Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. This bill would establish, until January 1, 2031, the California-Mexico Higher Education Development and Academic Exchange Program for 400 students who attend a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges to attend universities in Mexico and for 400 students who attend a university in Mexico to attend a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges each year, as provided. The bill would also establish the California-Mexico Higher Education Development and Academic Exchange Program Fund in the State Treasury to fund the program, as provided. The bill would require the program to become operative only upon an appropriation of funds for its purposes.
(1) Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A and B Entitlement awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B awards, the Cal Grant C awards, and the Cal Grant T awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for these awards for participating students attending qualifying institutions. Existing law requires a Cal Grant C award to be used only for occupational or technical training in a course of not less than 4 months. Existing law requires the maximum per-student Cal Grant C award amount to be determined each year in the annual Budget Act. This bill, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, would set, commencing with the 2025–26 award year, the maximum per-student Cal Grant C award amount at no less than double the maximum per-student Cal Grant C award amount provided for the 2023–24 award year. (2) Existing law, the Cal Grant Reform Act, revises and recasts the provisions establishing and governing the existing Cal Grant Program into a new Cal Grant Program. Existing law authorizes the commission to adopt emergency regulations to implement the Cal Grant Reform Act. Existing law requires the new Cal Grant Program to include a Cal Grant 2 Program with eligibility requirements, as specified. Existing law requires the Cal Grant 2 award to include an access award, covering nontuition expenses, of no less than the maximum per-student amount provided in the 2020–21 award year, as specified. Existing law requires, as a continuation of the Cal Grant C Program, an otherwise eligible student enrolled in a qualifying occupational and technical training program who would have been eligible for aid under the Cal Grant C Program, to be eligible to receive a prorated Cal Grant award as specified in the Budget Act. Existing law specifies that the act becomes operative only if General Fund moneys over the multiyear forecasts beginning in the 2024–25 fiscal year are available to support ongoing augmentations and actions, and if funding is provided in the annual Budget Act to implement the act. This bill would require the prorated Cal Grant award and the per-student Cal Grant 2 access award amounts to be no less than double the maximum award amounts provided for the 2023–24 award year.
Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that no adoptable animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home, as provided. This bill would instead state that it is the policy of the state that no animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home or released to a qualified nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization, except as specified. Existing law prohibits animals that are irremediably suffering from a serious illness or severe injury from being held for owner redemption or adoption. Existing law prohibits a stray dog or cat impounded by a public or private shelter from being euthanized before 6 business days after the stray dog or cat is impounded, not including the day of impoundment, and requires that the stray dog or cat, except those irremediably suffering, be released to a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization before the scheduled euthanasia of the stray dog or cat if requested by the organization, as specified. Existing law, unless a different penalty is expressly provided, makes a violation of any provision of the Food and Agricultural Code a misdemeanor. This bill would instead declare it the policy of the state that no animal be euthanized by a public animal control agency or shelter or a private entity that contracts with a public animal control agency or shelter for animal care and control services, except as provided. This bill would require an eligible agency or shelter, as defined, up to 72 hours before a scheduled euthanasia of a dog or cat but no later than 24 hours before a scheduled euthanasia of a dog or cat, to post a daily list of any cat or dog scheduled for euthanasia on their public internet website or public social media page and to post a physical notice on the kennel of a dog or cat scheduled to be euthanized, except as provided. The bill would provide that a violation of these provisions is not a misdemeanor. To the extent that the above-described provisions impose unique requirements on public animal control agencies or shelters, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law prohibits a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group from selling or giving away to a new owner any dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided. Existing law imposes various requirements relating to animals on public animal control agencies and public animal shelters, including the required holding period for stray dogs and cats, a requirement to provide necessary and prompt veterinary care, nutrition, and shelter, and a requirement to keep accurate records on each animal taken up, medically treated, or impounded. This bill would collectively define "Hayden's Law" to mean several of those provisions relating to animals. The bill would require a public animal control agency or public animal shelter that seeks to adopt a policy, practice, or protocol that raises the potential for conflict with Hayden's Law to first give notice to the city or county body that funds the agency or shelter and post a notice regarding the policy, practice, or protocol at its facility in a manner that is accessible to public view. The bill would require the city or county body to, within 60 days of receipt of the notice, schedule a public hearing regarding the policy, practice, or protocol. Because these provisions would be part of the Food and Agricultural Code, the violation of which would be a crime, 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 specified reasons. 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 creates the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. This bill would establish the Antidisplacement Commercial Property Acquisition Program, to be administered by GO-Biz to provide low-interest loans to eligible community-based acquisition partners to acquire commercial property in communities that are vulnerable to gentrification and displacement. The bill would specify the goals of the program, including ensuring local businesses remain in high-risk communities vulnerable to gentrification and displacement. The bill would establish the Antidisplacement Commercial Property Acquisition Revolving Loan Fund, and would authorize GO-Biz, upon appropriation by the Legislature to the fund for purposes of the program, to provide low-interest loans for purposes of the program. The bill would require GO-Biz to adopt regulations to administer the program, including qualifications that prioritize the preservation of Black-, indigenous-, people of color-, and women-owned businesses and the acquisition of commercial property in culturally significant commercial corridors. The bill would require GO-Biz to report to the Legislature on the progress of the program by January 1, 2030, or 5 years after the disbursement of the first loan by GO-Biz, whichever is later. The bill would make the program contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for its purposes.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The University of California provides instruction and performs research at the 10 campuses it operates and maintains in Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. The bill would, on or before July 1, 2025, and each July 1 thereafter, appropriate $15,000,000 from the General Fund to the Regents of the University of California for allocation to the University of California, Merced, Medical Education Collaborative, as defined. The bill would require the University of California, Merced, Medical Education Collaborative, as a condition of receiving the appropriation, to develop a program, consistent with its mission, and in conjunction with the health facilities of its medical residency programs, to identify eligible medical residents and to assist those medical residents in applying for physician retention programs, as specified.
