Existing law requires the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of wells so as to prevent damage to life, health, property, and natural resources, damage to underground oil and gas deposits from infiltrating water and other causes, loss of oil, gas, or reservoir of energy, and damage to underground and surface waters suitable for irrigation or domestic purposes by the infiltration of, or the addition of, detrimental substances. Existing law defines "wells" to mean oil or gas wells or other wells related to oil or gas production. Under existing law, a person who fails to comply with the requirements relating to the regulation of wells is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would, until January 1, 2035, establish the Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program and would authorize the supervisor to authorize the conversion of not more than 250 wells for use as gravity-based energy storage wells, as defined, to evaluate their use, including the establishment of appropriate operating conditions and physical parameters to safely generate energy, as provided. The bill would authorize the supervisor, the State Water Resources Control Board, or an appropriate regional water quality control board, before authorizing the use of a well as a gravity-based energy storage well, to require the operator to provide certain information demonstrating the suitability of the well for use as a gravity-based energy storage well. The bill would require idle wells that are authorized for use as gravity-based energy storage wells to be identified as gravity-based energy storage wells in a plan for the management and elimination of idle wells or updates to the plan required to be filed with the supervisor. The bill would require the Geologic Energy Management Division to require mechanical integrity testing of wells before conversion to gravity-based energy storage wells and not less than annually thereafter. The bill would require an operator of a gravity-based energy storage well, in the event of a loss of mechanical integrity of the well or a leak to the environment, to notify the division, the State Air Resources Board, the appropriate regional water quality control board, and schools and community members within 3,200 feet of the well and to cease operation until the mechanical integrity is restored or to plug and abandon the well, as provided. The bill would require gravity-based energy storage wells to be continuously monitored for leaks. The bill would require operators of gravity-based energy storage wells to annually report to the division certain information regarding their operation of the gravity-based energy storage wells. The bill would specify that the authorization for wells to be used as gravity-based energy storage wells ends at the termination of the pilot program. The bill would, by January 1, 2033, require the division, in consultation with certain entities, to evaluate the pilot program and make recommendations to the Legislature for a framework to implement an ongoing Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Program to regulate the operation of gravity-based energy storage wells, as provided. The bill would, until January 1, 2035, impose an annual charge on operators of gravity-based energy storage wells, as provided, to defray the regulatory costs incurred by the state in maintaining surveillance of those wells, ensuring that testing is conducted properly, and ensuring no damage occurs to the environment by reason of the conversion. Because a violation of the requirements of the Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program would be a crime, 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, 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 provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law generally authorizes a health care service plan or health insurer to use prior authorization and other utilization review or utilization management functions, under which a licensed physician or a licensed health care professional who is competent to evaluate specific clinical issues may approve, modify, delay, or deny requests for health care services based on medical necessity. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer, including those plans or insurers that delegate utilization review or utilization management functions to medical groups, independent practice associations, or to other contracting providers, to comply with specified requirements and limitations on their utilization review or utilization management functions. This bill would require the departments to issue instructions on or before July 1, 2026, to health care service plans and health insurers to report statistics regarding covered health care services subject to prior authorization and the percentage rate at which they are approved or modified, among other things. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to report those statistics, including information from another entity to which the plan or insurer delegates responsibility for prior authorization decisions, to the appropriate department on or before December 31, 2026. The bill would require the departments to evaluate these reports, identify the health care services approved at a rate that meets or exceeds the threshold rate of 90%, and, on or before July 1, 2027, publish a list of the services identified. Beginning on the date specified by the relevant department, but no later than January 1, 2028, the bill would require a plan or insurer, or its delegated entities, to cease requiring prior authorization for the most frequently approved covered health care services. The bill would authorize a plan or insurer to reinstate prior authorization for a specific health care provider if it determines that the provider has engaged in fraudulent activity or clinically inappropriate care, as specified. No later than 4 years after the cessation of prior authorization requirements, the bill would require the departments to publish reports regarding the impact of that cessation using information reported by plans and insurers, including data on reinstatements of prior authorization for specific providers. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2034. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements relative to health care service plans 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 regulates various businesses to, among other things, preserve and regulate competition, prohibit unfair trade practices, and regulate advertising. Existing federal law requires the Federal Communications Commission to develop regulations that require commercials to have the same average volume as the programs they accompany. The federal regulations apply to television broadcast stations, cable operators, and other multichannel video programming distributors. This bill would prohibit, on and after July 1, 2026, a video streaming service, as defined, that serves consumers in the state from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany, as specified. The bill would state that it does not create a private right of action.
