Existing federal law provides for certification of a professional employer organization (PEO) by the Secretary of the Treasury and, for purposes of specified taxes and other obligations, treats a PEO as the employer of any work site employee performing services for any customer of the PEO. Existing law authorizes the Director of Industrial Relations to adopt regulations reasonably necessary to carry out certain laws relating to workers' compensation insurance requirements, including regulations regulating the workers' compensation self-insurance obligations of professional employer organizations. This bill would define the terms "professional employer organization" and "professional employer services" for purposes of the Labor Code.
Existing law authorizes local authorities, for those highways under their jurisdiction, to adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution, on various matters, including regulating traffic by means of specified official traffic control devices and prohibiting the use of particular highways by certain vehicles. Existing law authorizes specified proposed ordinances or resolutions to be effective as to any state highway or part thereof if the proposed ordinance or resolution is submitted to the Department of Transportation for approval prior to the enactment, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Transportation, when reviewing and approving or rejecting an ordinance or resolution that has been submitted to the department for approval by a local authority, to consider the costs of the proposed ordinance or resolution compared to any possible alternative solution to the issue that the proposed ordinance or resolution is addressing and to provide written reasons and justifications for a rejection.
Existing property tax law requires the auditor of each county with qualifying cities, as defined, to make certain property tax revenue allocations to those cities in accordance with an established Tax Equity Allocation formula. In any fiscal year in which a qualifying city is to receive a distribution under these provisions, existing law requires the auditor to reduce the actual amount distributed to the qualifying city by the sum of specified amounts, including any amount of property tax revenues that has been exchanged pursuant to specified law between the City of Rancho Mirage and a community services district. This bill would remove the above-described property tax revenues from the reductions to the actual amount distributed. By changing the duties on local officials to administer Tax Equity Allocation, 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. By removing the above-described property tax revenues from the reductions to the actual amount distributed, this bill would change the pro rata shares in which ad valorem property tax revenues are allocated among local agencies in a county, within the meaning of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 25.5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.
The State Bar Act establishes the State Bar of California (State Bar) as a public corporation and assigns to the State Bar various duties with respect to the licensing and regulations of attorneys in the state. The Supreme Court of California issued an administrative order on June 17, 2026, directing the State Bar to circulate for public comment a proposed rule of court that, if adopted, would establish a community justice worker program, as specified. This bill would require the State Bar, after it solicits public comment on the proposed rule, at the time it resubmits the proposal to the Supreme Court of California, to transmit to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary a report specifying any statutory changes the State Bar believes are necessary to implement the community justice worker program. The bill would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2031.
Under existing law, employee benefit plan distributions and any income or other increment thereon escheats to the state if the owner has not, within 3 years after it becomes payable or distributable, accepted the distribution, corresponded in writing concerning the distribution, or otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the fiduciary of the trust or custodial fund or administrator of the plan under which the trust or fund is established. Existing law provides for an exception to escheatment if, at the time the distribution becomes payable to a participant in an employee benefit plan, the plan contains a provision for forfeiture or expressly authorizes the administrator to declare a forfeiture of a distribution to a beneficiary who cannot be found after a period of time specified in the plan, as specified. This bill would establish, as an additional condition for the above exception to apply, the requirement that the distribution have been subject to a forfeiture that has not been reversed by the plan. This bill would also provide that to the extent a court determines the above provisions to be inoperative, preempted, or otherwise limited, in whole or in part, by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or any other federal law, the above provisions will be operative in the manner and to the extent allowed pursuant to any federal statute, regulations, or guidance governing this matter that are adopted by the United States Department of Labor. The bill would also provide that if the Controller finds it necessary, the Controller may enter into a multistate collaborative agreement or other contract for the purpose of ensuring that any property delivered to this state that may be subject to the above provisions regarding employee benefit plan distributions complies with federal law.
Existing law makes it a felony to knowingly procure or offer a false or forged instrument to be filed, registered, or recorded in a public office in this state, which, if genuine, might be filed, registered, or recorded under any law of this state or the United States. After a person is convicted of that crime or a specified waiver is obtained, and upon written motion of the prosecuting agency, existing law requires the court to issue a written order that the false or forged instrument be adjudged void ab initio. Existing law prescribes procedures for a prosecuting agency to file that motion. The California Constitution provides for the right to truth in evidence, which requires a 23 vote of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified. This bill would authorize a defendant who is granted diversion to stipulate to the voiding of the false or forged instrument. The bill would authorize a court in those circumstances, upon a motion by the prosecution, to issue a written order that the false or forged instrument be adjudged void ab initio. The bill would, if the defendant withdraws from diversion or fails to complete the terms of diversion and criminal proceedings are reinstated, prohibit the stipulation from being used in connection with any civil or criminal proceeding without the defendant's consent. Because that prohibition would affect the admissibility of relevant evidence in criminal proceedings, the bill would require a 23 vote of the Legislature.
