Existing law provides that a minor may be adjudged a dependent child or a ward of the juvenile court under specified circumstances. Existing law authorizes the court to place a minor who has been removed from the custody of his or her parent or guardian in foster care, among other placements. Existing law allows, in an adoption proceeding, for continuing contact between the birth relatives and a child if a postadoption contact agreement is entered into voluntarily and is in the best interests of the child at the time the adoption petition is granted. Existing law requires, if parental rights are terminated and the court orders a dependent child or ward to be placed for adoption, the county adoption agency or the State Department of Social Services to take specified steps, with exceptions, to facilitate ongoing sibling contact, including the encouragement of prospective adoptive parents to make a plan for facilitating postadoptive contact, as specified. This bill would instead require the county placing agency, as part of the above steps, to the extent practicable, to convene a meeting with the child, the sibling or siblings of the child, the prospective adoptive parent or parents, and a facilitator for the purpose of deciding whether to voluntarily execute a postadoption sibling contact agreement. The bill would provide that the county placing agency is not required to convene a meeting to decide whether to voluntarily execute a postadoption sibling contact agreement if specified circumstances occur. The bill would authorize the child to petition the court for an order requiring the county placing agency to convene a meeting to decide whether to voluntarily execute a postadoption sibling contact agreement. The bill would provide that the meeting is not required to occur if the court determines by a preponderance of the evidence that a postadoption sibling contact agreement or a meeting for the purpose of deciding whether to voluntarily execute such an agreement is contrary to the safety and well-being of the child and notes the determination in the court order. By requiring new duties on a county placing agency relating to meetings on postadoption sibling contact agreements, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the court, at least every 6 months, to review the status of a dependent child for whom the court has ordered parental rights terminated and who has been ordered placed for adoption. This bill would require the court to inquire into the status of the development of a voluntary postadoption sibling contact agreement at the time of the first review hearing conducted pursuant to the above-described provision. Existing law requires a juvenile court, in the case of a minor declared a ward and ordered to be placed in foster care, and where the minor has continuing involvement with his or her parents or legal guardians, to include in its order placing the minor in a permanent placement a specification of the nature and frequency of visiting arrangements with the parents or legal guardians. This bill would expand this provision to also apply to visiting arrangements with siblings of the minor. This bill would also make conforming changes to related provisions. 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.
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(1) Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, generally prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from disclosing medical information regarding a patient of the provider of health care or an enrollee or subscriber of a health care service plan without first obtaining an authorization. The act, as exceptions to this prohibition, requires disclosure of medical information by a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor to a coroner when requested by the coroner in the course of investigation for specified purposes, and authorizes disclosure when requested by the coroner in the course of investigation for any other purpose. Under existing law, medical information obtained in the course of providing certain services to specified persons is confidential and not subject to disclosure under these exceptions. This bill would subject medical information obtained in the course of providing those services to disclosure under the above-described exceptions, would expand those exceptions to include medical information requested by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, as specified, and would provide that a medical examiner, forensic pathologist, or coroner, as described, is prohibited from disclosing the information contained in the medical record obtained pursuant to those exceptions to a 3rd party without a court order or authorization of the beneficiary or personal representative of the deceased patient. (2) Existing law requires, when a person with a developmental disability dies from any cause, natural or otherwise, while hospitalized in a state developmental center, the State Department of Developmental Services, the physician and surgeon in charge of the client, or the professional in charge of the facility or his or her designee to release information and records to the coroner. Existing law prohibits that department and those persons from releasing any notes, summaries, transcripts, tapes, or records of conversations between the resident and health professional personnel of the hospital relating to the personal life of the resident that is not related to the diagnosis and treatment of the resident's physical condition. Existing law also requires any information released to the coroner pursuant to this provision to remain confidential and to be sealed, and prohibits that information from being made part of the public record. Similar requirements and prohibitions apply to the State Department of State Hospitals, physicians, and professionals with respect to records regarding patients who die while hospitalized in a state mental hospital. This bill would revise those provisions by deleting the prohibitions against releasing notes, summaries, transcripts, tapes, or records of conversations between the resident or patient and the health professional personnel of the hospital relating to the personal life of the resident or patient that is not related to the diagnosis and treatment of the resident's or patient's physical condition. The bill would instead expand those disclosure requirements to include the release of information and records to a medical examiner, forensic pathologist, or coroner, as specified, upon request. The bill would prohibit the disclosure, except as specified, of any information contained in the medical record obtained pursuant to those exceptions to a 3rd party without a court order or authorization of the beneficiary or personal representative of the deceased patient. The bill would also require a health facility, as defined, a health or behavioral health facility or clinic, and the physician in charge of the patient to release the patient's medical record to a medical examiner, forensic pathologist, or coroner, as specified, and upon request, when a patient dies from any cause, natural or otherwise. The bill would prohibit a medical examiner, forensic pathologist, or coroner from disclosing, except as specified, any information contained in the medical record obtained pursuant to these provisions without a court order or authorization of the beneficiary or personal representative of the deceased patient. (3) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue single subject teaching credentials only in specific subjects. This bill would add dance and theatre to the list of authorized subjects. Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to authorize a person who holds a certain teaching credential and who has completed 20 semester hours of coursework or 10 semester hours of upper division or graduate coursework approved by the commission at an accredited institution in any subject commonly taught in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, other than the subject for which he or she is already certificated to teach, to have this subject appear on the credential as an authorization to teach this subject. This bill would provide that a person issued a single subject teaching credential in physical education or English before the establishment of a single subject teaching credential in dance or theatre, respectively, is authorized to teach in dance or theatre, respectively. The bill would also provide that a person pursuing a single subject teaching credential in physical education or English before the establishment of a single subject teaching credential in dance or theatre shall not become subject to additional requirements for the single subject teaching credential in physical education or English, respectively, as a result of the authorization provided by this bill.
Existing law proscribes the crime of human trafficking, as defined. A person who causes, induces, or persuades, or attempts to cause, induce, or persuade, a person who is a minor at the time of commission of the offense to engage in a commercial sex act, with the intent to effect or maintain a violation of any of specified sex offenses, is guilty of human trafficking. Existing law also proscribes the crime of prostitution. Existing law authorizes or requires, as specified, the probation officer of a county to exercise various duties with respect to a minor who has been found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court on the ground that he or she has violated a law or statute, or that he or she has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that he or she will suffer, abuse or neglect. Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections to provide statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in California's adult and juvenile criminal justice system. This bill would, only until January 1, 2022, require the Board of State and Community Corrections to establish a pilot project in up to 4 counties that elect to participate in the pilot project and would authorize the Counties of Sacramento, San Diego, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara to elect to participate in the pilot project. The bill would authorize each participating county to determine whether that county's probation department or child welfare agency, or both, would create and operate a program funded by the pilot project. The bill would require a program funded by the pilot project to provide services to youth within that county's jurisdiction that address the need for services relating to the commercial sexual exploitation of youth. The bill would state that the purpose of the pilot project is to test a service model that would produce improved outcomes for youth victims of human trafficking. The bill would also require a county that elects to participate in the pilot project and establishes a program pursuant to these provisions to conduct at least one evaluation of the program's impact and effectiveness and to submit that evaluation to the board. The bill would provide that the pilot project established pursuant to these provisions would be funded contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act. The bill would provide that funds appropriated for these purposes shall be administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Existing law requires the State Board of Education, on or before June 1, 2001, to adopt content standards in the curriculum area of visual and performing arts pursuant to recommendations developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This bill would require the Superintendent, in consultation with the Instructional Quality Commission, to recommend revisions to the visual and performing arts content standards in certain subjects to the state board, and would require the state board to adopt, reject, or modify the recommendations on or before January 31, 2019. The bill would require the Superintendent, in consultation with the Instructional Quality Commission and the state board, to select a group of experts in visual and performing arts for purposes of assisting the Superintendent in developing recommendations under the bill. The bill would require that the National Core Arts Standards developed by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards serve as the basis for deliberations regarding revisions to the visual and performing arts content standards. The bill would require the Superintendent, in consultation with the Instructional Quality Commission, to hold a minimum of 2 public hearings in order for the public to provide input on the Superintendent's recommendations, and would require the state board to adopt, reject, or modify the recommendations at a subsequent public meeting, in accordance with specified procedures. The bill would also provide, if the visual and performing arts content standards are adopted pursuant to the bill: (1) that the state board would be required to consider the adoption of a curriculum framework and evaluation criteria for instructional materials that are aligned to the visual and performing arts content standards no later than July 31, 2020, as specified; and (2) that the state board would be authorized to adopt instructional materials for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, that are aligned to the visual and performing arts content standards no later than November 30, 2021, as specified.
