Existing law requires a county elections official to divide each jurisdiction within the county into precincts and to appoint a precinct board for each precinct at least 29 days before an election within the jurisdiction. Any voter may apply to the county elections official for appointment as a precinct board member. Until January 1, 2033, this bill would authorize a county elections official to propose, and a county board of supervisors to adopt, a system for each election in the county in which individuals are randomly selected to serve as precinct board members. The bill would make every registered voter who resides in the jurisdiction eligible to be selected, but would authorize an eligible person to be excused if the person is 70 years of age or older, or if the elections official determines the person is in ill health or has another good and sufficient reason. The bill would also authorize the elections official to disqualify a person from service if the elections official, in their discretion, deems the person unsuitable to serve. The bill would require an elections official to mail written notice to each person who is selected as a precinct board member at least 15 days before the reporting date designated by the elections official. On the reporting date, the person selected to serve would be required to report to the office of the elections official or another designated location to complete any informational forms and receive training, as provided.
Existing law establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences within the Department of Consumer Affairs and requires the board to regulate licensees and registrants under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act (LMFTA) , the Educational Psychologist Practice Act (EPPA) , the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act (CSWPA) , and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act (LPCCA) . Existing law makes a violation of those acts a crime. The LMFTA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA each contain varying provisions limiting their application to the practice of certain medical and other behavioral science professionals, attorneys, and certain religious personnel, including priests, rabbis, and ministers of the gospel of any religious denomination. This bill would revise and recast those provisions to, among other things, exempt a religious official of any denomination, including those specified above and imams, when providing faith-based counseling services as part of their regular professional duties for an established and legally recognizable faith-based entity if certain criteria are met. The bill would also exempt attorneys and physicians who provide counseling services as part of their professional practice from the LMFTA and the LPCCA. Existing law establishes examination and experiential requirements under the LMFTA, the EPPA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA to qualify for licensure or registration under those acts and requires an applicant for licensure or registration to have passed certain examinations or obtain specified experience within a certain timeline for it to be accepted by the board. In this regard, existing law generally requires the applicant to gain the required experience no more than 6 years before the board receives the application. For licensed educational psychologists, the EPPA authorizes the board to accept a passing score on a written examination administered by the board for a period of 7 years from the date the examination was taken. Under the LMFTA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA, registrants and applicants for licensure, registration, or a subsequent registration number are required to pass a California law and ethics examination. The LMFTA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA require an applicant for licensure to pass a clinical examination within 7 years from the initial attempt, unless the applicant obtains a passing score on the current version of the California law and ethics examination. This bill, instead, would require applicants for licensure under the LMFTA, the EPPA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA, to obtain the relevant experience and to pass the relevant examination within 7 years preceding the date on which the board receives the application. The bill would require those applicants and registrants under the LMFTA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA who submit applications to the board on and after January 1, 2030, to have passed the California law and ethics examination no more than 7 years before the board receives the application, as specified. Existing law authorizes an associate marriage and family therapist registration, an associate clinical social worker registration, or an associate professional clinical counselor registration to be renewed a maximum of 5 times and prohibits a registration from being renewed beyond 6 years from the last day of the month of issuance. Existing law authorizes an applicant to apply for a subsequent registration number when no renewals are possible if certain requirements are met. Existing law prohibits an applicant who is issued a subsequent associate registration number from being employed or volunteering in a private practice. This bill would increase the maximum number of renewals for those registrations to 6 and would extend the renewal deadline to 7 years from the last day of the month of issuance. The bill would authorize an applicant applying for or holding a subsequent associate registration number to