Existing law authorizes the establishment of regional occupational centers or programs to provide career technical education and technical training to pupils. Existing law requires instruction in those centers or programs to be given only by a qualified teacher holding a certificate, as provided, but prohibits service by a person as an instructor in classes conducted at regional occupational centers or programs from being included in computing the service required as a prerequisite to attainment of, or eligibility for, classification as a permanent employee of a school district. This bill would, notwithstanding that prohibition and commencing July 1, 2025, require service by a person as an instructor in classes conducted at a regional occupational center or program operated by a single school district to be included in computing the service required as a prerequisite to attainment of, or eligibility for, classification as a permanent employee of a single school district.
Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards regulate water quality and prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program established by the federal Clean Water Act. Existing law requires each regional board to formulate and adopt water quality control plans for all areas within the region, as provided. Existing law requires specified moneys to be paid into the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account, which is established in the State Water Quality Control Fund, including, among other moneys, the proceeds of civil penalties for violations of certain waste discharge requirements. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys in the account for specified purposes, including, among others, the payment of grant moneys to eligible entities to assist in cleaning up a waste, abating the effects of a waste on waters of the state, or addressing an urgent drinking water need. This bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board, no later than January 1 of each year, to post on its internet website a report describing the receipts and expenditures of the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account, as provided. The bill would require the board to provide the initial report no later than January 1, 2026, and to include data for the period from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2025, inclusive, in that report, as provided. The bill would require the board, no later than June 30, 2025, to separately account within the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account all categories of receipts, including, among other categories, enforcement fines.
Existing law requires the Secretary of Government Operations to develop a coordinated plan to, among other things, investigate the feasibility of, and obstacles to, developing standards and technologies for state departments to determine digital content provenance. For the purpose of informing that coordinated plan, existing law requires the secretary to evaluate, among other things, the impact of the proliferation of deepfakes, defined to mean audio or visual content that has been generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence that would falsely appear to be authentic or truthful and that features depictions of people appearing to say or do things they did not say or do without their consent, on state government, California-based businesses, and residents of the state. This bill, the Generative Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act, would, among other things, require the Department of Technology, under the guidance of the Government Operations Agency, the Office of Data and Innovation, and the Department of Human Resources, to update the report to the Governor, as required by Executive Order No. N-12-23, as prescribed. The bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to, as appropriate, perform a risk analysis of potential threats posed by the use of generative artificial intelligence to California's critical infrastructure, including those that could lead to mass casualty events and would require a high-level summary of the analysis be provided annually to the Legislature. This bill would also require a state agency or department that utilizes generative artificial intelligence to directly communicate with a person regarding government services and benefits to ensure that those communications include both (1) a disclaimer that indicates to the person that the communication was generated by generative artificial intelligence and (2) information, as specified, describing how the person may contact a human employee of the state agency or department.
(1) Existing law establishes the architectural paint recovery program, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and requires a manufacturer or designated stewardship organization to develop and implement a stewardship plan. Existing law requires the stewardship plan to include a recovery program to reduce the generation of, promote the reuse of, and manage the end-of-life of, postconsumer architectural paint, as provided. Existing law prohibits a manufacturer or retailer from selling or offering for sale architectural paint in the state unless the manufacturer is in compliance with the program. Existing law requires the stewardship organization to pay to CalRecycle quarterly administrative fees to cover CalRecycle's full administrative and enforcement costs of the program, as provided. Existing law authorizes CalRecycle to impose a civil penalty on any person in violation of the program, as specified. Existing law authorizes CalRecycle to adopt regulations to implement the program. Existing law establishes the Architectural Paint Stewardship Account and the Architectural Paint Stewardship Penalty Subaccount in the Integrated Waste Management Fund for the deposit of fees and civil penalties, respectively, imposed pursuant to the program and makes moneys in the account and subaccount available upon appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of the program. This bill would revise and recast the architectural paint recovery program as the paint product recovery program. The bill would expand the scope of the stewardship program from architectural paint to paint products, and thereby subject paint products to the requirements of the program. The bill would define "paint product" to mean architectural coatings, aerosol coating products, nonindustrial coatings, and coating-related products, as provided. The bill would exempt aerosol coating products, coating-related products, and nonindustrial coatings added to the stewardship program by the bill from the requirements of the program until January 1, 2028, or the approved stewardship plan's implementation date for those products, whichever occurs sooner, as specified. Among other changes, the bill would require a manufacturer, individually or through a stewardship organization, to review its plan at least every 5 years after approval by CalRecycle and determine whether amendments to the plan are necessary. The bill would rename the account for the deposit of fees the Paint Product Stewardship Account and would rename the subaccount for the deposit of civil penalties the Paint Product Stewardship Penalty Subaccount. The bill would make conforming changes. The bill would require all reports and records stewardship plans, annual reports, and other submissions to CalRecycle required pursuant to the requirements of the program to be signed under penalty of perjury. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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. (3) 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.
