(1) The California Constitution prohibits the Legislature from creating a debt or liability that singly or in the aggregate with any previous debts or liabilities exceeds the sum of $300,000, except by an act that (1) authorizes the debt for a single object or work specified in the act, (2) has been passed by a 23 vote of all the Members elected to each house of the Legislature, (3) has been submitted to the people at a statewide general or primary election, and (4) has received a majority of all the votes cast for and against it at that election. This bill would set forth the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 as a state general obligation bond act that would provide $10,000,000,000 to construct and modernize education facilities, including $8,500,000,000 for elementary and secondary educational facilities and $1,500,000,000 for community college facilities, as specified. This bond act would become operative only if approved by the voters. (2) The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 provides for the adoption of rules, regulations, and procedures, under the administration of the Director of General Services, for the allocation of state funds by the State Allocation Board for the construction and modernization of public school facilities. This bill would require a school district to submit to the Department of General Services a 5-year school facilities master plan as a condition of participating in the school facilities program under the act. The bill would amend the methodology for calculating the local contribution a school district is required to make in order to be eligible to receive state funding under the act, as specified. The bill would require a school district that seeks new construction or modernization funding under the act after November 5, 2024, to submit an updated report of the school district's existing school building capacity to the State Allocation Board. The bill would authorize the allocation of state funds under the act for the replacement of school buildings that are at least 75 years old, for specified assistance to school districts with a school facility located on a military installation, as specified, and small school districts, as defined, and for the testing and remediation of lead levels in water fountains and faucets used for drinking or preparing food on schoolsites, as provided. The bill would authorize new construction and modernization grants to be used for seismic mitigation purposes, certain health and safety projects, and, among other things, to establish schoolsite-based infrastructure to provide broadband internet access. The bill would also authorize modernization grants to be used for the control, management, or abatement of lead. The bill would increase the maximum level of total bonding capacity, as defined, that a school district could have and still be eligible for financial hardship assistance under the act from $5,000,000 to $15,000,000. The bill, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, would increase that $15,000,000 maximum by a specified inflation adjustment each fiscal year. The bill would authorize the State Allocation Board to provide assistance for purposes of procuring interim housing to school districts and county offices of education impacted by a natural disaster for which the Governor has declared a state of emergency. The bill would also make conforming changes. The bill would make these provisions effective upon the adoption by the voters of the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, authorizes a county to establish a retirement system, as specified, in order to provide pension benefits to county, city, and district employees. Under that law, all officers and employees of a district become members of the county's retirement association on the first day of the calendar month after adoption, by specified vote thresholds, of a resolution by the governing body of the district providing for inclusion of the district in the retirement association and, if the county board of supervisors is not the governing body of the district, the board of retirement consents by majority vote. This bill would enact the Sacramento Area Sewer District Pension Protection Act of 2024, which, on and after the effective date of a resolution of the Board of Retirement of the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement Association consenting to membership by employees of the Sacramento Area Sewer District as described above, would provide that all employees of the county allocated exclusively to the successor entity, would be deemed to be employees of the sewer district and that all duties and obligations in the employment relationship would be assumed by the sewer district. The bill would specify that the sewer district is a "district" for purposes of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937. The bill would provide that the sewer district would assume the rights, obligations, and status previously occupied by the County of Sacramento with regard to the portion of the county safety plan, which is that portion of the county's defined benefit plan attributed to retirement system members and beneficiaries of the Sacramento Area Sewer District, as specified, to the replacement benefits program, and to all benefit provisions, including optional benefits, within the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 or the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, as those rights exist at the time of the transfer of rights, duties, and obligations to the sewer district. The bill would state that its provisions are severable. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Sacramento. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) , authorizes an aggrieved employee, as defined, to bring a civil action, on behalf of that employee and other current or former employees, to enforce a violation of any provision of the Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or any of its departments, divisions, commissions, boards, agencies, or employees pursuant to certain notice and cure provisions, as prescribed. This bill would, among other things, authorize, on or after October 1, 2024, an employer that employed fewer than 100 employees in total during the period covered by the required notice to, within 33 days of receipt of the notice submit to the agency a confidential proposal to cure one or more of the alleged violations and, upon completing the cure, provide a sworn notification to the employee and agency that the cure is completed, as prescribed. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the agency to verify whether the cure is complete within 20 days of receiving the employer's notification, as specified. This bill would also authorize an employer who employed at least 100 employees in total during the period covered by the required notice to, upon being served with a summons and complaint asserting a claim under PAGA, file a request and participate in, as prescribed, an early evaluation conference in the proceedings of the claim and a request for a stay of court proceedings before, or simultaneous with, that defendant's responsive pleading or other initial appearance in the action that includes the claim. This bill would apply its provisions to a civil action brought on or after June 19, 2024, 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. 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. This bill would become operative only if AB 2288 of the 2023–24 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2025. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) , authorizes an aggrieved employee, as defined, to bring a civil action, on behalf of that employee and other current or former employees, to enforce a violation of any provision of the Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or any of its departments, divisions, commissions, boards, agencies, or employees pursuant to certain notice and cure provisions, as prescribed. This bill would, among other things, instead authorize an aggrieved employee to bring a civil action as described above on behalf of the employee and other current or former employees against whom a violation of the same provision was committed. With respect to a violation by a person of a provision that does not provide for a civil penalty, PAGA makes that person liable for a civil penalty of $500 if, at the time of the alleged violation, the person does not employ one or more employees. If, at the time of the alleged violation, the person employed one or more employees, PAGA makes that person liable for a civil penalty of $100 for each aggrieved employee per pay period for the initial violation and $200 for each aggrieved employee per pay period for each subsequent violation. PAGA requires 75% of civil penalties recovered by aggrieved employees to be distributed to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency for enforcement of labor laws, including the administration of PAGA, and for education of employers and employees about their rights and responsibilities under the Labor Code, as specified, and requires 25% of civil penalties recovered by aggrieved employees to be distributed to the aggrieved employees, except as prescribed. This bill would instead, if, at the time of the alleged violation, the person employed one or more employees, make that person liable for a civil penalty of $100 for each aggrieved employee per pay period, except if certain mitigating factors apply, including that the alleged violation resulted from an isolated, nonrecurring event that did not extend beyond the lesser of 30 consecutive days or 4 consecutive pay periods, in which case the bill would make the civil penalty $25 or $50, except as provided. The bill would, subject to an exception, also reduce the civil penalties prescribed by PAGA by 15% or 30%, as specified, if a person accused of a violation has taken all reasonable steps to comply with the provisions alleged to have been violated in the required notice provided by the aggrieved employee, as prescribed. This bill would apply its provisions to a civil action brought on or after June 19, 2024, except as specified. This bill would become operative only if SB 92 of the 2023–24 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2025. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Consumers Legal Remedies Act makes unlawful certain unfair methods of competition and certain unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by a person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to a consumer, including advertising goods or services with intent not to sell them as advertised. Existing law authorizes a consumer who suffers damage as a result of the use or employment by a person of a method, act, or practice declared to be unlawful by that provision to bring an action against that person to recover or obtain certain relief, including actual damages of at least $1,000. Existing law, beginning on July 1, 2024, with certain exceptions, additionally makes unlawful advertising, displaying, or offering a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges other than taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction, as specified. This bill would specify that the above provision does not apply to a mandatory fee or charge for individual food or beverage items sold directly to a customer by a restaurant, bar, food concession, grocery store, or grocery delivery service, or by means of a menu or contract for banquet or catering services that fully discloses the terms of service, subject to certain exclusions and conditions. These conditions would include that a mandatory fee or charge be clearly and conspicuously displayed with an explanation of its purpose on an advertisement, menu, or other display and, as of July 1, 2025, meet certain text requirements, as prescribed. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The California Constitution prohibits slavery and prohibits involuntary servitude, except as punishment to a crime. This measure would instead prohibit slavery in any form. This measure would prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from disciplining any incarcerated person for refusing a work assignment. The measure would also clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance and prescribes the department's powers and duties. Existing law generally regulates the business of insurance in the state, including the underwriting and ongoing monitoring of insured risks. Existing law generally requires an insurer or insurance producer to have underwriting guidelines that establish the criteria and process under which an insurer makes its decision to provide or to deny coverage. If a property insurer uses risk models for underwriting purposes, this bill would authorize the models to account for wildfire risk reduction associated with hazardous fuel reduction, home hardening, defensible space, and fire prevention activities. The bill would require an insurer using risk models for underwriting purposes, as specified, beginning January 15, 2026, and on or before each January 15 thereafter, to report to the department the extent to which models used for underwriting purposes account for specified categories of risk mitigation, and other specified information. The bill would require the department to post the information contained in the report, excluding any confidential or proprietary information, on its internet website. The bill would make related findings and declarations and would state the intent of the Legislature to do specified actions, including ensuring that actions taken to reduce wildfire risks and associated property losses are considered by property insurers in their underwriting evaluations by requiring that any models used for underwriting account for the identified categories of risk mitigation.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution officially designates May 2024 as National Mental Health Awareness Month within the state of California. The measure does not alter laws or allocate funding but serves to formally recognize the importance of mental well-being and highlight statistics regarding mental illness prevalence and its impact on various communities. By establishing this designation, the resolution aims to encourage public focus on mental health issues during the month of May.
Maddy summaryThis bill officially recognizes May 2024 as Hypertension Awareness Month in California to highlight the importance of managing high blood pressure. It does not change any laws or require new funding, but rather serves as a formal acknowledgment of the health risks associated with hypertension and its disproportionate impact on certain communities. The resolution encourages healthcare providers, public health agencies, and community organizations to continue their efforts in educating the public and promoting access to medical care. Ultimately, the measure aims to raise awareness about prevention, early detection, and the need for affordable treatment options.
Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to recommend that an incarcerated person's sentence be recalled if the incarcerated person has a serious and advanced illness with an end-of-life trajectory or is permanently medically incapacitated with a medical condition or functional impairment that renders them permanently unable to complete basic activities of daily living, as specified. Existing law exempts an incarcerated person who was convicted of first-degree murder of a peace officer from seeking recall and resentencing under these provisions. Existing law additionally authorizes, when a defendant has been committed to the state prison or to a county jail for the commission of a felony, the court to recall the sentence and either reduce a defendant's term by modifying the sentence, or vacate the conviction and impose judgment on any necessarily included lesser offense or lesser related offense, and resentence the defendant to a reduced term, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit an incarcerated person convicted of first-degree murder of a peace officer from seeking recall and resentencing under the provision permitting the court to recall and resentence a defendant convicted of a felony offense. The bill would specify that an individual would not be rendered ineligible for relief under these provisions if there is evidence that the incarcerated person's constitutional rights were violated in the proceedings related to the conviction or sentence at issue, or if there was evidence that undermines the integrity of the underlying conviction or sentence.