Asm. Alberto Torrico

This bill would recognize the month of June as Portuguese Heritage Month.

This measure would declare May 2010 to be American Stroke Month in California and would urge all Californians to familiarize themselves with the risk factors, and to recognize the warning signs and symptoms associated with stroke, to help reduce the devastating effects of stroke on the population.

This measure would designate April 2010 as Autism Awareness Month, would affirm the Legislature's commitment to the important issues related to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) , would emphasize that each and every individual with an ASD is a valued and important member of our society, would recognize and commend the parents and relatives of individuals with ASDs for their sacrifice and dedication in providing for the special needs of individuals with ASDs, would recognize and commend the work of all nonprofit organizations that are contributing to the well-being of individuals with autism and their families, and would stress the need to identify children with ASDs and to begin early intervention services immediately after a child has been diagnosed with an ASD.

This measure would urge the Congress and the President of the United States to adopt the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 1283) , which institutes a policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation, and to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

This measure would proclaim the month of April 2010 as California Safe Digging Month.

This measure would recognize April 26, 2010, as California Healthy Schools Day, and would encourage schools and school districts to take proactive and preventative steps to create and maintain healthy school environments.

This measure would acknowledge the month of April 2010 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourage the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.

This measure would encourage public education institutions to designate each campus as a "Discrimination-Free Zone" to provide a safe haven from intolerance or discrimination, to enact appropriate procedures that meaningfully address acts of discrimination that occur on campus, to notify parents and the campus community of existing policies and procedures that encourage tolerance of others, and to use existing resources to identify themselves as "Discrimination-Free Zones" to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and supports the tolerance of others.

This measure would endorse efforts to raise awareness of global climate change and energy efficiency and would declare the hour of 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March to be "Earth Hour" throughout the state. The measure would encourage city, county, and state employees, and businesses to turn off nonessential lights in government buildings, public schools, public landmarks, and other buildings for that hour on March 27, 2010.

Existing law sets forth the general policy that the workweek of a state employee shall be 40 hours and authorizes workweeks of different hours to be established in order to meet varying needs of different state agencies. Existing law also authorizes the Governor to require that the 40-hour workweek be worked in 4 days in any state agency or part thereof when the Governor determines that the best interests of the state would be served thereby. Existing law vests the Department of Personnel Administration with the duties and responsibilities exercised by the State Personnel Board with respect to the administration of salaries, hours, and other personnel-related matters. This bill would exempt employees in positions funded at least 95% by sources other than the General Fund, employees of the Franchise Tax Board, and employees of the State Board of Equalization from furloughs implemented by any state agency, board, or commission. The bill would also prohibit a state agency, board, or commission from directly or indirectly implementing, or assisting in implementing, a furlough of those employees. The bill would define "employee" for the purpose of those provisions and would also specify that nothing in those provisions shall be construed as legal authorization for the imposition of furloughs on employees through an Executive order. The bill would also make related findings and declarations in support of this measure. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on January 8, 2010. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on January 8, 2010, pursuant to the California Constitution.