The Vehicle License Fee (VLF) Law establishes, in lieu of any ad valorem property tax upon vehicles, an annual license fee for any vehicle subject to registration in this state, on and after May 19, 2009, and until July 1, 2013, in the amount of 1.15% of the market value of specified vehicles, the revenues derived thereof to be deposited in specified funds. Existing law provides that, on and after July 1, 2013, the annual license fee for specified vehicles subject to registration in this state shall be 0.65% of the market value of that vehicle. This bill would provide that for new vehicles, including new motorcycles, the annual license fee shall be 0.65% of the market value of the vehicle. This bill would also state the intent of the Legislature with regard to funding levels for local law enforcement. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
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Existing law requires all money collected under the provisions of the Fish and Game Code, including money received as a result of the sale of licenses issued under the provisions of the code, to be deposited into the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, unless otherwise provided. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Game to operate wildlife management areas on a nonprofit basis for multiple recreational uses. Existing law authorizes the department to issue an annual wildlife area pass or a day use pass that authorizes the bearer to enter and use facilities and programs on designated department-managed lands. Existing law grants authority to the Fish and Game Commission to issue tags and licenses for the hunting of antelope, elk, upland game birds, deer, wild pigs, bears, and bighorn sheep upon payment of a fee, to be deposited into the fund. This bill would establish the Upland Game Bird Account within the fund to permit separate accountability for the receipt and, subject to appropriation, the prescribed expenditure of revenues from upland game bird validations and stamps. The bill would establish the Big Game Management Account within the fund to permit separate accountability for the receipt and, subject to appropriation, the prescribed expenditure of revenues from antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and bighorn sheep tags. The bill would exempt projects funded from the accounts from the State Contract Act and from statutory provisions relating to the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program. The bill would make various conforming changes relating to the establishment of the accounts.
Existing law provides that criminal trials may only be continued for good cause. Under existing law, good cause is defined to include when a prosecutor assigned to specific types of criminal cases has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. This bill would include, as good cause, a case involving a violent gang felony, as defined, when the assigned prosecutor has another case in progress, as specified. Existing law provides that only one such continuance per case may be granted to the prosecutor for cases involving stalking, hate crimes, or cases handled under the Career Criminal Prosecution Program. This bill would also limit the prosecutor to one such continuance per case in cases involving violent gang felonies.
The E-Verify Program of the United States Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with the United States Social Security Administration, enables participating employers to use the program, on a voluntary basis, to verify that the employees they hire are authorized to work in the United States. The bill would prohibit the state, or a city, county, city and county, or special district, from requiring an employer other than one of those government entities to use an electronic employment verification system except when required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds.
Existing law establishes the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training within the Department of Justice. Under existing law, the commission is required to develop and implement training programs for peace officers relative to certain areas of criminal law or procedure. This bill would require the commission to create and make available to all law enforcement agencies training content on how to recognize and interact with persons carrying a kirpan, as specified. The bill would require that the training content include instruction on how arrests of Sikhs carrying a kirpan have historically been treated and the alternatives to those arrests and detentions that have successfully been used. This bill would define a kirpan as a blade that resembles a sword and is required to be carried as an integral part of the practice of the Sikh faith.
Existing law requires various state agencies to administer programs relating to water supply, water quality, and flood management in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This bill would prohibit the construction of a peripheral canal, as defined, that conveys water from a diversion point in the Sacramento River to a location south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, unless expressly authorized by the Legislature. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to complete an economic feasibility analysis prior to the enactment of a statute authorizing the construction of a peripheral canal. The bill would also require that the construction and operation of a peripheral canal not diminish or negatively affect the water supplies, water rights, or quality of water for water users within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed.
Under existing law, the Department of Water Resources operates the State Water Resources Development System that includes dams, reservoirs, and other infrastructure. This bill would require the department to undertake an expedited evaluation and feasibility study with regard to the implementation of a specified Delta Corridors Plan as part of the State Water Resources Development System. The department would be required to prepare and submit to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2011, a report that includes its feasibility findings. If the department determines the implementation of the plan is feasible, the department would be required to include recommendations with regard to specific facilities to be constructed, and to identify potential funding sources, for the purposes of implementing the plan.
