Asm. Alex Lee

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR 7) is a ceremonial resolution honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in California. It recognizes Dr. King’s legacy as a civil rights pioneer, his role in ending segregation through nonviolent action, and California’s historical leadership in establishing his birthday as a state holiday. The resolution encourages legislators and constituents to participate in community service projects that align with Dr. King’s values of equality and unity. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses the legislature’s support for commemorating Dr. King’s life and work.

Maddy summaryACR 10 designates January 13, 2025, as Korean American Day in California. The resolution commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. on January 13, 1903, and recognizes Korean Americans' historical contributions to California and the nation. It does not create new laws or policies, but serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment of this community's heritage and impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that formally recognizes the work of school board members across California by designating January 2025 as School Board Recognition Month. It directly affects local school districts and county offices of education by honoring the nearly 5,000 elected school board members who serve in these roles. The resolution expresses appreciation for their dedication to public education and encourages community members to support these local officials in their efforts to serve students. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change, as it does not alter laws or regulations but instead highlights the importance of school governance.

Existing law, beginning on June 26, 2023, establishes the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee within the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to advise the Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, as provided. Existing law prescribes the composition of the 8-member committee, including 6 specified members appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Existing law requires one member appointed by the Governor to represent labor. Existing law prohibits a member of the committee from having been employed by, contracted with, or received direct compensation from, a company that produces, refines, distributes, trades in, markets, or sells any petroleum product in the preceding 12 months, except as provided. Existing law specifies that the schedule of meetings of the committee is to be prescribed by the Energy Commission. This bill would specify that the above prohibition does not exclude a representative of a labor organization whose membership consists of, in whole or in part, individuals employed by a company that produces, refines, distributes, trades in, markets, or sells any petroleum product. The bill would require the gubernatorial appointee who represents labor to instead represent a labor organization with experience in refinery operations. The bill would require the committee to meet no less than annually. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, in consultation with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and labor and industry stakeholders, to consider ways to manage necessary refinery turnarounds and maintenance that would protect the health and safety of employees and the public, and minimize the impacts of maintenance-related production losses on fuel prices. Existing law authorizes the Energy Commission, by regulation, to impose requirements governing the timing of turnaround and maintenance. This bill would expressly require those regulations to protect the health and safety of employees, local communities, and the public, and to include criteria that are required to be met before a refinery commences a turnaround or maintenance event, as provided. This bill would require the Energy Commission, in consultation with the committee, to consider the effects of refiners' inventories of fuel and feedstocks and blending components on the price of transportation fuels in California. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission, by regulation, to develop and impose requirements for refiners operating in the state to maintain minimum levels of inventories of refined transportation fuels meeting California specifications, including any feedstocks and blending components, as specified. The bill would prohibit the Energy Commission from applying a minimum inventory requirement to a refiner in a manner that would be met only by the construction of additional storage infrastructure, as determined by the Energy Commission. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033. This bill would impose an administrative civil penalty on a refiner or person who fails to comply with regulations adopted pursuant to the above-described authority and would authorize the Energy Commission to seek any form of injunctive or remedial relief to enforce compliance with those regulations, as provided. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, on or before January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, to submit an assessment to the Governor and the Legislature that, among other things, identifies methods to ensure a reliable supply of affordable and safe transportation fuels in California, as provided. This bill, beginning with the first assessment submitted after the effective date of the bill, would require that the assessment also include an evaluation of California's future petroleum product and crude oil import needs, identification of steps that can be taken to ensure that marine infrastructure and port facilities will be adequate to accommodate the efficient movement of petroleum products to meet those needs, an evaluation of ways to maximize use of existing infrastructure and minimize cumulative pollution burdens, and an evaluation of the effects on supplies of transportation fuels of state regulations that the Energy Commission identifies may be causing supply constraints, or for which the Energy Commission believes alternative compliance pathways should be considered by state agencies to mitigate potential impacts on supply.

