Asm. Gail Pellerin

Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies. The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (act) , approved by the voters as Proposition 4 at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. Existing law authorizes certain regulations needed to effectuate or implement programs of the act to be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, as provided. Existing law requires the emergency regulations to be filed with the Office of Administrative Law and requires the emergency regulations to remain in effect until repealed or amended by the adopting state agency. This bill, notwithstanding the above, would exempt the adoption of regulations for purposes of developing and adopting program guidelines and selection criteria needed to effectuate or implement programs of the act from the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, as provided. The bill would require a state entity that receives funding to administer a competitive grant program established using the Administrative Procedure Act exemption to do certain things, including, among other things, to develop draft project solicitation and evaluation guidelines, to transmit copies of the draft guidelines to the fiscal committees and to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, to hold a noticed public meeting on the draft guidelines, and to submit the final guidelines to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, except as provided. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to post an electronic form of the guidelines submitted by a state entity and the subsequent verifications on the Natural Resources Agency's internet website. The bill would authorize the use of certain previously developed program guidelines and selection criteria for these purposes, as provided. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law creates the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as a local area planning agency for the 9-county San Francisco Bay area with comprehensive regional transportation planning and other related responsibilities. Existing law establishes the Public Transit Revenue Measure District, governed by the same board that governs the commission, with jurisdiction extending throughout the boundaries of the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, and the City and County of San Francisco. Existing law authorizes a retail transactions and use tax applicable to the entire district to be imposed by the board of the district or by a qualified voter initiative for a duration of 14 years, and in specified amounts, subject to voter approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election. Existing law establishes specified procedures for that election, including a requirement that the elections officials of the counties where the measure will appear on the ballot mutually agree to use the same letter designation for the measure. This bill would revise those election procedures by, among other things, instead requiring the measure to be identified on the ballot by the designation "Regional Transit Measure" in each county included in the district and by requiring each county elections official in the district to select, from among the submissions of proposed arguments in favor of, and against, the measure, the arguments to be included in the county voter information guide of that county, as specified. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would extend an invitation to the people and government of the Province of Gauteng in South Africa to enter into a sister state relationship with California, would encourage the strengthening of existing partnerships, and would call upon California's universities, research institutions, and public agencies to explore new memoranda of understanding with Gauteng-based counterparts in areas of mutual interest.

Existing law requires the California Law Revision Commission to study, and limits the commission to studying, topics approved by resolution of the Legislature or by statute. This measure would grant approval to the commission to continue its study of designated topics that the Legislature previously authorized or directed the commission to study and two new topics of study, as specified. The measure would require the commission, before commencing work on any project within its authorized calendar of topics, to submit a detailed description of the scope of work to the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and any other policy committee that has jurisdiction, as specified. If a major change to the scope of work occurs during the course of the project, the measure would require the commission to submit a description of the change.

(1) Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a lobbyist or lobbying firm from attempting to create a fictitious appearance of public favor or disfavor of any proposed legislative or administrative action or to cause any communication to be sent to any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate in the name of any fictitious person or in the name of any real person, except with the consent of the real person. The act defines "lobbyist employer" as any person, other than a lobbying firm, who employs one or more lobbyists or contracts for the services of a lobbying firm, as specified. This bill would extend the above prohibition to lobbyist employers. (2) The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act. (3) A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a prohibition under the act, the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime and therefore create a state-mandated local program. 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 5, 2026, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. It is a commemorative resolution that does not change laws or require funding, but rather establishes a specific date for public awareness. The measure affects the general public by setting a day for reflection on gun violence, without mandating any specific actions or events.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 2026 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month. It serves as a commemorative resolution intended to raise public attention about abuse affecting older adults and dependent individuals. The measure does not create new laws or funding but rather establishes an official month-long observance. Once enacted, it becomes part of the state statutes without altering existing policies or requiring specific actions from government agencies.

This measure would designate a specified overcrossing on State Route 15 in the County of San Diego as the United States Navy Sailor Noah Tobin Memorial Overcrossing. The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

Maddy summaryAB 182 expresses the Legislature's intent to enact statutory changes related to the 2025 Budget Act. As a procedural bill, it does not specify policy details or direct impacts but establishes the framework for future budget-related legislation. This bill serves as a preparatory step for drafting the actual budget measures, without outlining concrete changes to state spending or programs. It affects the legislative process itself, not specific constituents or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 2026 as Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month to highlight information about the virus. It directly affects public health officials, healthcare providers, and community organizations who may organize events or distribute educational materials during this time. The primary mechanism is a formal declaration that establishes the specific month for this awareness campaign. The measure does not alter laws or funding but serves to recognize the importance of the issue through official state recognition.