Existing federal law, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, provides for the negotiation and execution of tribal-state gaming compacts for the purpose of authorizing certain types of gaming on Indian lands within a state. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to negotiate and conclude those compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments to tribal-state gaming compacts, between the State of California and specified Indian tribes. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. This bill would ratify the 5th amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California, the tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, and the first amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Pechanga Band of Indians. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to this amended compact are not projects for the purposes of CEQA. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, commonly referred to as the Density Bonus Law, requires a city or county to provide a developer that proposes a housing development, as defined, within the city or county with a density bonus, other incentives or concessions, and waivers or reductions of development standards, as specified, if the developer agrees to construct, among other options, specified units and meets other requirements. This bill would prohibit land improved with an operating hotel or motel from being valued, for purposes of establishing, adjusting, or resetting ground rent under an existing lease, based on density bonuses, concessions or incentives, or waivers, as specified, unless those density increases are entitled and vested as of the valuation date, as provided. The bill would also prohibit its provisions from being construed to alter the requirements for obtaining a density bonus, as specified.
Existing law establishes the Active Transportation Program in the Department of Transportation for the purpose of encouraging increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. Existing law requires the California Transportation Commission to develop guidelines and project selection criteria for the program, including guidelines with regard to project eligibility that include, among other project types, safe routes to transit projects that will encourage transit by improving biking and walking routes to mass transportation facilities and schoolbus stops. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, instead require the guidelines with regard to project eligibility to include projects for safe routes to transit projects that encourage access to transit facilities and schoolbus stops by biking and walking, as specified, and projects that will expand access to transit in underserved or rural areas. Existing law authorizes the guidelines to include incentives to maximize the potential for attracting funds other than program funds for eligible projects. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, (1) instead require the guidelines to include incentives intended to maximize the potential for attracting funds other than program funds for eligible projects in order to scale funding for larger or network-level active transportation improvements, (2) require the guidelines to include a progressive range of penalties for an applicant that failed to use previously received program funds in a timely manner, as specified, and (3) require the guidelines to include a requirement for an applicant to consult with the executive officer of a transit agency operating in a project corridor if the project will be adjacent to an existing bus, shuttle, or paratransit route, as specified.
Existing law, the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, revises and expands the scope of various programs relating to the provision of cash assistance and other services to and for the benefit of certain foster and adopted children, and other children who have been placed in out-of-home care, including children who receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) , Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) , California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) , and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) benefits. Among other provisions, the act extends to nonminor dependents up to 21 years of age the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a dependent, and specified foster care benefits if specified education or employment requirements are met, including that the nonminor is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential or employed for at least 80 hours per month. This bill would prohibit a nonminor dependent from being denied eligibility for, or have eligibility terminated from, the above-described extended foster care benefits for failure to meet education or employment participation requirements that exceed the previously described education or employment requirements. The bill would also make technical, conforming changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 366.31, 11363, 11386, 16120, and 16501.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 2478 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2478 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 388.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1967 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1967 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 391 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by SB 534 to be operative only if this bill and SB 534 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes a program to allow counties to select a bidder on the basis of best value, as defined, for construction projects in excess of $1,000,000. Existing law also authorizes counties to use a best value construction contracting method to award individual annual contracts, not to exceed $3,000,000, for repair, remodeling, or other repetitive work to be done according to unit prices, as specified. Existing law establishes procedures and criteria for the selection of a best value contractor and requires that bidders verify specified information under oath. Existing law requires the board of supervisors of a participating county to submit a report that contains specified information about the projects awarded using the best value procedures described above to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee before March 1, 2029. Existing law repeals the program provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would, instead, authorize a county, city, or the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to select a bidder on the basis of best value, as described above, for construction projects in excess of $500,000, would make various conforming changes to the above-described provisions, and would extend the operation of those provisions until January 1, 2032. With regard to the above-specified reporting requirement, the bill would, instead, require the governing body of a participating county, city, or the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to submit the report, as specified, to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee before March 1, 2031. The bill would expand the crime of perjury by extending the operation of the program and expanding the program to cities and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, thereby imposing 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 make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the San Gabriel Valley.
