(1) Under existing law, a child who is removed from the physical custody of his or her parent or parents in dissolution, dependency, or probate guardianship proceedings may be placed with a parent, relative, legal guardian, or other specified persons or in specified placement homes or facilities. When a child is placed with his or her relative during dependency proceedings and the relative is not a licensed or certified foster parent, existing law requires a county social worker to visit the relative's home, prior to placing the child in that home, to ascertain the appropriateness of the placement. Existing law also requires the court or county social worker to initiate a state and federal criminal records check of the relative through the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System as part of the assessment. This bill would permit a court to place a child in any of those proceedings with a parent, legal guardian, or relative regardless of the immigration status of the parent, legal guardian, or relative. This bill would also permit a relative's foreign consulate identification card or foreign passport to be used for initiating the criminal records and fingerprint clearance checks. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on county welfare departments, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law sets forth the procedure for terminating the parental rights of a dependent child, including regular review hearings before a court may order a hearing to terminate parental rights. Under existing law, a court may continue these review hearings if it finds that there is a substantial probability that the child will be returned to the physical custody of his or her parent or legal guardian and safely maintained in the home within the extended period of time or that reasonable services have not been provided to the parent or legal guardian. This bill would authorize a court to extend the review hearing periods following consideration of the parent's circumstances if a parent has been arrested and issued an immigration hold, detained by the United States Department of Homeland Security, or deported to his or her country of origin, and, under these circumstances would authorize a court to continue the case only if the court finds that there is a substantial probability, as defined, that the child will be returned to the physical custody of his or her parent and safely maintained in the home within the extended time period or that reasonable services have not been provided to the parent or guardian. (3) Existing law establishes the State Department of Social Services, which oversees the administration of county public social services, including child welfare services. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to provide guidance on best practices and to facilitate an exchange of information and best practices among counties on an annual basis, beginning no later than January 1, 2014, on establishing memoranda of understanding with foreign consulates in juvenile court cases, including procedures for contacting a consulate, accessing a child's documentation, locating a detained parent, assisting in family reunification after a parent has been deported, aiding the safe transfer of a child to the parent's country of origin, and communicating with relevant departments and services in a parent's country of origin, and procedures to assist children in juvenile court cases who are eligible for special immigrant juvenile status and other specified visas. (4) The bill would change references in the above-described provisions from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the United States Department of Homeland Security, and would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 3040 of the Family Code proposed by SB 1476 that would become operative only if SB 1476 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (6) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 361 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1712 and AB 2060 that would become operative only if either or both of those bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (7) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 361.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 2209 that would become operative only if AB 2209 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (8) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Sections 361.5 and 16501.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1712 and SB 1521 that would become operative only if either or both of these bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (9) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Sections 366.21, 366.22, and 366.25 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1712 and AB 2292 that would become operative only if either or both of these bills are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (10) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 388 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1712 that would become operative only if AB 1712 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (11) 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.
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(1) Existing law requires each local educational agency to designate a staff person as the educational liaison for foster children, as defined. Existing law requires the educational liaison to ensure and facilitate the proper educational placement, enrollment in school, and checkout from school of foster children, and to assist foster children when transferring from one school to another school or from one school district to another school district in ensuring the proper transfer of credits, records, and grades. This bill would require the educational liaison, if designated by the superintendent of the local educational agency, to notify the foster child's attorney and the appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency of pending expulsion proceedings if the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act, pending proceedings to extend a suspension until an expulsion decision is rendered if the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act, and, if the foster child is an individual with exceptional needs, pending manifestation determinations, as specified. This bill would authorize the foster child's caregiver or other person holding the right to make educational decisions for the child to provide the contact information of the child's attorney to the child's school district when the child has been placed outside of the county of jurisdiction for the child. (2) Existing law authorizes the district superintendent of schools or other person designated by the district superintendent of schools in writing to extend the suspension of a pupil until the governing board of the school district has rendered a decision in a case where expulsion from any school or suspension from the balance of the semester from continuation school is being processed by the governing board of the school district. Existing law requires that before such an extension is granted that the district superintendent of schools or the district superintendent's designee determine, following a meeting in which the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian are invited to participate, that the presence of the pupil at the school or in an alternative school placement would cause a danger to persons or property or a threat of disrupting the instructional process. This bill would require, if the pupil is a foster child, as defined, the district