(1) Existing law requires an elections official who receives a vote by mail ballot to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the signature in the voter's registration record. If the signature does not compare, or if the identification envelope is missing the signature, the elections official must provide notice to the voter no later than 8 days before certification of the election of the voter's opportunity to verify their signature. The voter may verify their signature no later than 5 p.m. 2 days before certification of the election, including, if applicable, by providing their signature on an unsigned identification statement. This bill would reduce those deadlines for a regularly scheduled statewide election to no later than 14 calendar days after the election for the elections official to provide notice, and no later than 5 p.m. 22 calendar days after the election for the voter to verify their signature. For an election that is not a regularly scheduled statewide election, the bill would reduce those deadlines to 8 calendar days before certification of the election for the elections official to provide notice, and no later than 5 p.m. 2 calendar days before certification of the election for the voter to verify their signature. The bill would permit an elections official to use a vote by mail ballot drop box to receive the form used by the voter to verify their signature pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require an elections official who receives a completed unsigned identification statement that is not timely submitted to compare the signatures and, if the signatures compare, add the signature to the voter's registration record for use in future elections. (2) Existing law requires the official canvass of an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election, as specified, and to continue daily, with the exception of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. This bill would specify that if the only ballots left to count are those for which a voter has been provided, or will be provided, the opportunity to verify or to provide their signature, and the elections official does not need to conduct the official canvas for at least 6 hours per day in order to meet the deadline for certification of the results, then the canvass may be conducted for fewer than 6 hours per day until completed. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2194 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 1392 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1392 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill would also incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 3 to be operative only if this bill and SB 3 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) By imposing new duties on local elections officials, the bill would create 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.
Under existing law, the residence address, telephone number, and email address of a registered voter is confidential, except that under certain circumstances a county elections official must provide that information to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, political, or governmental purposes. This bill would exempt the residence address, telephone number, and email address of a federal, state, or local elected official or candidate from that disclosure requirement, except that the information may be disclosed for journalistic or governmental purposes under specified conditions. The bill would require the Secretary of State to provide each county elections official with a list identifying each federal and state elected official or candidate residing in the county, require the county elections official to add each local elected official or candidate to that list, and require the county elections official to make the elected official or candidate's information confidential within 5 business days. The bill would require the county elections official to exclude the elected official or candidate's confidential information when producing any list, roster, or index. The bill would require an elected official or candidate to contact their county elections official to ensure their voter registration record has been made confidential. The bill would authorize an elected official or candidate to opt out of making their residence address, telephone number, and email address confidential. By adding new duties for county elections officials, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2194 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 827 to be operative only if this bill and AB 827 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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 establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law authorizes the establishment of community college districts under the administration of community college governing boards, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction at community college campuses throughout the state. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a community college district to terminate the employment of a temporary employee at its discretion at the end of a day or week, whichever is appropriate, as specified. This bill would require, if the governing board of a community college district terminates the employment of a temporary employee, that the procedure for terminating the temporary employee comply with the provisions of the local collective bargaining agreement that pertain to the termination of a temporary employee. The bill would provide that, in all cases, part-time faculty assignments are temporary in nature, contingent on enrollment and funding, and subject to program changes, and no part-time faculty member has reasonable assurance of continued employment at any point, irrespective of the status, length of service, or reemployment preference of that part-time, temporary faculty member. By imposing additional duties on community college districts, 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.