Existing law provides for the disposition of a testator's property by will. Existing law also provides for the disposition of that portion of a decedent's estate not disposed of by will. Existing law provides that the decedent's property, including property devised by a will, is generally subject to probate administration, except as specified. This bill would enact the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which would authorize a decedent's personal representative or trustee to access and manage digital assets and electronic communications, as specified. The bill would authorize a person to use an online tool to give directions to the custodian of his or her digital assets regarding the disclosure of those assets. The bill would specify that, if a person has not used an online tool to give that direction, he or she may give direction regarding the disclosure of digital assets in a will, trust, power of attorney, or other record. The bill would require a custodian of the digital assets to comply with a fiduciary's request for disclosure of digital assets or to terminate an account, except under certain circumstances, including when the decedent has prohibited this disclosure using the online tool. The bill would make custodians immune from liability for an act or omission done in good faith in compliance with these provisions.
Existing law regulates the existence and disclosure of specified chemicals and components in consumer products, including phthalates and bisphenol A. Existing law also provides for the licensing and regulation of nail salons and manicurists by the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology within the Department of Consumer Affairs. This bill would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to publish guidelines for cities, counties, and cities and counties to voluntarily implement local healthy nail salon recognition (HNSR) programs. The bill would allow the guidelines to include, but not be limited to, specified criteria, such as the potential for exposure of nail salon workers and customers to chemicals. The bill would also require the department to develop a consumer education program, present the guidelines to local health officers, local environmental health departments, and other local agencies, and post specified information on its Internet Web site.
The Child Care and Development Services Act has a purpose of providing a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop standards for the implementation of quality child care programs. Existing law authorizes the County of Alameda, as a pilot project, to develop an individualized county child care subsidy plan, as provided. This bill would authorize, until January 1, 2022, the County of Santa Clara to develop and implement an individualized county child care subsidy plan, as specified. The bill would require the plan to be submitted to the local planning council and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for approval, as specified. The bill would require the Early Education and Support Division of the State Department of Education to review and approve or disapprove the plan and any subsequent modifications to the plan. The bill would require the County of Santa Clara to annually prepare and submit to the Legislature, the State Department of Social Services, and the State Department of Education a report that contains specified information relating to the success of the county's plan. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Santa Clara.
Existing law authorizes the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to jointly adopt a commute benefit ordinance that requires covered employers operating within the common area of the 2 agencies with a specified number of covered employees to offer those employees certain commute benefits through a pilot program. Existing law requires that the ordinance specify certain matters, including any consequences for noncompliance, and imposes a specified reporting requirement. Existing law makes these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2017. This bill would extend these provisions indefinitely, thereby establishing the pilot program permanently. The bill would also delete bicycle commuting as a pretax option under the program and instead would authorize a covered employer, at its discretion, to offer commuting by bicycling as an employer-paid benefit in addition to commuting via public transit or by vanpool. The bill would also delete the reporting requirement.
Existing law establishes the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, administered by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Existing law requires the program to provide funding measures to certain entities to develop and deploy innovative technologies that transform California's fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state's climate change policies. Existing law requires the commission to provide preferences to projects that maximize the goals of the program based on certain criteria, including the project's ability to provide economic benefits for California by promoting California-based technology firms, jobs, and businesses. Existing law specifies that projects eligible for funding include workforce training programs related to various sectors or occupations related to the purposes of the program. This bill would add a project's ability to transition workers to, or promote employment in, the alternative and renewable fuels and vehicle technology sector as additional criteria on which preference under the program shall be provided. The bill would revise the eligibility criteria for workforce training programs, as specified. The bill would require the commission to collaborate with entities, as specified, that have expertise in workforce development to implement the workforce development components of the program.