Existing law authorizes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to, among other things, advance statewide economic goals. This bill would establish the California Community Investment Program within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. The program would be governed by a 10 member California Community Investment Council comprised of 6 citizens appointed by the Governor, the Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing, and the Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, as specified. The bill would also establish an advisory committee to advise the California Community Investment Council composed solely of four members of the Legislature, as specified. The program would be required to create a database of low-income neighborhoods, compile and maintain an inventory of California public sector funding resources and financing mechanisms, coordinate public sector financial investment and public programs to assist low-income communities to become business, development, and investment ready, develop criteria for triple bottom-line investment funds, establish overall triple bottom-line goals and standardized metrics for economic, social, and environmental outcomes to be accepted by eligible investment funds, establish and convene regular meetings of the California Community Investment Network comprised of organizations and institutions with expertise and resources to advise the California Community Investment Council and eligible investment fund managers, and report biannually to the Legislature and the Governor on the status and progress of the California Community Investment Program and performance on goals and triple bottom-line outcomes, as specified. The bill would require the program to encourage significant private sector commitment, cooperation, and collaboration to invest private capital in low-income neighborhoods through eligible triple bottom-line investment funds with the goal of obtaining, by January 1, 2019, at least $1,000,000,000 of new investment by triple bottom-line investment funds in triple bottom-line real estate developments and businesses located in low-income California neighborhoods. The bill would also make legislative findings and declarations in this regard.
Sponsored bills
The California Environmental Quality Act requires the court, if it finds that a public agency has violated the requirements of the act, to issue an order, in the form of a peremptory writ of mandate, specifying what actions by the public agency are necessary to comply with the requirements of the act. This bill, for a peremptory writ of mandate containing specified mandates, would expressly authorize the court to require the public agency to prepare and file an initial return of the writ. The bill would require the trial court, to the extent feasible, to issue a determination indicating whether the actions specified in the initial return and any subsequent return are adequate to comply with the peremptory writ of mandate within 30 days of the filing of the return.
This measure would request the Congress of the United States to, among other things, act immediately to avert federal spending cuts known as "sequestration" to protect the California and national economies.
This measure would designate Monday, May 5, 2014, as California Peace Officers' Memorial Day, urge all Californians to use that day to honor California peace officers, and recognize specified California peace officers who were killed in defense of their communities.
Existing law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange that facilitates the purchase of qualified health plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers, and meets certain other requirements. PPACA specifies that an individual who is not a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States shall not be treated as a qualified individual and may not be covered under a qualified health plan offered through an exchange. Existing law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange for the purpose of facilitating the enrollment of qualified individual and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. Existing law governs health care service plans and insurers. A violation of the provisions governing health care service plans is a crime. This bill would create the California Health Exchange Program for All Californians within state government and would require that the program be governed by the executive board that governs the California Health Benefit Exchange. The bill would specify the duties of the board relative to the program and would require the board to, by January 1, 2016, facilitate the enrollment into qualified health plans of individuals who are not eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal coverage and would have been eligible to purchase coverage through the Exchange but for their immigration status. The bill would require the board to provide premium subsidies and cost-sharing reductions to eligible individuals that are the same as the premium assistance and cost-sharing reductions the individuals would have received through the Exchange. The bill would create the California Health Trust Fund For All Californians as a continuously appropriated fund, thereby making an appropriation, would require the board to assess a charge on qualified health plans, and would make the implementation of the program's provisions contingent on a determination by the board that sufficient financial resources exist or will exist in the fund. The bill would enact other related provisions. The bill would require health care services plans and health insurers to fairly and affirmatively offer, market, and sell in the Exchange at least one product within each of 5 levels of coverage, as specified. Because a violation of the requirements imposed on health care service plans would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, 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. The federal Medicaid Program provisions prohibit payment to a state for medical assistance furnished to an alien who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law. This bill would extend eligibility for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals who are otherwise eligible for those benefits but for their immigration status. The bill would require that benefits for those services be provided with state-only funds only if federal financial participation is not available. Because counties are required to make Medi-Cal eligibility determinations and this bill would expand Medi-Cal eligibility, 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 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 provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Social Services of crisis nurseries. Crisis nurseries are nonprofit corporations that care for and supervise children under 6 years of age who are voluntarily placed in the crisis nursery by a parent or legal guardian due to a family crisis or stressful situation for no more than 30 days. This bill, until January 1, 2017, would require the department to implement a 2-year pilot project in the counties of Sacramento and Yolo to conduct a study of the relationship between crisis respite care and incidents of reported child abuse in those counties, and report the results of the study to the Legislature. The bill would make the implementation of this pilot project contingent upon all of the crisis nurseries in those counties voluntarily participating in the project and providing funding for 12 of the cost of the project.
