Asm. Catharine B. Baker

This measure would recognize the Lunar New Year Celebration.

This measure would proclaim the month of January 2018 as National Mentoring Month.

This measure would declare the week of January 7 to January 13, 2018, as California Fitness Week and would encourage Californians to enrich their lives through proper nutrition and exercise.

This measure would proclaim January 13, 2018, as Korean American Day.

This measure would honor the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Existing law generally protects employees who disclose illegal or improper workplace activities by prohibiting interference with, and retaliation for, making such disclosures. Existing law provides procedures for a person to file a complaint alleging violations of legislative ethics. Existing law also authorizes each house of the Legislature to adopt rules for its proceedings and to select committees necessary for the conduct of its business. This bill would impose criminal and civil liability on a Member of the Legislature or legislative employee, as defined, who interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, which is defined as a good faith allegation made by a legislative employee to specified entities that a Member of the Legislature or a legislative employee has engaged in, or will engage in, activity that may constitute a violation of law, including sexual harassment, or a violation of a legislative standard of conduct. The bill would also impose civil liability on an entity that interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, as specified. By creating new crimes, 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law establishes the State Lands Commission in the Natural Resources Agency and specifies that the commission is the successor to, and is vested with all the powers, duties, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction formerly vested in, the Department of Finance as successor to the Surveyor General, Register of the State Land Office, State Land Office, and the Division of State Lands. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to this law.

Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to designate a state highway segment as a Safety Enhancement-Double Fine Zone if specified conditions are met, including that the governing board of the city or county in which the segment is located has by resolution indicated that it supports the designation. This bill would, notwithstanding these requirements and until January 1, 2021, designate the segment of county highway known as Vasco Road, between the State Highway Route 580 junction in Alameda County and the Marsh Creek Road intersection in Contra Costa County, as a Safety Enhancement-Double Fine Zone upon the approval of the boards of supervisors of Alameda County and Contra Costa County. The bill would also impose specified duties on the department and local governing bodies regarding that double fine zone.

Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change in a provision that defines these segments of postsecondary education.