Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with the exclusive power to certify sites and related facilities for thermal powerplants. Existing law requires an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, or community choice aggregator with a contract to procure electricity generated from biomass that expires or expired on or before December 31, 2028, to seek to amend the contract to include, or seek approval for a new contract that includes, an expiration date 5 years later than the expiration date in the contract that was operative in 2022, except as specified. This bill would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2025, to issue a report on the utility-scale biomass combustion facilities still in operation as of January 1, 2024. The bill would require the report to include various assessments of biomass combustion facilities still in operation as of January 1, 2024, and options to maximize the environmental benefits of these facilities. The bill would also require the report to include a recommended strategy to upgrade biomass combustion facilities, where appropriate, that considers impacts on disadvantaged, rural, forested, and agricultural communities, impacts on the ability to maintain existing capacity for managing forest or other excess biomass, the cost of upgrading facilities and financing opportunities, impacts of upgrading biomass combustion facilities on the procurement costs of the energy produced and the associated impacts to ratepayer costs, and job creation or job loss that may result from the strategy. The bill would require the report to include recommendations related to baseload energy generation and managing excess biomass if biomass combustion facilities cease operation and strategies related to processing waste and job training in areas where biomass combustion facilities cease operation. The bill would require the commission to include in the report an evaluation of the practicality and cost-effectiveness of upgrading utility-scale biomass combustion facilities that ceased operation before January 1, 2024, to determine whether such facilities could help California increase its capacity to manage forest and other excess biomass. The bill would require the commission, in preparing the report, to coordinate with the State Air Resources Board and local air districts on assessments of environmental benefits and available technologies to maximize those benefits. By imposing new duties on local air districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require the commission, in preparing the report, to coordinate with specified state entities for feedstock assessments for forest, agricultural, urban, and postfire waste, engage with and solicit feedback from the communities in which biomass combustion facilities are located and the applicable local governments, and provide opportunities for stakeholder and public input. 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 prohibits certain stores from providing a single-use carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale and prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2026, require a business, as defined, that accepts payment through cash, credit, or debit transactions, subject to certain exceptions, to provide a consumer with the option to receive or not receive a proof of purchase. On and after January 1, 2026, the bill would prohibit a business from printing a paper proof of purchase if the consumer opts to not receive a proof of purchase, unless otherwise required by state or federal law. The bill would also exempt a business from the requirement to provide the consumer with an option to not receive a proof of purchase if a consumer voluntarily opts in to receive a proof of purchase through the rules of an association, warehouse, or other club to which the consumer belongs. The bill would prohibit, on and after January 1, 2024, a paper proof of purchase provided to a consumer by a business from containing bisphenol A, and, on and after January 1, 2025, from containing any bisphenols. The bill would specify that a violation would be punishable by a civil penalty of $100 for each day the business is in violation, not to exceed an annual total of $3,000. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, a county counsel, a district attorney, or a city attorney to enforce those provisions.
Existing law authorizes the Judicial Council to dispose of surplus court facilities pursuant to a specified process that requires, among other things, the Judicial Council to consult with the county where the court facility is located, offer the facility to the county at a fair market value before offering it to another state or local government agency, and deposit the funds received from a sale into the State Court Facilities Construction Fund. The California Constitution requires the proceeds from the sale of surplus state property to be deposited into the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties, a continuously appropriated fund. This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, specifically authorize the Judicial Council to sell various properties, including, among others, the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse, if the sale complies with certain requirements. The bill would require the net proceeds from the sale of the courthouse to be deposited into the State Court Facilities Construction Fund. The bill would state that the disposition of this property is not a sale or other disposition of surplus state property within the meaning of the California Constitution. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law establishes an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) program, administered by the California Department of Aging, to provide information to consumers and their families on available long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs and to assist older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities in accessing LTSS programs at the local level. Existing law requires the California Department of Aging to administer the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) Infrastructure Grants Program for the purpose of implementing a No Wrong Door System, a system that enables consumers to access all long-term services and supports (LTSS) through one agency, organization, coordinated network, or portal. Existing law makes related legislative intent statements regarding the No Wrong Door System, including that it is the intent to provide consumers and their caregivers access to information and services, regardless of income or benefit level. Existing law also establishes the Aging and Disability Resource Connection Advisory Committee, within the California Department of Aging, as the primary adviser in the implementation of the No Wrong Door System. Existing law authorizes the committee to use the staff of the California Department of Aging to accomplish its purposes. This bill would instead require the committee to use the staff of the California Department of Aging. The bill would also instead require the No Wrong Door System to serve seniors and individuals with disabilities, as specified, and would require, no later than December 31, 2025, the system to also establish a statewide respite referral registry to connect consumers enrolled in the Medi-Cal program with culturally competent, prescreened respite providers, and create and implement a consumer directed employer program to assist in the provision of the statewide respite referral system.
Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government to, among other things, establish policies to coordinate the collection, evaluation, and sharing of scientific data related to coastal and ocean resources among agencies. Existing law requires the council to develop and implement a voluntary sustainable seafood promotion program for the state, to consist of specified components, including a competitive grant and loan program for eligible entities, including, but not limited to, fishery groups and associations, for the purpose of assisting California fisheries in qualifying for certification to internationally accepted standards for sustainable seafood. This bill would require the council, on or before January 1, 2026, in coordination and in consultation with various entities, including the State Air Resources Board, to implement a statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program for the California coast in order to reduce air pollution, the risk of fatal vessel strikes on whales, and harmful underwater acoustic impacts. The bill would require the program to expand a certain existing program and would authorize the program to include specified components, including incentives to program participants based on a percentage of distance traveled by a participating vessel at a reduced speed, as provided. The bill would limit application of the program to vessels that are 300 gross tons or greater. The bill would require the council, on or before December 31, 2026, to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of the program.
Existing law generally establishes procedures and requirements for state agencies to enter into contracts for goods and services, including requirements imposed under the State Contract Act for bidding and award of certain public works contracts. This bill would enact The California State Grants and Contracts Modernization Act which would, commencing July 1, 2025, require a state agency that administers a grant or enters into a contract with any eligible entity to provide for and accept electronic signatures and electronic transmission, and provide for and offer the option of payment by electronic funds or automatic clearinghouse transfer. The bill would also, among other things, prohibit a state agency that administers a grant or contract with any eligible entity on and after July 1, 2025, from requiring an original or wet signature on a contract or grant document, unless otherwise required by state or federal law. Existing law, the Grant Information Act of 2018, requires the California State Library to create a funding opportunities internet website that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find state grant opportunities. Existing law requires each state agency to register every grant the state agency administers with the California State Library prior to commencing a solicitation or award process for distribution of the grant. Existing law requires each state agency to provide for the acceptance of electronic applications for any grant administered by the agency, as appropriate. This bill would require the California State Library, by December 31, 2024, to survey all agencies administering grants or contracts with eligible entities and report to the Legislature on the extent and nature of electronic management of documents, as specified.
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to prepare, and to update at least once every 5 years, a statewide strategy to reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants in communities affected by a high cumulative exposure burden. Existing law requires the state board to include in the statewide strategy, among other components, an assessment and identification of communities with high cumulative exposure burdens for toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants, prioritizing disadvantaged communities and sensitive receptor locations based on specified factors. Existing law requires the state board, based on the assessment and identification of communities with high cumulative exposure burdens, to select locations around the state for preparation of community emissions reduction programs. Existing law requires an air district encompassing any location selected by the state board to adopt, in consultation with the state board, within one year of the state board's selection, a community emissions reduction program to achieve emissions reductions for the location selected using cost-effective measures, as specified. Existing law also requires an air district to submit the community emissions reduction program to the state board for review and approval as prescribed. Existing law requires the air district and the state board to implement and enforce the measures in the community emissions reduction program consistent with their respective authority. This bill would additionally require the air district, in adopting a community emissions reduction program, to consult with other relevant state agencies. By imposing additional duties on air districts, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would, for a community emissions reduction program adopted by an air district and approved by the state board that includes a measure that is not within the authority of the air district or the state board, authorize the state board to assign the measure to the state agency with authority over the measure. The bill would require a state agency to implement and enforce the measure assigned to it unless the state agency finds that the measure is infeasible at a public meeting of its governing body, or, for an agency without a governing body, if the highest ranking officer of the agency finds and declares in writing, after allowing a 30-day opportunity for public comment, that the measure is infeasible. Existing law requires the state board to provide grants to community-based organizations for technical assistance and to support community participation in the implementation of the community emissions reduction program. In the implementation of the requirement for community participation, various air districts have established community steering committees for each location selected by the state board for the preparation of a community emissions reduction program. This bill would specify that grants provided, to the extent the Legislature appropriates funds specifically for this purpose, include allocations of funds to serve as a budget for the committee of persons who are designated by a district to participate in the development and adoption of a community emissions reduction program for administrative items, which includes, but is not limited to, translation services, meeting venue, meeting coordination, training, and stipends, as authorized by the district, for members of the committee. 