Existing law, with certain exceptions, prohibits recreational use in which there is bodily contact with water in a reservoir in which water is stored for domestic use, and establishes water standards for those exempted reservoirs. This bill would create an exception from the above-described prohibition for recreation in which there is bodily contact with water by a participant in the Salinas Reservoir if the water subsequently receives complete water treatment in compliance with all applicable regulations of the State Water Resources Control Board before being used for domestic purposes, the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District conducts a prescribed monitoring program, and the reservoir is operated in compliance with regulations of the board. The bill would require, 2 years after approval of the changed use of the reservoir to a body contact reservoir by the board's Division of Drinking Water, and biennially thereafter, the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to file with the Legislature and the board a report on the recreational uses at the Salinas Reservoir and the water treatment program for that reservoir, as specified. By imposing a new requirement on the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would repeal its provisions as of January 1, 2032. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Salinas Reservoir. 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 any manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or other person in this state who sells, transfers, or otherwise furnishes any of a list of specified chemical substances, including gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) , to take specified actions, including to apply to and obtain a permit from the Department of Justice in order to sell, transfer, or otherwise furnish the substances specified above and to submit specified reports to the department, including if the entity obtains any of the substances specified above from a source outside of this state or if a permittee described above discovers the theft or loss of any of the substances specified above. Existing law makes failure to submit a report described above, and selling, transferring, or otherwise furnishing or obtaining any of the specified substances without a permit, a misdemeanor or a felony. This bill would exempt specified chemical mixtures that contain GBL that are obtained or received from a source within or outside this state or are obtained, received, sold, transferred, exported, or otherwise furnished to any person or entity in this state or any other state from the requirements described above. Existing law requires any manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or other person that sells to any person or entity in this state or any other state, any chemical reagent or solvent of a value greater than $100 to take specified actions, including to prepare and sign a bill of sale with specified information and to retain the bill of sale for a specified period of time. Existing law makes a violation of this requirement a misdemeanor. This bill would exempt specified chemical mixtures that contain GBL that are obtained or received from a source within or outside this state or are obtained, received, sold, transferred, exported, or otherwise furnished to any person or entity in this state or any other state from the requirements described above if the requirements would be imposed solely due to the presence of GBL in the mixtures. This bill would make related findings and declarations.
The Powering Up Californians Act requires the Public Utilities Commission to determine the criteria for timely service for electrical customers to be energized, including, among other things, categories of timely electric service through energization, as specified. The act requires the commission to establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods to ensure that work is completed in a manner that minimizes delay in meeting the date requested by an electrical customer to the greatest extent possible. This bill would require the commission, by September 30, 2027, in a new or existing proceeding, to establish timelines for electrical corporations to respond to and process requests to energize small energization projects, as provided. The bill would require the commission, in establishing the timelines for energization, to require electrical corporations to comply with certain requirements. Under existing law, a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bill's requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
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. Existing law exempts from CEQA a public project for the improvement, institution, or increase of passenger rail service, including the maintenance, construction, or rehabilitation of stations, terminals, or existing operations facilities that will be exclusively used by zero-emission trains or specified rolling stock or locomotives, as provided. This bill would exempt from CEQA, except as specified, a public urban, intermodal rail station project within a long-urbanized area within the statewide passenger rail network, at which high-capacity light, commuter, and intercity rail services converge that meets specified conditions, including, among other requirements, a requirement for compliance with various environmental laws and for the adoption of a plan for how any displacement from the project will be fully addressed, as provided. The bill would require a lead agency, if it determines that a project is not subject to CEQA pursuant to this exemption, and it determines to carry out the project, to file a notice of exemption with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the county clerk of the county in which the project is located, as provided. The bill would permit exemption only for projects for which a notice of exemption is filed before January 1, 2032. Because a lead agency would be required to determine the applicability of this exemption, 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 legislative code of ethics, prohibits Members of the Legislature from entering into, or requesting that another party enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to the drafting, negotiation, or discussion of proposed legislation. Existing law also makes any nondisclosure agreement relating to the drafting, negotiation, or discussion of proposed legislation entered into after January 1, 2026, void and unenforceable. Existing law provides an exception for nondisclosure agreements, or portions thereof, that prevent only the disclosure of trade secrets, financial information, or proprietary information, as specified. This bill would prohibit a local agency official, as defined, acting in their official capacity from entering into, or requesting that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes their ability to share information with fellow local agency officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency. The bill would require a local agency official in violation of that provision to, among other things, disclose the existence of the nondisclosure agreement, as specified, and would provide that these requirements imposed on a local agency official also apply to a local agency official acting in their official capacity who entered into, or requested that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement described above before January 1, 2027. By imposing additional duties on local agency officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also make any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of a local agency official to share information with fellow local agency officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency and that is entered into after January 1, 2027, void and unenforceable. The bill would prohibit an employee of a local agency or a local agency official acting in their official capacity from entering into, or requesting that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes their ability to share information with the local agency official who they serve or the governing body of the local agency that employs them. The bill would also make any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of a local agency official acting in their official capacity to share information with the local agency official who they serve under or the governing body of the local agency that employs them, and that is entered into after January 1, 2027, void and unenforceable. The bill would provide that it does not apply in specified circumstances. The bill would require a local agency official in violation of a prescribed provision to, among other things, disclose the existence of the nondisclosure agreement, as specified, and would provide that these requirements imposed on a local agency official also apply to a local agency official acting in their official capacity who entered into, or requested that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement described above before January 1, 2027. 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 California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (Cal/WARN Act) , prohibits an employer from ordering a mass layoff, relocation, or termination at a covered establishment unless, 60 days before the order takes effect, the employer gives written notice of the order to the employees affected by the order and to the Employment Development Department and certain local officials. Existing law makes an employer who fails to give specified notice regarding a mass layoff, relocation, or termination subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 for each day of the employer's violation. This bill would revise the Cal/WARN Act to also require an employer giving notice of a mass layoff, relocation, or termination caused in whole or in substantial part by an artificial intelligence (AI) system or other automated technology replacing or automating employment positions to include certain information in the notice, including the job functions performed by workers that will be automated by AI or other automated technology. The bill would require the department to publish a summary of the notices received on its internet website and to post a quarterly statewide summary of technological displacements reported. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature on artificial intelligence's effects on business hiring practices, including its impact on industries and occupations at the state and regional level. The bill would repeal the provision requiring that report on January 1, 2029.
