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature. (5) 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.
(1) Existing law authorizes a county board of education to establish and maintain one or more county community schools and authorizes a county board of education to enroll certain pupils in county community schools. This bill would authorize a county board of education to contract with the governing board or body of a local educational agency located within the county of the county board of education for the administration and operation of a county community school. (2) Existing law requires a county board of education to provide for the administration and operation of public schools in juvenile halls, juvenile ranches, and juvenile camps, among others, known as juvenile court schools, by the county superintendent of schools or by contract with the respective governing boards of the elementary, high school, or unified school district in which the juvenile court school is located. This bill would require a county board of education to instead provide for the administration and operation of a juvenile court school by the county superintendent of schools or by contract with the governing board or body of a local educational agency located within the county of the county board of education.
Existing law requires the governing board of each school district and county board of education to adopt a local control accountability plan and to update its local control and accountability plan before July 1 of each year. Existing law requires a local control and accountability plan to include, among other things, a description of the annual goals to be achieved for each state priority, as specified, for all pupils and certain subgroups of pupils. The state's delineated priorities include, among others, pupil engagement, as measured by specified attendance, dropout, and graduation rates, and school climate, as measured by pupil suspension and expulsion rates and other local measures, as provided. This bill, commencing with the 2026–27 school year, would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school that serves pupils in any of grades 5 to 12, inclusive, to annually (1) compile a school climate report detailing the pupil engagement and school climate data collected for purposes of their local control and accountability plan, and (2) if the local educational agency identifies any deficiencies in school climate, detail a plan to improve school climate to be included in the report. The bill would require the school climate report, including the plan to improve school climate, if applicable, to be presented at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing board or body of the local educational agency and made public accessibly on the local educational agency's internet website, as provided. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, 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.
(1) Existing law establishes a system of elementary and secondary education in this state. This system consists of the public and private schools that provide instruction in kindergarten and in grades 1 to 12, inclusive. This bill would enact the School Choice Flex Account Act of 2025 and establish the School Choice Flex Account (SCFA) Trust, to be known as the SCFA Trust, as a fund within the State Treasury to be administered by the SCFA Trust Board. For the 2027–28 to 2030–31, inclusive, school years, the bill would authorize certain children eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to establish an SCFA or Special Education Flex Account (SEFA) , based on parent or guardian income. The bill would, beginning with the 2031–32 school year, authorize every child eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to establish an SCFA or SEFA. The bill would credit a deposit amount to the account of every eligible student enrolled in an eligible school for tuition and certain school expenses. The bill would specify the deposit amounts for the 2027–28 school year, and require the Department of Finance, beginning on July 1, 2028, to determine the SCFA and SEFA deposit amounts annually for the upcoming school year, as provided. The bill would require the Controller to transfer an amount of money from the General Fund to the SCFA Trust in those amounts. The bill would require any unused funds remaining in an SCFA or SEFA account on June 30 of each school year to be returned to the state for the benefit of elementary and secondary education, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would specify the membership of the SCFA Trust Board and would vest the SCFA Trust Board with certain powers and duties. The bill would establish 2 accounts within the SCFA Trust, the SCFA Trust Program Account and the SCFA Trust Administrative Account, and would continuously appropriate the moneys in the program account to the SCFA Trust Board for purposes of the bill, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a procedure for the parents and legal guardians of eligible students to apply to establish an SCFA or SEFA and submit an executed participation agreement. The bill would authorize the SCFA Trust Board to disburse funds from SCFAs or SEFAs to eligible schools, defined as private full-time day schools accredited by, or, except as provided, awaiting accreditation from, a regional accrediting agency recognized by the state or the United States Department of Education. The bill would specify the procedures for participating eligible schools to receive funds disbursed by the SCFA Trust Board. (2) The Classroom Instructional Improvement and Accountability Act, an initiative approved by the voters as Proposition 98 at the November 8, 1988, statewide general election, amended the California Constitution to, among other things, set forth a formula for computing the minimum amount of revenues that the state is required to appropriate for the support of school districts and community college districts based on one of 3 tests in any given fiscal year, one of which is based on the percentage of General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts and community college districts, respectively, in the 1986–87 fiscal year, and 2 of which are based on, among other things, changes in enrollment. This bill would require the Legislature to recalculate that minimum education funding guarantee by including eligible students not enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school before the operative date of the act in those minimum funding guarantee calculations based on average daily attendance, as provided. The bill would also require the costs of providing SCFA and SEFA deposit amounts for eligible students to be apportioned between the General Fund and the public school district in which those eligible students reside in the same ratio of General Fund and local property tax revenue that would have been used to educate those eligible students in their public school district. (3) The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income for purposes of computing tax liability. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, exclude from gross income any amounts received as distribution from an SCFA or SEFA, as defined, as part of a participation agreement. Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. (4) These provisions would become operative on January 1, 2027, and only if Senate Constitutional Amendment ____ of the 2025–26 Regular Session is approved by the voters at the statewide general election on November 4, 2026.