(1) Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Electricity Oversight Board with jurisdiction related to energy matters. Existing law provides the Public Utilities Commission with jurisdiction over the certification of natural gas and electric facilities. Existing law also provides the Office of Planning and Research, the Department of General Services, and the Office of the State Architect with jurisdiction over certain energy-related matters. Existing law provides the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with the jurisdiction over the certification of thermal powerplants. This bill would abolish the State Energy Resources and Conservation Commission and the Electricity Oversight Board. The bill would create the Department of Energy, headed by a Secretary of Energy, and would create the California Energy Board and the Office of Energy Market Oversight within the department. The bill would provide for the creation of various divisions and subdivisions as deemed necessary by the secretary. The secretary would be appointed by, and hold office at the pleasure of, the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The bill would require the Governor to appoint the initial secretary by January 31, 2010. The bill would authorize the Governor to appoint an Assistant Secretary of Energy who would serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The bill would require the department to create a legal subcommittee comprised of specified members to develop a single statewide position on litigation concerning energy matters. The bill would provide that the California Energy Board consists of the following members: the Secretary of Energy who would be the chair of the board, 4 members of the public with qualifications, as specified, appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, and the president of the California Public Utilities Commission. The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, and the president of the California Public Utilities Commission would serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the board. The bill would specify that the public members shall serve for a term of 4 years. The bill would require the board to nominate for appointment by the Governor a public adviser to the board who would serve for a 3-year term and may be removed upon the joint concurrence of 4 board members and the Governor. The bill would vest the Office of Energy Market Oversight with the powers, duties, responsibilities, obligations, liabilities, and jurisdiction of the Electricity Oversight Board and add to the functions of the office. The bill would vest the new department and the California Energy Board with the powers, duties, responsibilities, obligations, liabilities, jurisdiction, and rights and privileges of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, as specified. The bill would transfer jurisdiction over the certification of thermal powerplants and grant jurisdiction over certification of specified solar nonthermal powerplants to the California Energy Board. The bill would also transfer jurisdiction of certain energy-related matters from the Office of Planning and Research, the Department of General Services, and the Office of the State Architect to the Department of Energy or the California Energy Commission, as specified. The bill would also rename the California Consumer Power and Conservation Authority Fund as the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Fund. The bill would transfer all responsibilities with respect to the certification of certain electric transmission facilities from the Public Utilities Commission to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the California Energy Board. The bill would require the Department of Energy, on or before January 1, 2011, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and the Independent System Operator, to submit to the Governor and the Legislature a strategic plan identifying administrative and statutory measures that would improve the siting and licensing process for electric transmission lines. (2) Existing law requires a person proposing to construct a thermal powerplant or electric transmission line on a site to submit to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission a notice of intention to file an application for the certification of the site. This bill would repeal this requirement. (3) Existing law prohibits the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission from certifying a facility that adds generating capacity to a potential multiple facility site in excess of the maximum allowable capacity determined by the commission. This bill would repeal this prohibition. (4) Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to administer federal funds for programs to provide energy assistance to qualified low-income households and to administer the community services block grant program. This bill would transfer the above-described duties and responsibilities of the Department of Community Services and Development, on and after January 1, 2013, to the Department of Energy. (5) Existing law establishes grant and loan programs to provide financial assistance to specified entities for constructing and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient. This bill would require the Department of Finance to conduct an independent audit of those programs and to provide an audit report to the Legislature no later than March 1 of each year in which an appropriation has been made to implement those programs. (6) Existing law established the Katz Safe Schoolbus Clean Fuel Efficiency Demonstration Program to assist local educational agencies in replacing older schoolbuses with schoolbuses meeting federal safety standards that operate with greater efficiency and fewer adverse air emissions. This bill would repeal this program. (7) Existing law establishes the Small Business Energy Efficient Refrigeration Program and the State Solar Medallion Passive Design Competition. This bill would repeal the program and competition. (8) The bill would make conforming changes in existing law. (9) The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on December 19, 2008. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on December 19, 2008, pursuant to the California Constitution. (10) The bill would provide that the provisions of the bill are severable.
(1) Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt procedures for determining the compliance of any system designed for the control of gasoline vapor emissions during gasoline marketing operations, including storage and transfer operations, and additional performance standards to ensure that systems for the control of gasoline vapors from motor vehicle fueling operations do not cause excessive spillage and emissions. Existing law prohibits the state board from requiring a gasoline dispensing facility that meets certain requirements from undergoing an Enhanced Vapor Recovery Phase II upgrade until April 1, 2011. This bill would exempt a gasoline dispensing facility that does not meet these requirements from penalties for failing to undergo an Enhanced Vapor Recovery Phase II upgrade until April 1, 2010. (2) The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on December 19, 2008. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on December 19, 2008, pursuant to the California Constitution.
(1) Existing law requires that, when a reduction in the number of certificated employees employed by a school district is authorized for specified reasons, the notice of the termination of the services of an employee in the subsequent school year be given, in a prescribed manner, before May 15. This bill would express findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to the effect of the outcome of the May 19, 2009, special election on school district budgets. The bill would require that, in 2009 only, the deadline for the notice of termination of services be changed to June 15. (2) The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on December 19, 2008. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on December 19, 2008, pursuant to the California Constitution. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.