This measure would extend to the people of the Province of Syunik in Armenia an invitation to join with California in a sister state relationship until January 1, 2026.
This measure would proclaim the month of September 2021 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in California and state the commitment of the Legislature to support efforts to find cures for, and achieve prevention of, childhood cancer.
This measure would, among other things, honor the late civil rights pioneer and icon Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Existing law authorizes a school district, charter school, or county office of education to provide an independent study program for, and independent study courses to, pupils enrolled in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in accordance with prescribed conditions. Existing law requires a school district, county office of education, or charter school that submits an affidavit under certain provisions for an event occurring after September 1, 2021, that resulted in a school closure or material decrease in attendance at the school district, to certify that it has a plan for which independent study will be offered to pupils that complies with certain requirements. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the latter provision.
Existing law, enforced by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, defines and regulates mines and tunnels and distinguishes between above ground, or surface mines, and underground mines. Existing law requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to issue citations if, upon inspection, an employer violates specified standards, rules, orders, or regulations. Existing law authorizes a notice to be issued in lieu of a citation if specified conditions are met. Existing law prohibits a citation or notice from being issued by the division more than 6 months after the occurrence of the violation. This bill would specify that the division is prohibited from issuing a citation or notice to a surface mine employer more than 6 months after the occurrence of a violation. For inspections at a surface mine, the bill would require the division to provide the employer a specified notice of hazard within 72 hours after the inspection for observable conditions that may cause an injury if not addressed with reasonable promptness. The bill would prohibit the absence of identification of particular conditions in a notice, or the failure of the division to note particular conditions in a notice, from being grounds to dismiss or prevent applicable enforcement or corrective action.
Existing law provides specified protections for employees and specified obligations and prohibitions for employers in regard to payment of wages, gratuities, working conditions, bonds and photographs required by employers, contracts and applications for employment, purchases by employees, employee working hours, agreements regarding joining or becoming a member of a labor organization or employer organization, solicitation of employees by misrepresentation, enrollment in drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, employee political affiliations, public works, employee indemnification and contributory negligence, provision of health benefits, termination, and occupational safety and health. A violation of several of these provisions by an employer or an agent, manager, superintendent, or officer of an employer is a misdemeanor or infraction, as specified. This bill would expressly provide that these provisions apply to the Legislature and legislative employees, as specified. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would declare the intent of the Legislature that these changes operate retroactively, except to the extent that retroactive operation would impose criminal liability for violations of law occurring before January 1, 2022. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to collect unpaid wages and monetary benefits due to an employee. Existing law requires the commissioner to make a diligent search to locate any worker for whom the commissioner has collected unpaid wages or benefits. Existing law requires the commissioner to remit those wages or benefits to the unpaid worker or the worker's representative, or to a trust or custodial fund established under a plan to provide prescribed benefits. Under existing law, the commissioner acts as trustee and deposits the collected wages and benefits into the Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund, which is continuously appropriated for the purpose of remitting the collected wages or benefits. By expanding the scope of provisions of the Labor Code to apply to the Legislature, the bill would increase the amount of collected wages and benefits deposited into the Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund, thereby making an appropriation. The Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 authorizes an aggrieved employee on behalf of themselves and other current or former employees to bring a civil action to recover specified civil penalties, that would otherwise be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, for the violation of certain provisions affecting employees. The act provides that a specified percentage of civil penalties recovered by aggrieved employees are distributed to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to be continuously appropriated to supplement specified agency functions. This bill would authorize an employee of the Legislature to bring an action described above. The bill would provide that the portion of a civil penalty not distributed to an aggrieved employee under the act shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would make these provisions retroactive. 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.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities. Existing law includes legislative findings that public utilities have dedicated a portion of their utility pole support structures to cable television corporations for pole attachments and declares that the provision by public utilities of surplus space and excess capacity for pole attachments is a public utility service delivered by public utilities to cable television corporations and is in the interests of the people of California. Under existing law, whenever a public utility and a cable television corporation or association of cable television corporations are unable to agree upon the terms, conditions, or annual compensation for pole attachments or the terms, conditions, or costs of rearrangements, the commission is required to establish and enforce the rates, terms, and conditions for pole attachments and rearrangements so as to ensure a public utility the recovery of specified funds. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a driver's license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a driver's license or identification card to request the word "VETERAN" be printed on the face of the driver's license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified. This bill would require an application for a driver's license or identification card to allow a person to certify to the department that they have a developmental disability, as defined, that may make communication with law enforcement officers difficult. The bill would require the application to allow the person to request that some indicia of this certification be printed on their driver's license or identification card. The bill would require the department to charge a specified fee to the person requesting that indicia on their driver's license or identification card.
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, the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016, an initiative measure approved as Proposition 56 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, increases taxes imposed on distributors of cigarettes and tobacco products and requires all revenues to be deposited into the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 Fund, a continuously appropriated fund. Proposition 56 requires the Controller to transfer 82% of those revenues to the Healthcare Treatment Fund, to be used by the department to increase funding for the Medi-Cal program and other specified health care programs and services in a way that, among other things, ensures timely access, limits geographic shortages of services, and ensures quality care. The act authorizes the Legislature to amend the provision relating to the allocation of revenues in the Healthcare Treatment Fund to further the purposes of the act with a 23 vote of the membership of each house of the Legislature. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, establishes the Proposition 56 Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Act Program, which requires the department to develop and administer the program to provide loan assistance payments to qualifying, recent graduate physicians and dentists who serve beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal program and other specified health care programs using moneys from the Healthcare Treatment Fund. Existing law requires this program to be funded using moneys appropriated to the department for this purpose in the Budget Act of 2018, and requires the department to administer 2 separate payment pools for participating physicians and dentists, respectively, consistent with the allocations provided for in the Budget Act of 2018. For purposes of that program, and by January 1, 2022, this bill would require the department to exclusively provide loan assistance payments to Medi-Cal physicians and dentists who maintain a patient caseload composed of a minimum of 30% Medi-Cal beneficiaries and who meet one or more of specified requirements relating to practicing in areas, or serving populations, with provider shortages. The bill would make this provision inapplicable to an individual who enters into, and maintains compliance with, an Awardee Agreement to receive loan assistance payments before January 1, 2022. The bill would require the department to annually verify that participating providers continue to meet the program requirements, as specified. The bill would require the program to post any annual report prepared by it on its internet website. The bill would delete the provision making this program inoperative on January 1, 2026, would delete the references to the Budget Act of 2018, and would instead refer to the annual Budget Act. By extending the operation of this program and the authority to allocate revenues in the fund for this authorized expenditure, the bill would amend Proposition 56.
