Asm. Wesley Chesbro

The California Constitution prohibits the Legislature from authorizing lotteries, but allows the Legislature to authorize private, nonprofit, eligible organizations to conduct raffles, as specified. Existing statutory law generally regulates raffles conducted by eligible organizations for beneficial or charitable purposes. Existing law prohibits a raffle from being advertised over the Internet. This bill would delete the prohibition on advertising a raffle over the Internet and would set forth specified information regarding a raffle that may be included on an Internet Web site.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to supervise and regulate every public utility and do all things necessary and convenient in the exercise of its power and jurisdiction. Existing law, until January 1, 2013, establishes the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) in the State Treasury, and requires a surcharge, which is imposed by the commission and collected through retail telecommunications customers' bills, to be deposited in that fund, for the purpose of encouraging the deployment of advanced communications services, as provided in a specified order of the commission. Pursuant to that order, which establishes a program providing matching funds to build broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, eligible applicants for these funds are telephone corporations having a specified certificate from the commission and wireless carriers subject to registration with the commission. This bill would, for the sole purpose of providing matching funds pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, make any entity eligible for funding pursuant to that act eligible to apply for participation in the matching funds program if that entity otherwise satisfies the eligibility requirements under the program. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States and the federal administration to work with the Governor and the Legislature of the State of California to, among other things, provide federal loan guarantees, flexibility with respect to certain programs, and certain funding levels for vital programs, as specified.

This measure would declare the week of June 29 through July 5, 2009, Yellow Ribbon Week to show support for military families and for troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This measure would acknowledge the history of the Chinese in California, recognize the contributions made to the State of California by Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants, and express regret for past discriminatory laws and constitutional provisions which resulted in the persecution of Chinese living in California.

This measure would proclaim the month of May 2009 as Motorcycle Awareness Month.

This measure would designate that January 19, 2009, be observed as the official memorial of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth, and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement in changing public policy in California and in the United States of America.

This measure would recognize February 2009 as Black History Month, urge all citizens to join in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents, achievements, and contributions that African Americans make to their communities.

This measure would recognize the weeks of February 22 through February 28, 2009, and February 21 through February 27, 2010, as Eating Disorders Awareness Week and would encourage citizens and policymakers to learn more about eating disorders and the obstacles to treatment, and to help people overcome and prevent these life-threatening diseases.