Asm. Ash Kalra

This measure would request the Congress of the United States to enact, and the President to sign, legislation that would repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act.

This measure would declare the month of June 2021, as Portuguese Heritage Month, in recognition of June 10 as the Day of Portugal, and June 1 as the Day of the Azores.

Existing law establishes the Employment Development Department within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and sets forth its powers and duties, including job creation activities, computation of benefits, and determination of contribution rates and collection of contributions for benefits. Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits to eligible persons who are unemployed through no fault of their own through a federal-state unemployment insurance program administered by the department. Unemployment compensation benefits are paid from the Unemployment Fund, and the expenses for administering these provisions are paid from the Unemployment Administration Fund, which is continuously appropriated for these purposes. Under existing law, workers are required to pay contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund, and those funds are continuously appropriated for the purpose of providing disability benefits and making payment of administrative expenses. Existing law requires all standard information employee pamphlets provided by the department concerning unemployment and disability insurance programs to be printed in English and the 7 other most commonly used languages among participants in each program. Existing law also requires the department to make the pages on its internet website that provide information regarding applying for, and receiving, unemployment insurance benefits available in the 7 languages, other than English, most commonly used by unemployment insurance applicants and claimants. This bill would require all standard information employee pamphlets provided by the department concerning unemployment and disability insurance programs to be printed in English and any written language that is or becomes a Medi-Cal threshold language in any county, as provided. The bill would additionally require the department, commencing July 1, 2022, to provide translation by qualified human translators between English and the languages described above, in accordance with certain procedures, for all benefits programs administered by the department, vital documents and notices, and any other communications to a claimant. The bill would require the department, if the claimant's written language is not within these languages, to provide the claimant, upon request, with a translated document in their written language within 2 business days of the request and on an ad hoc basis, or to read the document aloud and orally explain the document to the claimant in their preferred language, as prescribed. This bill would require the department, by July 1, 2022, to undertake development of a community review process for translation of the department's online application interface, forms, and other documents and communications, to ensure, among other goals, plain language, readability, and cultural appropriateness. The bill would require the community review process to be fully implemented commencing July 1, 2024, and to include user testing and input from members of the public, local government, and community-based organizations. This bill would require the department to identify a claimant's language needs at the earliest point of contact and make efforts to, among other things, ensure that each written application for unemployment insurance, disability insurance, paid family leave, or other benefits contains a section asking claimants for their preferred written and spoken language. The bill would require written materials sent by the department to the claimant to be provided in the language indicated by the claimant. This bill, with respect to the online portals provided via the department's website, would require the department to develop a mechanism to allow for the selection of spoken language options to be expanded on the portal by a claimant, with the option to indicate a language not provided on the portal's list and would require materials sent to the claimant to be provided in the claimant's indicated language. This bill would require the department to make the pages on its internet website that provide information regarding applying for, and receiving, unemployment insurance benefits, available in all of specified languages. The bill would also require the department to annually publish the total number of applications and claimants for each of the benefit programs administered with specified information, including preferred language. The bill would define related terms, and would include related legislative findings. Because this bill would authorize the expenditure of funds from the Unemployment Administration Fund, and the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund, for new purposes, the bill would make an appropriation.

Existing law authorizes certain local entities to select a bidder for a contract on the basis of "best value," as defined. Existing law governs various types of contract procedures applicable to the Santa Clara Valley Water District and prescribes competitive bidding procedures for any improvement or unit of work over $50,000. This bill would authorize the district, upon approval by the board of directors of the district, to award contracts on a best value basis for any work of the Anderson Dam project, defined to include prescribed activities and works of construction with regard to the Leroy Anderson Dam and Reservoir and certain fish and aquatic habitat measures described in a federal-state settlement agreement. The bill would require the district, if the board elects to award contracts on a best value basis, to comply with specified requirements governing the documents prepared, setting forth the scope and estimated price of the project and the request for qualifications, with bids evaluated using only the criteria and selection procedures identified in the procurement process documents. The bill would prohibit an Anderson Dam project contractor from being prequalified, shortlisted, or awarded a contract unless the contractor provides an enforceable commitment to the district that the contractor and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work on the project, in accordance with certain criteria. By requiring certain information of bidders to be certified under penalty of perjury, the bill would expand an existing crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. 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.

This measure would declare the week of May 10 to May 16, 2021, inclusive, as Food Allergy Awareness Week and request that the Governor issue a proclamation to observe the week with appropriate understanding and awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis.

This measure would honor the service members who have served and are serving in our nation's military, and would recognize the month of May 2021 as National Military Appreciation Month.

This measure would proclaim the month of April 2021 as Arab American Heritage Month.

This measure would proclaim June 2021 as California Grown Flower Month to recognize and honor the people who comprise the California grown flower industry for their dedication, productivity, and economic value to the state.