(1) Existing law, the Teachers' Retirement Law, establishes the State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) and creates the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teachers' Retirement Plan, which provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, creditable service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. STRS is administered by the Teachers' Retirement Board. Existing law creates the Teachers' Retirement Fund, which is continuously appropriated for specified purposes, into which certain moneys are deposited, including employee contributions. Existing law requires employers and employees to make contributions to the system based on the member's creditable compensation. Existing law defines terms for the purposes of STRS. Existing law defines "retired member activities" to mean one or more of specified identified activities within the California public school system and performed by a member retired for service under STRS, as prescribed. This bill, commencing July 1, 2027, would redefine "retired member activities" to mean all service performed within the California public school system by a member retired for service under STRS when the member is employed in specified positions, including as an employee or independent contractor. (2) Existing law defines "sick leave days," "basic sick leave day," and "excess sick leave days" for purposes of STRS. For specified standards concerning service credit that are expressed only in terms of hours, existing law requires the number of hours to be divided by 6 to determine the number of sick days. This bill would delete the above provision on calculating the number of hours. The bill would instead provide that, when determining the number of days, including for those identified standards, one day shall be equivalent to the number of hours of creditable service performed in a day in that position on a full-time basis, but no less than 6 hours. (3) Existing law requires the retirement board and employees of STRS to discharge their duties with respect to the system and the plan solely in the interest of the members and beneficiaries, as specified. This includes by diversifying the investments of the plan so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so. This bill would revise that provision to instead require diversifying the investments of the plan so as to minimize the risk of loss and to maximize the rate of return unless under the circumstances it is clearly not prudent to do so. (4) Existing law requires employers to make available criteria for membership, including optional membership, in a timely manner to all persons employed to perform creditable service subject to coverage by the Defined Benefit Program and to inform part-time and substitute employees, within 30 days of the date of hire, or by March 1, 1995, whichever is later, that they may elect membership in the plan's Defined Benefit Program at any time while employed. This bill would shorten the above-described timeframe for notifying those employees to within 10 working days of the date of hire. (5) Existing law establishes the circumstances in which a member who is eligible and applies for a disability allowance or retirement may apply to receive a service retirement allowance pending the determination of their application for disability. Under those provisions, a member who applies for service retirement in these circumstances does not receive service credit for each day of accumulated or unused leave of absence for illness or injury or for education, as specified. This bill would also provide that a member who applies for retirement under those provisions shall not receive an additional 2 years of service credit granted in specified circumstances. Existing law requires the retirement board to determine a date based on when the system has the capacity to implement specified changes to the above provisions. Existing law further requires the board to post that date on its website no later than January 1, 2026. This bill would delete the above-described language. (6) Existing law provides that a service retirement allowance becomes effective upon any date designated by the member, provided all of specified conditions are met. This includes a requirement that the member file an application for service retirement on a form provided by STRS, executed no earlier than 6 months before the effective date of the member's retirement allowance. This bill would also require the application for service retirement allowance to be received by STRS within 30 days after the date of the member's signature and, if applicable, the spouse's or registered domestic partner's signature. Existing law permits a member who files an application for service retirement to change or cancel their retirement application if certain conditions are met. Existing law requires that the form provided by STRS be received by the system no later than 30 days from the date the member's initial benefit payment for the member's most recent retirement under the Defined Benefit Program is paid by the system. This bill would also require that the form be received by STRS within 30 days after the date of the member's signature and, if applicable, the spouse's or registered domestic partner's signature. The bill would additionally authorize a member to elect to change a retirement annuity from the defined Benefit Supplement Program to a lump-sum payment any time after retirement, subject to using a form provided by the system and meeting other specified requirements. Existing law requires the retirement board to determine a date based on when the system has the capacity to implement specified changes to these provisions and to post the date on its website no later than January 1, 2026. This bill would delete the above-described language. (7) Existing law specifies the amount a member is to receive upon retirement for service following reinstatement, which is based on specified factors. Existing law also specifies circumstances in which a member who reinstates and performs other creditable service is entitled to a service retirement allowance. Existing law also specifies the amount a member is entitled to receive upon retirement for service following a prior disability retirement, as prescribed. This bill would require benefits calculated pursuant to the above provisions to be modified by an option if elected pursuant to that law. (8) Existing law authorizes the retirement board to declare an additional earnings credit to be applied to Defined Benefit Supplement accounts for a plan year, subject to certain considerations by the board. Existing law requires the board to specify, for any plan year for which it declares an additional earnings credit, the amount to be added to members' accounts as a percentage increase. Existing law prohibits additional earnings credit from being added to the balance of credits transferred from a member's Defined Benefit Supplement account to the Annuitant Reserve. This bill would delete the above-described provision prohibiting additional earnings credit from being added