Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over load-serving entities, which include electrical corporations, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators. Existing law requires the commission, in consultation with the Independent System Operator, to establish resource adequacy requirements for all load-serving entities. Existing law requires the commission, in establishing those resource adequacy requirements, to ensure the reliability of electrical service in California while advancing, to the extent possible, the state's goals for clean energy, reducing air pollution, and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. This bill would establish the Clean Energy Reliability Program, to be administered by the commission, upon appropriation, to provide incentive payments to qualifying load-serving entities that exceed procurement targets for eligible resources established by the commission, as specified. The bill would require a load-serving entity to remit incentive payments to its customers as a bill credit or use the payment in a manner determined by the commission to reduce ratepayer costs arising from the additional procurement of eligible resources. The bill would require a load-serving entity to meet specified conditions to be eligible for an incentive payment. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because its provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing its requirements would therefore 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.
(1) Existing law, the Planning and Zoning law, generally requires that an action or proceeding challenging specified decisions of a public agency be commenced, and service made on the legislative body of the agency, within 90 days after the legislative body's decision. This bill would stay any timing requirements associated with conditions of approval identified in a local zoning and planning decision during a lawsuit challenging a city, county, or city and county's zoning and planning decision. By extending conditions of approval identified in local zoning and planning decisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, 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. CEQA requires that an action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul specified acts or decisions of a public agency on the grounds of noncompliance with CEQA be commenced in accordance with specified timeframes. This bill would require the time period for expiration of, and any timing requirements associated with conditions of approval identified in, a permit, agreement, or other entitlement for a project approved by a public agency to be stayed during the pendency of a legal action or proceeding challenging the approval of the project brought pursuant to CEQA. Because a public agency would be required to determine if a project qualifies for this time extension and by extending conditions of approval, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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 California Public Records Act, requires public records to be open to inspection at all times during the office hours of the state or local agency that retains those records, and provides that every person has a right to inspect any public record, except as provided. Existing law requires each agency, upon a request for records, to determine within 10 days whether that request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the agency's possession and to promptly notify the person making the request of its determination and reasons for that determination. Under existing law, the act generally does not require disclosure of personnel, medical, or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Existing law requires an agency, if it determines a request seeks disclosable public records, to state the estimated date and time when the records will be made available. Existing law permits the prescribed time limits of the act to be extended in unusual circumstances. In this connection, "unusual circumstances" include, among other reasons, the need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments separate from the office processing the request. This bill would require an agency to promptly provide a public agency employee with written notice of a request to disclose a record related to personnel, medical, or similar information of that employee, as specified. The bill would also require the agency, before disclosing or making those records available, to provide not less than 21 days' written notice to the employee of its intent to disclose or make the records available. The bill would further expand the definition of "unusual circumstances" to include the need to provide those advance written notices. By placing new requirements on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission and prescribes its membership. The Public Utilities Act requires the commissioners to be civil executive officers and their salaries to be fixed and paid in the same manner as those of other state officers. Existing law prescribes the annual salary of the commissioners and a method by which the annual salary may be increased. This bill would prohibit the annual salary and any other compensation, as defined, paid to each commissioner from being funded with revenues collected from a fee or charge imposed on ratepayers. The bill would express the Legislature's intent that funds used to compensate each commissioner are appropriated from the General Fund or another source of funding not collected from ratepayers. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the above provision would be part of the act and 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.
Under existing law, a person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, or for the purpose of prostitution or sexual exploitation, is guilty of the crime of human trafficking and subject to imprisonment. This bill, until July 1, 2026, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, would establish the California Multidisciplinary Alliance to Stop Trafficking Act (California MAST) to review collaborative models between governmental and nongovernmental organizations for protecting victims and survivors of trafficking, among other related duties. The task force would be comprised of specified state officials or their designees and specified individuals who have expertise in human trafficking or providing services to victims of human trafficking, as specified. The bill would require the task force to hold its first meeting no later than July 1, 2024, and would require the task force to meet at least 4 times. The bill would require the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the Office of Emergency Services, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Legislature by January 1, 2026. The bill would make related findings and declarations. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2026, and would repeal it as of January 1, 2027.