request a 2-year hardship extension of the subsequent associate registration number to allow them to be employed or volunteer at one private practice or professional corporation employer, subject to specified conditions and requirements, including signing an application under penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires an associate marriage and family therapist or a marriage and family therapist trainee to disclose to a client or patient that they are unlicensed and to provide specified information to the client or patient. Existing law requires a social work applicant or registrant and a clinical counselor trainee, applicant, or associate to inform each client or patient that they are unlicensed and under supervision, as specified. This bill would instead require a marriage and family therapist applicant or registrant, a social work applicant, registrant, intern, or trainee, or a clinical counselor applicant, associate, or trainee, in addition to disclosing to a client or patient that they are unlicensed and under supervision, to provide the name of their employer or the entity for which they volunteer. Existing law establishes a $20 fee for rescoring a written examination under the LMFTA, the EPPA, the CSWPA, and the LPCCA. This bill would delete that fee. This bill would delete obsolete provisions and make other technical and nonsubstantive changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 4980.41 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 1445 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1445 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 the Maddy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fund and authorizes each county to establish an emergency medical services fund for reimbursement of costs related to emergency medical services. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, requires 15% of the fund to be used to, among other things, improve access to, and coordination of, pediatric trauma and emergency services, with specified preferences, and requires the cost of administering money deposited into the EMS Fund to be reimbursed from the money collected, as specified. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, authorizes county boards of supervisors to elect to levy an additional penalty, for deposit into the EMS Fund, in the amount of $2 for every $10 upon fines, penalties, and forfeitures collected for criminal offenses. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, requires 15% of the funds collected pursuant to that provision to be used to provide funding for pediatric trauma centers. This bill would extend the operative date of these provisions until January 1, 2037.
(1) Existing law, the Teachers' Retirement Law, establishes the State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) and creates the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teachers' Retirement Plan, which provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. STRS is administered by the Teachers' Retirement Board. Existing law also creates the Cash Balance Benefit Program, which is administered by the board, to provide a retirement plan for the benefit of participating employees who provide creditable service for less than 50% of full time. Existing law requires certain board members to receive $100 for attendance at board and committee meetings. This bill would increase that rate to $320. (2) Existing law, the Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) , creates the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) for the purpose of providing pension benefits to state employees and employees of contracting agencies and prescribes the rights and duties of members of the system and their beneficiaries. Existing law vests management and control of PERS in its board of administration. Existing law authorizes certain board members to receive $100 for attendance at a meeting of the board or committee thereof, as prescribed. This bill would increase that rate to $320. (3) Existing law, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, authorizes counties to establish retirement systems pursuant to its provisions in order to provide pension benefits to county, city, and district employees and their beneficiaries. Existing law sets forth the membership composition for boards of retirement and boards of investment, as specified. Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors for counties for which these provisions apply to provide that certain members of these boards shall receive compensation at a rate of not more than $100 for a meeting or for a meeting of a committee authorized by the entire board. This bill would authorize the above-described compensation rate to be increased by the board of retirement to not more than $320 per meeting, and would provide that this provision would not be operative in any county until it is publicly noticed and adopted by a majority vote of the board of supervisors, as specified. Existing law, applicable to Los Angeles County, authorizes the board of supervisors to provide compensation to certain members of the board of retirement and board of investments at a rate of not more than $100 for a board or committee meeting, subject to certain limits. This bill would authorize the above-described compensation rate to be increased by the board of retirement or board of investments to a rate of not more than $320 per meeting. The bill would prohibit this provision from becoming operative until it is publicly noticed and adopted by a majority vote of the board of supervisors, as specified.
