Asm. Phil Ting

Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to select projects for zero-emission vehicle leases or purchases and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure for the purpose of implementing any program to encourage the use of zero-emission vehicles through a competitive grant process that includes a public bidding process. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would reduce motor vehicle emissions through the construction of infrastructure to charge zero-emission electric vehicles, with the goal of expanding the travel range of zero-emission electric vehicles by January 2015 pursuant to a specified executive order.

Existing law provides for the recording of an instrument containing an Environmental Restriction covenant made by an owner of land or by the grantee of land to do or refrain from doing an act that is reasonably necessary to protect present or future human health or safety or the environment as a result of the presence on the land of hazardous materials. This bill would also provide for the recording of an Environmental Fee Covenant, as specified, that is, among other things, imposed for no more than 50 years in connection with the installation on the property of equipment or improvements that are intended to promote, among other things, energy efficiency and the reduction of the consumption of water or other natural resources. The bill would require the instrument containing the covenant to include specified information including a legal description of the property subject to the covenant, the dates for commencement and expiration of the covenant, and a specified notice relating to the terms and conditions of the covenant. The bill would require the covenant to be subject to and subordinate to the lien and encumbrance of any first mortgage or any other mortgage against the property subject to certain requirements. The bill would require the covenantee, within a specified period following receipt of written notice from the covenantor, to provide the covenantor with written confirmation of specified matters relating to information about any outstanding obligation under the terms of the covenant. The bill would make findings and declarations in this regard.

Existing law provides for voting at polling places, by vote by mail ballot, and in mail ballot elections. Existing law prohibits a voting system from being connected to the Internet, electronically receiving or transmitting election data, or receiving or transmitting wireless communications or wireless data transfers. This bill would establish an Internet Voting Pilot Program under which a county may offer Internet voting as an additional method of voting in a local election held within the county, provided that specified conditions apply. The pilot program would be required to test the viability, accuracy, security, integrity, efficacy, accessibility, and public acceptance of an Internet voting system. Before a county may conduct a pilot program, this bill would require the county to test the program, as specified. This bill would require the Secretary of State to certify an Internet voting system before it may be used by a county in conducting a pilot program. In order to certify the Internet voting system, this bill would require the Secretary of State to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the system and report on the system's accuracy, security, integrity, efficacy, and accessibility. If a county conducts a pilot program, this bill would require the county to evaluate the program and the county's experience with the Internet voting system and report thereon to the Legislature and the Secretary of State.

Existing law authorizes counties and cities and counties to impose a documentary transfer tax at a specified rate upon deeds, instruments, or writings by which any lands, tenements, or other realty sold are transferred. This bill would provide that "realty sold" for purposes of the imposition of a documentary transfer tax includes, but is not limited to, any acquisition or transfer of ownership interests in a legal entity that would constitute a change in ownership of that legal entity's real property, as specified. The bill would also require a city, county, or city and county that imposes a documentary transfer tax to submit information to the Board of Equalization annually regarding the imposition of the documentary transfer tax and require the board to compile the information into a publicly available report. Existing law prohibits the imposition of a documentary transfer tax on the making or delivery of a conveyance to make effective an order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, if specified requirements are met. The bill would eliminate that prohibition.

Existing property tax law requires that each county tax bill, or a statement accompanying that bill, include specified information. This bill would establish the Property Tax Transparency and Accountability Program as a pilot program which would, commencing with specified fiscal years, require participating counties to provide specified information in each county tax bill, including information that indicates what percentage of the general ad valorem property tax is allocated to each local government entity, as specified, and a comprehensive account of all the services funded by local governments, as specified. This bill would additionally require those participating counties, after the cessation of the pilot program, to provide the Legislature with a report relating to the program, as described. By imposing a new duty upon local tax officials with respect to information required to be included in each county tax bill, this bill would create 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 these statutory provisions.

