Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to administer the Renewable Energy Resources Program, which provides financial assistance for the development of renewable electricity generation facilities, including facilities that use biomass. This bill would enact the Salton Sea Stabilization and Agricultural Cultivation Act, which would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to establish an Algae Production Program in the Imperial Valley to meet high-priority economic and environmental goals, expedite regulatory application and review processes, and provide grants to facilitate research and the commercial development of algae for fuels, foods, medicines, and clean water within the state. The bill would further authorize the secretary to provide grants to eligible research institutions and commercial enterprises for research and demonstration projects leading to the commercial development of algae. The bill would require a commercial enterprise for a demonstration project, to be eligible for a grant, to agree to a royalty or other revenue arrangement. The bill would require royalties and revenues received to be deposited into the Algae Production Program Fund, which is created by this bill. The bill would require the secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, the Chairman of the State Air Resources Board, and the Governor's Tribal Advisor, if an algae production program is established pursuant to the bill, to publish a report, no later than July 1, 2013, that enumerates the environmental and economic benefits of the algae industry, and contains specified recommendations. The bill would also require the secretary by July 1, 2013, to initiate the rulemaking process for the Algae Production Program and a process for the application, review, and issuance of grants, and, no later than July 1, 2014, to publish a final rule to implement recommendations contained in the above-described report.
Existing law requires the administrator for oil spill response to charge a nontank vessel owner or operator a reasonable fee, to be collected with each application to obtain a certificate of financial responsibility, in an amount based on the administrator's costs related to regulating nontank vessels. Existing law authorizes the use of revenue derived from the fee for specified purposes relating to oil spill prevention. This bill would, until January 1, 2018, limit the fee to an amount not to exceed $3,500 per nontank vessel, but would allow the administrator to annually adjust the maximum fee based on the percentage increase in the California Consumer Price Index. The bill would authorize the administrator, on and after January 1, 2018, to charge the fee in amount based on the administrator's costs related to regulating nontank vessels. The bill would allow the revenue derived from the fees to be spent for those specified purposes related to oil spill prevention.
Existing law authorizes the retail sale of safe and sane fireworks from June 28 to July 6, annually, pursuant to a license issued by the State Fire Marshal, unless otherwise prohibited or regulated by law or ordinance. This bill would express the Legislature's intent, for purposes of determining whether the Legislature should continue to allow safe and sane fireworks for the period immediately before each New Year's Eve, to conduct an enhanced fireworks data collection study in a limited number of jurisdictions. The bill would further declare the Legislature's intent that the cost of the Fireworks Special Data Collection Program be totally funded by voluntary contributions, as specified. The bill would require the State Fire Marshal, on or before December 1 in 2013 and 2014, in consultation with the State Fire Marshal's General Fireworks Advisory Committee, to determine an appropriate sum that does not exceed the amount reasonably necessary for Fireworks Special Data Collection Program activities for targeted jurisdictions and the state for the following year. The bill would require the funding for these activities, from voluntary contributions from the fireworks industry or from federal or private grants, to be collected by the State Fire Marshal for deposit in the Fireworks Special Data Collection Fund, which the bill would create as a continuously appropriated special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund would be available for actual reasonable costs incurred by the State Fire Marshal and local, participating jurisdictions to develop, implement, analyze, and report the results of the Fireworks Special Data Collection Program and for administrative expenses. By creating a new continuously appropriated special fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would further authorize, in 2014 and 2015, the sale of certified safe and sane fireworks from 9 a.m. on December 26 to 11:59 p.m. on January 1 of the following year pursuant to a license issued by the State Fire Marshal, if authorized by a charter city, city, county, fire protection district, or city and county ordinance or resolution that may also restrict the hours of use of those fireworks. Since a violation of this provision or other existing related provisions in connection with the sale of those fireworks would be a misdemeanor, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating new crimes. The bill would also authorize a charter city, city, county, fire protection district, or city and county that adopts an ordinance or resolution authorizing the sale of safe and sane fireworks to require each applicant receiving a permit to pay a fee to the charter city, city, county, fire protection district, or city and county of a pro rata portion of the actual and reasonable costs incurred, on or before January 2, 2016, by the charter city, city, county, fire protection district, or city and county for, among other things, processing and issuing fireworks permits, inspection of fireworks stands, public awareness and education campaigns regarding the safe and responsible use of safe and sane fireworks, and related fire operation and suppression efforts, as specified. The bill would specify that the pro rata portion of those costs shall be based on a percentage of the permittee's sales and use tax return for the applicable permit period, not to exceed 7% of the gross sales of the fireworks sold in the charter city, city, county, fire protection district, or city and county, except that a cost recovery ordinance or resolution in effect on or before June 30, 2012, would be authorized to supersede that provision. 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 the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing to develop and report to the Governor on legislative, budgetary, and administrative programs to accomplish comprehensive, long-range, coordinated planning and policy formulation in the matters of public interest related to the agency. This bill would place the Military Advisor Council and the position of the Governor's Advisor on Military Affairs under the direction of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, and set forth that position's duties and authority with respect to state and local defense retention and conversion. It would provide that the Governor's Office of Planning and Research would be in the charge of the advisor who would be appointed by the Governor. The bill would authorize the office to establish a Military Advisory Committee with a specified membership.
Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act (the act) , provides for the licensure and regulation of community care and residential facilities by the State Department of Social Services. Under existing law, a violation of any of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would define "private nontraditional alternative treatment facility for youth," for purposes of the act. The bill would prohibit a person, firm, partnership, association organization, or corporation from operating, establishing, managing, conducting, or maintaining these type of treatment facilities unless licensing provisions are met and components of the program are accredited by an approved organization, as specified. The bill would prohibit a private nontraditional alternative treatment facility for youth from using corporal punishment, as defined. By adding private nontraditional alternative treatment facilities for youth to the act, this bill would create a new crime and 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, the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act, requires every local public agency to establish within its jurisdiction a basic emergency telephone system, and directs the Public Safety Communications Division within the California Technology Agency to coordinate and assist a local public agency to establish that system. This bill would require the California 911 Emergency Communications Office to develop and implement a public education campaign to instruct the public on appropriate and inappropriate uses of the 911 emergency telephone number system.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to implement various programs to provide financial assistance to specified entities for energy efficiency improvements. This bill would require the commission, in collaboration with specified entities, and in consultation with other stakeholders, including investor-owned utilities, to review emerging technology financing models used in other states to finance energy efficiency technology deployments and services that maximize private sector investment in California. The bill would also authorize the commission to establish and consult with an investment advisory group consisting of private and public investors.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as a segment of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law, notwithstanding open course provisions in statute or regulations of the board of governors, authorizes the governing board of a community college district that provides classes for inmates of certain facilities, including a federal correctional facility, to include the units of full-time equivalent students generated in those classes for purposes of state apportionments. This bill would instead require the open course provisions in statute or regulations of the board of governors to be waived for a governing board of a community college district that provides those classes for inmates, including inmates of state correctional facilities, and would authorize the board of governors to include the units of full-time equivalent students generated in those classes for purposes of state apportionments, subject to specified limitations. (2) Existing law provides for the method of computing apportionments for purposes of these inmate education programs. This bill would make revisions to that method of computation. The bill would prohibit a community college district from claiming, under the bill, for purposes of apportionments, a class for which a district receives full compensation for its direct education costs for the conduct of the class from a public or private agency, individual, or group of individuals, and a class offered pursuant to a contract or instructional agreement entered into between the district and a public or private agency, individual, or group of individuals that has received from another source full compensation for the costs the district incurs under that contract or instructional agreement, as prescribed.