(1) The Planning and Zoning Law requires a local agency or state agency to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information required from any applicant for a postentitlement phase permit, as defined. Existing law also establishes time limits for completing reviews regarding whether an application for a postentitlement phase permit is complete and compliant, and whether to approve or deny an application. Existing law requires the time limits to be tolled, if the local agency or state agency requires review of the application by an outside entity, until the outside entity completes the review and returns the application, as specified. This bill would prohibit a local agency or state agency from requiring or requesting more than 2 plan check and specification reviews in connection with an application for a building permit, as part of its review. The bill would authorize a local agency or state agency to deny an application that is not compliant with the permit standards following 2 plan check and specification reviews. The bill would also authorize an applicant to request additional submittals of applications that are not compliant with the permit standards. The bill, if a local agency or state agency finds that a complete application is noncompliant, would prohibit a local agency or state agency from requesting or requiring any action or inaction as a result of a building inspection undertaken to assess compliance with the applicable building permit standards that would represent a deviation from a previously approved building plan or similar approval for the building permit, except as specified. This bill would remove the above-described tolling requirements relating to outside entity reviews and, instead, would require, if federal or state law requires review of the application by another public agency that is independent of the local agency or state agency before the local agency or state agency is authorized to act on the application, the time limits to be tolled for the application until the public agency completes the review and returns the application to the local agency or state agency. The bill would require the local agency or state agency to notify the applicant of the tolling, as specified. (2) Existing law, if a postentitlement phase permit is determined to be incomplete or noncompliant, requires a local agency or state agency to provide a process for an applicant to appeal that decision in writing to the governing body of the agency or, if there is no governing body, to the director of the agency, as provided by that agency. Existing law requires the city or county to provide that the right of appeal is to the governing body or, at their option, the planning commission, or both. Existing law requires a local agency or state agency to provide a final written determination on the appeal not later than 60 business days after receipt of the applicant's written appeal, for housing development projects with 25 units or fewer, and not later than 90 business days for a housing development projects with 26 units or more. Existing law also specifies that the fact that an appeal is permitted to both the planning commission and to the governing body does not extend the specified time period. This bill would revise those timelines to not later than 30 business days for housing development projects with 25 units or fewer and 45 business days for housing development projects with 26 units or more. The bill would remove the specification that the fact that an appeal is permitted to both the planning commission and to the governing body does not extend the specified time period. The bill would remove the requirement that, if a postentitlement phase permit is determined to be incomplete or noncompliant, a local agency or state agency provide a process for an applicant to appeal that decision to the director of the agency if there is no governing body, as provided by that agency. The bill would remove the requirement that a city or county provide that the right of appeal is to the governing body or, at their option, the planning commission, or both. This bill would authorize the applicant to seek a writ of mandate to compel approval of the application, if the applicant's appeal is denied, or a decision on the appeal is not made within the timelines provided, or an appeals process is not provided as required. By imposing additional duties on local agencies regarding postentitlement phase permits, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law, the Housing Accountability Act, among other things, prohibits a local agency from disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development project for very low, low-, or moderate-income households unless the local agency makes written findings as to one of certain sets of conditions, as specified. The act also requires, when a proposed housing development project complies with applicable, objective general plan, zoning, and subdivision standards and criteria in effect at the time that the application was deemed complete, but the local agency proposes to disapprove the project or to impose a condition that the project be developed at a lower density, that the local agency base its decision regarding the proposed housing development project upon written findings supported by a preponderance of the evidence on the record that 2 specified conditions exist. Existing law defines the term "disapprove the housing development project" for these purposes to include any instance in which a local agency takes certain actions or fails to comply with certain requirements, including the time limits described above. Existing law makes a local agency's failure to meet the above-described time limits relating to postentitlement phase permits a violation of the Housing Accountability Act. This bill would, instead, make a violation of the above-described provisions relating to postentitlement phase permits, among others, a violation of the Housing Accountability Act. The bill would also revise the definition of "disapprove the housing development project" under the Housing Accountability Act to include any instance in which a local agency fails to comply with any of the provisions described above relating to postentitlement phase permits. By requiring local agencies to take certain actions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The bill would make other conforming changes and would provide that certain changes are declaratory of existing law. (5) 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. (6) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65589.5 of the Government Code proposed by SB 1072 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1072 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (7) 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, as amended by the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016, enacted by Proposition 57 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes the district attorney to make a motion to transfer a minor from juvenile court to a court of criminal jurisdiction in a case in which a minor is alleged to have committed a felony when the minor was 16 years of age or older, or in a case in which a specified serious offense is alleged to have been committed by a minor when the minor was 14 or 15 years of age, but the minor was not apprehended prior to the end of juvenile court jurisdiction. Existing case law prohibits the use of a minor's statements made at a transfer hearing or to a probation officer from being used during a criminal prosecution of the minor transferred to the court of criminal jurisdiction. This bill would codify existing case law to prohibit the use of the minor's statements made during a transfer hearing or to the minor's probation officer for the purposes of preparing a report for a transfer hearing from being used against the minor during subsequent juvenile proceedings or subsequent criminal proceedings, as specified. This bill would state that the provisions of this bill are declaratory of existing law.