(1) Existing law, the Consumer Contract Awareness Act of 1990, defines a consumer contract as a writing prepared by a seller that provides for the sale or lease of goods or services or the extension of credit, as specified, for personal, family, or household purposes, among other provisions. The act requires a seller to deliver a copy of a consumer contract to the consumer at the time the contract is signed, and prohibits the waiver of any provisions of the act. Existing law prohibits an employer from requiring specified employees, as a condition of employment, to agree to a provision that would require the employee to adjudicate outside of California a claim arising in California or deprive the employee of the substantive protection of California law with respect to a controversy arising in California, as specified. This bill, for contracts entered into, modified, or extended on or after January 1, 2025, would prohibit a seller from requiring a consumer, as a condition of entering into a contract, to agree to a provision that would require the consumer to arbitrate outside of California a claim arising in California or to arbitrate a controversy arising in California under the substantive law of a state other than California, as specified. Existing law, the Small Claims Act, requires each superior court to have a small claims division, and provides that the small claims court has jurisdiction over specified actions. This bill would give consumers the option to have a dispute adjudicated pursuant to the Small Claims Act if a consumer contract requires a dispute under the contract to be arbitrated and the dispute may be adjudicated pursuant to the Small Claims Act. (2) Existing law, the California Arbitration Act, provides a statutory framework for the enforcement of contractual arbitration under California law. The act establishes that a written agreement to submit a present or future controversy to arbitration is valid, enforceable, and irrevocable, except to the extent that the contract could otherwise be revoked under general contract law principles. The act defines a neutral arbitrator as one who is selected jointly by the parties or by the parties' arbitrators, or is appointed by the court if the parties or their arbitrators cannot jointly select an arbitrator. The act requires a person selected to serve as a neutral arbitrator to disclose all matters that could cause a person aware of the facts to reasonably entertain a doubt as to the proposed neutral arbitrator's impartiality. The act requires the disclosure to include, among other things, whether or not the proposed neutral arbitrator has a current arrangement concerning prospective employment or other compensated service as a dispute resolution neutral with a party to the proceeding, or is participating in, or has participated within the last 2 years in, discussions regarding such prospective employment or service. This bill, in a consumer arbitration case, would, except as specified, require the disclosure of any solicitation, as defined, made after January 1, 2025, and within the last 2 years by, or at the direction of, a private arbitration company to a party or lawyer for a party. The bill would prohibit the solicitation of a party or lawyer for a party during the pendency of the arbitration. The act authorizes depositions to be taken and discovery obtained in arbitration proceedings, as specified. The act deems those deposition and discovery provisions to be incorporated into every agreement to arbitrate specified disputes and provides that those provisions are incorporated into other disputes only if the agreement so provides. This bill would repeal the provisions deeming those deposition and discovery provisions to be incorporated into every agreement to arbitrate specified disputes and providing that those provisions are incorporated into other disputes only if the agreement so provides. The bill would make conforming changes. (3) Existing law, the State Bar Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of attorneys by the State Bar of California, a public corporation governed by a board of trustees comprised of appointed and elected members. Existing law authorizes a law corporation to practice law if certain conditions are met. This bill would require the State Bar to create a program to certify alternative dispute resolution firms, providers, or practitioners that includes specified components, including procedures for a firm, provider, or practitioner to become a certified alternative dispute resolution firm, provider, or practitioner, as specified, and different levels of tiers for certification, as specified. The bill would authorize the State Bar to charge a fee to cover the reasonable costs of administering the program, as specified.