superintendent of schools or the district superintendent's designee to invite the pupil's attorney and the appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency to that meeting. (3) Existing law authorizes the suspension or expulsion of an individual with exceptional needs in accordance with specified provisions. This bill would require, if the individual with exceptional needs is a foster child, as defined, and the local educational agency has proposed a change of placement due to an act for which a decision to recommend expulsion is at the discretion of the principal or the district superintendent of schools, the attorney for the individual with exceptional needs and the appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency to be invited to participate in the individualized education program team meeting that makes a manifestation determination. The bill would authorize that invitation to be made using the most cost-effective method possible. (4) Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to establish rules and regulations governing procedures for the expulsion of pupils and requires these procedures to include, but not necessarily be limited to, a hearing to determine whether the pupil should be expelled, and a written notice of the hearing forwarded to the pupil at least 10 calendar days prior to the date of the hearing. This bill would require, if the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act and the pupil is a foster child, as defined, the governing board of the school district also to provide notice of the hearing to the pupil's attorney and an appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The bill would authorize, if a recommendation of expulsion is required and the pupil is a foster child, the governing board of the school district also to provide the notice of the hearing to the pupil's attorney and an appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The bill would authorize these notices to be made using the most cost-effective method possible. (5) Existing law requires a juvenile court to hold a detention hearing to determine whether a minor should be further detained when a minor has been taken into custody pursuant to specified provisions. Existing law also requires a court to appoint counsel for the child if the child is not represented by counsel, unless the court finds that the child would not benefit from the appointment of counsel. Existing law requires counsel appointed for the child to be charged in general with the representation of the child's interests. This bill would, at least once every year and if the list of educational liaisons is available on the Internet Web site of the State Department of Education, (A) require counsel appointed for the child to provide his or her contact information to the educational liaison of each local educational agency serving counsel's foster child clients in the county of jurisdiction, and (B) if counsel is part of a firm or organization, authorize the firm or organization to provide its contact information in lieu of contact information for the individual counsel. The bill would authorize the child's caregiver or other person holding the right to make educational decisions for the child to provide the contact information of the child's attorney to the child's local educational agency. (6) Existing law requires, when a child is placed in foster care, the case plan for each child to include a summary of the health and education information or records of the child. Existing law requires the health and education summary to include, but not be limited to, among other things, the names and addresses of the child's health, dental, and education providers. This bill would authorize the health and education summary also to include the name and contact information for the educational liaison of the child's local educational agency. (7) This bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes to the above provisions. (8) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 48853.5 of the Education Code, proposed by SB 1568, to be operative only if SB 1568 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. (9) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Sections 317 and 16010 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, proposed by AB 1712, to be operative only if AB 1712 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last.
Existing law specifies the time period within which various proceedings may be commenced under provisions of law relating to workers' compensation. With certain exceptions, a proceeding to collect death benefits is required to be commenced within one year from the date of death or, in some cases, from the last furnishing of benefits. However, no proceedings may be commenced more than 240 weeks from the date of injury. This bill would provide that certain proceedings related to the collection of death benefits of firefighters and peace officers may be commenced within, but no later than, 480 weeks from the date of injury, and in no event more than one year after the date of death, if specified criteria are met.
Existing law establishes the University of California, and provides for its administration by the Regents of the University of California. Existing law, known as the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act, contains provisions relating to employer-employee relations between the State of California and the employees of state institutions of higher education, including the various campuses of the University of California and the California State University, as well as the Hastings College of the Law. These provisions assign major responsibilities for implementation to the Public Employment Relations Board. Under the act, an "employee" or "higher education employee" is defined as any employee of the Regents of the University of California, the Directors of the Hastings College of the Law, or the Trustees of the California State University. The act further provides that the board may find student employees whose employment is contingent on their status as students are employees only if the services they provide are unrelated to their educational objectives, or that those educational objectives are subordinate to the services they perform and that coverage under this chapter would further the purposes of the act. This bill would provide that student employees whose employment is contingent upon their status as students are employees or higher education employees for purposes of the act. In so doing, the bill would also delete the condition that students are employees or higher education employees only if the services they provide are unrelated to their educational objectives, or that those educational objectives are subordinate to the services they perform and that coverage under this chapter would further the purposes of the act.
Existing law regulates the wages, hours, and working conditions of any man, woman, and minor employed in any occupation, trade, or industry, whether compensation is measured by time, piece, or otherwise, except for individuals employed as outside salesmen and individuals participating in specified national service programs. Under existing law, the Industrial Welfare Commission within the Department of Industrial Relations is authorized to adopt rules, regulations, and orders to ensure that employers comply with those provisions of law. This bill would require the Department of Industrial Relations, by January 1, 2014, to adopt regulations governing the working conditions of domestic work employees, as defined.
