Asm. Gail Pellerin

(1) Existing law requires each electrical utility or other entity that offers electrical service, except as specified, to develop a standard contract or tariff that provides for net energy metering (NEM) , that, among other things, compensates each eligible customer-generator, as defined, for the electricity it generated, as provided. Existing law requires each electrical utility to make the contract or tariff, commonly known as NEM 1.0, available to eligible customer-generators, upon request, as specified. Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop an additional standard contract or tariff, and requires each large electrical corporation to offer that standard contract or tariff, commonly known as NEM 2.0, to its eligible customer-generators, as provided. Existing law authorizes the commission to revise the standard contract or tariff, as specified. Pursuant to its authority, the commission adopted Decision 22-12-056 (December 19, 2022) , commonly known as the net billing tariff, which creates a successor tariff to NEM 1.0 and NEM 2.0 and includes specified elements. Existing law requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, determined by the Director of Industrial Relations, be paid to workers employed on public works projects. Existing law defines "public works" for purposes of requirements regarding the payment of prevailing wages to include construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for using public funds, except as specified. Existing law requires the awarding body, as defined, of a contract for public work to do specified things, including to withhold and retain all amounts required to satisfy any civil wage and penalty assessments issued by the Labor Commissioner from payments made to the contractor, as specified. Existing law requires an awarding body to provide notice, containing certain information, to the Department of Industrial Relations of any public works contract subject to the public works requirements, within 30 days of the award, as provided. Existing law constitutes, beginning December 31, 2023, the construction of any renewable electrical generation facility and any associated battery storage that receives service pursuant to NEM 1.0, NEM 2.0, or the net billing tariff, except as specified, as a public works project. This bill would specify that an entity that engaged a contractor for construction of a renewable electrical generation facility and associated battery storage, as described above, is not an awarding body and that certain public works project requirements do not apply to that entity. The bill would also specify that the contractor who enters into a contract with that entity for those construction services is the awarding body only for purposes of the above-described requirement to provide notice to the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law provides for various enforcement mechanisms related to ensuring a contractor pays each construction worker the prevailing rate of per diem wages, and provides that enforcement of a willful violation of any of these mechanisms against a contractor for the construction of a renewable electrical generation facility disqualifies that facility from being eligible to receive service pursuant to NEM 1.0, NEM 2.0, or the net billing tariff. This bill instead would specify that a renewable electrical generation facility remains eligible to receive service pursuant to NEM 1.0, NEM 2.0, or the net billing tariff despite enforcement of a willful violation against a contractor for the construction of the facility, as described above, if restitution has been made to the affected workers and all associated penalties and fines have been paid. (2) Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the above-described provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and a violation of a commission action implementing the bill's requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose 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.

Existing law, the Real Estate Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of real estate brokers and salespersons by the Real Estate Commissioner, the chief officer of the Department of Real Estate within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Existing law provides various duties and obligations owed to a prospective purchaser of real property. A willful violation of the Real Estate Law is a crime. This bill would require a real estate broker or salesperson, or person acting on their behalf, who includes a digitally altered image, as defined, in an advertisement or other promotional material for the sale of real property to include a disclosure, as specified. If the advertisement or promotional material is posted on an internet website, the bill would require the same image without digital alteration to be included, as specified. By imposing new requirements on real estate licensees, the violation of which is a crime, this bill would impose 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.