The Medi-Cal Act establishes 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 requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced by 1% or 5%, and provider payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 1%, for dates of service on and after March 1, 2009, and until June 1, 2011. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments and payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 10% for dates of service on and after June 1, 2011. This bill would instead require that, to the extent permitted by federal law, this payment reduction not apply to skilled nursing facilities or subacute care units that are a distinct part of a general acute care hospital, intermediate care or other specified facilities serving developmentally disabled individuals, or specified Medi-Cal provider payments for fee-for-service benefits, including payments to pharmacies, for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011. The bill would also provide that this payment reduction shall not apply to managed health care plans for dates of service after the effective date of the bill. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing sales and use tax laws impose sales and use taxes on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state, measured by the sales price. Existing law also provides for specific exemptions from these taxes. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2022, exempt from those taxes, that portion of the gross receipts from the sale of, and that portion of the sales price with respect to the storage, use, or other consumption of, a qualified motor vehicle, as defined, that is the greater of (1) the sum of the amount of any credit under a specified provision of the Internal Revenue Code relating to new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, and any amount received, awarded, or allowed pursuant to a state incentive program for the purchase or lease of an alternative fuel vehicle; or (2) the value of a motor vehicle that is traded in for the motor vehicle that qualifies for a credit or incentive amount under those programs, if the value of the trade-in motor vehicle is separately stated on the new motor vehicle invoice or bill of sale or similar document provided to the purchaser. The Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law authorizes counties and cities to impose local sales and use taxes in conformity with the Sales and Use Tax Law, and existing law authorizes districts, as specified, to impose transactions and use taxes in accordance with the Transactions and Use Tax Law, which conforms to the Sales and Use Tax Law. Exemptions from state sales and use taxes are incorporated into these laws. This bill would specify that this exclusion does not apply to local sales and use taxes, transactions and use taxes, or to specified state sales and use taxes. The Vehicle License Fee Law provides that the annual amount of the license fee for any vehicle is 0.65% of the market value of the vehicle, as specified. That law provides for the determination of the market value of any vehicle, for reclassification to increase the market value of a vehicle, and for the exemption of certain vehicles from the imposition of the license fee. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2022, for purposes of determining the vehicle license fee, exempt from the determination of market value of a new motor vehicle propelled by alternative fuels any amount allowed as a credit under a specified provision of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, and any amounts received, awarded, or allowed pursuant to a state incentive program for the purchase or lease of an alternative fuel vehicle, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law requires the surrender of certain weapons to the sheriff of a county or chief of police of a municipal police department and allows an officer to whom weapons are surrendered to offer the weapons for sale at public auction. If the weapon is not of a type that can be sold to the public, existing law requires that the weapon be destroyed so that it can no longer be used as a weapon. This bill would establish the Gun Buyback Program in the Department of Justice, which would consist of local buyback programs administered by police or sheriff departments, as specified, that would be funded up to 50% by funds administered by the Department of Justice. The local programs would purchase firearms and, except as specified, destroy the firearms, as prescribed.

Existing law requires the Director of General Services to compile and maintain an inventory of state-owned real property, excluding certain property, that may be available for lease to providers of wireless telecommunications services for location of wireless telecommunications facilities, and to provide a requesting party, upon payment of any applicable fee, with a copy of the inventory. Existing law authorizes the director to negotiate and enter into an agreement for the lease of certain department-managed and state-owned real property to any provider of wireless telecommunications services for location of its facilities, subject to specified conditions. Existing law requires that 15% of the revenues from fees collected from the lease of state-owned real property to the providers of wireless telecommunication services, with certain exceptions, be deposited in the Digital Divide Account in the California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund. Existing law requires the revenues deposited in the account to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be administered by the commission to finance digital divide projects through the Digital Divide Grant Program and defines "digital divide projects." This bill would additionally define "digital divide project" to include the teaching of computer programming and digital literacy skills to youth from underprivileged communities and underrepresented populations in technology careers.

Existing law requires every assessor to assess all property subject to general property taxation at its full value and to prepare an assessment roll in which all property within the county which it is the assessor's duty to assess is required to be listed. Existing law requires a county board of equalization or an assessment appeals board to equalize the valuation of taxable property within the county for the purpose of taxation. Existing law authorizes a taxpayer, with respect to each assessment year, to file an application for a reduction in an assessment, as provided, with the county board, which is the county board of supervisors meeting as a county board of equalization of an assessment appeals board. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2014, prohibit a tax agent, defined as any individual who is employed, is under contract, or otherwise receives compensation to communicate directly with any county official for the purpose of influencing official action relating to the establishment of a taxable value for any property subject to taxation, from representing a taxpayer before a county official without first being registered and issued a registration number by the Secretary of State. The bill would require a tax agent to file with the Secretary of State an application for registration that includes specified information and an unspecified registration fee. The bill would make the registration subject to biennial renewal and require the payment of an unspecified renewal fee. This bill would require the Secretary of State to semiannually develop a list of registered tax agents and to make that list publicly available on its Internet Web site. The bill would authorize the Secretary of State to send a tax agent and the represented taxpayer a notice of noncompliance for the failure to comply with these provisions, as specified. The bill would also authorize the Attorney General to pursue civil fines for the failure to comply with these provisions subject to specified procedures. The bill would authorize the Secretary of State to adopt rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out these provisions.