Existing law establishes the California School for the Deaf, Northern California, the California School for the Deaf, Southern California, known collectively as the California School for the Deaf, and the California School for the Blind as the state special schools, under the administration of the State Department of Education. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district, at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of each school year, to notify parents or guardians of minor pupils of specified rights and responsibilities of the parent or guardian and of specified school district policies and procedures. This bill would require the notification to a parent or guardian of a pupil who is deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind to additionally include information regarding the option for the pupil to attend a state special school, as provided. Commencing with the 2027–28 school year, if a local educational agency develops, reviews, or revises an individualized education program for a pupil who is deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, the bill would require the individualized education program team of the local educational agency to provide the pupil's parent, guardian, or educational rights holder with information about the state special schools and the option for the pupil to attend one of those schools, as specified. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to provide that information to local educational agencies. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies or local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated 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, it is the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 90% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2035, 95% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2040, 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2045, and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2035, as specified. Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to procure eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources to satisfy those state agency obligations imposed on the State Water Resources Development System, commonly known as the State Water Project, pursuant to that policy. Existing law authorizes the department to defer, until no later than December 31, 2040, procuring zero-carbon electricity resource quantities equal to the amount of electricity provided under an existing contract to procure fossil generation entered into before January 1, 2010, if the department determines that the full achievement of the state agency obligations imposed on the State Water Project would require the early termination of the existing contract and that early termination of the existing contract would result in significant uneconomic costs. Existing law requires the department, in conducting procurement, to consider specified factors and requires that all resources procured be used first to meet the department's own electricity needs. This bill would require the department, in conducting that procurement, to also consider portfolio diversity, resource type, location, and hours of typical peak operation. The bill would expand the scope of the department's authorization to defer the procurement of those resource quantities to apply to an existing contract to procure fossil generation entered into before January 1, 2011, rather than January 1, 2010. The bill would authorize, on and after January 1, 2036, excess procurement of eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources, as defined, in one year to be applied to any subsequent year's obligation, as provided.
Existing law authorizes the governing boards of 2 or more school districts to enter into an agreement, for a term not to exceed 5 school years, for the interdistrict attendance of pupils who are residents of the school districts. If a school district enters into an agreement, existing law requires, among other things, (1) that the agreement stipulate the terms and conditions under which interdistrict attendance will be permitted or denied, (2) that the school district post on its internet website the procedures and timelines regarding a request for an interdistrict transfer permit, as provided, (3) the notification of a parent submitting a current year request of its final decision within 30 calendar days from the date the request was received, and (4) if the school district denies a request for an interdistrict transfer, that the school district advise the parent, in writing, of the right to appeal to the county board of education within 30 calendar days from the date of the final denial. This bill would require the governing board of a school that has entered into an agreement, on or after January 1, 2027, for the interdistrict attendance of pupils to adopt, and post on its internet website, a policy that includes specified provisions, including that if the school district determines that a request received from a parent is incomplete, the school district is required to notify the parent, within 30 calendar days of receipt of the request, identifying any missing information or documentation, as provided. The bill would allow for certain extensions of the above-described 30-day requirement to notify a parent of its final decision when an application is determined to be incomplete or if an individualized education program meeting has been scheduled or is pending, as provided. The bill would require all interdistrict agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2027, to also contain those specified provisions, as provided. The bill would authorize the parent or guardian of a pupil to submit an interdistrict transfer request concurrently to the school district of residence and the school district of proposed agreement if there is an interdistrict agreement between the 2 school districts, and would require the school district of proposed enrollment to begin reviewing the request upon receipt, as provided.