Asm. Mark Stone

This measure would declare June 27, 2016, as Robotics Technology Day.

This measure would thank the State Air Resources Board for its exemplary work and tenacity in uncovering the emissions control defeat devices on certain diesel-fueled Volkswagen motor vehicles and would express the Legislature's support for specified future emissions test-related actions by the board.

The Unruh Civil Rights Act provides that all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are entitled to full and equal accommodations in all business establishments regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status. This bill would require a waiver of a legal right, penalty, remedy, forum, or procedure for a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, including the right to file and pursue a civil action or complaint with, or otherwise notify, the Attorney General or any other public prosecutor, or law enforcement agency, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, or any other governmental entity, to be knowing and voluntary, in writing, and expressly not made as a condition of entering into a contract for goods or services or as a condition of providing or receiving goods and services. The bill, among other things, would require a person who seeks to enforce a waiver of any legal right, penalty, remedy, forum, or procedure for a violation of the act to have the burden of proving that the waiver was knowing and voluntary and not made as a condition of the contract or of providing or receiving the goods or services. The bill would provide that, with certain exceptions, it applies to any agreement to waive a legal right, penalty, remedy, forum, or procedure for a violation of the act, including an agreement to accept private arbitration, entered into, altered, modified, renewed, or extended on or after January 1, 2017. The bill would provide that nothing in these provisions shall prohibit a person from knowingly and voluntarily entering into binding arbitration. The bill also would make findings and declarations.

Existing law subjects any person under 18 years of age who commits a crime to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge that person to be a ward of the court, except as specified. Existing law authorizes a probation officer, in certain circumstances, to delineate a specific program of supervision of a minor who is alleged to have committed a crime in lieu of requesting that the prosecuting attorney file a petition to declare the minor a ward of the juvenile court. Existing law makes a minor ineligible for this program of supervision if he or she has previously participated in a program of supervision. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to solicit or engage in any act of prostitution or to loiter in a public place in a manner and under circumstances manifesting the purpose and with the intent to commit prostitution. This bill would require the probation officer, in a case in which a minor is alleged to have committed those prostitution-related offenses, to delineate a specific program of supervision for the minor in lieu of requesting that the prosecuting attorney file a petition to have the minor declared a ward of the juvenile court. The bill would also allow these minors to participate in a program of supervision even if they have previously participated in a program of supervision. The bill would further require the probation officer to make a report to the county child welfare agency if the officer has reason to believe the minor is the victim of abuse or neglect, as specified. By increasing the duties of probation officers, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Existing federal law provides for the allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, certain amounts are exempt from the calculation of income of the family for purposes of determining the amount of a grant under the CalWORKs program, including specified amounts of disability-based unearned income and earned income. This bill would increase the amount of exempted disability-based unearned income and other earned income, as specified. By increasing county administrative duties relating to the CalWORKs program, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.

Under existing law, anyone who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, or with the intent to effect a violation of specified sex crimes is guilty of human trafficking. Under existing law, any person who causes a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, with the intent to violate specified sex crimes, is guilty of human trafficking. This bill would create the Statewide Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force within the Department of Justice, which would consist of representatives from several state agencies and be chaired by a representative from the Department of Justice. The bill would require the task force to gather statewide data on sex and labor traffickers, sex buyers, and human trafficking victims to recommend interagency protocols and best practices for training and outreach to law enforcement, victim service providers, and other state and private sector employees likely to encounter human trafficking and to evaluate and implement approaches to increase public awareness about human trafficking. The bill would authorize the task force to create an advisory committee or advisory committees comprised of subject matter experts, as provided. The bill would prohibit the task force from duplicating the protocols developed by the California Child Welfare Council.

This measure would recognize 2016 as the 150-year anniversary of public service and protection of state parks by state park rangers and would encourage the Department of Parks and Recreation, the California State Park Rangers Association, and the California State Parks Anniversary Committee to take all appropriate action to celebrate that anniversary.

This measure would recognize that the Legislature supports the development of safe and secure data sharing between public education, social service, and research entities through the Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust as it pertains specifically to at-risk, foster, homeless, and justice-involved children and youth and their families, in order to better serve, protect, and improve the futures of these Californians.