Asm. Jim Wood

Maddy summaryThis bill officially designates the week of January 26 through February 2, 2024, as CalEITC Awareness Week to highlight the California Earned Income Tax Credit program. The measure aims to increase public knowledge about this refundable tax credit, which assists low-income working families in meeting basic needs like housing, food, and health care. By drawing attention to the program, the resolution seeks to inform residents that the credit is available to many households, including those led by non-citizens and families with young children. The text includes findings on poverty levels and the economic benefits of the credit but does not change any laws or funding.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, by the State Department of Public Health. A violation of those provisions is a crime. Existing law requires health facilities to submit specified financial reports to the Department of Health Care Access and Information. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2024, the establishment of a direct patient-related services spending, reporting, and rebate requirement for skilled nursing facilities, with exceptions. Under the direct patient-related services spending requirement, the bill would require that a minimum of 85% of a facility's total non-Medicare health revenues from all payer sources in each fiscal year be expended on residents' direct patient-related services, as defined. The bill would require a facility to report total revenues collected from all revenue sources, along with the portion of revenues that are expended on all direct patient-related services and nondirect patient-related services, to the State Department of Health Care Services by June 30 of each calendar year, with certification signed by a duly authorized official, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to conduct an audit of the financial information reported by the facilities, to ensure its accuracy and to identify and recover any payments that exceed the allowed limit, as specified. The bill would require the department to conduct the audit every 3 years, at the same time as the facility's Medi-Cal audit. If a skilled nursing facility fails to comply with the direct patient-related services spending requirement, the bill would require the facility to issue a pro rata dividend or credit to the state and to all individuals and entities making non-Medicare payments to the facility for resident services, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to ensure that those payments are made and to impose sanctions, as specified. The bill would also authorize the department to withhold certain payments from a skilled nursing facility licensee for failure to fully disclose information, as specified. Because a violation of these requirements would be 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.

(1) The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 generally regulates solid waste disposal, management, and recycling. The act requires each city, county, and regional agency to develop a source reduction and recycling element of an integrated waste management plan. The act requires that element to include a 50% solid waste diversion requirement, as specified, and provides that up to 10% may be achieved through biomass conversion under certain conditions, with biomass conversion defined as the production of heat, fuels, or electricity by certain means from specified materials. One of the conditions for using biomass conversion to satisfy a portion of the solid waste diversion requirement is that pyrolysis not be included in the source reduction and recycling element. Pyrolysis is not defined for that purpose or for other purposes in the act. This bill would define pyrolysis as the thermal decomposition of material at elevated temperatures in the absence or near absence of oxygen. (2) Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, to adopt regulations, as specified, to achieve the reduction in the organic waste disposed of in landfills. The department's regulations provide for, among other things, the calculation by the department of recovered organic waste product procurement targets for each local jurisdiction and a list of eligible recovered organic waste products for purposes of the procurement targets. This bill would require the department, no later than January 1, 2026, to amend those regulations to include, as a recovered organic waste product attributable to a local jurisdiction's procurement target, pipeline biomethane converted exclusively from organic waste, as specified. (3) Existing law requires the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to promote in-state development of infrastructure, food waste prevention, or other projects to reduce organic waste, sort and aggregate or process organic and other recyclable materials into new, value-added products, or divert items from disposal through enhanced reuse opportunities, as provided. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, make the Town of Windsor and the Windsor Water District eligible for that grant program for purposes of a biosolids handling project. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Town of Windsor and the Windsor Water District. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 42652.5 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 2346 and AB 2902 to be operative only if this bill and any or all of the other bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

This measure would urge the federal government to allow vehicles registered to disabled veterans to utilize high-occupancy vehicle lanes or carpool lanes pursuant to the federal government's Clean Air Act program authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates September 2024 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in California. It serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight the importance of early detection and support for those affected by the disease. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but aims to encourage public awareness and education about ovarian cancer risks and symptoms. Copies of the proclamation will be distributed to the bill's author for sharing with the community.

This measure would urge the United States Congress to explore policy options to improve the timeliness of the United States Food and Drug Administration's approval pathways for sunscreen ingredients and filters.

This measure would designate the month of November 2024 to be California's Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The measure would recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage to our state and would seek to afford all Californians the opportunity to better understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans. The measure would condemn all hate crimes and bias incidents against Sikh Americans and would encourage all Sikhs to practice their faith freely and fearlessly.

Maddy summaryThis bill proclaims September 2024 as California Emergency Preparedness Month to raise awareness about emergency planning. It encourages residents to create personal plans that include food, water, power, and evacuation strategies for various disasters like wildfires and heat waves. The measure is symbolic and does not create new laws, funding, or administrative requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates August 8, 2024, as Coastal Stewardship Day in California. It directly affects the state by officially recognizing the importance of its coastline to the economy, environment, and community identity. The measure includes a formal proclamation and directs the Chief Clerk of the Assembly to send copies of the resolution to the author for distribution. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a commemorative acknowledgment of coastal resources and the need for their conservation.

This measure would designate the month of October 2024 as California Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The measure would also recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Hindu heritage to the state and seek to increase awareness and understanding of the Hindu American community, and would condemn all hate crimes and bias incidents against Hindu Americans, Hindu temples and centers, and places of significance to the Hindu American community.