Existing law authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to prescribe and amend rules and regulations for the administration of prisons and requires regulations, which are adopted by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to recognize and consider the value of incarcerated person visitation as a means of increasing safety in prisons, maintaining family and community connections, and preparing incarcerated persons for successful release and rehabilitation. Existing regulations create the framework for establishing a visitation process in prisons that is conducted in as accommodating a manner as possible, subject to the need to maintain order, the safety of persons, the security of institutions and facilities, and required prison activities and operations. This bill, the Humanizing and Uniting Generations Safely Act of 2026, would additionally require those regulations pertaining to incarcerated person visits to recognize and consider the importance of physical contact in incarcerated person visitation. The bill would prohibit the department from unreasonably restricting the ability of incarcerated persons or their visitors to engage in certain types of nonsexual physical contact throughout the visit, as provided. The bill would prohibit the department from taking disciplinary action based on alleged inappropriate physical contact, without first providing a warning and a reasonable opportunity to immediately correct the conduct.
Existing law makes a person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, or to effect or maintain a violation of various felony or misdemeanor offenses, including offenses relating to prostitution, child pornography, as specified, or extortion, as defined, guilty of human trafficking. Existing law makes a person who causes, induces, or persuades, or attempts to cause, induce, or persuade, a person who is a minor at the time of commission of the offense to engage in a commercial sex act, with the intent to effect or maintain a violation of various felony or misdemeanor offenses, also guilty of human trafficking. Existing law establishes the requirements for a continuance to be granted in a criminal case, including a showing of good cause. Existing law defines "good cause" for this purpose to include, but not be limited to, cases involving specified crimes, including murder and domestic violence, and to apply when the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. This bill would, in a case involving human trafficking, require the court, in determining if good cause for a continuance exists, to give great weight to the fact that the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. The bill would authorize the court to grant only one continuance for a maximum of 10 additional court days for that reason. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1050 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 2052 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2052 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law requires a public guardian to apply for appointment as a guardian or conservator of the person, the estate, or the person and estate if there is an imminent threat to a person's health or safety or the person's estate, there is no one else who is qualified and willing to act, as specified, the appointment would be in the best interests of the person, and the person is domiciled in the county. Existing law similarly requires a court to order a public guardian of a county to apply for appointment as a guardian or conservator if it appears that there is no one else who is qualified and willing to act, that the appointment as guardian or conservator appears to be in the best interests of the person, and the person is domiciled in the county. Existing law grants a public guardian a variety of powers, including the right to take control of real or personal property, issue written certification of this fact, and restrain a person from transferring, encumbering, or disposing of real or personal property held in a trust, as specified. Under existing law, a written certification issued by a public guardian and public conservator for these purposes is valid for 30 days after its issuance. Existing law requires a financial institution or other person, without inquiring into the truth of the written certification and without court order or letters being issued, to provide the public guardian or public conservator with specified information, including, among other things, property held in the sole name of the proposed ward or conservatee, and to take specified actions. Existing law establishes the public administrator as an officer of a county. Existing law regulates the administration of estates of decedents and permits the public administrator to be appointed to administer these estates under certain circumstances. Existing law grants public administrators a variety of powers in this regard, including the right to take control of a decedent's property, issue written certification of this fact, and summarily dispose of property, as specified. Under existing law, a written certification issued by a public administrator for these purposes is valid for 30 days after its issuance. Existing law requires a financial institution, governmental or private agency, retirement fund administrator, insurance company, licensed securities dealer, or other person, without inquiring into the truth of the written certification, without requiring a death certificate, without charge, and without court order or letters being issued, to perform specified functions, including providing the public administrator complete information concerning property held in the sole name of the decedent, including names and addresses of beneficiaries or joint owners, and granting the public administrator access to a safe-deposit box rented in the sole name of the decedent, as specified. This bill would remove the requirement that the property be held, or the safe-deposit box be rented, in the sole name of the decedent. The bill would authorize a court to award sanctions of no less than $1,000 per violation for fees paid and costs incurred for failure of a financial institution, governmental or private agency, retirement fund administrator, insurance company, licensed securities dealer, or other person, as specified, to comply with these requirements following receipt of service of notice of at least 30 days. The bill would make written certifications issued by a public guardian, public conservator, and public administrator to take possession or control of property valid for 60 days and would make changes to the form that a written certification is required to substantially comply with, including, among other things, requiring the social security number, date of birth, and last address of the individual to which the written certification applies. The bill would also provide a form for the written certifications for summary administration and summary disposition and would require that those certifications substantially comply with that form.
Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of federal, state, and county funds, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law sets forth provisions for the calculation of the amount of CalWORKs aid eligible to a household based in part on the size of the assistance unit. Under existing law and CalWORKs rules, aid is not affected for a member of the assistance unit who is temporarily absent from the home, and a child who is a patient in a public or private hospital for medical or surgical care is considered temporarily absent from the home for the duration of the hospital stay. Under this bill, beginning July 1, 2027, or when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automations, whichever is later, a child or other member of the assistance unit who is detained in a federal immigration detention facility would be considered temporarily absent from the home for the duration of the detention. Under the bill, the assistance unit would remain eligible to continue receive assistance and services if specified conditions are met, including that the remaining members of the assistance unit continue to meet eligibility requirements. The bill would authorize any written sworn statement by the applicant or recipient to be sufficient to establish that a member of the assistance unit has been detained in an immigration detention facility. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar written instructions until regulations are adopted. The bill would make related legislative findings. By creating new duties for counties relating to expanded eligibility under CalWORKS, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of the bill. 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 Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California and charges it with administrative and enforcement duties related to the provision of medical services under the act. Existing law establishes requirements for the delivery of medical services, including via telehealth by specified health care providers. A violation of the act is a crime. Under existing law, a "health care provider," for purpose of the act, includes a qualified autism service provider that is certified by a national entity or a qualified autism service professional, as specified. This bill would expand that definition of "health care provider" to also include a qualified autism service paraprofessional. By expanding the scope of a crime under the act, 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.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow a credit against the taxes imposed by those laws, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2027, for rehabilitation of certified historic structures, as defined, and, under the Personal Income Tax Law, for a qualified residence, as defined. Existing law allows an increased credit of 25% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures with respect to a certified historic structure meeting any of certain criteria, including a rehabilitated structure that includes affordable housing for lower income households. Existing law requires a taxpayer to receive an allocation from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) to be eligible for the credit. Existing law limits the aggregate amount of money that can be allocated for these credits per calendar year. Existing law requires, on an annual basis beginning January 1, 2021, until January 1, 2027, the Legislative Analyst to collaborate with the CTCAC and the State Office of Historic Preservation to review the effectiveness of these tax credits, as described. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst to submit a review of the effectiveness of the tax credits for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2027, to the Legislature, as specified. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2032, would enact a similar credit against the taxes imposed by the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law for the rehabilitation of certified historic structures, as provided. The bill, for tax credits allocated for those taxable years, would remove the above-described increased credit of 25% and would remove the credit for a qualified residence. The bill would also remove the limit on the amount of money that can be allocated per calendar year, and would instead require the limit to be set by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another measure. The bill would provide additional requirements relating to the manner in which the credits are allocated. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure, as defined, to include exclusions from income, to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include findings and reporting requirements in compliance with this requirement. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