(1) Existing law authorizes a person who has suffered harassment, as defined, to seek a temporary restraining order and an order prohibiting harassment. Existing law prohibits a filing fee for, and a fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of, a protective or restraining order if the order is based upon stalking, unlawful violence, or a credible threat of violence. This bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would authorize a petition prohibiting harassment and any related filings to be submitted electronically, as specified. The bill would require the request, notice of the court date, copies of the request to serve on the respondent, and the temporary restraining order, if granted, to be provided to a petitioner who filed electronically to be provided to the petitioner electronically, unless the petitioner notes, at the time of electronic filing, that these documents will be picked up from the court. The bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would authorize a party or witness to appear remotely at the hearing on the petition for a protective order, and prohibit the superior court from charging a fee for the remote appearance. As of January 1, 2027, the bill would require the superior court of each county to develop, and post on its internet website, local rules and instructions regarding remote appearances for protective orders. The bill would make a conforming change. (2) Existing law requires a court or court facility that receives petitions for domestic violence restraining orders to permit the petitions and related filings to be submitted electronically, as specified, and prohibits a filing fee for an application, responsive pleading, or an order to show cause that seeks to obtain, modify, or enforce a domestic violence restraining order, as specified. Existing law requires the request, notice of the court date, copies of the request to serve on the respondent, and the temporary restraining order, if granted, to be provided to the petitioner electronically, unless the petitioner notes, at the time of electronic filing, that these documents will be picked up from the court or court facility. Existing law authorizes a party, support person, or witness to appear remotely at a domestic violence restraining order hearing. Existing law requires the superior court of each county to develop local rules and instructions for remote appearances and requires them to be posted on the court's internet website. This bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would require a court or court facility that receives petitions for domestic violence restraining orders to accept electronic filings at no charge to the petitioner, and would prohibit a superior court from charging a fee for a party, support person, or witness to appear remotely at a domestic violence restraining order hearing. (3) Existing law authorizes an elder or dependent adult who has suffered abuse to seek a protective order and prohibits a filing fee for a petition, response, or paper seeking the reissuance, modification, or enforcement of a protective order. This bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would require a court or court facility that receives petitions for protective orders for elder or dependent adults to permit those petitions and any related filings to be submitted electronically, as specified, at no charge to the petitioner. As of that date, the bill would require the request, notice of the court date, copies of the request to serve on the respondent, and the temporary restraining order, if granted, to be provided to a petitioner who filed electronically, unless the petitioner notes, at the time of electronic filing, that these documents will be picked up from the court. The bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would authorize a party, representative of the county adult protective services agency, or witness to appear remotely at the hearing on a petition for a protective order for an elder or dependent adult, and prohibit the superior court from charging a fee for the remote appearance. The bill, commencing January 1, 2027, would require the superior court of each county to develop, and post on its internet website, local rules and instructions regarding remote appearances for protective orders for elder or dependent adults. As of that date, the bill also would require information regarding electronic filing and access to the court's self-help center to be prominently displayed on each superior court's home page, and require each self-help center to maintain and make available information related to elder abuse restraining orders. Existing law, upon the filing of a petition for protective orders for an elder or dependent adult, requires the respondent to be personally served with a copy of the petition, notice of the hearing or order to show cause, temporary restraining order, if any, and any declarations in support of the petition, at least five days before the hearing. This bill, as of January 1, 2027, would authorize a court to permit an alternative method of service, as specified, if at the time of a hearing with respect to an order issued based on an ex parte temporary protective order, the court determines that, after diligent effort, the petitioner has been unable to accomplish personal service, and that there is reason to believe that the restrained party is evading service or cannot be located.
Existing law establishes the California Department of Aging within the California Health and Human Services Agency. Existing law authorizes the department to make specified funds available for nutrition projects serving the needs of individuals 60 years of age or older and their spouses, as specified. Existing law, the McCarthy-Kennick Nutrition Program for the Elderly Act of 1972, among other things, establishes the Nutrition Reserve Fund for the purpose of maintaining existing nutrition services and lending moneys to senior nutrition projects, as specified. Existing law requires the California Commission on Aging, with the approval of the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, to develop and submit to the federal government a state plan for implementing the federal Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, by May 1 of each year. Existing law requires the state plan to include the establishment of projects that provide at least one hot meal per day for 5 or more days per week, and any additional meals that the agency or organization elects to provide, that ensure recommended dietary allowances. This bill would instead require that the projects provide those meals either served in an in-person setting, or provided for to-go pickup to be consumed in a virtual congregate setting by eligible individuals, and removes the requirements that any additional meals provided have to ensure recommended dietary allowances.