Under existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, the State Emergency Plan is the official document approved by the Governor that describes the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies, and includes elements addressing continuity of government, the emergency services of governmental agencies, mobilization of resources, mutual aid, and public information. Existing law makes the State Emergency Plan in effect in each political subdivision of the state, and requires the governing body of each political subdivision to take necessary actions to carry out its provisions. Existing law requires the Governor to coordinate the State Emergency Plan and those programs necessary for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency in this state and to coordinate the preparation of plans and programs for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency by the political subdivisions of this state, which are to be integrated into and coordinated with the State Emergency Plan and the plans and programs of the federal government and of other states to the fullest possible extent. Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies, including responsibility for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters on people and property. Existing law requires the office to update the State Emergency Plan on or before January 1, 2019, and every 5 years thereafter. This bill would require the office, in consultation with the Strategic Growth Council and CaliforniaVolunteers, to develop an extreme heat preparedness and response plan. The bill would require the plan to be an annex to the State Emergency Plan by January 1, 2025. The bill would make related findings and declarations. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law requires the College of the Law, San Francisco, and each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University that has an internet website, and, if the Regents of the University of California adopt an appropriate resolution, each campus of the University of California that has an internet website, to provide an online posting or notice of systemwide fee or tuition waivers available to students. This bill, without regard to whether the campus has an internet website, would require the College of the Law, San Francisco, and each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and if the regents adopt an appropriate resolution, each campus of the University of California to provide the online posting or notice of systemwide fees or tuition waivers. To the extent that the bill would impose new 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.
Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to develop a model environmental justice mission statement for boards, departments, and offices within the agency, and defines environmental justice for these purposes. This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation relating to environmental justice.
Existing law establishes the State Historical Resources Commission and the California Register of Historical Resources. Existing law authorizes a resource to be nominated for listing as a historical resource in the California Register of Historical Resources in accordance with specified nominating procedures. This bill would require the commission to establish and maintain a registry of legacy businesses, as specified. The bill would require a business be listed in the registry if nominated for listing in the registry by a county board of supervisors or city mayor, and the commission determines the business meets specified criteria, including that the business has operated in California for not less than 50 years. The bill would require the commission to develop and adopt nomination procedures for a county board of supervisors or city mayor to nominate a business for listing as a California legacy business in the registry.
Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a model water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance implementing certain standards for water well construction, maintenance, and abandonment and requires each county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, not later than January 15, 1990, to adopt a water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance that meets or exceeds certain standards. Under existing law, if a county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, fails to adopt an ordinance establishing water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment standards, the model ordinance adopted by the state board is required to take effect on February 15, 1990, and is required to be enforced by the county or city and have the same force and effect as if adopted as a county or city ordinance. Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources that are designated as basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2020, and requires all other groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2022, except as specified. This bill would, if 1% of domestic wells go dry in a critically overdrafted basin, as specified, prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the act and classified as a critically overdrafted basin unless specified conditions are met. Under the bill, these conditions would include a requirement that the county, city, or other water well permitting agency obtain a written verification from the groundwater sustainability agency that manages the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located determining that, among other things, the extraction by the proposed well would not be inconsistent with a sustainable groundwater management program, as provided, and that the proposed well would not decrease the likelihood of achieving a sustainability goal for the basin covered by such a plan. The bill would prescribe certain exemptions from these provisions. By imposing additional requirements on a local agency, 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, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) , an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the continuously appropriated Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs. The MHSA also established the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to oversee the administration of various parts of the act. This bill would require the commission to develop, implement, and oversee a public and comprehensive framework for tracking and reporting spending on mental health programs and services from all major fund sources and of program- and service-level and statewide outcome data, as specified. The bill would require counties to report to the commission their expenses in specific categories, including, but not limited to, inpatient care or intensive outpatient services, as well as their unspent funding from all major funding sources. By imposing new reporting requirements on counties, 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, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, permits an aggrieved employee, on behalf of themselves and other current or former employees, to bring a civil action pursuant to specified procedures for a violation of a provision of the Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Existing law imposes specified filing requirements on the aggrieved employee or representative in order to bring the action, including providing notice to the agency and the employer with the specific provisions of the Labor Code alleged to have been violated, and the facts and theories that support the alleged violations. Existing law provides an employer, for certain of those violations, a right to cure the violation within 33 days, as specified. For alleged violations of specified provisions of the Labor Code relating to safety in employment, existing law requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to investigate the allegations in the notice. This bill would require the notice, for alleged violations of the Labor Code other than those specified provisions relating to safety in employment, to instead include a statement setting forth the relevant facts, legal authorities, and authorities supporting each alleged violation. For those alleged violations that provide an employer a right to cure, the bill would require the notice to inform the employer of their right to cure the violation. The bill would also require the notice to include an estimate of the number of employees on whose behalf relief is being sought. The bill would require the aggrieved employee or representative, if that number of employees is 10 or more, to verify the notice under penalty of perjury, as specified. By expanding the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make a conforming change. 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.
