Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) with the exclusive jurisdiction to certify thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more. Existing law prohibits the Energy Commission from certifying a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except for specified powerplants, and provides that a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except those specified powerplants, is not a permitted land use in California unless certain conditions are met regarding the existence of technology for the construction and operation of nuclear fuel rod processing plants and of demonstrated technology or means for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste, as specified. Existing law, the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018, declares that it is the policy of the state to achieve 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045. This bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before January 1, 2028, to prepare, as provided, a comprehensive assessment of the potential role for advanced nuclear technologies in supporting critical infrastructure in California, and of the potential for new, in-state nuclear powerplants to cost-effectively meet statewide needs for new electricity resources, and to meet the expressed policy of the state described above. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to update the assessment as appropriate. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, the Independent System Operator, and other public agencies to evaluate the potential of nuclear energy to meet long-term resource needs.
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In order to establish a record by which an adoptee can prove the facts of a foreign adoption, existing law requires a state resident who has finalized an intercountry adoption in a foreign country to file a petition to readopt within the earlier of 60 days of the adoptee's entry into the United States or the adoptee's 16th birthday. If the adoptive parent fails to file the petition within the prescribed timeframe or to provide a copy of the petition to each adoption agency that provided adoption services to the adoptive parent, existing law requires the adoption agency that facilitated the adoption to file the petition within 90 days of the child's entry into the United States and to provide a file-marked copy of the petition to the adoptive parent and any other adoption agency that provided services to the adoptive parent, as specified. Existing law requires the petition to include, among other things, a report from at least one postplacement home visit by an intercountry adoption agency or a contractor of that agency licensed to provide intercountry adoption services in the state. Existing law requires the clerk of the court to submit an order granting the petition to the State Registrar, as specified, and requires the State Registrar to issue a delayed registration of birth upon receipt of the order. This bill would authorize an adoptee of any age to file a petition on their own behalf if both the adoptive parent or parents and the adoption agency that facilitated the adoption failed to file a petition to readopt pursuant to the above-described provisions. The bill would, notwithstanding the documentation requirements described above, authorize a court to grant a petition for readoption that does not include those documents if (1) the petitioner establishes, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they are the adoptee, (2) the petitioner proves, by a preponderance of the evidence, that one or more of the required documents cannot be obtained due to the passage of time or other circumstances beyond the petitioner's control, and (3) the petitioner is able to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, the fundamental facts necessary for the court to make the findings required to grant the petition. The bill would authorize evidence presented to the court for these purposes to include both documentary and nondocumentary evidence, including, among other things, testimony, declarations, court records, agency records, correspondence, and other corroborating sources of information the court deems sufficient. Existing law requires the court to notify all appropriate authorities if it finds that the child may be a subject of human trafficking or may be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a dependent child, as specified. This bill would also expand the notice requirements described above to include any adoptee who may be, or may have been, a subject of human trafficking.
Existing law makes it a felony to knowingly procure or offer a false or forged instrument to be filed, registered, or recorded in a public office in this state, which, if genuine, might be filed, registered, or recorded under any law of this state or the United States. After a person is convicted of that crime or a specified waiver is obtained, and upon written motion of the prosecuting agency, existing law requires the court to issue a written order that the false or forged instrument be adjudged void ab initio. Existing law prescribes procedures for a prosecuting agency to file that motion. The California Constitution provides for the right to truth in evidence, which requires a 23 vote of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified. This bill would authorize a defendant who is granted diversion to stipulate to the voiding of the false or forged instrument. The bill would authorize a court in those circumstances, upon a motion by the prosecution, to issue a written order that the false or forged instrument be adjudged void ab initio. The bill would, if the defendant withdraws from diversion or fails to complete the terms of diversion and criminal proceedings are reinstated, prohibit the stipulation from being used in connection with any civil or criminal proceeding without the defendant's consent. Because that prohibition would affect the admissibility of relevant evidence in criminal proceedings, the bill would require a 23 vote of the Legislature.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 137 formally declares October 2026 as National Chiropractic Health Month in California. The resolution highlights chiropractic care as a drug-free option for treating musculoskeletal conditions and notes that the profession is regulated by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which operates without using state general fund money. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to the California Chiropractic Association and the bill's author.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 135 is a commemorative measure that formally honors the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard for its more than century-long history of service. The resolution highlights the unit's contributions in major conflicts, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and post-9/11 operations, as well as its role in responding to natural disasters within California. It specifically acknowledges the division's Medal of Honor recipients and notes that Major General Laura L. Yeager became the first woman to command an infantry division in 2019. The bill directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to the Adjutant General of California, the division commander, and the author for distribution.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm, or a parent fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law requires a social worker who has cause to believe that a child meets the requirements to be adjudged a dependent of the court to immediately conduct an investigation to determine whether child welfare services should be offered to the family and whether proceedings in the juvenile court should be commenced. Existing law authorizes a court to make any reasonable orders to the parents or guardians of the child as the court deems necessary and proper. This bill would require a social worker, if an investigation involves an allegation that a parent or guardian has used or is under the influence of fentanyl or other opioids, to document whether the risk of fentanyl or opioid exposure to the child was specifically assessed, as specified. The bill would also require a juvenile court that finds a risk of fentanyl use, as specified, by a parent or guardian to order the parent or guardian to submit to testing for fentanyl. If the court finds a risk of fentanyl use, the bill would require the case plan for the parent or guardian to include certain resources, including, among others, information on the proper storage of controlled substances and prescription medications. By imposing additional duties on county social workers, this 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to develop a plan and timeline of target dates for the testing, implementation, and operation of a Next Generation 911 emergency communication system, including text to 911 service, throughout California. This bill would require the office to provide quarterly reports to the Legislature on the development, implementation, and spending on the Next Generation 911 system, as specified.
Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, classifies controlled substances into 5 schedules and places the greatest restrictions and penalties on the use of substances placed in Schedule I. Existing law classifies, among others, psilocybin, ibogaine, and dimethyltryptamine as Schedule I substances, classifies ketamine as a Schedule III substance, and prohibits various actions related to those substances, including their sale, possession, transportation, manufacture, or cultivation. Existing law authorizes a person who is lawfully entitled to use specified controlled substances under applicable federal laws or regulations to obtain and use those substances for approved purposes in bona fide research, instruction, or analysis. This bill, the California Emerging Therapies Research Partnership Act, would establish the California Emerging Therapies Research Partnership Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, within the State Treasury, to be administered by the State Department of Health Care Services (department) and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to, among other things, issue grants to a University of California campus to serve as an anchor institution for a federally registered emerging therapies clinical trial. The bill would define "emerging therapies" for these purposes to mean psilocybin, ibogaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, dimethyltryptamine, and ketamine when used in the context of a federally registered clinical trial, as specified. The bill would prohibit General Fund moneys from being deposited into the fund and would authorize the fund to receive federal grants, awards, and partnership payments and gifts, bequests, and philanthropic contributions made to the state, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would prohibit the use of fund moneys for, among other things, purchasing, distributing, or administering a controlled substance. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. This bill would require the California Health and Human Services Agency (agency) , in coordination with the department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the office of the President of the University of California, to submit a complete application for partnership designation to the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) , as specified. The bill would require the department, within 90 days of receiving ARPA-H partnership designation, to execute a data-sharing memorandum of understanding with specified federal agencies to establish protocols for the sharing of deidentified, aggregated clinical trial outcome data. The bill would authorize specified legislative committees to request interim briefings from the agency on the status of the ARPA-H partnership application and would require the agency to respond to a request for briefing within 30 days. The bill would require the department to request that the University of California participate in specific activities. This bill would require the office of the President of the University of California to submit a readiness certification to the agency, the Department of Finance, and the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to convene the California Veteran Emerging Therapies Research Advisory Council, with specified membership, to, among other things, serve as the primary advisory body to the department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the agency on matters relating to emerging therapies research for veterans and other priority populations. The bill would require the council to submit a needs assessment to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the agency, and the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the agency to submit a federal readiness report to the Legislature and the Department of Finance, no later than January 1, 2028, that addresses, among other things, the status of California's ARPA-H partnership designation and the total amount of federal moneys received, as specified. This bill would provide that its provisions are severable.
The California Constitution establishes the Fish and Game Commission and provides for the delegation to the commission of powers relating to the protection and propagation of fish and game. Existing law places the Fish and Game Commission in the Natural Resources Agency. This bill would require the commission to, on or before January 1, 2028, adopt regulations, as provided, to increase opportunities to fish, and to hunt big game, wild pigs, upland game birds, and migratory game birds, for resident youth with life-threatening illnesses. The bill would require the commission, in adopting those regulations, to ensure reasonable accommodations for participants in accordance with federal and state disability are incorporated into the regulations and to consider authorizing special hunts, as prescribed. The bill would authorize the commission to include in the regulations additional reasonable accommodations consistent with safe, ethical, and science-based wildlife management practices. The bill would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to, on or before January 1, 2032, prepare and submit a report to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees in both houses of the Legislature and to the commission, as provided. The bill would make the implementation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033.
The California Constitution provides that all property is taxable and requires that it be assessed at the same percentage of fair market value, unless otherwise provided by the California Constitution or federal law. The California Constitution and existing property tax law provide various exemptions from taxation, including, among others, a disabled veterans' exemption. Under existing law, the disabled veterans' exemption exempts from taxation part of the full value of property that constitutes the principal place of residence of a veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the veteran and veteran's spouse jointly, and the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran, as provided, if the veteran incurred specified injuries or died while on active duty in military service, as described. Existing law exempts that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed $100,000, or $150,000 if the household income of the claimant does not exceed $40,000, as adjusted for inflation, as specified. This bill would, until January 1, 2037, exclude service-connected disability payments from the definition of "household income" for purposes of the disabled veterans' exemption. The bill would also correct an erroneous cross-reference in the above-described provisions. By imposing additional duties on local tax officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that 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. 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 requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.