Existing law authorizes a chief administrative officer of a postsecondary educational institution, or an officer or employee designated by the chief administrative officer to maintain order on the school campus or facility, that has a student who has suffered a credible threat of violence made off the school campus or facility from any individual which can reasonably be construed to be carried out or to have been carried out at the school campus or facility, to seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction on behalf of the student and, at the discretion of the court, any number of other students at the campus or facility, as specified. "Postsecondary educational institution" is defined for purposes of these provisions as a private institution of vocational, professional, or postsecondary education. This bill would, beginning January 1, 2026, expand the definition of postsecondary educational institution to include public institutions, expand the conduct for which a restraining order can be sought to include unlawful violence, as defined, and remove the requirements that such conduct occur off the school campus or facility and be construed to be carried out or to have been carried out at the campus or facility.
Existing law requires the State Registrar to create a document, no later than March 1, 2020, with annual updates, containing information received by a local registrar concerning marriage certificates in which one or both of the parties were minors at the time of solemnization of the marriage. Existing law requires the local registrar, at least annually, to submit information, as specified, to the State Registrar for those purposes. Under existing law, a local registrar is not required to submit this information to the State Registrar if the local registrar did not receive a copy of the court order, as specified. This bill would remove that exception and require a local registrar to submit information to the State Registrar, as specified. By increasing the reporting requirements for local registrars, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Registrar to create a report containing the number of marriage certificates that were submitted by a local registrar, as specified. This bill would require the State Registrar, on or before September 1, 2027, to publish the report on its internet website and submit the report to the Legislature. The bill would repeal this provision on January 1, 2028. This bill would also require the State Registrar, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program to study extralegal marriages, as defined. The bill would require a report completed through the grant program to address the prevalence of, conditions of, and circumstances surrounding extralegal marriages in the state, as specified. 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 federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law provides for state-subsidized childcare programs and childcare for recipients of benefits under the CalWORKs program and establishes 3 stages of childcare services managed by county welfare departments and agencies contracting with the State Department of Social Services. Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with local contracting agencies for alternative payment programs for childcare services to be provided throughout the state. This bill would specify that nothing prohibits an administrator of an alternative payment program or agency administering CalWORKs Stage One or Stage Two programs, serving children, as specified, from utilizing funds for administrative and support services to provide families at risk of homelessness or escaping domestic abuse a referral pathway to secure stable childcare placement. The bill would also authorize the administrator to provide the services in coordination with, and not supplant, services provided by county human services agencies. The bill would also authorize the administrator to partner with specified agencies to provide those services.
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 provides for the regulation of disability insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law imposes various requirements and restrictions on health care service plans and disability insurers, including, among other things, a requirement that every group health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 1990, offer coverage for the treatment of infertility, except in vitro fertilization. This bill would require large and small group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility services. With respect to large group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies, the bill would require coverage for a maximum of 3 completed oocyte retrievals, as specified. The bill would revise the definition of infertility, and would remove the exclusion of in vitro fertilization from coverage. The bill would also delete a requirement that a health care service plan contract and disability insurance policy provide infertility treatment under agreed-upon terms that are communicated to all group contractholders and policyholders. The bill would prohibit a health care service plan or disability insurer from placing different conditions or coverage limitations on fertility medications or services, or the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility services, than would apply to other conditions, as specified. The bill would make these requirements inapplicable to a religious employer, as defined, and specified contracts and policies. Because the violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state, including the date corresponding with the 2nd new moon following the winter solstice, or the 3rd new moon following the winter solstice should an intercalary month intervene, known as "Lunar New Year." The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth the missions and functions of California's public segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. The California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, are 2 of the segments. Existing law authorizes the Trustees of the California State University to provide, by rule, for the holidays to be observed by their appointees and employees. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act, by appropriate resolution, to make them applicable. This bill would authorize each campus of the California State University, and would request each campus of the University of California to be authorized, to observe Lunar New Year as a holiday and to be closed on that day, and to replace observing and closing on another prescribed holiday with observing Lunar New Year as a holiday. The bill would require a campus of the California State University, and request a campus of the University of California, if the campus observes the Lunar New Year holiday and Lunar New Year falls on another prescribed holiday that is not being replaced with the Lunar New Year holiday, to observe the Lunar New Year holiday on the preceding or following weekday. The bill would provide that if a campus observes the Lunar New Year holiday, employees of each campus of the California State University are entitled to, and employees of each campus of the University of California are requested to be entitled to, a paid holiday on that day if they are in a paid status during any portion of the working day immediately preceding or succeeding the Lunar New Year holiday.