Existing law provides for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, a county-administered program under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons receive services enabling them to remain in their own homes. The IHSS program includes various eligibility requirements for individuals who provide services to recipients under the program. Under existing law, a private provider of in-home care services is not subject to the requirements of the IHSS program. Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of various community care facilities by the State Department of Social Services. This bill would enact the Home Care Services Act of 2012, which would provide, on and after July 1, 2013, for the licensure and regulation of home care organizations, as defined, by the State Department of Social Services, and the certification of home care aides. The bill would exclude specified entities from the definition of a home care organization. The bill would impose various licensure requirements on a home care organization. The bill would also impose a civil penalty on an individual or entity that operates a home care organization without a license, except as specified. The bill would require a home care organization to provide a client with specified information before arranging for the provision of home care services, as defined, to that client, including, but not limited to, the types and hours of available home care services, and the extent to which payment may be expected from specified sources. In addition, this bill would require a home care organization, among other things, to distribute to the client its advance directive policy and provide a written notice to the client of certain rights. The bill would also prohibit a home care organization from hiring an individual as a home care aide unless that individual meets certain requirements, including, but not limited to, demonstrating that he or she has specified language skills and providing proof of certification as a home care aide as specified. The bill would require certain employment agencies to maintain liability insurance, as specified, and ensure that any person it refers to provide home care services has been certified prior to the referral. This bill would require background clearances for home care aides, as prescribed, and would set forth specific duties of the home care organization, the department, and the Department of Justice in this regard. The bill would require home care aides to demonstrate they are free of active tuberculosis. The bill would also require a home care organization to conduct regular evaluations of its home care aides, as specified. The bill would require the department to impose various fees to be deposited in the Home Care Organization and Home Care Aide Fund to be created by this bill. This bill, in addition, would prescribe enforcement procedures, fines, and penalties for violations of the act by a home care organization or a home care aide and violations of specified requirements by an employment agency, as defined.
Existing law provides that the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the Board of Parole Hearings, or both, may, for specified reasons, recommend to the court that a prisoner's sentence be recalled, and that a court may recall a prisoner's sentence. This bill would authorize a prisoner who was under 18 years of age at the time of committing an offense for which the prisoner was sentenced to life without parole to submit a petition for recall and resentencing to the sentencing court, and to the prosecuting agency, as specified. The bill would prohibit a prisoner who tortured his or her victim or whose victim was a public safety official, as defined, from filing a petition for recall and resentencing. The bill would require the petition to include a statement from the defendant that includes, among other things, his or her remorse and work towards rehabilitation. The bill would establish certain criteria, at least one of which shall be asserted in the petition, to be considered when a court decides whether to conduct a hearing on the petition for recall and resentencing and additional criteria to be considered by the court when deciding whether to grant the petition. The bill would require the court to hold a hearing if the court finds that the statements in the defendant's petition are true, as specified. The bill would apply retroactively, as specified.
Existing law prohibits a person or entity from entering into a contract or agreement for labor or services with specified types of contractors if the person or entity knows or should know that the contract or agreement does not include funds sufficient to allow the contractor to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws or regulations governing the labor or services to be provided. This bill, in addition, would make these provisions applicable with regard to warehouse contractors. Existing law provides for a rebuttable presumption affecting the burden of proof that there has been no violation of this requirement of sufficient funding if specified conditions are met, including that the contract or agreement be in writing. The California Public Records Act requires state and local agencies to make public records available for inspection, subject to specified criteria, and with specified exceptions. This bill would require that upon the request of the Labor Commissioner, the person entering into the written agreement or contract to provide to the Labor Commissioner a copy of the provisions of the contract or agreement, and any other documentation, as provided. The bill would exempt any documents received by the Labor Commissioner pursuant to this requirement from the California Public Records Act.
Existing law authorizes counties and cities to form infrastructure financing districts, in accordance with a prescribed procedure, and requires that a district finance only public capital facilities of communitywide significance, as specified. Existing law authorizes a legislative body, by ordinance, to adopt an infrastructure financing plan and create the district with the full force and effect of law, if 23 of the registered voters within the territory of the proposed district are in favor of creating the district. This bill would authorize a legislative body to establish an infrastructure financing district in a renewable energy zone area, as defined, for the purpose of promoting renewable energy projects. With respect to an infrastructure financing district created pursuant to these provisions, the bill would exempt the formation of the infrastructure financing district from the voter-approval requirement.
Existing law sets forth the requirements for the solicitation and evaluation of bids and the awarding of contracts by state agencies for projects, as specified, and for local agencies for public works contracts, as specified. This bill would allow the San Diego Association of Governments to utilize alternative project delivery methods, as defined, for public transit projects within its jurisdiction. The bill would, upon completion of a project, require a progress report to be submitted by the San Diego Association of Governments to its governing board and would require the report to be made available on its Internet Web site. The bill would also, except as provided, require the San Diego Association of Governments to pay fees related to these projects into the State Public Works Enforcement Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, thereby making an appropriation. Because this bill would subject these projects to certain prevailing wage enforcement requirements, the violation of which is a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the scope of an existing crime. The bill would provide that its provisions are severable. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for San Diego regional transportation entities. 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.