Existing law, the State Bar Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of attorneys by the State Bar of California, a public corporation governed by a board of trustees. Existing law authorizes the State Bar to establish an examining committee, also known as the Committee of Bar Examiners, with powers that include examining all applicants for admission to practice law. Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, generally requires all meetings of a state body to be open and public. The State Bar Act makes the State Bar subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, with specified exceptions. The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act authorizes a state body that is an advisory board, advisory commission, advisory committee, advisory subcommittee, or similar multimember advisory body to hold an open meeting by teleconference if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would specify that the Committee of Bar Examiners shall not be considered an advisory board, advisory commission, advisory committee, advisory subcommittee, or similar multimember advisory body for purposes of those provisions. Existing law prohibits the Committee of Bar Examiners from altering the bar examination in a manner that requires the substantial modification of the training or preparation required for passage of the examination, except after giving 2 years' notice of that change, and requires the committee to communicate and cooperate with the Law School Council. This bill would prohibit the Committee of Bar Examiners from changing the vendor or creator of the multiple choice questions except after giving 18 months' notice, except as specified, and would prohibit the Committee of Bar Examiners from authorizing a remote administration of the bar examination except after giving 2 years' notice. The bill would require 120 days' notice for specified alterations of the bar examination, including changes to the medium in which testing materials are provided. The bill would require the Committee of Bar Examiners to communicate and cooperate with the Law School Council and their deans, or their designees, of law schools accredited by the American Bar Association or the committee. The bill would require the Committee of Bar Examiners to give notice if artificial intelligence is used in creating questions for or grading the bar examination. The bill would authorize the use of scaling on the bar examination, as specified. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, requires the board of trustees of the State Bar to fix the annual license fee for active licensees for 2025 at a sum not exceeding $400, and, for the annual license fee for inactive licensees for 2025, a sum not exceeding $100. This bill, until January 1, 2027, would require the board to fix the annual license fee for active licensees for 2026 at a sum not exceeding $400, and the annual license fee for inactive licensees at a sum not exceeding $100. Existing law requires certain revenue received from specified noninsurance and insurance affinity programs offered to licensees of the State Bar to go to the California Lawyers Association or an affiliated 501(c) (3) organization to support their respective diversity, equity and inclusion, access to justice, and civil engagement efforts. Existing law prohibits the California Lawyers Association from creating, operating, participating in, or soliciting its members for any affinity or royalty program involving similar insurance or noninsurance products or services with a percentage or share of costs being distributed to the California Lawyers Association. This bill would require the California Lawyers Association or the affiliated 501(c) (3) organization to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing their use of funds and a statement of compliance with the prohibition on creating, operating, or soliciting members for affinity or royalty programs involving similar products or services. Existing law prohibits a person who is not an attorney to literally translate from English into another language any words or titles that imply that the person is an attorney, and subjects the person to, among other things, a civil penalty payable to the State Bar. Existing law requires the State Bar to annually report the collection and expenditure of those funds for the preceding calendar year to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary. This bill would instead require the State Bar to annually report the collection and expenditure of those funds for the preceding fiscal year. Existing law requires the State Bar to create a program to certify alternative resolution firms, providers, or practitioners. Existing law requires the program to include different levels or tiers of certification of alternative dispute resolution firms, providers, or practitioners. Existing law requires the higher levels or tiers to be awarded to firms, providers, or practitioners that demonstrate a higher level of commitment to accountability and consumer protection based on criteria developed by the State Bar, and requires the levels or tiers to reference only specified standards of conduct. This bill would instead require higher levels or tiers to be awarded to firms, providers, or practitioners that demonstrate a high level of commitment to accountability and consumer protection based on criteria or other standards, including additional education or training, adopted by the State Bar, and would delete the provision requiring the levels or tiers to reference only specified standards of conduct. This bill would also delete obsolete provisions, update cross-references, and make other technical changes in various provisions of the act, including deleting a provision prohibiting inactive licensees from voting or holding office on the board.
Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to install screening on state freeway overpasses to prevent objects from being dropped or thrown upon vehicles passing underneath, as provided.. This bill would require, beginning on or before July 1, 2028, the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health and in collaboration with impacted local governments, to incorporate suicide deterrent considerations in the updates of applicable guidance documents, as provided.
Existing law authorizes a person proposing an eligible facility, including an energy storage system that is capable of storing 200 megawatthours or more of energy, to file with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) an application for certification for the site and related facility, as provided. Existing law provides that the certification issued by the Energy Commission is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by a state, local, or regional agency for the use of the site and related facility. Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the PUC to direct the state's 3 largest electrical corporations to file applications for programs and investments to accelerate widespread deployment of distributed energy storage systems for specified purposes and authorizes the PUC to approve, or modify and approve, programs and investments of an electrical corporation in distributed energy storage systems with appropriate energy storage management systems, as defined. This bill would require that an application submitted to the Energy Commission after January 1, 2026, in accordance with the above-described provisions relating to certification of facilities by the Energy Commission, and an application submitted to a local jurisdiction, as defined, for an energy storage system, include the applicant's certification that, at least 30 days before submitting the application, the applicant met and conferred with the authority that has jurisdiction over fire suppression in the area where the energy storage system is proposed, as provided. The bill would also prohibit the Energy Commission certification or local approval unless, after installation is complete, but before commencing operations or use of the batteries, the energy storage system is inspected by the authority that has jurisdiction over fire suppression. The bill would require that the applicant bear the cost of the inspection, as specified. The bill would require, as part of the next update to the California Building Standards Code considered after July 1, 2026, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to review and consider proposing provisions that restrict the location of energy storage systems to dedicated-use noncombustible buildings or outdoor installations, as provided. By imposing additional duties on local officers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. 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 establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, under fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2026, certain time and distance and appointment time standards for specified Medi-Cal managed care covered services, consistent with federal regulations relating to network adequacy standards, to ensure that those services are available and accessible to enrollees of Medi-Cal managed care plans in a timely manner, as specified. This bill would extend the operation of those standards to January 1, 2029. The bill would also require a managed care plan to ensure that each subcontractor network complies with certain appointment time standards unless already required to do so. The bill would require a plan to demonstrate to the department each subcontractor network's compliance with time or distance and appointment time standards, as specified. Existing law permits the department to authorize a managed care plan to use clinically appropriate video synchronous interaction, as defined, as a means of demonstrating compliance with the time or distance standards. Under this bill, the use of telehealth providers to meet time or distance standards would not absolve the managed care plan of responsibility to provide a beneficiary with access, including transportation, to in-person services if the beneficiary prefers. The bill would set forth other related provisions with regard to the use of telehealth. Existing law permits the department, upon request of a managed care plan, to authorize alternative access standards for the time or distance standards under certain conditions. This bill would, effective for contract periods commencing on or after January 1, 2027, require the department to consider the sufficiency of payment rates offered by the Medi-Cal managed care plan to the provider type or for the service type when evaluating requests for the utilization of alternative access standards. The bill would require a Medi-Cal managed care plan that does not meet time or distance standards without the use of an alternative access standards request to submit to the department documentation demonstrating efforts to contract with providers, as specified. The bill would require a Medi-Cal managed care plan, effective no sooner than contract periods commencing on or after January 1, 2026, to inform enrollees of their option to use or not use telehealth, covered transportation services, or out-of-network providers to access covered services if the health care provider is located outside of the time or distance standards. Existing law requires the department to annually evaluate a managed care plan's compliance with the time or distance and appointment time standards and to annually publish a report of its findings, as specified. This bill would require, effective for contract periods commencing on or after January 1, 2029, the evaluation by the department for appointment time standards