This measure would make various statements regarding the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , would request the President and the United States Congress to repeal PPACA, and would encourage federal, state, and local officials to enact health care reform that, among other things, puts the citizen and his or her family at the center of the health care system, as specified. The measure would also request the United States Congress to, among other things, reform federal tax laws, allow Americans to buy health care coverage across state lines, allow businesses to create association health plans, and lift restrictions on employers so they can offer lower premiums to employees who practice healthy lifestyles, and would request the Legislature to enact reforms consistent with those changes, as specified.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Contractors' State License Law, provides for the licensing and regulation of contractors in the state by the Contractors' State License Board. Existing law prohibits a person acting in the capacity of a contractor from bringing an action to collect compensation for work performed as a contractor without alleging that he or she was a licensed contractor at the time the work was performed, except as specified. Existing law also authorizes a person who utilizes the services of an unlicensed contractor to bring an action in court to recover moneys paid to the unlicensed contractor for the performance of any act or contract. Existing law authorizes the court to determine whether a contractor has substantially complied with the contractor licensure requirement for purposes of these provisions, as specified. This bill would authorize a person acting in the capacity of a contractor without a license to bring or maintain an action for recovery of compensation for any act or contract if the person had previously been licensed as a contractor in this state and the board has retroactively reinstated the contractor's license from the date the work commenced through the date of completion. The bill would prohibit an action for recovery of compensation against a contractor that satisfies these conditions. The bill would authorize a licensed contractor who performs work outside the scope of his or her license to bring or maintain an action to recover compensation for the portion of the work that was performed within the scope of his or her license if the value of the unlicensed work does not exceed 20% of the contract price. The bill would limit the liability of a contractor performing work outside the scope of his or her license to the value of the unlicensed work if it does not exceed 20% of the contract price. The bill would authorize the court to consider specified mitigating and aggravating factors relative to the loss of a contractor's license in determining whether the contractor has substantially complied with the contractor licensure requirement for purposes of these provisions. The bill would also set forth the Legislature's intent regarding application of these provisions.
The Administrative Procedure Act generally sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies, and for review of those regulatory actions by the Office of Administrative Law. The act requires an agency that is proposing an administrative regulation to prepare and submit to the office, and make available to the public upon request, specific information. The act requires the office to return to an agency any proposed regulation that does not meet certain requirements. This bill would require a state agency proposing an administrative regulation that would require a person or entity to use a new or emerging technology or equipment in order to achieve the identified purpose of the regulation to determine if that technology is available and effective in accordance with certain requirements. The bill would also require the state agency that is proposing the regulation to include certain provisions in the regulation. The bill would require the state agency to submit to the office, and make available to the public upon request, a statement that the agency has complied with the requirements of this act. The bill would require the office to return to the agency the proposed regulation if the agency has not complied with the prescribed requirements.
Existing law, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, establishes the Delta Stewardship Council as an independent agency of the state. Existing law requires a state or local public agency that proposes to take a covered action that will occur within the boundaries of the Delta or the Suisun Marsh to prepare, and submit to the council, a specified written certification of consistency with the Delta Plan prior to taking those actions. Existing law defines a "covered action" to mean a plan, program, or project, as specified. Existing law, the Johnston-Baker-Andal-Boatwright Delta Protection Act of 1992, requires the Delta Protection Commission to review and maintain a comprehensive long-term resource management plan for land uses within the primary zone, as defined, of the Delta. Existing law defines the secondary zone as all the Delta land and water area within the boundaries of the Delta not included within the primary zone, subject to the land use authority of local government, as prescribed. This bill would exclude from the definition of "covered action" any project, as defined, as of September 30, 2009, that is within an urban or urbanizing area within the Delta's secondary zone, within the boundaries of the community's adopted sphere of influence or urban limit line and substantially conforms with an adopted general plan. Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant impact on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to prepare environmental assessments or environmental impact reports that contain statements of the environmental effects of proposed federal agency actions. This bill would exclude from the definition of "covered action" any upgrade to an existing drinking water, stormwater, or wastewater treatment, storage, or conveyance facility within the existing physical footprint or legal property boundaries, as applicable, of the facility, to meet a state or federal water quality compliance order, as specified. This bill would also exclude from the definition of "covered action" any flood control project undertaken within the Delta's secondary zone that is consistent with the Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008 and which would provide protection to an urban or urbanizing area or existing public infrastructure. These upgrades and projects would have to comply with CEQA or NEPA, or both.
Existing law, the California High-Speed Rail Act, creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state, with specified powers and duties. Existing law, pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, general election, provides for the issuance of $9 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail purposes and $950 million for other related rail purposes. Article XVI of the California Constitution authorizes the Legislature, at any time after the approval of a general obligation bond act by the people, to reduce the amount of the indebtedness authorized by the act to an amount not less than the amount contracted at the time of the reduction or to repeal the act if no debt has been contracted. This bill would reduce the amount of general obligation debt authorized for high-speed rail purposes pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century to the amount contracted as of January 1, 2013.
Existing law requires each person employed by a school district in a position requiring certification qualifications, except a person employed in a position requiring administrative or supervisory credentials, to be classified on the salary schedule on the basis of uniform allowance for years of training and years of experience, except as specified. This bill would, for a teacher who holds a 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential, require that the 3 years of work experience, as specified, be deemed to be the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree, and would require that the holder of a 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential be placed on and advance along the salary schedule of the school district in the same manner as a teacher with a baccalaureate degree.
This measure would designate November 2012 as California Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. It would recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage to the state and afford all Californians the opportunity to understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans.
This measure would declare May 2012 to be American Stroke Month in California.
This measure would call on the United States Congress to pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011, Senate Bill No. 1925, authored by Senators Leahy and Crapo, and ensure the sustainability of vital programs designed to keep women and families safe from violence and abuse.