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 public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("LA Metro") with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming, and operations in the County of Los Angeles. This bill would (1) require the Los Angeles Community College District to annually enter into a memorandum of understanding with LA Metro for purposes of providing GoPass TAP cards to participating students enrolled at a campus of the community college district, as specified, and (2) establish a student ambassador program within LA Metro where students assist with security, rider assistance, and facility upkeep on LA Metro rail and bus lines serving campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District. The bill would require the Los Angeles Community College District to submit an annual report to the Department of Finance and the budget committees of the Assembly and Senate that includes specified information about the transit pass program and the student ambassador program. By imposing additional duties on the Los Angeles Community College District and LA Metro, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles Community College District and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 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 authorizes the Director of General Services to execute grants to real property belonging to the state in the name and upon behalf of the state, whenever the sale or exchange of real property is authorized or contemplated by law, if no other state agency is specifically authorized and directed to execute the grants. This bill would, subject to specified requirements, require the director to quitclaim to the City of Moreno Valley, at no cost to the city, all interests of the state in 11 specified parcels of land located in the City of Moreno Valley that consist mainly of undeveloped open-space land. The bill would require the City of Moreno Valley to use the land to conduct wildfire mitigation to ensure fire protection for residents and businesses, to increase open-space and outdoor recreational opportunities, and any other similar use the City of Moreno Valley deems necessary. The bill would exempt the land from specified provisions of law governing the disposal of surplus state and local real property. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of Moreno Valley. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations related to a gift of public funds.
Existing law authorizes an ocean marine terminal that receives and dispatches intermodal chassis, as defined, to conduct an intermodal roadability inspection program in lieu of other provisions that require every operator of certain types of vehicles to cause the vehicle to be inspected at least every 90 days, or more often to ensure safe operation. Existing law establishes criteria for an ocean marine terminal to meet in order to be eligible to conduct the inspection program, including, among others, that more than 1,000 chassis are based at the ocean marine terminal, and that the terminal, following the 2 most recent terminal inspections, has received satisfactory compliance ratings, as specified. Existing law specifies what is required to be inspected on the chassis, including, among other things, the brake system components, suspension systems, and vehicle connecting devices. Existing law requires the signature, under penalty of perjury, of the ocean marine terminal operator or an authorized representative that the inspection has been performed. Existing law requires records of inspections of those intermodal chassis be kept at the relevant ocean marine terminal for 90 days. Existing law establishes a terminal inspection program administered by the Department of the California Highway Patrol (department) . Existing law, following a terminal inspection in which the department determines that an operator of an ocean marine terminal has failed to comply with the requirements of the intermodal roadability inspection program, requires the department to conduct a reinspection within 120 days, as specified, and if the terminal fails the reinspection, to comply with the requirements of the department's terminal inspection program until eligibility to utilize the intermodal eligibility inspection program is reestablished, as specified. This bill would expand the above provisions to apply to a "port terminal," defined by the bill to mean an ocean marine terminal or other terminal within a port master plan area. The bill would require, instead of authorize, a port terminal to conduct the intermodal roadability inspection program in lieu of the other provisions referred to above, and would delete the conditions relating to the number of chassis based at the ocean marine terminal and the receipt of prior satisfactory compliance ratings. The bill would include container connecting devices, mud flaps, landing legs, and frame damage to the areas covered by the inspection. The bill would require the inspection to include verification that other specified inspections are current. The bill would require defects noted on an intermodal chassis to be repaired before a motor carrier, driver, or authorized representative transports an intermodal container on an intermodal chassis, as specified, the violation of which would be an infraction. The bill would extend the period a port terminal is required to retain inspection records to 6 months. The bill would require the department, if a port terminal fails reinspection, to direct the port terminal operator to conduct additional terminal inspections at 30-day intervals, until the port terminal is in full compliance with intermodal roadability inspection program requirements, as prescribed. Existing law prohibits an ocean marine terminal provider from threatening, coercing, or otherwise retaliating against a commercial driver for contacting a law enforcement agency with regard to the physical condition of an intermodal chassis or for requesting that the intermodal chassis be reinspected or repaired. This bill would expand that prohibition to apply to threats, coercion, and other retaliation made by a port terminal operator, independent equipment provider, trucking company, or any other respondeat superior. Existing law generally provides that a violation of the Vehicle Code is a criminal offense. By creating new crimes, and by expanding the crime of perjury, 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.
