This measure would declare that President Abraham Lincoln be honored on February 12, 2014, the anniversary of his birthday.
This measure would declare February 19, 2014, as a Day of Remembrance in order to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
Existing law, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit. Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to identify disadvantaged communities and requires the Department of Finance to develop a specified 3-year investment plan for the expenditure of funds in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the State Treasury to achieve reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, including increased in-state waste diversion through waste reduction, diversion, and reuse. This bill would enact the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Through Recycling, Composting, and Recycled Content Manufacturing Investment Program and would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to implement the program, including developing standards and guidelines and implementing the market development program required by the bill, by expending funds appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of the program. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the board, to annually identify industry sectors that can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the increased use of recycled content or by recovering putrescible materials that would have emitted greenhouse gases if disposed. The bill would require the department to develop a market development program that would provide incentives for those eligible industry sectors to make investments for waste reduction, recycling, composting, and recycled manufacturing projects that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill would require the department to implement the market development program by disbursing funds to private or public entities in the form of incentive payments or grants for capital equipment. The bill would require the department to give priority, when disbursing funds, to projects benefiting or located in disadvantaged communities, as specified. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature regarding the appropriation of funds for purposes of the program.
The Z'Berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to, and is approved by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law establishes the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund in the State Treasury, and requires that all revenues received from a specified assessment imposed on the retail sale of lumber products, as defined, and engineered wood products, as defined, less amounts deducted for refunds and reimbursements, be deposited into the fund. Existing law requires that moneys deposited into the fund be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified purposes, including to fund existing restoration grant programs. This bill would provide that priority be given to funding restoration grant programs relating to salmon and anadromous trout species. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Game to grant funds from the Salmon and Steelhead Trout Restoration Account in the Resources Trust Fund in a specified manner, including for projects implementing instream, riparian, water quality, water quantity, and watershed prescriptions that are designed to restore the structure and function of fish habitat. This bill would require these projects to also protect the structure and function of fish habitat. Existing law requires that not less than 65% of the moneys in the account be used for salmon habitat protection and restoration projects. This bill would include training and education as uses for these moneys, as provided. Existing law requires up to 35% of the moneys in the account to be used for specified purposes. This bill would include county salmonid conservation programs as one of these purposes. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency and the Secretary for Environmental Protection, by July 1, 2014, in consultation with various entities, to select a pilot project assessment team, as specified, to undertake pilot projects with the primary goal being to improve the state's collection, organization, management, use, and distribution of vital forestry-related information. The bill would require the pilot projects to accomplish certain things, including enabling restoration measures to be identified for listed anadromous salmonids, other wildlife, watersheds, and forest health issues. The bill would require the pilot projects to conclude on January 1, 2017. The bill would require the pilot project assessment team to create a report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations and hold a public meeting to discuss the report.
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 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, subject to federal approval, require that this payment reduction not apply to skilled nursing facilities that are a distinct part of a general acute care hospital for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