The California FAIR Plan Association is a joint reinsurance association in which all insurers licensed to write basic property insurance participate in administering a program for the equitable apportionment of basic property insurance for persons who are unable to obtain that coverage through normal channels. Existing law requires the association's plan of operation and any amendment to the plan to be approved by the Insurance Commissioner. Existing law establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank and authorizes it to issue bonds to provide funds for the payment of costs of a project for a participating party or upon request by a state entity. This bill would authorize the association, if granted prior approval from the commissioner, to request the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds, and would authorize the bank to issue those bonds to finance the costs of claims, to increase liquidity and claims-paying capacity of the association, and to refund bonds previously issued for that purpose. The bill would specify that the association is a participating party and that financing all or any portion of the costs of claims or to increase liquidity and the claims-paying capacity of the association is a project for bond purposes. The bill would authorize the bank to loan the proceeds of issued bonds to the association, and would authorize the association to enter into a loan agreement with the bank and to enter into a line of credit agreement or other agreement This bill would require the association, if the above-described bonds, loan agreements, or lines of credit received the prior approval of the commissioner, and if the association is unable to timely and fully meet its repayment obligation, to assess members in the amounts and at the times necessary to timely pay in full all obligations of the association with respect to those bonds, loan agreements, lines of credit, and other agreements, as specified. The bill would authorize the association to secure those bonds, loan agreements, lines of credit, and other agreements by a statutory lien, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for the purpose of implementing the objectives of the bank. To the extent that the bill would result in additional revenues being deposited into the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies, including generally limiting the amount of security that a landlord may demand or receive to an amount or value equivalent to one month's rent, as provided, and allowing a landlord to claim of the security only those amounts as are reasonably necessary for specified purposes. Existing law defines a security for these purposes as any payment, fee, deposit, or charge, including any payment, fee, deposit, or charge, except as specified, that is imposed at a tenancy's beginning to reimburse a landlord for costs associated with processing a new tenant or that is imposed as an advance payment of rent, used for any purpose. Existing law requires a landlord to provide a tenant a copy of an itemized statement, as specified, and return the security's remaining portion to the tenant by personal delivery or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises, as specified. Existing law authorizes a landlord and tenant to mutually agree to have the landlord deposit electronically the security's remaining portion to a bank account or other financial institution designated by the tenant or provide a copy of the itemized statement to an email account provided by the tenant. This bill would revise these provisions to generally require the landlord to return the security by personal delivery or by check made payable to the tenant. If the landlord received the security or rental payments from the tenant electronically, the bill would instead require the landlord to return the remainder of the security electronically, as specified, unless the landlord and tenant designated another method of return, by written agreement. If the landlord received the security or rental payments from the tenant electronically, the bill would require the landlord to notify the tenant in writing of the tenant's right to receive the security electronically pursuant to these provisions, as specified. The bill would also instead authorize the landlord and tenant to mutually agree, as specified, to provide the itemized statement by either email to an email account provided by the tenant or mail by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to an address provided by the tenant. If multiple adult tenants reside in the unit, the bill would require the landlord to return the remainder of the security by a check made payable to all adult tenants, as specified, and provide the itemized statement by personal delivery or first-class mail, postage prepaid, to any one of the adult tenants chosen by the landlord, unless the landlord and all adult tenants, at the commencement of the tenancy or at any time during or after the tenancy, enter into a mutual written agreement containing specified provisions.

(1) Existing law requires that each death be registered with the local registrar of births and deaths in the district in which the death was officially pronounced or the body was found. Existing law establishes the required contents of the death certificate, including, but not limited to, the decedent's name, sex, race, and other relevant identifying and medical information. Existing law requires that the medical and health section data and the time of death be completed and attested to by the physician and surgeon last in attendance or, in the case of a patient in a skilled nursing or intermediate care facility, by the physician and surgeon last in attendance or by a licensed physician assistant meeting certain qualifications. Existing law also requires the individuals responsible for completing a death certificate to specify certain information on the certificate, including the time they last saw the deceased person alive. Existing law requires a physician and surgeon, physician assistant, or other specified individuals to immediately notify the coroner when they have knowledge of a death occurring under specified circumstances, including where suicide is suspected. A violation of that requirement is a crime. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2026, additionally authorize the medical and health section data and the time of death on a death certificate to be completed and attested to by a nurse practitioner last in attendance. The bill would make conforming changes. Commencing July 1, 2026, the bill would also include a nurse practitioner to the group of individuals required to notify the coroner when they have knowledge of a death under certain specified circumstances. Because this bill would expand the application of an existing crime to nurse practitioners, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires a funeral director, or a person acting in lieu of a funeral director if there is no funeral director, to prepare a certificate of fetal death and register it with the local registrar. Existing law requires the attending physician, if any, to state on the certificate of fetal death specific information, including the time and causes of fetal death. Existing law requires the physician, within 15 hours after the fetal death, to deposit the fetal death certificate at the place of death or deliver it to the attending funeral director or the office of the physician, as specified. Commencing July 1, 2026, this bill would add a nurse practitioner in those provisions for purposes of preparing and depositing or delivering a certificate of fetal death. (3) Existing law provides a procedure to, and authorizes a certifying physician or coroner to, amend a record of death, fetal death, or live birth with supplemental information by filing a declaration under penalty of perjury. Commencing July 1, 2026, this bill would also authorize a nurse practitioner to use that procedure to file a declaration to amend a record of death, fetal death, or live birth. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose 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.