The California Coastal Act of 1976, which is administered by the California Coastal Commission, requires a person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone to obtain a coastal development permit. The act provides for the submission and approval of long-range land use development plans as an alternative to project-by-project review to promote greater efficiency for the planning of public works or state university or college or private university development projects and provides for amendments to those plans. The act places limits on the conditions the commission may impose on projects contained in a plan that has been certified by the commission. The act authorizes the commission to, after a public hearing, by regulation, adopt procedures for the issuance by the executive director of the commission of waivers from coastal development permit requirements for any development that is de minimis, as specified. This bill would require the commission to defer to the state university or college or private university in determining the number of vehicle parking spaces necessary for residents of student, faculty, or staff housing facilities, as provided. The bill would authorize the executive director to determine that a proposed amendment to a public works plan or long-range development plan is de minimis and would provide the procedures for the determination and approval of amendments that are de minimis. The bill would require the commission to track and publish on a public portion of its internet website any public works plans or long-range development plans, amendments to public works plans or long-range development plans, and notices of impending development submitted by a state university or college or private university to the commission for approval, as specified.
Existing law provides for the certification of registered environmental health specialists by the State Department of Public Health and establishes application, examination, and renewal fees for this certification. Existing law prescribes educational requirements for the registration of an environmental health specialist and requires all basic science coursework to be equal to what is acceptable in an approved environmental health degree program. Existing law provides that only a person who meets those educational and experience requirements is eligible for admission to the environmental health specialist examination. Existing law prohibits an applicant who fails to pass the written examination twice from taking the examination additional times unless specified time periods have elapsed. Existing law prohibits a person from taking the examination more than once in a 2-year period. Existing law requires the department to maintain a current registry of all registered environmental health specialists and environmental health specialist trainees in the state. Existing law defines the scope of practice for a registered environmental health professional to include, but not be limited to, the prevention of environmental health hazards and the promotion and protection of the public health and the environment in specified areas, including, among others, food protection, housing, and hazardous materials management. Existing law authorizes a local health department to employ a registered environmental health specialist to enforce public health laws, as specified. Existing law authorizes an environmental health specialist trainee to work under the supervision of a registered environmental health specialist for a period not to exceed 3 years. Existing law defines "environmental health specialist trainee" as a person who possesses a bachelor's degree, as specified, and who is engaged in an approved environmental health training plan. Existing law requires an environmental health training plan to include specified elements. This bill would instead prohibit an applicant from being reexamined for 90 days after failing to pass the written examination. The bill would revise the educational requirements for the registration of an environmental health specialist, as specified, and would delete the requirement that basic science coursework be equal to what is acceptable in an approved environmental health degree program. This bill would extend the period of required supervision to instead not exceed 5 years. The bill would include body art and medical waste in the scope of practice of registered environmental health specialists and would revise the environmental health training plan elements, as specified. The bill would require the department to make its registry of registered specialists and trainees publicly available on its internet website within 90 days of the administration of an exam. Existing law requires an Environmental Health Specialist Registration Committee to be appointed to advise and to make recommendations to the department. Existing law prescribes the membership of the committee, including 2 members with experience as local directors of environmental health, as specified, 2 members from environmental health faculty from California universities and colleges, 2 public members who have not been engaged in the field of environmental health in the 5 years preceding their appointment, and the Chief of the Environmental Planning and Local Health Services Branch, who serves as executive officer in a nonvoting role. Existing law prohibits a committee member from serving no more than 2 successive terms and requires a committee member to serve until the appointment and qualification of their successor or until one year after their term has expired, whichever occurs first. This bill would instead make the State Environmental Health Director serve as the executive officer of the committee and would revise the committee membership, as specified. The bill would delete the prohibition on a committee member serving more than 2 consecutive terms. The bill would delete the requirement that a committee member serve until one year after the expiration of their term. The bill would make clarifying technical changes to the terminology used in those and related provisions to distinguish local directors of environmental health from the State Environmental Health Director. Existing law requires the committee to meet at least twice annually and defines a quorum for these purposes as 6 members of the committee. Existing law requires the committee to keep a record of its proceedings. This bill would require the committee to meet at least quarterly, in person or virtually, and would redefine a quorum of the committee to mean a simple majority of the filled committee seats. The bill would authorize the chairperson to cancel a committee meeting, as specified. The bill would also require the committee to keep a record of its meetings.
Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to establish and lead the California Cybersecurity Integration Center. Existing law states that the center's mission is to reduce the likelihood and severity of cyber incidents that could damage California's economy, its critical infrastructure, or public and private sector computer networks in the state. Existing law requires the center to serve as the central organizing hub of state government's cybersecurity activities and coordinate information sharing with specified entities, including local, state, and federal agencies. This bill would require the California Cybersecurity Integration Center to develop, on or before January 1, 2027, in consultation with the Office of Information Security and the Government Operations Agency, a California AI Cybersecurity Collaboration Playbook, as specified, to facilitate information sharing across the cyber and artificial intelligence communities and to strengthen collective cyber defenses against emerging threats. The bill would require the center to review federal requirements, standards, and industry best practices, as specified, and to use those resources to inform the development of the California AI Cybersecurity Collaboration Playbook. Except as specified, the bill would provide that any information related to cyber threat indicators or defensive measures for a cybersecurity purpose shared in accordance with the California AI Cybersecurity Collaboration Playbook is confidential and would prohibit that information from being disclosed, except as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to its provisions. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law authorizes the governing body with jurisdiction over school buildings or other public buildings, as defined, to allow its buildings to be used for polling places, or for vote centers, beginning up to 10 days before the election and continuing through election day, or to store voting machines and other vote-tabulating devices. Once a governing body has approved the use of a building as a polling place or vote center, existing law requires the governing body to instruct the school district or other public administrator to provide the elections official a site with an adequate amount of space that will allow the precinct board or vote center to perform its duties. This bill would require the governing body to instruct the school district or other public administrator to provide the elections official with an adequate amount of space for voting operations and storage of associated supplies. Existing law requires the district administrator to make building parking available at no charge to the precinct or vote center board and voters, as specified. This bill would require the district administrator to also make accessible parking spaces and parking for assisting voters curbside available, if requested by the elections official.
Existing law establishes the Classified School Employee Summer Assistance Program. Existing law authorizes local educational agencies to elect to participate in the program and authorizes a classified employee of a participating local educational agency who meets specified requirements to withhold an amount from the employee's monthly paycheck during the school year to be paid out during the summer recess period, as provided. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to apportion funds to participating local educational agencies within 30 days of receiving a request for payment by the participating local educational agency, as provided. Existing law provides that operation of the program is contingent upon an appropriation for the program in the annual Budget Act or another statute. Existing law defines "local educational agency" for these purposes as a school district or county office of education. Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, authorizes 2 or more public agencies, if authorized by their legislative or other governing bodies, to enter into an agreement to jointly exercise any power common to the contracting parties, as provided. That act requires, among other things, that the agreement state the purpose of the agreement or power to be exercised and provide for the method by which the purpose will be accomplished or the manner in which the power will be exercised. This bill would add a joint powers authority formed pursuant to that act consisting solely of school districts and county offices of education to the definition of a local educational agency for purposes of the program, thereby authorizing a joint powers authority and its classified employees to participate in the program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 45500 of the Education Code proposed by AB 147 and SB 147 to be operative only if this bill and either AB 147 or SB 147 is enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law designates various persons as peace officers, including officers of a state hospital under the jurisdiction of the State Department of State Hospitals or the State Department of Developmental Services. Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of their employment. Existing law creates a disputable presumption, applicable to officers and employees in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, that heart trouble that develops or manifests during a period when the employee is in the service of the department arose out of and in the course of employment. This bill would add to the above-described presumption a peace officer, as defined, employed by the State Department of State Hospitals and would make other conforming and technical changes.
Existing law, until December 31, 2025, requires an employer, as defined, to offer its laid-off employees specified information about job positions that become available for which the laid-off employees are qualified, and to offer positions to those laid-off employees based on a preference system, in accordance with specified timelines and procedures. Existing law, until December 31, 2025, also prohibits an employer from refusing to employ, terminating, reducing compensation, or taking other adverse action against a laid-off employee for seeking to enforce their rights under these provisions. These provisions are enforced by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, as prescribed. Existing law defines "laid-off employee" for these purposes to mean an employee who was employed by the employer for 6 months or more and whose most recent separation from active employment by the employer occurred on or after March 4, 2020, and was due to a reason related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a public health directive or reduction in force, among other reasons. Existing law also creates a presumption that a separation due to a lack of business, reduction in force, or other economic, nondisciplinary reason is due to a reason related to the COVID-19 pandemic, unless the employer establishes otherwise by a preponderance of the evidence. This bill would extend operation of these provisions until January 1, 2027, except as specified.
