Asm. Kristin Olsen

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law provides for a schedule of benefits provided under the Medi-Cal program, which includes certain dental services that are referred to as Denti-Cal. This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to increase Denti-Cal provider reimbursement rates for the 15 most common prevention, treatment, and oral evaluation services to the regional average commercial rates, effective January 1, 2017.

Existing law relative to electrical restructuring, within the Public Utilities Act, establishes the Independent System Operator to ensure the efficient use and reliable operation of the electric transmission grid. The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish a renewables portfolio standard requiring all retail sellers, as defined, to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, so that the total kilowatthours sold to their retail end-use customers achieves 25% of retail sales by December 31, 2016, 33% by December 31, 2020, 40% by December 31, 2024, 45% by December 31, 2027, and 50% by December 31, 2030. The program additionally requires each local publicly owned electric utility, as defined, to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources to achieve the procurement requirements established by the program. The Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative is a statewide initiative to help identify transmission projects to accommodate the state's renewable energy goals. This bill would require the Independent System Operator, when undertaking transmission planning activities, to take into account a specified report relating to solar photovoltaic system development in the San Joaquin Valley and specified principles of transmission corridor planning developed by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) . The bill would require the Energy Commission, the PUC, and the Independent System Operator, when undertaking activities as part of the Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative, to take into account the above-specified report and principles.

Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature that the University of California establish nonresident student tuition policies that are consistent with their resident student fee policies. The provisions are applicable to the University of California only if the Regents of the University of California act, by resolution, to make them applicable. This bill would require the University of California, in collaboration with the Academic Senate of the University of California, as a condition of receipt of funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act, to ensure that implementation of any admissions policy regarding admission of nonresident undergraduate students includes guidance that ensures the academic qualifications for admitted nonresident undergraduate students generally exceeds the academic qualifications of resident undergraduate students, and would require the University of California to report specified information to the Legislature annually regarding implementation of the policy. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Under existing law, anyone who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, or with the intent to effect a violation of specified sex crimes is guilty of human trafficking. Under existing law, any person who causes a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, with the intent to violate specified sex crimes, is guilty of human trafficking. This bill would create the Statewide Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force within the Department of Justice, which would consist of representatives from several state agencies and be chaired by a representative from the Department of Justice. The bill would require the task force to gather statewide data on sex and labor traffickers, sex buyers, and human trafficking victims to recommend interagency protocols and best practices for training and outreach to law enforcement, victim service providers, and other state and private sector employees likely to encounter human trafficking and to evaluate and implement approaches to increase public awareness about human trafficking. The bill would authorize the task force to create an advisory committee or advisory committees comprised of subject matter experts, as provided. The bill would prohibit the task force from duplicating the protocols developed by the California Child Welfare Council.

(1) The existing Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted as an initiative statute by Proposition 47, as approved by the electors at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, makes the theft of property that does not exceed $950 in value petty theft, and makes that crime punishable as a misdemeanor, with certain exceptions. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective only when approved by the electors. This bill would amend that initiative statute by making the theft of a firearm grand theft in all cases and punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years. (2) Under existing law, a person who buys or receives property that has been stolen, knowing the property to be stolen, or who conceals, sells, withholds, or aids in concealing, selling, or withholding property from the owner, knowing the property to be stolen, is guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony, except that if the value of the property does not exceed $950. Proposition 47 makes the offense punishable as a misdemeanor if the defendant has not previously been convicted of one or more specified serious or violent felonies or of an offense requiring registration as a sex offender. This bill would amend that initiative statute by making the buying or receiving of a stolen firearm, with knowledge that the property was stolen, or the concealing, selling, withholding, or aiding in concealing, selling, or withholding of a firearm, with knowledge that the property was stolen, a misdemeanor or a felony. (3) This bill would call a special election to be consolidated with the November 8, 2016, statewide general election. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill that amend the initiative statute to the electors for their approval at the November 8, 2016, consolidated election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an act calling an election.

Existing law requires the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to adopt emergency regulations to establish a fire prevention fee in an amount not to exceed $150 to be charged on each habitable structure, as defined, on a parcel that is within a state responsibility area, as defined. Existing law requires the state board to adjust the fire prevention fee annually using prescribed methods, and requires the state board, until January 31, 2017, to submit a report to the Legislature every January 31 on the status and uses of the fund, containing specified information and recommendations. This bill would instead require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to submit that report to the Legislature and the board, and would extend to January 31, 2021, the time until which the report is required to be submitted. The bill would additionally require that the report include specified information on each program, subprogram, and element for which the department uses money generated from that fire prevention fee, and other information regarding fund expenditures, as provided.