(1) Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires any public record of a state or local agency to be open to inspection at all times during office hours of the agency and, upon request, a copy shall be made promptly available to any person upon payment of copying costs. The act makes certain records exempt from disclosure. Existing law provides the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities and authorizes it to establish its own procedures, subject to statutory limitations and constitutional requirements of due process. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission to investigate the cause of all accidents occurring upon the property of any public utility or directly or indirectly arising from or connected with its maintenance or operation, resulting in loss of life or injury to person or property and requiring, in the judgment of the commission, investigation by it, and authorizes the commission to make any order or recommendation with respect to the investigation that it determines to be just and reasonable. This bill would subject to the California Public Records Act, except as specified, an order or recommendation made by the commission and any accident report filed with the commission pursuant to these requirements. (2) The Public Utilities Act prohibits the commission or an officer or employee of the commission from disclosing any information furnished to the commission by a public utility, a subsidiary, an affiliate, or corporation holding a controlling interest in a public utility, unless the information is specifically required to be open to public inspection under the act, except on order of the commission or a commissioner in the course of a hearing or proceeding. A violation of that provision is a crime. This bill would repeal that provision and instead provide that all records of, or information furnished to, the commission are public records that shall be subject to the California Public Records Act, unless exempted from disclosure by that act. The bill would provide that any present or former officer or employee of the commission who divulges any information the disclosure of which is exempted or prohibited pursuant to federal or state law is guilty of a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (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.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. The California Health Benefit Exchange is established in state government to facilitate enrollment of qualified individuals in qualified health plans. The State Department of Public Health is authorized to perform specified activities relating to the protection, preservation, and advancement of public health. This bill would require the Department of Managed Health Care, in collaboration with the Department of Insurance, the California Health Benefit Exchange, and the State Department of Public Health, to convene a special committee consisting of specified members to review and evaluate health and wellness incentive and rewards programs offered by health care service plans, health insurers, and employers. The bill would require the committee to evaluate these programs for effectiveness based upon scientific evidence and to examine the extent to which these programs may result in specified discrimination and would require the committee to discuss its findings in a final report submitted to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health by March 30, 2014, as specified. The bill would require the committee to meet publicly and would require the first meeting to be conducted no later than March 30, 2013.
The Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act states the intent of the Legislature to provide a system of individual assessment of pupils that has the primary purpose of assisting teachers, administrators, and pupils and their parents to improve teaching and learning. Existing law establishes the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program pursuant to which each school district, charter school, and county office of education is required to administer to each of its pupils in grades 2 to 11, inclusive, the standards-based achievement tests. These provisions are inoperative on July 1, 2014, and as of January 1, 2015, are repealed. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the reauthorization of the statewide pupil assessment program include specified plans to reform that program as it relates to grades 7 to 12, inclusive. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with various groups of individuals and entities, to develop and present to the State Board of Education, by May 30, 2014, recommendations to effectuate those reforms. The bill would require the state board to adopt, or modify and adopt, the recommendations by September 30, 2014. The bill would require the Superintendent and the state board to present to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a schedule and implementation plan. The bill would require the State Department of Education to use specified federal funds or any other available and appropriate state and federal funds to implement these provisions.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health and requires a licensed facility that maintains and operates an emergency department to provide emergency services and care to any person requesting the services or care for any condition in which the person is in danger of loss of life or serious injury or illness, as specified. Existing law requires hospitals to maintain a written policy regarding discount payments for financially qualified patients as well as a written charity care policy. Existing law requires a hospital to limit the expected payment for services it provides to certain low-income patients to the highest amount the hospital would expect to receive for providing services from a government-sponsored program of health benefits in which the hospital participates. 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 requires health care service plans, or their contracting medical providers, to reimburse providers for emergency services and care provided to their enrollees until the care results in stabilization of the enrollee. This bill would require a hospital with an out-of-network emergency utilization rate, as defined, of 50% or more to adjust its total billed charges for emergency services and care provided to a patient prior to stabilization to an amount no greater than 150% of the amount the hospital could expect to receive from Medicare for the services and care. The bill would specify that this provision does not apply to charges billed by emergency physicians, as defined, or to charges provided as treatment for an injury that is compensable for purposes of workers' compensation. The bill would also specify that its provisions do not apply if any other law requires the hospital to limit expected payment for the emergency services and care to a lesser amount, if a contract governs the total billed charges for the emergency services and care, or if a government program of health benefits, as specified, is the primary payer for the emergency services and care. The bill would require health care service plans or their contracting medical providers to reimburse hospitals in accordance with these provisions. Because a willful violation of that reimbursement requirement by a health care service plan or its contracting medical providers 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.