compliance to be performed using a direct testing method, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to require enhanced time or distance standards that are more stringent than the time or distance standards described above in its contracts with Medi-Cal managed care plans. The bill would require the department to ensure that these enhanced standards are consistent across contracts for similar geographic classifications. The bill would require the department to publish all enhanced time and distance standards adopted by contract with a rationale for the enhanced standards. Under the bill, in alignment with federal regulation that requires the department to conduct analyses when developing or adjusting network adequacy standards, the department would be required to publish on its internet website by January 1, 2027, a specified workplan. The bill would also require the department to convene a stakeholder workgroup and to provide a 30-day public comment period, as specified. Existing law requires the department, to the extent permitted under federal law, to require a Medi-Cal managed care plan that is not licensed by the Department of Managed Health Care to comply with applicable requirements, under specified provisions relating to health equity and quality, for the purpose of serving applicable Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Under this bill, for purposes of implementing specified federal final rules relating to Medicaid, the department would be authorized to enter into contracts, or amend existing contracts, as specified. The bill would make this provision inoperative on January 1, 2029. The bill would authorize the department to implement the above-described provisions, relating to the health equity and quality requirements and to the Medicaid final rules, through all-county letters or similar instructions without taking any further regulatory action.
(1) Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the California State University to establish a model uniform set of academic standards for purposes of recognition for admission to the California State University. Under existing law, the University of California and the California State University are expected to plan that adequate spaces are available to accommodate all California resident students who are eligible and likely to apply to attend an appropriate place within the system. This bill would establish the CSU Direct Admission Program under which a pupil graduating from a high school of a participating local educational agency is deemed eligible for enrollment into a designated California State University campus. The bill would require, upon the implementation of transcript-informed pupil accounts, the reporting available on the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform to be used to provide the data required to determine eligibility for the program, as specified. The bill would require the California College Guidance Initiative, on behalf of the California State University, to transmit a letter of direct admission to each eligible pupil that notifies the pupil that they have been directly admitted, as specified. (2) Existing law, until the 2026–27 academic year, requires the trustees to offer for first-time freshman applicants meeting certain criteria a dual admissions program, and authorizes eligible first-time freshman applicants to enter into a dual admissions agreement with the California State University that guarantees the student's admission to a specific campus of the segment selected by the student at the time of the agreement if the student completes transfer requirements, which may include completion of an associate degree for transfer (ADT) or another established course of study for transfer within 2 academic years at a California community college. This bill would extend the above-described dual admission program until the 2035–36 academic year, and would instead require a student to complete an ADT or another established course of study for transfer within 3 academic years at a California community college. The bill would also require the California Community Colleges to take certain actions to promote the program. (3) By imposing new duties on community college districts, 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 law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires each public utility to furnish and maintain adequate, efficient, just, and reasonable service, instrumentalities, equipment, and facilities, as are necessary to promote the safety, health, comfort, and convenience of its patrons, employees, and the public. Existing law requires the commission to annually publish a report, pursuant to commission requirements, as provided. This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to require each large electrical corporation, as defined, to commence a study to evaluate significant voltage-related incidents, as defined, across its residential, commercial, and industrial customers that resulted in damage to customer-owned equipment, appliances, or property totaling $5,000 or more, as provided. The bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2027, to publish hyperlinks on its internet website to the studies, and to report on the studies to the Legislature. 