Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to provide for the adoption and selection of quality instructional materials for use in elementary and secondary schools and requires each governing board of a school district to provide for substantial teacher involvement in the selection of instructional materials and to promote the involvement of parents and other members of the community in the selection of instructional materials. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district, when adopting instructional materials for use in school, to include relevant technology-based materials, defined for these purposes to mean basic or supplemental instructional materials that are designed for use by pupils and teachers as learning resources and that require the availability of electronic equipment in order to be used as a learning resource, as provided. This bill would require the governing board or body of each school district, county office of education, and charter school to provide for substantial teacher involvement in the evaluation and selection of educational technology, as defined, that is required to be used by all teachers or all paraprofessionals of the local educational agency, and to promote the involvement of parents and other members of the community in the evaluation and selection process. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before January 1, 2027, to develop, and post on the State Department of Education's internet website, best practices and resources to guide school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and joint powers authorities providing educational services in the evaluation and selection of educational technology that is required to be used by all teachers or all paraprofessionals, as specified. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, encourage school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to follow those best practices for the evaluation and selection of educational technology. 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, the Water Rights Permitting Reform Act of 1988, authorizes any person to obtain a right to appropriate water for a small domestic, small irrigation, or livestock stockpond use, as defined, upon registering the use with the State Water Resources Control Board, as prescribed, payment of a registration fee, and application of the water to reasonable and beneficial use with due diligence. Existing law requires a person, in registering their water use to the board, to set forth a certification that the registrant has contacted the Department of Fish and Wildlife and to include a copy of any conditions required by the department. This bill would authorize any person to also obtain a right to appropriate water for a small restoration use, as defined. The bill would also authorize a person to apply for a restoration management permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as provided, and if the permit is issued, the person would be required to include a copy of any conditions required by the restoration management permit with the required certification. Existing law exempts certain stream segments subject to certain minimum streamflow requirements from the provisions of the act upon proper registration. This bill, if the Director of Fish and Wildlife establishes proposed streamflow requirements for a stream segment, as specified, would instead prohibit the authorization of a registration for that stream segment until the board establishes instream flow requirements as a part of the general conditions applicable to that stream segment. The bill would require that the establishment of those instream flow requirements be done after the board considers the proposed streamflow requirements, if proposed by the director.
Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as "GO-Biz," to and provides for the appointment by the Governor of the Small Business Advocate, also known as the Director of the Office of Small Business Advocate, to, among other things, serve as the principal advocate in the state on behalf of small businesses. This bill would establish the California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program within the office, under the direct authority of the director, to provide grants to eligible independent live music events promoters to support their continued ability to provide equitable access to the arts for all Californians. The bill would specify requirements for eligibility and, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, would require the office to allocate the sum of $20,000,000 in grants to eligible independent live music events promoters that meet those requirements.
Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal, commencing January 1, 2026, to adopt regulations that promote the fire and electrical safety of electric bicycles, powered mobility devices, and storage batteries, as specified. Existing law defines storage batteries for these purposes to include lithium batteries, as provided. This bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal to convene a lithium battery working group, composed of specified members selected by the State Fire Marshal, to identify those safety issues associated with lithium batteries and associated charging infrastructure installed or used near or within residential or commercial occupancies that have not already been addressed in the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Code, and to recommend potential solutions that will enhance building safety for the State Fire Marshal and other impacted agencies to consider, as provided. The bill would require the working group to deliver the initial research, findings, and recommendations on or before January 1, 2027. Existing law establishes the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund in the State Treasury. Existing law provides that moneys in the fund, which include building permit applicant fees, shall be available, upon appropriation, to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, among other state entities, for expenditure in carrying out various provisions relating to building and housing standards, as provided. This bill would make moneys in the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund available, upon appropriation, to support the working group. The bill would also appropriate an unspecified amount from the fund for specified purposes related to addressing building safety concerns associated with lithium batteries and associated charging infrastructure being installed or used near or within residential or commercial occupancies.