(1) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to accept pupils from other school districts by adopting a resolution to become a school district of choice, as defined, in accordance with specified procedural requirements and limitations. This bill would revise and recast these provisions. The bill would, among other things, revise the limits that a school district of residence may impose on the total number of pupils that may transfer out of the school district of residence to a school district of choice, would expand the list of pupil characteristics that a school district of choice is prohibited from considering in selecting pupils for admission, and would revise the requirements for admitting and rejecting and the manner of selecting pupils who apply to transfer to a school district of choice. The bill would revise the procedural requirements for becoming a school district of choice, including requiring a school district to register with the Superintendent of Public Instruction as a school district of choice, and would set forth a procedure for hearing complaints or appeals by a school district of choice, a school district of residence, or a pupil who is denied a transfer, as specified. The bill would revise requirements for providing transportation assistance for transfer pupils, including requiring a school district of choice to provide a pupil who is eligible for free and reduced-price meals free transportation assistance, subject to specified requirements. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school districts and other local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would revise data, information, and reporting requirements relating to the school district of choice program, including, among other things, requiring the Superintendent to maintain a list of the school districts of choice in the state and to collect specified other information relating to school districts of choice, and by requiring the Superintendent rather than the Legislative Analyst to make specified information available to the Legislature and the Governor each year. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst to complete and submit an evaluation and recommendations regarding the program to the appropriate education policy committees of the Legislature and the Governor by January 31, 2020. (2) Existing law makes the school district of choice program inoperative on July 1, 2017, and repeals the program on January 1, 2018. This bill would extend the inoperative date to July 1, 2022, and the repeal date to January 1, 2023. (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, 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 these statutory provisions.

(1) Existing law makes it unlawful to take mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians outside of established seasons or to exceed any bag limit or possession limit established by statute or by regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission. Under existing law, unless otherwise provided, it is unlawful to possess fish, reptiles, or amphibians except during the open season where taken and for 10 days thereafter, and not more than the possession limit thereof is allowed to be possessed during the period after the close of the open season. Existing law makes it unlawful for any person to possess more than one daily bag limit of any fish taken under a sport fishing license unless authorized by certain regulations adopted by the commission. This bill would authorize a charitable organization or nonprofit organization to possess fish taken under a sport fishing license in excess of a possession limit established by statute or by regulations adopted by the commission at any time if the charitable organization or nonprofit organization was given the fish by a donor intermediary, as defined, or a person who holds a sport fishing license and an applicable license tag or tags, the charitable organization or nonprofit organization has documentation to that effect, as specified, and the charitable organization or nonprofit organization retains any tag required to be affixed to a fish in the manner prescribed in the Fish and Game Code or regulations adopted by the commission. The bill would authorize a donor intermediary to possess fish taken under a sport fishing license in excess of a possession limit if the donor intermediary complies with the same requirements as a charitable organization or nonprofit organization. This bill would require the commission to recommend legislation or adopt regulations to clarify when a possession limit is not violated by processing into food lawfully taken sport fish. (2) Existing law requires every person 16 years of age or older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian for any purpose other than profit to first obtain a license for that purpose, with specified exceptions, and to have that license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license. Existing law requires a resident or a nonresident, 16 years of age or older, to be issued a sport fishing license for the period of a calendar year, or, if issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder of the year, upon payment of the applicable fee. This bill would require, on January 1, 2018, and until January 1, 2023, that a resident or nonresident, 16 years of age or older and under 18 years of age at the time of issuance of the license, to be issued a junior sport fishing license for the period of a calendar year, or, if issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder of the year, upon payment of the fee applicable for a one-day fishing license. The bill would also increase from January 1, 2018, until January 1, 2023, the age of persons eligible for a nonresident 10-day sport fishing license and a resident and nonresident one-day and 2-day sport fishing license from 16 years of age or older to 18 years of age and older.

This measure would recognize 2016 as the 150-year anniversary of public service and protection of state parks by state park rangers and would encourage the Department of Parks and Recreation, the California State Park Rangers Association, and the California State Parks Anniversary Committee to take all appropriate action to celebrate that anniversary.

Existing law authorizes a person holding a valid credential authorizing substitute teaching to serve as a substitute for an appropriately credentialed special education teacher, as specified. Existing law prohibits an employer from employing an inappropriately credentialed substitute teacher for a period of more than 20 cumulative school days for each special education teacher absent during each school year. Existing law authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to approve an extension beyond 20 cumulative schooldays, as provided. Existing law requires the county superintendent of schools to perform various duties with respect to the schools of his or her county, including a duty to monitor and review their certificated employee assignment practices. This bill instead would prohibit an employer from employing an inappropriately credentialed substitute teacher for a period of more than 20 cumulative school days for each special education teacher absent, or if there is a vacancy, during each school year. This bill would, until January 1, 2022, additionally authorize, subject to the issuance of specified federal guidance, a person holding a valid emergency 30-day substitute teacher permit to serve as a substitute in a special education classroom for up to 40 cumulative schooldays per vacancy when specified conditions are met. The bill would require an employing authority to report annually to its county office of education, as part of the monitoring and review of certificated employee assignment practices, the number of permitholders employed pursuant to these provisions and the length of time they were employed. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make conforming changes and nonsubstantive changes. 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 these statutory provisions.