Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, establishes the California Veterinary Medical Board to license and regulate the practice of veterinary medicine. The act requires all premises where veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced to be kept clean and sanitary at all times and conform to minimum standards established by the board. This bill would specify that high-volume spay or neuter services, as defined, shall not be required to be performed in a separate surgical room. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
(1) The Automobile Sales Finance Act generally regulates motor vehicle conditional sale contracts. The act defines various terms for these purposes, including "cash price" to mean the amount for which the seller would sell and transfer to the buyer unqualified title to the motor vehicle described in the conditional sale contract, if the property were sold for cash at the seller's place of business on the date the contract is executed, and taxes to the extent imposed on the cash sale and the cash price of accessories or services related to the sale, including, among other things, a vehicle contract cancellation option agreement. The act requires a conditional sale contract to contain certain disclosures, including the amount charged for a contract cancellation option agreement. The act requires a seller to provide specified information to a buyer prior to the execution of a conditional sale contract, as specified, including a description and the price of a vehicle contract cancellation option agreement. This bill would remove a vehicle contract cancellation option agreement from the definition of "cash price." The bill would remove the requirement that a conditional sale contract disclose the amount charged for a contract cancellation option agreement. The bill would remove the requirement that the seller provide to a buyer prior to the execution of a conditional sale contract a description and the price of a vehicle contract cancellation option agreement. (2) Existing law defines "homestead" to mean a principal dwelling in which a judgment debtor or their spouse resided on the date the judgment creditor's lien attached to the dwelling and in which the judgment debtor or their spouse resided continuously thereafter until the date of a court determination that the dwelling is a homestead. Under existing law, a homestead is exempt from a sale to enforce a money judgment, except pursuant to a court order for sale if certain conditions are met. Existing law provides that the amount of a homestead exemption is the greater of (A) the countywide median price for a single-family home in the calendar year prior to the calendar year in which the judgment debtor claims the exemption, not to exceed $600,000, or (B) $300,000. Beginning on January 1, 2022, existing law requires the amount of a homestead exemption to be adjusted annually for inflation, as specified. This bill would set the amount of a homestead exemption in the 2026 calendar year as the greater of (A) the "ceiling amount" of $746,350, or (B) the "floor amount" of $373,175. The bill would require those ceiling and floor amounts to be adjusted annually for inflation, beginning on January 1, 2027, by applying a multiplier produced by the change in the annual California Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers, published by the Department of Industrial Relations, during the prior fiscal year. The bill would provide that the multiplier is calculated by dividing the CPI for the June ending the prior fiscal year by the CPI for the June immediately preceding the prior fiscal year. The bill would require each ceiling and floor amount that has been adjusted annually for inflation to be rounded to the nearest $25. (3) Existing law requires each party to a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation to serve on the other party a preliminary declaration of disclosure of assets, as specified, and a final declaration of disclosure, as specified. In the case of a default judgment, existing law prohibits a petitioner from being required to serve or receive a final declaration of disclosure, but still requires a preliminary declaration of disclosure, except as specified. This bill would provide that both parties are not required to exchange declarations of disclosure in a dissolution of marriage or registered domestic partnership if the parties have an existing enforceable judgment of legal separation that adjudicates the division of property. (4) This bill would correct various cross-references and make other technical changes.
(1) The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as defined, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit, as provided. The act requires each local government lying in whole or in part within the coastal zone to prepare a local coastal program for that portion of the coastal zone within its jurisdiction. The act requires a land use plan of a proposed local coastal program to be submitted to the California Coastal Commission for certification. The act authorizes the commission to extend, for a period not to exceed one year, certain time limitations relating to local coastal programs for good cause. This bill would authorize the commission to retroactively extend, for good cause and a period not to exceed 5 years, a time limitation established for a local government to act on the commission's suggested modifications to a land use plan amendment that would authorize approval of an affordable housing development, as specified. (2) Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency and vests the agency with jurisdiction over various public resources. Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency and sets out its mission for programs, policies, and standards. Under existing law, various state entities, including the California Coastal Commission, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife have responsibilities with respect to coastal permitting and development. This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to convene a Coastal Resilience Permitting Working Group for the purpose of developing a Coastal Resilience Permitting Roadmap for coastal resilience projects proposed in specified areas. The bill would require the Coastal Resilience Permitting Working Group to consist of representatives from federal, state, and local agencies, including, among others, the California Coastal Commission, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bill would, on or before July 1, 2028, require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to submit the Coastal Resilience Permitting Roadmap to the Governor and the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would require, on or before April 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the California Coastal Commission, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Water Resources Control Board, and representatives from the Regional Water Quality Control Boards to convene a Coastal Resilience Permit Advisory Group to support the deliberations of the Coastal Resilience Permitting Working Group.