Existing law requires the Department of Justice to conduct inspections of certain firearm dealers every 3 years in order to ensure compliance with specified requirements. Existing law requires inspections to include a sampling of between 25% and 50% of dealer records of each type. Existing law authorizes the department to assess a fee, up to $115, in order to cover various costs, including the costs of inspections. This bill would instead require the department's sampling of dealer records to include at least 25% of each record type. The bill would also authorize the department to periodically increase the inspection fee, as specified. The bill would require the department to annually inspect the 10 firearm dealer locations, as specified, with the highest percentage of total sales that were recovered by law enforcement and found to be illegally possessed, used in a crime, or suspected to have been used in a crime. The bill would require the department to conduct the inspections within 12 months of the release of its annual report unless the dealer location has been inspected within 6 months prior to the release of the report. Existing law directs law enforcement agencies to submit the description of a firearm that has been reported stolen, lost, found, recovered, or under observation directly to an automated Department of Justice system. Existing law requires these law enforcement agencies to report to the department any information in their possession necessary to identify and trace the history of a recovered firearm that is illegally possessed, has been used in a crime, or is suspected of having been used in a crime. Existing law requires the department to analyze this data and to submit an annual report to the Legislature summarizing this analysis, as specified. The bill would also require firearm dealers, commencing January 1, 2028, to maintain inventory records, as specified, at their place of business in a manner prescribed by the department. The bill would additionally require firearm dealers to produce an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, certifying the accuracy of all records, upon request. By expanding the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the department to keep a centralized list of all persons who meet the specified requirements of a dealer, licensee, or person licensed, except as specified. Existing law requires the department to remove various persons from this list, including those whose federal firearms license has expired or has been revoked. The bill would additionally authorize the department to remove a person from the centralized list who has willfully failed to comply with specified licensing requirements or who, among other things, failed to remedy violations discovered as a result of an inspection within 90 days of the inspection. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by a fine and render a person ineligible for placement on the centralized list for 2 years from the date of removal from the list. 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 appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2021–22 fiscal year to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer the Dual Language Immersion Grant Program for the purpose of expanding access to quality dual language learning and fostering languages that English learners bring to California's education system. Under that program, the State Department of Education is required to award a minimum of 25 one-time Dual Language Immersion Grants over a period of 3 fiscal years of up to $380,000 per grant to an eligible entity to expand or establish dual language immersion programs. This bill would establish the Dual Language Immersion Education Instructional Materials Grant Program, to be administered by the Superintendent, for purposes of providing one-time grants of $100,000 to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to increase available instructional materials in partner languages for dual language immersion programs at one or more schoolsites, as provided. The bill would require a grant recipient to report to the department, on or before June 29, 2029, on how grant funds were expended, including a list of any materials obtained or developed. The bill would require the department to submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, on or before December 31, 2029, that includes the data received from the grant recipients. The bill would make implementation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes in the annual Budget Act or another statute.
Existing law includes the 4th Friday in September, known as "Native American Day," as a state holiday. This bill would provide that the 4th Friday in September, known as "Native American Day," is a paid holiday for state employees, as specified.
Existing law, the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act of 1980, requires refiners, as described, to report monthly to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , for each of their refineries, specified information, including the origin of petroleum receipts and the source of imports of finished petroleum products. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature that the Energy Commission monitor foreign countries that export oil to California and identify on its internet website which of those countries have demonstrated human rights abuses, as documented by the United States Department of State, and which of those countries have lower environmental standards for the production of oil than California. Existing law imposes various limitations on the emissions of air contaminants for the control of air pollution from vehicular and nonvehicular sources. Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to post on its internet website information on air quality conditions and trends statewide and to develop and conduct a program of monitoring airborne fine particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM 2.5) . This bill would require the state board to annually produce an assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation of oil in California, as specified, and to include that assessment on the state board's internet website. The bill would also require the Energy Commission to annually provide data collected pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act of 1980 to the state board for the purposes of the assessment. The bill would require the data to comply with specified existing confidentiality requirements. The bill would prohibit the commission from using any funds from electric ratepayers to implement these requirements, as provided. The bill would also require the state board to post on its internet website a report on the air quality impact of potentially importing 5% to 10% of the state's gasoline supply using tanker ships.