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires individual lobbyists to prepare certifications, as specified, for filing with the Secretary of State. If any change occurs in the information contained in a lobbyist certification, or if a lobbyist terminates all activity that required certification, existing law requires the lobbyist to submit an amended certification or notice of termination to the lobbyist's lobbying firm or lobbyist employer for filing with the Secretary of State within specified timelines. Existing law also requires lobbyist employers and other persons who make specified payments to influence legislative or administrative action to file reports containing information about themselves and about the type and amount of payments, as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to develop an online filing and disclosure system that, once operative, must be used for the filing of these reports. This bill would instead require the lobbyist to submit the amended certification or notice of termination directly to the Secretary of State. The bill would make conforming changes to the filing requirements for lobbyist employers and other persons that will become operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the online filing and disclosure system is functional and additional conforming changes that will become operative one year after this certification. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law authorizes a judge of the juvenile court in which a petition was filed to dismiss the petition, or set aside the findings and dismiss the petition, if the court finds that the interests of justice and the welfare of the minor require that dismissal, or if the court finds that the minor is not in need of treatment or rehabilitation, regardless of whether the minor is, at the time of the order, a ward or dependent child of the court. This bill would clarify that an adjudication dismissed pursuant to that provision be deemed to have not occurred and prohibit a person from suffering any future adverse questions based on an adjudication dismissed pursuant to that provision. The bill would specify that a dismissal of a sustained petition pursuant to that provision is deemed to include both dismissal of a petition and a setting aside of any findings.
This bill creates a new legal definition for the term "industrial city" within state and local government classifications. By establishing this specific category, the legislation clarifies how certain municipalities are identified for administrative purposes. The change updates existing laws that currently outline how governmental entities are defined, ensuring the terminology accurately reflects the nature of these specific cities.
Existing law, the Local Agency Public Construction Act, governs public works contracts awarded by counties and requires the work of construction or repair of specified public buildings to be done by contract, if the estimated cost exceeds $4,000, as prescribed. Existing law, in counties containing a population of 500,000 or more, exempts that work from the above-described requirement if the estimated cost of the work is less than $6,500. This bill would, until January 1, 2035, authorize the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency, upon approval of its governing body, to use specified alternative project delivery methods, in addition to other contracting methods allowable by law, and require a contract awarded pursuant to these provisions to be awarded on a best value basis or to the lowest responsible bidder. Because the bill would expand the crime of perjury, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the agency to follow specified procedures if its governing body approves the use of Job Order contracting, as defined, and limit the maximum total dollar amount that may be awarded under a single Job Order contract and the term of a Job Order contract. The bill would require the agency to prepare an independent cost estimate for each individual job order developed under a Job Order contract. The bill would prohibit an agency from using job order contracting unless it enters into a project labor agreement, as specified. The bill would also require an agency that uses job order contracting to submit a report to the Legislature, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency. 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 provides for the prosecution of crimes by the district attorney of each county. Existing law establishes procedures for litigating claims of factual innocence based on newly discovered evidence, including a motion for a new trial or a writ of habeas corpus. This bill would, if the district attorney accepts a case for postconviction review, as defined, authorize the district attorney to file a notice with the court notifying the court of the intent to investigate a claim of factual innocence. The bill would, upon the filing of the above-described notice, deem the case to be treated as if it were an open case for the purposes of investigating a claim of factual innocence. The bill would provide the district attorney with the power to issue subpoenas, compel the production of document and testimony, and file necessary motions to investigate claims, as specified. The bill would also require all materials obtained by the district attorney to be subject to a protective order, as specified, and to be disclosed to the petitioner or the petitioner's counsel within 60 days of the termination of the investigation.