The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law defines "timber operations" for purposes of the act. The act provides that any person who willfully violates any provision of the act or rule or regulation of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is guilty of a misdemeanor. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. This bill would expand the definition of "timber operations" to include the maintenance of timberlands through fuels reduction paid in part or in whole with public funds. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that timber operations for the maintenance of timberland, paid in part or in whole with public funds, may, as an alternative to obtaining an approved timber harvesting plan, comply with the requirements of CEQA. 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 authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to establish and maintain classes for incarcerated persons utilizing institutional personnel or entering into an agreement with the governing board of a school district or private school. Existing law requires the department to develop and implement a plan to obtain additional rehabilitation and treatment services for incarcerated persons and parolees. Existing law requires that plan to include, among other things, filling vacant state staff positions that provide direct and indirect rehabilitation services, or obtaining services from local governments and contractors to assist with treatment for parolees and incarcerated persons. This bill would require the department to establish a 3-year pilot program at 2 or more institutions that would provide access to specified mental health therapy for those not classified by the department to receive mental health treatment from the institution. The bill would require communications during therapy sessions, as specified, between the incarcerated person and assigned therapist to be confidential. The bill would require the California Correctional Health Care Services to be the custodian of records for treatment records generated under this pilot program. The bill would require the department to report certain information to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, from March 1, 2025, to March 1, 2027. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. Existing law establishes a schedule of basic rates to be paid for the care and supervision of each foster child. Existing law also establishes the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP) , which provides aid on behalf of eligible children who have a kinship guardianship, and the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program (ARC) , which provides payments to approved relative caregivers who are caring for children and nonminor dependents who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments. Existing law requires, when a child is living with a parent who receives AFDC-FC or Kin-GAP benefits, or ARC payments, that the rate paid to the foster care provider on behalf of the parent include an additional amount, known as an infant supplement, for the care and supervision of the child. This bill would increase the infant supplement by $517.24 monthly, to be adjusted as specified for inflation and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act. To the extent the bill would impose new requirements on counties administering the AFDC-FC or Kin-GAP benefits or ARC payments, 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 specifies the minimum requirements for a 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential, which include, among other requirements, the possession of a valid 3-year preliminary designated subjects career technical education teaching credential and the completion of a program of personalized preparation as approved by the commission. Existing law establishes the Golden State Teacher Grant Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission to award grants to students enrolled in professional preparation programs leading to a preliminary teaching credential or a pupil personnel services credential who commit to work for 4 years at a priority school or a preschool program, as provided. This bill would expand the program to also award grants to students enrolled in a program of personalized preparation leading to a 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential who also commit to work for 4 years at a priority school. The bill would make conforming changes.
Existing law requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide emergency epinephrine auto-injectors to school nurses or trained volunteer personnel, and authorizes school nurses and trained personnel to use epinephrine auto-injectors to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from an anaphylactic reaction, as provided. Existing law requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to, among other things, store those emergency epinephrine auto-injectors in an accessible location upon need for emergency use and include that location in specified annual notices. Existing law authorizes a pupil to carry and self-administer prescription auto-injectable epinephrine if the school district receives specified written statements from a physician and surgeon or a physician assistant, and from the parent, foster parent, or guardian of the pupil, as specified. This bill would replace all references to epinephrine auto-injectors or auto-injectable epinephrine with references instead to epinephrine delivery systems, as defined. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law requires the State Controller's Office, to the extent the office has completed the functionality necessary, and the Department of Human Resources, when collecting demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians hired into state employment, to use additional collection categories and tabulations for specified Black or African American groups. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, require a city, county, or city and county, when collecting demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of employees of the city, county, or city and county, to include the additional collection categories and tabulations for specified Black or African American groups, as described above. The bill would make related findings and declarations. By imposing new duties on cities, counties, or a city and county, 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, 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 requires the Governor to create the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council, renamed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, to, among other things, identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California and to serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy development resource on ending homelessness in California. Existing law establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program, administered by the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, for the purpose of providing jurisdictions, as defined, with one-time grant funds to support regional coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness challenges, as specified. Existing law requires the council, upon appropriation, to distribute certain amounts, as specified, for purposes of the program. Existing law requires an applicant to submit an application containing specified information in order to apply for a program allocation. Existing law requires an applicant to prioritize finds received to specific programs, including to create youth-specific coordinated entry systems and improve assessment tools. This bill would require a continuum of care, upon appropriation and beginning with the 2026–27 fiscal year, to create or maintain a youth-specific process with their respective coordinated entry system, as specified, implement a youth-specific assessment tool, create a body or identify an existing body composed of youth with lived experience of homelessness that the continuum of care and other Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program grantees must consult with regularly, and create an array of youth-specific housing inventory. The bill would require the continuum of care to document in their application how the housing assessment is youth-specific and their prioritization policy if the continuum of care states they already maintain a youth-specific coordinated entry system. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to youth-specific programs and the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program.
