Existing law allows a person who has suffered an arrest that did not result in a conviction, or resulted in a conviction that was subsequently vacated or reversed on appeal, to petition the court to have their arrest and related records sealed. Existing law allows a person who has fulfilled the conditions of probation, or was convicted of a misdemeanor and not granted probation, to set the conviction aside and dismiss the accusation or information against them. This bill would allow a person who has had their conviction set aside and dismissed to petition to have their arrest and related records sealed. Because this bill would result in additional duties on local law enforcement agencies to seal these arrest records, 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 creates the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state. Existing law requires the office, among other things, to identify distribution barriers that affect limited food access and work to overcome those barriers through various actions and to coordinate with school districts and representatives to, among other things, increase the nutritional profile of foods provided in schools. This bill would require the office to also work with transportation agencies to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state, and to prioritize the department's efforts in food deserts, as defined, throughout the state, especially cities and counties that are most impacted by food insecurity, as defined. The bill would require the office to work to overcome those identified distribution barriers by also facilitating partnerships between statewide, regional, and local transportation agencies to address inadequate public transportation lines in urban and rural communities, with the aim of connecting all communities to adequate and nutritional food access, as provided. The bill would require the office to coordinate with school districts and representatives to assess access to school breakfast and lunch programs during scheduled academic calendar breaks and school closures.
The Small Business Procurement and Contract Act permits a state agency to award a contract for goods, services, or information technology with a value of between $5,000 and $250,000 to a certified small business, including a microbusiness and a disabled veteran business enterprise, without complying with specified competitive bidding requirements. This bill would increase the maximum amount of a contract awarded pursuant to the act from $250,000 to $500,000.
Existing law defines the duties of the Treasurer, which includes, but is not limited to, keeping an account of all money received and disbursed. Existing law required the Treasurer to, as soon as April 1, 2022, but no later than specified, in consultation with the California Housing Finance Agency and other specified state agencies, develop a framework for the California Dream For All Program in accordance with the goals and intent of the program, including, among other things, making home ownership more affordable by reducing the cost of home ownership by up to 45 percent for lower and moderate-income Californians, and submit a report, as specified, outlining the program framework to the Legislature. This bill would require the Treasurer, on or before December 31, 2025, and in consultation with the California Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and other stakeholders deemed relevant by those state bodies, to develop a framework for the Building Home Ownership for All Program in accordance with the goals and elements of the program, including, among other things, expanding access to homeownership by making it affordable for lower and moderate-income Californians, and submit a report, as specified, outlining the program framework to the Legislature. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to the program.
Existing law establishes the Governor as the primary state officer representing California's interest in international affairs, to the extent that representation is not in conflict with federal law or the California Constitution. Existing law establishes the Lieutenant Governor as the Chair of the Commission for Economic Development to improve trade opportunities for California, and develop international partnerships for foreign companies to do business in the state and for California. Existing law requires the Office of Planning and Research to maintain and update a list of all state agreements made with foreign governments. Existing law additionally requires the Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to provide the Legislature with an updated strategy for international trade and investment, that includes, at a minimum, specified components, once every five years. This bill would require the Governor to establish the California-Ireland Trade Commission within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development as an advisory body to the Governor and the Legislature, consisting of specified appointed members, upon availability of sufficient funding resources for this purpose, as provided. The bill would establish the various purposes of the commission, which would include advancing bilateral trade and investment between California and Ireland. This bill would require the commission to report its findings, results, and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within one year of its initial organizational meeting and by February 1 of each succeeding year, as specified. The bill would require the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to consider the commission's recommendations when updating its strategy for international trade and investment. The bill would include related legislative findings.
Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and regulate adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities. Existing law also requires, with certain exceptions, an individual providing counseling services within a program to be registered with or certified by a certifying organization approved by the department. This bill would create, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselor Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The bill would require the board to establish regulations and standards for the licensure of alcohol drug counselors, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to collaborate with the Department of Health Care Access and Information regarding behavioral health professions, review sunrise review applications for emerging behavioral health license and certification programs, and refer complaints regarding behavioral health workers to appropriate agencies, as specified. The bill would require an applicant to satisfy certain requirements, including, among other things, passing a certification examination, as specified. The bill would, commencing no later than 5 years after the board commences approving licenses, impose additional requirements on an applicant, including possessing a doctoral or master's degree in alcohol drug counseling that meets specified requirements, completion of a supervised practicum from an approved educational institution, and documentation that either the applicant is certified by a certifying organization or the applicant has completed 2,000 hours of postgraduate supervised work experience. The bill would impose requirements related to continuing education and discipline of licensees. The bill would prohibit a person from using the title of "Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselor" unless the person has applied for and obtained a license from the board, and would make a violation of that provision punishable by an administrative penalty not to exceed $10,000. The bill would specify that it does not require a person employed or volunteering at an outpatient treatment program or residential treatment facility certified or licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services to be licensed by the board. The bill would require the board to establish fees for licensure, as specified.
Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and regulates application, issuance, and suspension of alcoholic beverage licenses within the state. Existing law, until July 1, 2026, authorizes the department to permit licensees to exercise license privileges in an expanded license area authorized pursuant to a COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorization, as specified. Existing law includes duplicative provisions relating to COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorizations. This bill would authorize an on-sale licensee located in an airport terminal to, under a COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorization, sell alcoholic beverages for on-sale consumption in an expanded license area that includes the airside terminal space if certain requirements are complied with. Those requirements include, among others, the licensee receiving written approval from the airport operator, serving the alcoholic beverages in distinguishable and labeled containers, selling no more than 2 containers to each customer per transaction, and posting appropriate signage regarding open container laws, as specified. The bill would make all licensees holding a COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorization within a shared common licensed area jointly liable for compliance with laws that may subject their license to discipline in that shared common licensed area. The above-described provisions of the bill would be repealed on July 1, 2026. The bill would repeal the duplicative COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorization provisions.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires health care service plans and health insurers to provide coverage for prosthetic devices in connection with specified health conditions and procedures. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, to cover cranial prostheses, as defined, for individuals experiencing permanent or temporary medical hair loss. The bill would require a licensed provider to prescribe the cranial prosthesis for an individual's course of treatment for a diagnosed health condition, chronic illness, or injury, as specified. The bill would limit coverage to once every 12 months and $750 for each instance of coverage. The bill would not apply these provisions to a specialized health care service plan or specialized health insurance policy. Because a violation of these requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law also 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. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Commencing January 1, 2025, this bill would require coverage for cranial prostheses for individuals experiencing permanent or temporary medical hair loss. or treatment for those conditions as a Medi-Cal benefit, subject to the same requirements with respect to provider prescription, coverage frequency, and amount. The bill would not apply these provisions to a specialized health care service plan. 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 defines extortion as the obtaining of property from another, with consent, or the obtaining of an official act of a public officer, induced by a wrongful use of force or fear, or under color of official right. Existing law further provides that fear sufficient to constitute extortion may be induced by certain threats, including a threat to accuse the threatened individual, or the individual's relative or family, of a crime. This bill would provide that a threat to post, distribute, or create AI-generated images or videos of another may also induce fear sufficient to constitute extortion. By expanding the crime of extortion, 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 requires the California Department of Aging to establish a task force of certain members to study and make recommendations to the Legislature on the improvement of legal services delivery to senior citizens in California by exploring specified matters, including ways to ensure uniformity in the provision of legal services throughout the state and the possible establishment of a statewide legal hotline for seniors. Existing law requires the task force to report and make its recommendations to the Legislature on or before September 1, 2002. This bill would require the department to establish a similar task force or to utilize an existing subcommittee, working group, task force, or committee to assess the implementation of the recommendations made pursuant to the above-mentioned provisions, make additional recommendations by exploring the same matters explored by the initial task force, and to report the assessment and make its recommendations to the Legislature on or before September 1, 2026, either in a separate report or as part of an existing report. If the department creates a task force, the bill would require the director of the department to service on or appoint a representative, and would require the task force to include a broad array or state agencies and stakeholder organizations with resources and expertise related to elder justice initiative and legal services for older adults.
Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state, and the property is public, or the owner is an individual, and the property is private. Existing law establishes the California National Guard and regulates the operation of that force. The United States Constitution authorizes Congress to provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. This bill would require the Military Department to develop statewide policy recommendations regarding ownership and use of real property on sensitive land, as specified. The bill would require the department to submit its recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, as specified. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2026.
Existing law declares that it is the policy of the state to promote and encourage the use of electric vehicle charging stations and hydrogen-fueling stations and to limit obstacles to their use. Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , working with the State Air Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission, to prepare, and update at least once every 2 years, a statewide assessment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure needed to support the levels of electric vehicle adoption required for the state to meet its goals of putting at least 5,000,000 zero-emission vehicles on California roads by 2030 and of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. This bill would require the Energy Commission, beginning January 1, 2025, to biennially conduct an assessment, in consultation with applicable state and federal agencies, of the abidance of electric vehicle charging stations, as defined, with electric vehicle charging station-related accessibility requirements and related guidance from relevant state and federal agencies, as provided. The bill would require the biennial assessment to include a biennial report, and would require the Energy Commission to submit the report to the Legislature concurrently with the Energy Commission's updates to the statewide assessment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2036.