Existing law provides that in order for the state to recruit skilled firefighters for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it is the policy of the state to consider prevailing salaries and benefits prior to making salary recommendations. Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources, in order to provide comparability in pay, to take into consideration the salary and benefits of other jurisdictions employing 75 or more full-time firefighters who work in California. This bill would require the state to bargain in good faith with firefighters who are rank-and-file members of State Bargaining Unit 8, employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to reach a competitive range within 15% of the average salary for corresponding ranks in 20 California fire departments agreed to by the exclusive bargaining representative for Bargaining Unit 8 and the Department of Human Resources. The bill would require the state and the exclusive representative for State Bargaining Unit 8 to jointly survey the estimated average salaries for those 20 fire departments and report the findings, as provided. The bill would provide that nothing in the bill creates an entitlement to an automatic salary increase. The bill would require any salary increase for firefighters under these provisions to be implemented through a memorandum of understanding, in accordance with specified procedures governing collective bargaining agreements. The bill would include legislative findings and declarations related to its provisions.
The Donahoe Higher Education Act establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, 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 as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. A provision of the act requires each of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education to have as a fundamental policy the maintenance of a healthy and expanded student transfer system. The act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it applicable. This bill would require the Trustees of the California State University and the governing boards of community college districts that offer a baccalaureate degree, and would request the Regents of the University of California, to develop and implement transfer agreement and articulation programs to support and enhance the transfer of students attending California tribal colleges to campuses of these public postsecondary segments, as provided. The bill would require the transfer agreement and articulation programs to include specified components, including, among other things, early outreach activities. The bill would also require the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to assess tools, systems, or curricula designed to facilitate student transfer for students attending California tribal colleges, as provided.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent 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 establishes the grounds for removal of a dependent child from the custody of their parents or guardian, and establishes procedures to determine placement of a child. Existing law requires, when a child has been adjudged a dependent of the court, the court to hold a dispositional hearing to determine the disposition to be made of the child. Under existing law, if the child is removed from the physical custody of their parents, preferential consideration to be given to a request by a relative of the child for placement of the child with the relative. Existing law prescribes factors for the county social worker and court to consider in determining placement, and requires the court to state on the record the reasons placement was denied if the court does not place the child with a relative who has been considered for placement. This bill would require, if the court does not initially place the child with a relative who has been considered for placement, the court to state for the record the reasons why the placement with that relative was denied or delayed. The bill would require, except as specified, after the court conducts the dispositional hearing, the social worker to assess any relative who requests placement and who has not been previously assessed or found to be unsuitable. The bill would require, if the court has terminated reunification services prior to the relative's request for placement, the county social worker and the court to consider certain additional factors to consider in determining whether placement with the relative is appropriate, including, among others, the child's relationship with the current caregiver. By increasing the duties of county social workers, this 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 vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law requires, until January 1, 2031, gas corporations to submit to the commission an annual map that includes, among other things, the location of all potential gas distribution line replacement projects identified in its distribution integrity management plan and any foreseeable gas distribution pipeline replacements. This bill, the Home Energy Choice Act, would require the commission, in a new or existing proceeding, to solicit proposals for, and require each gas corporation to offer, a Gas Distribution Service Line Replacement Alternatives Program, on or before January 1, 2028, to provide certain residential gas customers served by a gas distribution service line that will be replaced with a monetary incentive to deploy gas distribution service line replacement alternatives, as defined, and cease gas service to avoid the gas distribution service line replacement, as specified. The bill would require the commission to exempt from the program the emergency replacement of a gas distribution service line. The bill would require the commission to annually review the program to determine whether adjustments should be made to program design to increase program participation. The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, to report to the Legislature on the progress of each implemented program, as provided. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2035. Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because a violation of a commission action implementing the bill's requirements 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 establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes them to operate campuses and provide instruction. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a community college district to enter into a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership with the governing board of a school district, a county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school for the purpose of offering or expanding dual enrollment opportunities for pupils who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education, as provided. Existing law authorizes the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish the Rising Scholars Network to enter into agreements with community colleges to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for justice-involved students, as defined. This bill, the Juvenile Justice Education Access and Equity Act, would authorize a home community college district, as defined, or a college that is part of the home community college district, to enter into an instructional services agreement with a county probation department to provide academic or career technical education courses at a juvenile justice facility operated by the county probation department. The bill would authorize a community college district outside of the home community college district, or a college that is part of that district outside of the home district, to enter into an instructional services agreement with a county probation department if the home community college district has declined or failed to take action on a request by the county probation department to either (1) enter into an instructional services agreement or (2) approve the community college district outside of the home community college district, or a college that is part of that district outside of the home district, to enter into an instructional services agreement. The bill would prohibit the home community college district and colleges that are part of that district from prohibiting, blocking, or otherwise interfering with the ability of the community college outside of the home community college district, or a college that is part of that district outside of the home district, to provide instruction at the juvenile justice facility, as provided.