Existing law requires property taxes to be refunded to the taxpayer or last recorded owner under specified circumstances, as provided, and requires that a refund only be made pursuant to a claim for refund, except as provided. This bill would require the county auditor, if the cancellation of taxes will result in a refund, to either process the refund to the payer of the tax or notify the payer in writing of the requirements for obtaining a refund, as specified. The bill would require that a claim for a refund under this provision be deemed timely filed if it is filed within 60 days of the notice, as specified. This bill would also authorize an order for refund of taxes or assessments to be paid to the assessee of a property, as specified, without a claim for refund filed, if certain conditions are met, including, among other requirements, that the amount of the refund is less than $10,000. By placing new duties upon county auditors, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing property tax law authorizes refund of taxes or assessments as a result of a reduction in the value of taxable property or specified corrections to be paid to the latest recorded owner of that property as shown on the tax roll, as specified, if there has been no transfer of the property during or since the fiscal year for which the taxes subject to refund were levied and the amount of the refund is less than $5,000. Under existing law, if the county adopts a resolution or ordinance approving this provision, an order for refund of taxes or assessments is authorized to be paid to the assessee of that property, as specified, without a claim for refund filed, if there has been no transfer of the property during or since the fiscal year for which the taxes subject to refund were levied and the amount of the refund is less than $5,000. This bill would revise the above-described conditions to instead include that the amount of the refund is less than $10,000. The California Constitution authorizes, and existing property tax law establishes, a veterans' exemption for a disabled veteran in the amount of $100,000 or $150,000 for the principal place of residence of a veteran or a veteran's spouse, including an unmarried surviving spouse, if the veteran, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of 2 or more limbs, or is totally disabled, as those terms are defined, or if the veteran has, as a result of a service-connected injury or disease, died while on active duty in military service. Existing law requires the payment of interest on property tax refunds at the greater of 3% per annum or the county pool apportioned rate. Existing law requires the computation of interest to terminate as of a date within 30 days of the date of mailing or personal delivery of the refund payment. This bill would authorize the county auditor to send notice of the refund to the taxpayer, as specified, whenever there is a refund due and a claim for refund is required under these provisions. This bill would authorize an order for refund of taxes or assessments to be paid to a disabled veteran or veteran's surviving spouse, without a claim for refund filed, if the refund is due to the disabled veterans' exemption. 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.
The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act requires plastic beverage containers sold by a beverage manufacturer, as specified, to contain a specified average percentage of postconsumer recycled plastic per year. The act requires the manufacturer of a beverage sold in a plastic beverage container subject to the California Redemption Value to report to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery certain information about the amounts of virgin plastic and postconsumer recycled plastic used for plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value for sale in the state in the previous calendar year. Existing law provides that a violation of the act or a regulation adopted pursuant to the act is a crime. This bill would authorize certain beverage manufacturers to submit with other beverage manufacturers a consolidated report, in lieu of individual reports, that identifies the postconsumer recycled plastic content for beverage containers and the amounts of virgin plastic and postconsumer recycled plastic used in beverage containers, as specified. The bill would require the consolidated report to be submitted under penalty of perjury and pursuant to standardized forms prescribed by the department. The bill would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement the bill's provisions, as specified. Because these provisions would expand the scope of a crime and would create a new perjury crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
