Asm. Ash Kalra

This measure would proclaim support for the mission of the California World War One Centennial Task Force, by designating the time period between August 5, 2017, and November 11, 2018, inclusive, to be observed as the commemoration period of the 100th anniversary of the United States' involvement in World War I.

This measure would urge the United States Congress to require the United States Postal Service to restore past service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012, oppose certain postal reform legislation, require the United States Postal Service to continue the mandate for 6-day delivery service, require the continued operation of all mail sorting centers in California, and support specific federal legislation. The measure would also urge the Secretary of State to continue working with the United States Postal Service to implement additional programs that would increase absentee ballot voting participation.

This measure would recognize the month of June 2017 as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, would recognize Wednesday, June 21, 2017, as The Longest Day in California, and would urge all Californians to wear purple on this day to help spread global awareness of the Alzheimer's Association's vision of a world without Alzheimer's disease.

This measure would declare that the Legislature strongly supports, and would respectfully urge the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect, net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline program's discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-rate program's discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries. The measure would declare that the Legislature views these as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them.

Existing law governs annuities and, for those insurance contracts that provide cash surrender benefits, prescribes the cash surrender benefit available prior to maturity. Existing law also requires the death benefit under these contracts to be at least equal to the cash surrender benefit. Existing law requires, with exceptions, that no contract of annuity be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless it contains, in substance, specified provisions, or corresponding provisions that in the opinion of the commissioner are at least as favorable to the contractholder, upon cessation of payment of considerations under the contract. This bill, among other things, would require the insurer, for an individual annuity contract issued on or after January 1, 2019, to return to the owner all moneys due for annuity contracts that are surrendered by the contract owner as expeditiously as possible after the request for surrender is received, as defined, but no later than 45 days from the date of surrender, as specified. The bill would authorize insurers to require that a request to surrender a contract be in writing and contain various elements, including, the contract number of the contract and the name, address, and telephone number of the contract owner, on the contract to be surrendered. The bill would also authorize the insurer to require the contract owner to complete an administrative form, as provided, as part of the surrender process, and would require the surrender be processed and all moneys due be returned within 30 days from the effective date of the surrender if the contract owner completes and submits the administrative form within 14 days of the surrender request. The bill would require a contract to include language or be accompanied by a notice setting forth the permitted requirements for a surrender of the contract, as specified.

Existing law requires contractors on public works projects to comply with various requirements for employing apprentices, including, among others, requiring every contractor to submit contract award information to an applicable apprenticeship program that can supply apprentices to the site of the public work. Existing law imposes penalties for a violation of requirements relating to apprentices. This bill would require a contractor, within a designated time period, to provide specific written information to applicable apprenticeship committees whose geographic area of operation includes the area of the public works project. The bill would impose additional penalties for a violation of these various requirements, including, among others, prohibiting a contractor who knowingly commits 4 or more violations within a 3-year period to be ineligible to bid on or to be awarded or perform work on any public works contract for one year.

This measure would request the Governor to designate specified departments to accelerate the planning, creation, and completion timelines for a California Nonmotorized Trails Master Plan for urban and rural regions to expand specified opportunities for Californians. The measure would request the Governor to request the President of the United States, Members of Congress, and the Federal Highway Administration to dedicate increased funding to California to accelerate and support the planning and development of the plan and to accelerate the completion of existing nonmotorized recreational trails.

This measure would proclaim June 21, 2017, as Asking Saves Kids Day.