Existing federal law establishes the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law establishes a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system, administered by the State Department of Social Services, for the purpose of providing financial and food assistance benefits, including CalFresh benefits. Existing law establishes the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project and requires the department, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture and specified stakeholders, to include within the EBT system a supplemental benefits mechanism that allows an authorized retailer to deliver and redeem supplemental benefits. Existing law requires the department to submit a report to the Legislature, including the results of an evaluation of the pilot projects, as specified, 9 months after the department has received sufficient data to evaluate the pilot projects, but not later than September 1, 2025. Existing law requires the department to submit a report to the Legislature by March 1, 2026, regarding the transition of the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project to a supplemental benefits program that is fully state managed, without grantee intermediaries, as specified. Existing law specifies that the pilot project is to remain in effect until January 1, 2027, and is repealed as of that date. This bill would instead require the department to submit a single report to the Legislature regarding the transition of the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project to a supplemental benefits program that is fully state managed, without grantee intermediaries, and including the results of an evaluation of the pilot projects, by July 1, 2025.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act contains various provisions regulating the application for, the issuance of, the suspension of, and the conditions imposed upon alcoholic beverage licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Existing law defines "entertainment zone" for purposes of the act as a zone created by ordinance on or after January 1, 2024, in the City and County of San Francisco, that authorizes consumption of one or more types of alcoholic beverages on public streets, sidewalks, or public rights-of-way adjacent to and during a special event permitted or licensed by the department. Existing law authorizes the City and County of San Francisco to establish an entertainment zone, subject to certain requirements, including providing specified information relating to the entertainment zone to the department and establishing a process or procedure by which persons in possession of alcoholic beverages in the entertainment zone may be readily identifiable as being 21 years of age or older. This bill would, instead, define "entertainment zone" as a zone created by a city, county, or city and county ordinance on or after January 1, 2025, that authorizes consumption of one or more types of alcoholic beverages on public streets, sidewalks, or public rights-of-way. The bill would additionally authorize any city, county, or city and county to establish an entertainment zone, subject to the above-described requirements. Before enacting an ordinance to establish or modify an entertainment zone, the bill would require a city, county, or city and county to notify local law enforcement and request feedback about specific information, including, among others, the entertainment zone's proposed boundaries and days and hours of operation. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county that establishes an entertainment zone, or its designated subordinate officer or body, to review the operation of the entertainment zone every 2 years following the adoption of the entertainment zone, as specified, and to make any reports produced during the review available to the department upon request. Existing law authorizes a licensed beer manufacturer, a licensed winegrower, and any on-sale licensee to permit consumers to leave the premises with open containers of alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises within an entertainment zone, subject to certain conditions. Existing law specifies that a licensed beer manufacturer, a licensed winegrower, and any on-sale licensee whose privileges are restricted due to operating conditions or other statutory restrictions may be prohibited from exercising entertainment zone privileges that are contrary to their operating conditions. For this purpose, existing law requires any restrictions on the exercise of off-sale privileges to apply to the removal of alcoholic beverages from the licensed premises for consumption in the entertainment zone. This bill would, instead, prohibit any restrictions on the exercise of off-sale privileges from applying to the removal of open alcoholic beverages from the licensed premises for consumption in the entertainment zone. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 23358 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 2177 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2177 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law establishes within the state government various commissions, including, but not limited to, the Commission on the State of Hate, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Commission on Disability Access. This bill would establish the LGBTQ+ Commission within the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. The bill would provide for the appointment of 9 members, appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Committee on Rules. The bill would require members of the commission to serve at the pleasure of the appointing power, to be appointed for terms of four years, except as specified, and to elect one of their number to serve as chairperson of the commission. The bill would authorize the commission to appoint officers from its membership and form advisory committees, as specified, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties, and require the commission to determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and advisory committee chairpersons. The bill would establish the goals of the commission, which would include, among other things, acting in an advisory capacity to the Legislature and the Governor on policy matters affecting the state's LGBTQ+ community and its members. The bill would require the commission to have the powers and authority necessary to carry out its duties, including conducting fundraising activities that may require a payment or purchase to attend. The bill would, commencing April 1, 2026, require the commission to convene quarterly meetings to identify the statewide needs of the LGBTQ+ community and to assist in implementing supportive policies and initiatives to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The bill would require the commission to submit a report summarizing certain information and making specified policy recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The bill would establish the LGBTQ+ Commission Fund as a fund in the State Treasury to carry out the bill's provisions in support of the commission, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. The bill would require all moneys collected or received by the commission from gifts, bequests, or donation to, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, be deposited in the treasury to the credit of the fund, as specified. The bill would authorize the commission to accept gifts and grants from any source, as specified, to help perform its functions, and to seek out funding and in-kind contributions from specified sources, including foundations, in order to carry out the work of the commission. Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, generally requires, with specified exceptions for authorized closed sessions, that the meetings of state bodies be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend. This bill would specify that the act does not apply to, among other things, any fundraising event held or organized by the commission, provided that a majority of members of the commission do not hear, discuss, or deliberate upon any item that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2035.