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 this 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 various boards and commissions in state government with specified duties and responsibilities. Existing law generally provides for legislative oversight of state board formation, which includes, among other things, any administrative or regulatory board, commission, and committee, whose members are appointed by the Governor, the Legislature, or both. Existing law requires the Governor to appoint every officer whose mode of appointment is not prescribed by law. This bill would require the office of the Governor, commencing January 1, 2027, to maintain on its internet website a list of each state board and commission and the membership list, stated purpose, duties, meeting frequency, internet website, and vacancies in the membership for each board or commission. The bill would require the office of the Governor, on or before January 31, 2028, and annually on January 31 thereafter, to create and publish on its internet website a report containing aggregate demographic information, as defined, of appointments made by the office during the prior calendar year, as specified. The bill would require the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, commencing January 1, 2027, to maintain on their respective internet websites, or to include a link on their respective internet websites to any available resources that contain, a list of each state board or commission that each house has appointment authority over and the membership list, stated purpose, duties, meeting frequency, internet website, and any vacancies in the membership for that board or commission. The bill would also require the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, on or before January 31, 2028, and annually on January 31 thereafter, to publish on their respective internet websites, to the extent available, aggregate demographic information, as defined, on their respective legislative appointments, made during the prior calendar year, as specified. The bill would require the aggregate demographic information to only include legislative appointments created by statute, and prohibit the information from including ex officio appointments of members of the Senate and the Assembly. The bill would require the above-described published aggregate demographic information on gubernatorial or legislative appointments to, among other things, be published on the respective entity's internet websites in a prescribed manner for purposes of ensuring the anonymity of the appointed individuals.
Existing law prohibits a juvenile who is adjudged a ward of the juvenile court due to the commission of specified serious or violent offenses from subsequently owning, possessing, or having under their custody or control a firearm until they are 30 years of age. A violation of this prohibition is punishable as a misdemeanor or as a felony. Existing law also prohibits certain other persons, including a person who is convicted of a felony offense, from owning, possessing, or having under their custody or control a firearm or ammunition. Existing law requires a person subject to those orders to relinquish any firearms or ammunition they own, possess, or have under their custody or control and specifies the procedures to be used to relinquish those firearms or ammunition. Those procedures, among other things, require the court to provide specific instructions to the defendant and to assign the matter to a probation officer to investigate whether the defendant owns, possesses, or has under their custody or control any firearms, require a law enforcement agency to update the Automated Firearms System to reflect any firearms that were relinquished to the agency pursuant to these procedures, and require a defendant to timely file a completed Prohibited Persons Relinquishment Form. Existing law makes it an infraction for a defendant to fail to timely file that form. This bill would make those procedures to relinquish firearms or ammunition applicable to a juvenile who is prohibited from owning, possessing, or having under their custody or control a firearm until they are 30 years of age. By expanding the scope of a crime and expanding the duties of local probation departments and law enforcement agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law allows a search warrant to be issued upon probable cause, supported by affidavit, naming or describing the person to be searched or searched for, and particularly describing the property, thing, or things and the place to be searched. Existing law also specifies the grounds upon which a search warrant may be issued, including, among other grounds, that the property or things to be seized include a firearm that is owned by, or in the possession of, or in the custody or control of, a person prohibited from owning, possessing, or having the custody and control of a firearm pursuant to specified provisions of law, and the court has made a finding that the person has failed to relinquish the firearm as required by law. This bill would additionally allow a search warrant to be issued when the property or things to be seized include a firearm that is owned by, or in the possession of, or in the custody or control of, a juvenile who is subject to the prohibition on owning or possessing a firearm until they are 30 years of age when the court has made a finding that the person has failed to relinquish the firearm as required by law. This bill would declare that its provisions are severable. 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, the Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan, is a nonprofit voluntary employees beneficiary association, organized under federal law, that provides payments for health care and other benefits to its members. Existing law, until January 1, 2031, requires the State Department of Health Care Services to annually reimburse the plan up to $3,000,000 per year for claim payments that exceed $70,000 made by the plan on behalf of an eligible employee or dependent for a single episode of care on or after September 1, 2016. This bill would require the department to annually reimburse the Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan up to $3,000,000 per year for claim payments that exceed $50,000 made by the plan on behalf of an eligible employee or dependent for a single episode of care.
