Existing law generally prohibits a person from driving, moving, or leaving a vehicle upon a highway or in an offstreet public parking facility, unless it is registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the appropriate fees have been paid. This bill would establish and require the department, on and after July 1, 2022, to administer the Voluntary Deaf or Hard of Hearing Notification Program. The program would allow a person, as specified, at the time of the original or renewal of registration of a vehicle to voluntarily indicate that a driver of the vehicle may be deaf or hard of hearing and further allow a peace officer to access that information when accessing the vehicle registration information, as specified. The department would be prohibited from indicating, in any manner, the information provided pursuant to the program on a driver's license, certificate of ownership, registration card, or license plate.
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Existing law requires every motor vehicle subject to registration to be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise and prohibits a muffler or exhaust system from being equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device. Existing law further prohibits the modification of an exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner that will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle exceeds existing noise limits. Under existing law, if, after an arrest, accident investigation, or other law enforcement action, it appears that a violation has occurred involving, among other things, an infraction involving vehicle equipment, the arresting officer is required to permit the arrested person to execute a notice, prepared by the officer in triplicate, containing a promise to correct the violation and to deliver proof of correction to the issuing agency, unless the arresting officer finds that a disqualifying condition exists. Under existing law, a violation of the above-described requirements related to mufflers and exhaust systems is included among those conditions that are disqualifying. This bill would delete the requirements related to mufflers and exhaust systems from the list of disqualifying conditions, thereby making a person who is arrested for one of these offenses eligible to execute the notice as described above.
Existing law, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, establishes the Delta Stewardship Council, which consists of 7 members, and requires the council to develop, adopt, and commence implementation of a comprehensive management plan for the Delta, known as the Delta Plan. This bill would increase the membership of the council to 13 members, including 11 voting members and 2 nonvoting members, as specified. By imposing new duties upon local officials to appoint new members to the council, 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 declares that timely DNA analysis of rape kit evidence is a core public safety issue affecting men, women, and children in the State of California. Existing law finds and declares that law enforcement agencies should either submit sexual assault forensic evidence received on or after January 1, 2016, to a crime lab within 20 days after it is booked into evidence or to ensure that a rapid turnaround DNA program is in place, as specified. Existing law also finds and declares that a crime lab that receives sexual assault forensic evidence on or after January 1, 2016, should either process the evidence, create DNA profiles when able, and upload qualifying DNA profiles into the Combined DNA Index System, as specified, or transmit the sexual assault forensic evidence to another crime lab as soon as practically possible, but no later than 30 days after receiving the evidence, for processing of the evidence for the presence of DNA. This bill would instead require, for all sexual assault forensic evidence received on and after January 1, 2020, a law enforcement agency to either submit the evidence to a crime lab within 20 days or ensure that a rapid turnaround DNA program is in place, as specified, and would require a crime lab to either process the evidence as soon as practically possible, and no later than 120 days after receiving the evidence, or transmit the evidence to another crime lab for processing, as specified. The bill would additionally, for all sexual assault forensic evidence received before January 1, 2020, require a law enforcement agency to submit the evidence to a crime lab within 6 months, and would require a crime lab to process the evidence as soon as practically possible, and within no more than 120 days, or transmit the evidence to another crime lab for processing. Because this bill would impose a higher level of service on local law enforcement agencies in processing that evidence, it 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 establishes in state government the California Transportation Commission with specified powers and duties relative to the programming of transportation capital improvement projects and other related matters. Existing law requires the commission to adopt and submit to the Legislature, by December 15 of each year, an annual report summarizing the commission's prior-year decisions in allocating transportation capital outlay appropriations and identifying timely and relevant transportation issues facing the state. This bill would instead require the commission to adopt and submit the annual report by December 31 of each year.
Existing law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish a continuing education classroom training course related to law enforcement interaction with mentally disabled persons and to make the course available to law enforcement agencies in California. This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2021, and in consultation with the State Department of Developmental Services, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and representatives of community colleges, to incorporate in-person training provided by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities into that training course.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax credit to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would allow a credit against those taxes for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and before January 1, 2025, in an amount equal to 40% of the amount paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer during the taxable year for qualified wages of qualified employees, not to exceed $6,000 per qualified employee. The bill would define "qualified employee" to mean an employee who is hired on or after January 1, 2020, and who is a vocational rehabilitation referral, qualified SSI recipient, or qualified SSDI recipient. The bill would also include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new income tax credit. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, in part, sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies, and for review of those regulatory actions by the Office of Administrative Law. Existing law requires a state agency, prior to submitting a proposal to adopt, amend, or repeal an administrative regulation, to determine the economic impact of the regulation by preparing an economic impact assessment. Existing law requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation to also prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis, and defines a "major regulation" as a regulation that the state agency estimates will have an economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals in an amount exceeding $50,000,000. This bill would instead define "major regulation" to be a regulation that the state agency estimates will have an economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals in an amount exceeding $30,000,000.
Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Existing law prohibits a regional center from compensating designated programs and transportation vendor services for providing any service to a consumer on 11 specified holidays, including July 4, Thanksgiving Day, and the 4 business days between December 25 and January 1. This bill would repeal that prohibition, thereby allowing a regional center to compensate those designated programs and transportation vendor services for providing services on any of those 11 holidays.
Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a driver's license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a driver's license or identification card to request the word "VETERAN" be printed on the face of the driver's license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified. Commencing July 1, 2019, existing law prohibits a fee from being charged for that request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify their status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions. This bill would make the payment of a fee by any veteran inoperative no later than July 1, 2020, and repeal the law on January 1, 2021, thereby indefinitely requiring the department to make a veteran designation on a verified applicant's license, without charge. The bill also would make technical and conforming changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.