Existing law authorizes the California College Guidance Initiative to provide its services to all California school districts, including services that provide pupils and their families with direct access to online tools and resources for college and career planning. Existing law requires a school district, county office of education, or charter school to annually notify the parents or guardians of pupils admitted to, or advancing to, grades 7 to 12, inclusive, of any dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate courses offered by the local educational agency, as provided. This bill would require that notice to also include the benefits of the California College Guidance Initiative and encouragement to create parent accounts. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, 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, 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 grants to higher education employees the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations for purposes of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations and for the purpose of meeting and conferring. Existing law, for the California State University, prohibits written memoranda reached that require budgetary or curative action by the Legislature or other agencies from being effective unless that action has been taken, and requires an appropriate request for financing or budgetary funding for all state-funded employees or for necessary legislation to be forwarded to the Legislature and the Governor or other funding agencies. Existing law requires the entire memorandum to be referred back to the parties for further meeting and conferring when the memorandum requires legislative action and the Legislature or the Governor fails to fully fund the memorandum or take the requisite curative action, except as specified. This bill would require the above-described determination of whether a memorandum requires legislative action and the Legislature or the Governor fails to fully fund the memorandum or take the requisite curative action to be made by the Public Employment Relations Board by written notification to the parties.
Existing law establishes the Department of Transportation and vests it with full possession and control of the state highway system. This bill would require the department, in consultation with the Transportation Agency and relevant regional and local authorities, to conduct a pilot study in a region or area of the state, as determined by the department, on the impact of third-party navigation applications on the state highway system and local street and road networks. The bill would require the pilot study to analyze how third-party navigation applications affect congestion displacement, local infrastructure, safety metrics, and emergency response, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2029, to submit the study, and a report of related policy recommendations for regulatory or legislative action to improve the alignment between third-party navigation applications and state and local traffic management goals, to the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033.
Existing law defines, for certain school-related purposes, "ultraprocessed food" as any food or beverage that contains a specified substance and either high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar or a nonnutritive sweetener or other substance, as specified. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations, on or before June 1, 2028, to define "ultraprocessed foods of concern" and "restricted school foods," as specified, and requires the department, when defining ultraprocessed foods of concern and restricted school foods, to consider specified factors, including, among others, whether the substance or group of substances are banned or restricted in other state, federal, or international jurisdictions due to concerns about adverse health consequences. This bill would require the department, no later than June 1, 2029, to accredit certification agents that can certify food products as "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified." The bill would prohibit an accredited certification agent from certifying a food product as "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" if it is an ultraprocessed food, ultraprocessed food of concern, or a restricted school food, as defined. The bill would require the department to create a specified standardized "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" seal. The bill would authorize a food product to bear the seal only if the product has been certified by an accredited certification agent. The bill would require an accredited certification agent to, among other things, register with the department and provide specified information to the department for each food product certified by the accredited certification agent. The bill would require any registration information submitted by an accredited certification agent to the department to be made available to the public for inspection and copying. This bill would require an accredited certification agent to immediately make specified records available to the department for inspection, as specified, and would authorize the department to audit the accredited certification agent's certification procedures and records at any time. The bill would require any records of the accredited certification agent not otherwise required to be disclosed to be kept confidential by the department. The bill would require the department to maintain a public internet webpage that lists all of the products currently certified as "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" as reported by the accredited certification agent. This bill would make it unlawful for a person to certify products as "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" unless duly registered as an accredited certification agent, for a person to willfully make a false statement or representation or knowingly fail to disclose a fact required to be disclosed in registration as an accredited certification agent, for a person to willfully make a false statement or representation or knowingly fail to disclose a fact required to be disclosed to an accredited certification agent, and for a person to use the "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" seal on a product that does not meet the above-described provisions. The bill would authorize the department, among others, to enjoin a person who engages, has engaged, or proposes to engage in the misuse of the "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" seal. This bill would create the Public Health Food and Nutrition Education Fund for the purposes of supporting the implementation of the "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" label requirements and educating the public and stakeholders about the label requirements, food products, and nutrition. The bill would authorize the department to establish fees for the registration and renewal of accredited certification agents and certification of food at levels not exceeding the reasonable costs of administering and enforcing these provisions. The bill would require the fees to be deposited in the Public Health Food and Nutrition Education Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the bill would make moneys in the Public Health Food and Nutrition Education Fund available to the department for expenditure. Existing law, the California Retail Food Code (Code) , establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities, as defined, and requires local enforcement agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law provides that a violation of the code is punishable as a misdemeanor or a fine. Existing law defines a grocery store as a store primarily engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fresh meats, fish, and poultry and any area that is not separately owned within the store where food is prepared and served, including a bakery, deli, and meat and seafood counter. This bill, upon the creation of the "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" seal described above, would require a grocery store with gross annual store sales of more than $10,000,000 to make clearly identifiable, as defined, at least 3 or more "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" items if the grocery store offers for sale more than 25 certified items. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, county counsel, city attorney, or city prosecutor, as specified, to enjoin a grocery store that fails to meet these requirements. The bill would exempt a violation of these provisions from criminal liability under the California Retail Food Code. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2040. By imposing a higher level of service on local enforcement agencies required to enforce these provisions, this 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, 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 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.