Existing law requires local governments lying in whole or in part within the coastal zone or within the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to, on or before January 1, 2034, develop a sea level rise plan with specified required content as part of a local coastal program that is subject to approval by the California Coastal Commission or the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. This bill would authorize the applicable commission, when approving a local coastal plan or an amendment to a local coastal plan, to deem existing sea level rise information or plans prepared by a local government to satisfy the content requirements for a sea level rise plan. The bill would provide that local governments are encouraged, on or before January 1, 2029, to consult with the California Coastal Commission, in a voluntary early consultation, regarding sea level rise plans in the preparation of a local coastal program or an amendment to a local coastal program.

Existing law makes the Secretary of State the chief elections officer of the state and authorizes the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to ensure the uniform application and administration of state election laws. This bill would require the Secretary of State, in consultation with county elections officials, to develop uniform standards and guidelines for a voter to correct mistakes made on the voter's ballot. The bill would authorize the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to ensure uniform application of the standards and guidelines.

Existing law designates all parks, public campgrounds, monument sites, landmark sites, and sites of historical interest established or acquired by the state, or that are under its control, as the state park system, except as specified. Under existing law, the Department of Parks and Recreation controls the state park system, which is made up of units. Existing law authorizes the department to acquire title to or any interest in real property, including personal property incidental to the purchase of real property and options to purchase property, that the department deems necessary or proper for the extension, improvement, or development of the state park system. Existing law requires that all land and other real property to be acquired by or for any state agency be acquired by the State Public Works Board, except as specified. This bill would additionally exempt from that requirement property acquired by the department for Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks, as specified, until January 1, 2033. The bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to submit a report, on or before January 1, 2028, January 1, 2030, and January 1, 2032, to the Legislature with specified content detailing the department's use of authority granted pursuant to the bill regarding the acquisition of real property interests without the State Public Works Board. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15853 of the Government Code and Section 5006.1 of the Public Resources Code proposed by SB 630 to be operative only if this bill and SB 630 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law authorizes the governing body with jurisdiction over school buildings or other public buildings, as defined, to allow its buildings to be used for polling places, or for vote centers, beginning up to 10 days before the election and continuing through election day, or to store voting machines and other vote-tabulating devices. Once a governing body has approved the use of a building as a polling place or vote center, existing law requires the governing body to instruct the school district or other public administrator to provide the elections official a site with an adequate amount of space that will allow the precinct board or vote center to perform its duties. This bill would require the governing body to instruct the school district or other public administrator to provide the elections official with an adequate amount of space for voting operations and storage of associated supplies. Existing law requires the district administrator to make building parking available at no charge to the precinct or vote center board and voters, as specified. This bill would require the district administrator to also make accessible parking spaces and parking for assisting voters curbside available, if requested by the elections official.

Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a public officer from expending, and a candidate from accepting, public moneys for the purpose of seeking elective office. This bill would remove prohibitions imposed on a public officer or candidate to expend or accept public funds, as defined, for the purpose of seeking elective office unless the funds are earmarked by a state or local entity for education, transportation, or public safety. The bill would require candidates to abide by specified expenditure limits and meet strict criteria, as defined, to qualify for public funds. The bill would prohibit public funds from being used to pay legal defense fees or fines or to repay personal loans to their campaign. The bill would permit a statute, ordinance, or charter to establish standards to increase the expenditure limits for each qualified, voluntarily participating candidate pursuant to a specified formula. The bill would provide that the Fair Political Practices Commission is not responsible for administering or enforcing a system of public funding of candidates established by a local governmental agency. Existing law prohibits a foreign government or foreign principal, as defined, from making a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in connection with the qualification or support of, or opposition to, any state or local ballot measure or in connection with the election of a candidate to state or local office. Under existing law, a person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine equal to the amount contributed or expended. This bill would instead require that a person guilty of that misdemeanor, in addition to other penalties, be fined an amount at least equal to the amount contributed or expended, but not exceeding a maximum amount of 3 times the amount contributed or expended. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the act may be amended by a statute that becomes effective upon approval of the voters. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill, as specified, to the voters for approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 85320 of the Government Code proposed by AB 953 to be operative pursuant to specified conditions.