Existing federal law, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations adopted pursuant to that act, authorizes folic acid to be used in food as a nutrient in accordance with specified prescribed conditions, including that folic acid may be added to corn masa flour at a level not to exceed 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa flour. Existing federal law also requires any state requirement for nutrition labeling of food to conform with federal law, and requires the declaration of folic acid to be included when added as a nutrient supplement, as specified. Existing state law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, provides for the regulation of various subjects relating to the processing, labeling, advertising, and sale of food, drugs, and cosmetics, including enriched food, under the administration and enforcement of the State Department of Public Health. Existing law provides that all food additive and food labeling regulations and any amendments to those regulations adopted pursuant to the federal law are the regulations of this state, and authorizes the department to prescribe conditions under which a food additive may be used in this state whether or not these conditions are in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to the federal act and to adopt additional food labeling regulations. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, require corn masa flour, as defined, that is manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered for sale, or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product to contain folic acid at a level of 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa flour, as specified, and would authorize wet corn masa product that is manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered for sale, or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product to contain folic acid at a level of 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per pound of end product, as specified. The bill would require corn masa flour or a wet corn masa product to include specified information, including a declaration of folic acid on the nutrition label in accordance with applicable federal law. The bill would exempt snack foods and corn masa flour made by, or supplied to, specified types of businesses, including cottage food operations or a grocery store that also offers conforming products. The bill would make these provisions severable. By creating a new crime, this 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.

Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to complete, approve, and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants in the state to reduce the statewide methane emissions by 40% below 2013 levels by 2030. Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in consultation with the state board, to adopt regulations that achieve specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills, as provided. The department's organic waste regulations require local jurisdictions to annually procure a quantity of recovered organic waste products and to comply with their procurement targets by directly procuring recovered organic waste products for use or giveaway or by requiring, through a written agreement, that a direct service provider to the jurisdiction procure recovered organic waste products, or both. Those regulations specify the types of recovered organic waste products that a jurisdiction may procure, including compost that is produced at a compostable material handling operation or facility, or a specified digestion facility that composts onsite. Other regulations of the department require all compostable materials handling activities to obtain a facility permit from the department prior to commencing operations and meet other specified requirements, but exclude from those requirements certain activities that the regulations state do not constitute a compostable material handling operation or facility, including the composting of green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material, and the handling of compostable materials under certain conditions, as provided. This bill would authorize local jurisdictions to count towards their procurement targets compost produced and procured from specified compost operations and specified investments and expenditures related to meeting its procurement target, as provided. The bill would authorize a local jurisdiction to determine a local per capita procurement target using information from a local waste characterization study, as specified. The bill would authorize a local jurisdiction to satisfy its annual procurement obligations by procuring a quantity of recovered organic waste products that meets or exceeds a 5-year procurement target, as specified. The bill would authorize the department, in adopting and revising regulations, to consider other pathways to prioritize local use of compost, as specified. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 42652.5 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 2514 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.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to improve and maintain the state's highways, and establishes various programs to fund the development, construction, and repair of local roads, bridges, and other critical transportation infrastructure in the state, including the state highway operation and protection program (SHOPP) . Existing law requires the department, in consultation with the California Transportation Commission, to prepare a robust asset management plan to guide selection of projects for the SHOPP. Existing law requires the commission, in connection with the plan, to adopt targets and performance measures reflecting state transportation goals and objectives. Existing law requires the department to develop, in consultation with the commission, a plain language performance report to increase transparency and accountability of the SHOPP. This bill would require the targets and performance measures adopted by the commission to include targets and performance measures reflecting state transportation goals and objectives for complete streets assets that reflect the existence and conditions of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit priority facilities on the state highway system. The bill would require the department's plain language performance report to include a description of complete streets facilities, including pedestrian, bicycle, and transit priority facilities on each project, as specified. The bill would require the department to commit to specific 4-year targets to incorporate complete streets facilities, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, into projects funded by the SHOPP, as specified. (2) Existing law creates transit districts in designated areas throughout the state and authorizes the use of various vehicles for the purpose of public and private transit. Existing law authorizes transit buses and other transit vehicles to operate on state highways. This bill would require the Director of Transportation to adopt a transit policy to guide the implementation of transit priority facilities and transit stops on the state highway system, as specified. The bill would require the department to adopt, on or before July 1, 2027, guidance that defines transit performance measures and identifies the department's responsibilities in supporting transit vehicles on the state highway system, as specified. (3) Existing law requires the department to prepare a State Highway System Management Plan (SHSMP) , which includes a 10-year state highway system rehabilitation plan for the rehabilitation or reconstruction by the SHOPP of all state highways and bridges, as provided. Existing law requires the SHSMP to include specific quantifiable accomplishments, goals, objectives, costs, and performance measures consistent with the asset management plan described above. Existing law requires the SHSMP to be updated every 2 years. This bill would expressly require the SHSMP to also include specific quantifiable accomplishments, goals, objectives, costs, and performance measures for complete streets facilities and transit priority facilities, as specified. (4) Existing law authorizes the department to issue encroachment permits and requires the department to either approve or deny an application from an applicant for an encroachment permit within 60 days of receiving a completed application, as provided. This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to develop and adopt a project intake, evaluation, and encroachment permit review process for complete streets facilities that are sponsored by a local jurisdiction or a transit agency. The bill would require the department to produce a report regarding project applications submitted through this process, as specified. The bill would require the department to designate an encroachment permit manager in each district to ensure that applications for complete streets facilities are reviewed in accordance with the process, as specified.