Existing law, beyond the sales and use tax rate generally applicable, imposes an additional sales and use tax on diesel fuel at the rate of 1.75%, subject to certain exemptions, and provides for the net revenues collected from the additional tax to be transferred to the Public Transportation Account. Existing law continuously appropriates these revenues to the Controller, for allocation by formula to transportation agencies for public transit purposes. This bill, effective July 1, 2016, would increase the additional sales and use tax rate on diesel fuel to 5.25%. By increasing the revenues deposited in a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would thereby make an appropriation. This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Sponsored bills
Existing law prohibits a party from using a peremptory challenge to remove a prospective juror on the basis of an assumption that the prospective juror is biased merely because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, or similar grounds. This bill would also prohibit a party from using a peremptory challenge to remove a prospective juror on the basis of ethnic group identification, age, genetic information, or disability.
Existing law, until January 1, 2016, authorizes a tenant to notify the landlord in writing that he or she or a household member, as defined, was a victim of an act of domestic violence or sexual assault and that the tenant intends to terminate the tenancy. Existing law requires that the tenant attach to the notice to terminate a tenancy a copy of a temporary restraining order or protective order that protects the tenant or household member from further domestic violence or sexual assault or to attach a report by a peace officer stating that the tenant or household member has filed a report alleging he or she or the household member is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. Existing law authorizes the use of a tenant's security deposit to compensate a landlord for a tenant's default in the payment of rent. Existing law provides that existing law governing security deposits applies to these terminations. This bill would extend these provisions indefinitely and would reduce the time limit for a tenant to give a notice of intent to vacate to the landlord under these provisions from 30 days to 14 days.
Existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act, prohibits a person from selling or otherwise furnishing tobacco products to minors. Existing law permits enforcing agencies to assess various civil penalties for violations of the STAKE Act. Existing law makes it a crime to furnish tobacco products to minors. Existing law also prohibits a person from selling or otherwise furnishing an electronic cigarette to minors, and makes a violation punishable as an infraction. This bill would define the term "smoking" for purposes of the STAKE Act. The bill would also change the STAKE Act's definition of tobacco products to include electronic devices, such as electronic cigarettes, that deliver nicotine or other vaporized liquids, and make furnishing such a tobacco product to a minor a misdemeanor. Existing law, the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law, imposes a tax on the distribution of cigarettes and tobacco products at specified rates, and defines tobacco products for those purposes. Existing law, the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003, requires the State Board of Equalization to administer a statewide program to license manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers of cigarettes and tobacco products, as defined. Under existing law, a violation of this act is a misdemeanor. Existing law requires a retailer to have in place and maintain a license to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products, as defined, and prescribes procedures for the issuance of and grounds for revocation or suspension of a license. Existing law requires a retailer who seeks to obtain a license to engage in the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to pay a one-time license fee of $100, as specified. Existing law authorizes the State Board of Equalization or a law enforcement agency that discovers that a retailer or other person possesses, stores, owns, or has made a retail sale of tobacco products on which a tax is due but has not been paid to seize those products, and deems those products forfeited, as specified. This bill would include in the definition of tobacco products for the purposes of those provisions relating to licenses for retailers the STAKE Act's new definition of tobacco products. This bill would require a retailer that seeks to sell a tobacco product that is not subject to imposition of a tax under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law to pay a one-time license fee to engage in the sale of that product, as specified. The bill would except the STAKE Act's new definition of tobacco products from the provision authorizing seizure of tobacco products described above. The bill would make these provisions operative on October 1, 2016. Existing law makes it a crime for a person or entity to engage in the business of selling cigarettes or tobacco products without a valid license or after a license has been suspended or revoked, as specified. Existing law also makes it a crime for a person to continue selling or gifting cigarettes or tobacco products without a valid license or after a notification of suspension or revocation, as specified. This bill would include in the definition of tobacco products for the purposes of those provisions the STAKE Act's new definition of tobacco products. The bill would make that provision operative on October 1, 2016. Existing law prohibits the smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products in a variety of specified areas. Under existing law, a violation of some of these prohibitions is punishable as an infraction. This bill would change the location restrictions for smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products to reflect the STAKE Act's definitions of smoking and tobacco products. The bill would make the use of electronic cigarettes in some of these restricted locations a violation punishable as an infraction. Existing law prohibits the smoking of medical marijuana in any place where smoking is prohibited by law. This bill would declare that its provisions do not affect any law or regulation regarding medical marijuana. By expanding the scope of a crime, 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 measure would proclaim and acknowledge the month of June 2015 and June of every year thereafter as Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Awareness Month.
This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to expand the Humanitarian Resettlement Program to allow disabled veteran officers of the South Vietnamese Army currently living in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to enter the United States.
The measure would express the intent and commitment of the state to enter into a sister state relationship with the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina.
This measure would urge the President of the United States and Congress to permanently safeguard the currently unprotected North Fork of the Smith River watershed in Oregon from any mining activities that would have the potential impacts on water supplies, economies, or the environment in California's portion of the Smith River watershed.