Existing law requires a public agency to accept specified methods of payment for designated obligations. This bill would authorize a local agency to round the amount of any payment made wholly or partly in cash to the local agency, or any refund or other amount tendered wholly or partly in cash by the local agency, to the nearest $0.05. The bill would apply to a local agency only if the governing body of the local agency adopts, by majority vote, a resolution to make its provisions applicable to the local agency. The bill would define terms for its purposes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and generally regulates classes of insurance, including fire and residential property insurance. Existing regulations prescribe specified deadlines by which an insurer is required to, among other things, respond to a notice of claim, accept or deny a claim, in whole or in part, and, upon acceptance of a claim in whole or in part, tender payment or otherwise take action to perform its obligation, as specified. This bill, with respect to a claim under a policy of residential property insurance, would codify specified provisions of the regulations prescribing the deadlines above. Existing law specifies the measure of indemnity under an open fire insurance policy that requires payment of actual cash value or replacement cost. Under existing law, the measure of the actual cash value recovery is the amount it would cost the insured to repair, rebuild, or replace the thing lost or injured less a fair and reasonable deduction for physical depreciation based upon its condition at the time of the injury or the policy limit, whichever is less. If an open policy requires the insured to repair, rebuild, or replace the damaged property to collect the full replacement cost, under existing law the insurer is required to pay the actual cash value of the damaged property until the damaged property is repaired, rebuilt, or replaced, at which time the insurer is required to pay the difference between the actual cash value payment made and the full replacement cost reasonably paid to replace the damaged property. If there is a total loss to the insured structure, this bill would require, except under specified circumstances, an insurer to pay the actual cash value associated with the primary structure and other insured structures within 30 calendar days from the date the property is determined to be a total loss. After this payment is made, and after the insurer has received adequate proof of loss and documentation reasonably sufficient to determine the amount payable, the bill would require an insurer to pay the undisputed amount of replacement cost associated with the primary structure and other insured structures, up to the limits in the policy, within 30 calendar days from the occurrence of a specified event. This bill would require interest to accrue if payments are not made within 30 calendar days, as specified. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2051.5 of the Insurance Code proposed by SB 876 to be operative only if this bill and SB 876 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law generally requires county elections officials to divide the county into precincts and designate a polling place for each precinct. As an alternative, a county elections official may conduct any election using vote centers instead of polling places. Existing law requires counties to provide ballot dropoff locations that are open beginning at least 28 days before the election. Under existing law, a vote by mail ballot is timely cast if it is postmarked on or before election day and received in the mail by the voter's elections official no later than 7 days after election day. Existing law prohibits and makes it a misdemeanor to engage in specified electioneering activities within 100 feet of a polling place, elections official's office, satellite location, or an outdoor site at which a voter may cast or drop off a ballot. This bill, for any regular or special election, beginning with the November 3, 2026, statewide general election, held in 2026 through 2029, inclusive, or proclaimed in 2029, would do the following: (1) require all ballot dropoff locations to be open beginning at least 30 days before the election; (2) prohibit law enforcement officers from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on election day, except for a crime related to disrupting the operation of the polling place or a crime against a person or property; (3) authorize a county board of supervisors to extend the prohibition on electioneering activities to up to 200 feet of the specified voting locations; (4) require law enforcement officers to notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General of a suspected, planned, or actual violation of the prohibitions on arrests or electioneering activities near polling places; (5) authorize the state and local governments to place reasonable restrictions on polling places located on their property; and (6) authorize a county elections official to extend the time for closing the polls at any polling place if the county elections official determines that voting at the polling place was disrupted as a result of a violation of the prohibitions on arrests or electioneering activities near polling places. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, and by expanding the scope of an existing 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age, which includes various programs and services, including, among others, general childcare and development programs and migrant childcare and development programs. Existing law, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) , provides that a record or signature may not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form. This bill would specify that a signature required by the Child Care and Development Services Act may be satisfied by use of an electronic signature in compliance with the UETA. The bill would authorize documents with an electronic signature to be created and stored in an electronic format in compliance with the UETA, and would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement these provisions. Existing law, the Early Education Act, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. The Early Education Act and the Child Care and Development Services Act authorize contractors operating or providing services under the acts to use digital signatures that comply with state and federal standards, including specified state regulations. This bill would instead condition the authority of contractors operating under the Early Education Act and the Child Care and Development Services Act to use an electronic signature on compliance with the UETA.