Existing law authorizes the creation of infrastructure financing districts, as defined, for the sole purpose of financing public facilities, subject to adoption of a resolution by the legislative body and affected taxing entities proposed to be subject to division of taxes and 23 voter approval. Existing law authorizes the legislative body to, by majority vote, initiate proceedings to issue bonds for the financing of district projects by adopting a resolution, subject to specified procedures and 23 voter approval. Existing law requires an infrastructure financing plan to include the date on which an infrastructure financing district will cease to exist, which may not be more than 30 years from the date on which the ordinance forming the district is adopted. Existing law prohibits a district from including any portion of a redevelopment project area. Existing law, the Polanco Redevelopment Act, authorizes a redevelopment agency to take any action that the agency determines is necessary and consistent with state and federal laws to remedy or remove a release of hazardous substances on, under, or from property within a project area, whether the agency owns that property or not, subject to specified conditions. This bill would authorize the creation of an infrastructure and revitalization financing district, as defined, and the issuance of debt with 55% voter approval. The bill would authorize the creation of a district for up to 40 years and the issuance of debt with a final maturity date of up to 30 years, as specified. The bill would authorize a district to finance projects in redevelopment project areas and former redevelopment project areas and former military bases. The bill would authorize the legislative body of a city, as defined, to dedicate any portion of its funds received from the Redevelopment Property Tax Trust Fund to the district, if specified criteria are met. The bill would authorize a city to form a district to finance a project or projects on a former military base, if specified conditions are met. The bill would provide that the formation of the district and the issuance of debt by the district on land of a former military base that is publicly owned is not subject to voter approval, as specified. The bill would authorize a district to fund various projects, including, among others, watershed land used for the collection and treatment of water for urban uses, flood management, levees, bypasses, open space, habitat restoration, brownfields restoration, environmental mitigation, purchase of land and property for development purposes, including commercial property, hazardous cleanup, former military bases, and specified transportation purposes. The bill would authorize a district to implement hazardous cleanup pursuant to the Polanco Redevelopment Act, as specified. The bill would impose a specified reporting requirement on districts. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 33459 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 470 that would become operative if this bill and SB 470 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing law specifies the amounts of cash aid to be paid each month to CalWORKs recipients. Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. Under existing law, a child is eligible for AFDC-FC if he or she is placed in the approved home of a relative and is otherwise eligible for federal financial participation in the AFDC-FC payment, as specified. Existing law, beginning January 1, 2015, establishes the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program in counties choosing to participate, for the purpose of making the amount paid to relative caregivers for the in-home care of children placed with them who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments equal to the amount paid on behalf of children who are eligible for AFDC-FC payments. This bill would require that an infant supplement, as specified, be paid under the CalWORKs program and the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program to a teen parent who is placed with his or her child in the home of a relative caregiver and is the subject of a voluntary placement agreement or subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, as provided. Under existing law, if the county welfare department places a child who is in temporary custody or subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court with a relative or nonrelative extended family member, as defined, the county is required to evaluate and approve or deny the home for purposes of AFDC-FC eligibility. This bill would additionally require the county to evaluate and approve or deny the home for purposes of CalWORKs eligibility if the child is found to be ineligible for AFDC-FC, and would require the placing agency to initiate the applications for AFDC-FC and CalWORKs or the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program, as specified. The bill would also require the county social worker or eligibility worker to explain to the relative, either in person or by telephone, the eligibility requirements and benefit amounts for the AFDC-FC and CalWORKs programs, and the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program if the county has opted into the program, as well as any actions the relative could take to affect the child's eligibility for those programs. By requiring county employees to provide these services, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires that every youth who is in foster care and nearing emancipation be screened by the county for potential eligibility for the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This bill would require that every youth who is in foster care and has been determined to be ineligible for AFDC-FC benefits be screened by the county for potential eligibility for the SSI program. By imposing this additional duty on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill. 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 these statutory provisions.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including certain credits that are allowed in modified conformity to credits allowed by federal income tax laws. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, and before January 1, 2026, allow a credit based upon earned income that is equal to 15% of the earned income tax credit allowed by federal law. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to report to the Legislature regarding the utilization of the tax credit, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
The Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act establishes a trial court employee personnel system that provides authority to hire trial court personnel, regulates the classification and compensation of trial court employees, labor relations, and personnel files, and requires each trial court to establish a system of employment selection and advancement and an employment protection system. Existing law authorizes state agencies to use personal services contracts to achieve cost savings if specified standards are satisfied, including, among other things, the contract does not cause the displacement of civil service employees and the contract is awarded through a publicized, competitive bidding process. The State Personnel Board is required to review a proposed contract upon the request of an employee organization for compliance with those standards. This bill would establish specified standards if a trial court intends to enter into a contract for any services that are currently or customarily performed by that trial court's employees. Among other things, the bill would require the trial court to clearly demonstrate that the contract will result in actual overall cost savings to the trial court for the duration of the entire contract as compared with the trial court's actual costs of providing the same services. This bill would provide that these standards apply to any contract entered into on or after January 1, 2015. The bill would provide that its provisions do not apply to a contract under specified circumstances, including when services are incidental to a contract for the purchase or lease of real or personal property. This bill would require each trial court to provide a report by February 1, 2015, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairpersons of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee if the trial court entered into a contract between July 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, inclusive, for services that were provided or are customarily provided by its trial court employees if the contract has a term extending beyond March 31, 2015. This report would be required to include specified information relating to these contracts, including an analysis of whether the contract resulted in the displacement of trial court employees. The bill would provide that its provisions are severable.