to the balance of credits transferred. (9) Existing law requires a member's retirement benefit under the Defined Benefit Supplement Program to be an amount equal to the balance of credits in the member's Defined Benefit Supplement account on the date the retirement benefit becomes payable. Existing law requires the retirement benefit to be a lump-sum payment or an annuity payable in monthly installments, or a combination thereof. This bill would establish specified conditions if a member elects to change their retirement annuity from the Defined Benefit Supplement Program to a lump-sum payment, including providing for termination of payment of the annuity based on the balance of credits and making the election irrevocable. (10) Existing law provides that benefits payable to participants or beneficiaries of STRS are subject to limits imposed by specified provisions of federal law and shall not exceed those limitations. This bill, commencing July 1, 2027, for a STRS participant subject to the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, would specify those limits for participants whose service is included in federal social security and those whose service is not subject to social security. The bill would make those provisions subject to annual changes in the consumer price index and other conditions. The bill, commencing July 1, 2027, would also redefine various terms applicable to STRS and would make other related changes to those provisions. (11) Existing law, the Public Employees' Retirement Law, creates the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) , which is administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System. PERS provides defined benefits to its members based on their final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. Existing law establishes the Public Employees' Retirement Fund, which is a trust fund that is appropriated continuously for specified purposes, into which certain moneys are deposited, including employee contributions. Existing law authorizes a member of PERS to elect to receive service credit for certain public service outside the system, including time served employed under specified governmental fellowship programs or as a volunteer in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, by making specified contributions to the system. This bill would also authorize a member to receive service credit for public service, not to exceed one year, as a fellow with the California Council on Science and Technology, subject to making the required contributions for that service. Existing law, for purposes of PERS benefits, defines "state safety member" in specified provisions to include officers and employees of certain state departments in listed employment classifications, identified by classification code. This bill would revise those definitions to include officers and employees of the California Correctional Health Care Services in listed classifications. Among other changes, the bill would remove obsolete employment classification references and would update classification terms and codes. (12) Existing law, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, authorizes counties to establish retirement systems pursuant to its provisions in order to provide pension benefits to county, city, and district employees and their beneficiaries. Existing law sets forth the membership composition for boards of retirement and boards of investment, as specified. Existing law requires specified members of the retirement board to be active members of the association elected by it. This bill would revise the above provisions to require those board members to be elected by those active members. The bill would also redefine "active member" to specify that it refers to a member in county service, as otherwise defined, and would make related changes to other definitions under that law. Existing law, for the County of Los Angeles, establishes certain legal obligations of the retirement system to its members and their beneficiaries. Existing law specifies that, for purposes of payments into or out of the retirement fund for adjustment of errors or omissions, the period of limitation of actions is 3 years. Existing law also establishes a 10-year period of limitation for cases in which payment is erroneous because of the death of the retired member or beneficiary or because of remarriage or due to fraudulent reports of compensation, as specified. This bill would establish similar obligations applicable for counties other than Los Angeles. The bill would specify that in cases in which payment is erroneous because of the death of the retired member or beneficiary or because of the remarriage of the beneficiary, the period of limitation of actions shall be 10 years. The bill would also provide a 10-year limitation period for cases in which payment has been made as a result of fraudulent reports, as specified. The bill would make various other related and conforming changes to these retirement provisions. (13) By increasing the contributions to continuously appropriated retirement funds, the bill would make an appropriation.
Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law establishes the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP) award grants to cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence to fund gun violence reduction initiatives. Existing law authorizes the board to award these grants and to create an executive steering committee for the program. Existing law authorizes the board to reserve up to $2,000,000 of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the costs of administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program. This bill would create the Office of Community Violence Intervention within the Board of State and Community Corrections, and would require the office to be led by a director appointed by the board. The bill would require the board to select the director. The bill would require the board to consult with organizations in the field of community violence intervention on factors to consider when evaluating candidates. The bill would also require the board to consider certain factors when selecting a director. The bill would require the office to, among other things, advise the board on the implementation of community violence intervention and prevention policies, provide technical assistance for community violence intervention and prevention organizations and CalVIP grantees, and, on July 1, 2028, and every 2 years thereafter, to produce a report on community violence intervention and prevention, as specified. This bill would require the office to administer CalVIP, as specified. The bill would require the office to recommend grant awardees to the board and to convene and facilitate the executive steering committee for the program. The bill would require the board to reserve at least $1,000,000 and would authorize the board to reserve up to 5% of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the purposes of the office administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program.
Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to adopt a process for each load-serving entity, as defined, to file an integrated resource plan, adopt a schedule for periodic updates to the plan, and ensure each load-serving entity takes specified actions, as specified. Existing law requires the commission to determine if there is a need for the procurement of eligible energy resources, as described, requires the commission to specify the eligible energy resources that should be procured to meet that need, and authorizes the commission, within 6 months of making that determination, to request the Department of Water Resources to procure those specified resources that meet the portfolio of resources, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to procure those resources pursuant to that request only before January 1, 2035, as provided. Existing law authorizes the department to procure resources from a pump hydroelectric facility pursuant to these provisions if the pump hydroelectric facility does not exceed 500 megawatts and was directly appropriated funding by the state before January 1, 2023. This bill would eliminate the requirement that a pump hydroelectric facility be directly appropriated funding by the state before January 1, 2023, in order for the department to procure resources from the facility. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 454.52 of the Public Utilities Code proposed by AB 2369 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2369 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law requires certain businesses or establishments to post a notice relating to slavery and human trafficking, including hotlines and available services and support information. Existing law requires certain businesses or establishments to provide certain employees at least 20 minutes of training on human trafficking, as specified. Under existing law, the training must cover certain subjects, including how to recognize human trafficking. The training may also include information and material utilized by private nonprofit organizations that represent the interests of human trafficking victims and the Department of Justice, among other things. This bill would additionally require body art facilities, by July 1, 2027, to post the above-described notice and to provide the human trafficking training to their employees and registered practitioners, as specified. The bill would instead authorize the training to include evidence-based, trauma-informed curriculum developed by the above-described nonprofit organizations and information and material available on the Department of Justice's internet website.
The California Financing Law (CFL) provides for the licensure and regulation of finance lenders and brokers by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, including by regulating the provision of commercial loans, as defined. A willful violation of the CFL is a crime, except as specified. This bill would, beginning January 1, 2028, generally provide for the regulation under the CFL of commercial financing, which the bill would define to mean an accounts receivable purchase transaction, including factoring, asset-based lending transaction, commercial loan, commercial open-end credit plan, or lease financing, intended by the recipient for use primarily for a purpose other than a personal, family, or household purpose, as specified. Beginning July 1, 2028, the bill would prohibit a person from engaging in the business of a commercial financing provider, as defined, or a commercial financing broker, as defined, without obtaining a license from the commissioner, except as specified. The bill would impose various duties on commercial financing providers and commercial financing brokers, including, among other things, prohibiting the taking of a confession of judgment or power of attorney at any time before a default, as specified. The bill would make various conforming changes to the CFL. Existing law requires a provider of commercial financing to disclose certain information, as specified. Existing law deems certain violations of these provisions to be a violation of the CFL, as specified. The CFL authorizes the commissioner to require that rates of charge, if stated by a licensee, be stated fully and clearly in the manner that the commissioner deems necessary to prevent misunderstanding by prospective borrowers or property owners. This bill would authorize the commissioner to require that rates of charge be stated fully and clearly in the manner that the commissioner deems necessary to prevent misunderstanding by prospective borrowers or recipients. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law requires monthly visits by a county social worker or county probation officer to foster children, as specified. Existing law requires the monthly visit to include a private discussion between the social worker or probation officer and the foster child, and prohibits the contents of the private discussions from being disclosed to the foster parent or caregiver or group home staff, except as specified. This bill would authorize a social worker or probation officer to allow nonminor dependents who are placed out of state the option to have their monthly visit through a virtual visit, as defined. The bill would require informed consent from the nonminor dependent and documentation in the case plan. The bill would require the virtual visit to include a private discussion between the nonminor dependent and the social worker or probation officer, and would prohibit the contents of the private discussion from being disclosed to a foster parent or caregiver, except as specified. The bill would authorize a nonminor dependent to request an in-person visit and would authorize the social worker or probation officer to shift the virtual visit to an in-person visit. The bill would require the social worker or probation officer to, at minimum, conduct an in-person visit with the nonminor dependent on a quarterly basis. By imposing additional duties on county social workers and county probation officers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require, no later than July 1, 2027, the State Department of Social Services to convene a working group to develop guidelines for county placing agencies and attorneys representing nonminor dependents related to engaging and supporting nonminor dependents who are placed out of 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 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 vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law finds and declares that the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) was organized as a nonprofit corporation at the request of the Legislature for the specific purpose of offering expert advice to the state government on public policy issues significantly related to science and technology. Existing law requests the CCST, every 3 years, to assess the infrastructure project types, scale, and pace necessary to achieve the state's energy, climate change, and air quality goals, as specified. This bill would require the CCST to establish, on or before March 1, 2027, upon appropriation by the Legislature, a program to, upon request of the Legislature, analyze legislation that would establish a mandated requirement or program, as defined, or otherwise affect electrical corporation or gas corporation ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the analysis to include, among other things, whether the legislation will increase electricity or natural gas utility rates, and if so, would require an assessment of specified financial impacts. The bill would require the CCST to develop and implement conflict-of-interest provisions to prohibit a person from participating in an analysis for which the person knows or has reasons to know that the person has a material financial interest. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.