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 allows a person who was erroneously convicted of a felony and imprisoned in the state prison or a county jail to present a claim to the Victim's Compensation Board for the injury sustained by the person through the erroneous conviction and imprisonment or incarceration. Existing law requires the board to provide a recommendation to the Legislature that an appropriation be made for the purpose of indemnifying the claimant for the erroneous conviction injury. Existing law requires that the amount of the appropriation recommended by the board be equivalent to $140 per day of incarceration served, and $70 per day served on parole or supervised release, as specified. Existing law requires that these amounts be updated annually to account for changes in the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, West Region. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the board to reimburse an exonerated person, or provide direct payment to their provider, for mental health services reasonably related to their incarceration. The bill would require the board to reimburse a person, in addition to the amount contained in an approved claim, with specified amounts intended to be used for mental health services, and would prohibit the board from reimbursing a person for a period of time exceeding the amount of time they were incarcerated.
Existing law, the Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards, the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for awards under these programs for participating students attending qualifying institutions. Existing law requires that, in order to be eligible to receive a Cal Grant Program award, a student either be a citizen of the United States or an eligible noncitizen, as defined. This bill would, contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for these purposes, also provide eligibility to a noncitizen who has filed a designated application for asylum and has a valid employment authorization document and social security number. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Existing law requires the Office of the Surgeon General to, among other things, raise public awareness and coordinate policies governing scientific screening and treatment for toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) . This bill would, subject to an appropriation and until January 1, 2027, require the office and the State Department of Health Care Services, while administering the ACEs Aware initiative and in collaboration with subject matter experts, to review available literature on ACEs, as defined, and ancestry or ethnicity-based data disaggregation practices in ACEs screenings, develop guidance for culturally and linguistically competent ACEs screenings through improved data collection methods, post the guidance on the department's internet website and the ACEs Aware internet website, and make the guidance accessible, as specified. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program to, among other things, advance California's economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement. Existing law authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to award grants and project funds for the program, as specified. Existing law establishes the Job Development Incentive Training Program as a component of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that the Job Development Incentive Training Program provide training on a no-cost or low-cost basis to participating employers who create employment opportunities at an acceptable wage level for the attainment of self-sufficiency by specified groups. Existing law requires the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program to be implemented only during those fiscal years for which funds are appropriated for its purposes. Existing law repeals the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program on January 1, 2025. This bill would revise and recast several provisions of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program. The bill would extend operation of the program indefinitely and would repeal the Job Development Incentive Training Program. The bill would revise and recast the principles governing the Economic and Workforce Development Program, provisions on the duties and membership of the program's advisory committee, the decision criteria for allocating program funds to colleges, and the definitions that apply to the program's provisions.
Existing law establishes the Agricultural Protection Planning Grant Program within the Department of Conservation, to provide planning grants to improve the protection of agricultural lands and grazing lands, including oak woodlands and grasslands. Existing law provides these planning grants to, among other things, maintain local food supplies and agricultural economies through the protection of agricultural lands. Existing law authorizes certain purposes for which these grants may be made for agricultural protection, including, among others, to develop public-private partnerships for the long-term protection and stewardship of agricultural lands. Existing law prohibits the department from awarding a grant in excess of $500,000 to any applicant and $750,000 if the department determines that the grant application is for collaborative planning activities proposed to include 2 or more adjacent counties, cities, or city and county. This bill would additionally authorize a nonprofit organization to apply to the department for a planning grant to assist in identifying and mapping local food producers, as defined, if the department receives an appropriation from the Legislature for those purposes. The bill would authorize planning grants to be awarded for the purpose of maintaining local food producers through the protection of agricultural lands, as specified. The bill would, among other purposes for which these grants may be made for agricultural protection, authorize the development of public-private partnerships for the long-term protection and stewardship of local food producers, as specified. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes.