Existing law, the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) , establishes certain consumer protections relating to consumer financial products, practices, and services, including, among others, making it unlawful for covered persons or service providers, as defined, to, among other acts, engage in unlawful, unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices with respect to consumer financial products or services. Existing law establishes that the purpose of the CCFPL is to promote consumer welfare, fair competition, and wealth creation in this state by promoting, among other things, nondiscriminatory access to consumer financial products and services that are understandable and not unfair, deceptive, or abusive. Existing law authorizes the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, under the direction of the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, to prescribe rules regarding registration requirements applicable to a covered person in the business of offering or providing a consumer financial product or service, as defined, and rules requiring the payment of registration fees. This bill would expand the purposes of the CCFPL to include the protection of small businesses from abusive financial practices, as specified. The bill would require the department to prescribe rules regarding registration requirements applicable to covered persons seeking to offer or provide commercial financing products, as defined and specified. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, prohibit a person from engaging in the business of offering to provide or providing commercial financing products without first registering with the commissioner, as specified. The bill would impose various duties on commercial financing providers and 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.
Existing law establishes the Government Operations Agency, which consists of several state entities, including, but not limited to, the State Personnel Board, the Department of General Services, and the Office of Administrative Law. This bill, subject to an appropriation, would establish in the Government Operations Agency the California Education Interagency Council, composed of specified state officers for purposes of evaluating workforce and economic changes in the state, integrating and aligning education and employment systems, maximizing funding impact, supporting adult skill development, coordinating regional education and workforce needs, and serving as a forum for discussions of intersegmental and cross-sector policy issues, as specified. The bill would require the council, among other duties, to adopt strategic and work plans, report to the Governor and the Legislature on the outcomes of its work and recommendations to advance transitional kindergarten to postsecondary education, inclusive, intersegmental student pathway efforts aligned to careers, establish a faculty and employer advisory committee, and provide advice and recommend tools designed to support students across their educational careers, as specified. The bill, subject to an appropriation, would establish the Office of the California Education Interagency Council in the Government Operations Agency as a neutral administrative body tasked with supporting the California Education Interagency Council, as specified.
Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health and sets forth its powers and duties pertaining to, among other things, protecting, preserving, and advancing public health. Existing law requires the department, in consultation with specified stakeholders, to develop a plan, addressing specified issues, with recommendations and guidelines for counties to use in the case of a significant air quality event caused by wildfires or other sources. This bill, the Wildfire Smoke and Health Outcomes Data Act, would require the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, to create, operate, and maintain a statewide integrated wildfire smoke and health data platform on or before July 1, 2028, that, among other things, would integrate wildfire smoke and health data from multiple databases. Under the bill, the purposes for the data platform would include providing adequate information to understand the negative health impacts on California's population caused by wildfire smoke and evaluating the effectiveness of investments in forest health and wildfire mitigation on health outcomes in California. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, to develop, among other things, protocols for data sharing, documentation, quality control, and promotion of open-source platforms and decision support tools related to wildfire smoke and health data. This bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, where appropriate, to utilize data from existing sources, including open source data and other external data, for purposes of implementing the act. This bill would create the Wildfire Smoke and Health Administration Fund. Under the bill, moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Department of Public Health, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force for the collection, management, and improvement of wildfire smoke and health data for the purposes of the act. The bill would specify that these provisions do not change existing law with respect to the jurisdiction of the public entities involved. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act governs the disclosure of medical information by an employer, a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor, as those terms are defined. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) authorizes a consumer to direct a business, as defined, that collects sensitive personal information about the consumer to limit its use of the consumer's sensitive personal information, as specified, and defines "sensitive personal information" to include personal information that reveals a consumer's neural data. The CCPA also authorizes a consumer to request that a business delete any personal information about the consumer which the business has collected from the consumer, as prescribed. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA and establishes the California Privacy Protection Agency and vests the agency with full administrative power, authority, and jurisdiction to enforce the CCPA. This bill would require, under the CCPA, a covered business to use neural data only for the purpose for which the neural data was collected and would require a covered business to delete neural data when the purpose for which the neural data was collected is accomplished. The bill would define "covered business" to mean a person who makes available a brain-computer interface to a person in this state and would define "brain-computer interface" to mean a system that allows direct communication and control between a person's brain and an external device. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.
