Asm. Luis Alejo

This measure would recognize the Lunar New Year Celebration on February 19, 2015.

This measure would proclaim January 13, 2015, as Korean-American Day.

This measure would proclaim January 26, 2015, as India Republic Day, and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating India Republic Day.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced by 1% or 5%, and provider payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 1%, for dates of service on and after March 1, 2009, and until June 1, 2011. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments and payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 10% for dates of service on and after June 1, 2011. This bill would, instead, prohibit the application of those reductions for payments to providers for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011. The bill would also require payments for managed care health plans for dates of service following the effective date of the bill to be determined without application of some of those reductions. The bill would require the Director of Health Care Services to implement this provision to the maximum extent permitted by federal law and for the maximum time period for which the director obtains federal approval for federal financial participation for those payments. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced by 1% or 5%, and provider payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 1%, for dates of service on and after March 1, 2009, and until June 1, 2011. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments and payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 10% for dates of service on and after June 1, 2011. This bill would instead require that this payment reduction not apply to skilled nursing facilities that are a distinct part of a general acute care hospital, for dates of service on or after July 1, 2013, subject to necessary federal approvals. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

(1) Existing law regulates horse racing in this state and provides for the payment and distribution of license fees in connection with horse racing meetings. Existing law establishes the Fair and Exposition Fund to, among other things, allocate moneys for the support of the network of California fairs. Existing law requires certain license fees from satellite wagering to be deposited into a separate account in the Fair and Exposition Fund, and continuously appropriates those moneys for specified purposes, including, among others, the payment of expenses incurred in establishing and operating satellite wagering facilities at fairs. This bill would delete the provisions requiring satellite wagering license fees to be deposited into a separate account in the Fair and Exposition Fund and to be continuously appropriated for specified purposes. The bill would instead require certain revenues paid by racing associations and fairs generated by parimutuel wagering to be deposited into the Fair and Exposition Fund and would require those funds to be continuously appropriated for various purposes, including, among others, capital improvements at fairgrounds. The bill would revise requirements for concurrence by the Joint Committee on Fairs, Allocation, and Classification of certain allocations proposed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. The bill would also require all funds appropriated for California fairs and expositions to be deposited into the Fair and Exposition Fund and would continuously appropriate those funds for various purposes. By continuously appropriating the funds in the Fair and Exposition Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. (2) Existing law provides that the Department of Food and Agriculture is responsible for providing oversight of activities carried out by each California fair, including, but not limited to, conducting fiscal and performance audits of county fairs and citrus fruit fairs that are either requested by the fair or that the department deems necessary, and conducting, or causing to be conducted, annual fiscal audits and periodic compliance audits. This bill would delete the requirement that the department conduct the audits described above and would instead require the department to provide that the books and accounts for the prior calendar year of all fairs receiving money from the Fair and Exposition Fund be examined and reviewed annually and audited once every 3 years by an independent certified public accountant or certified public accountancy firm. The bill would require a summary of the examination to be appended to the fair's annual statement of operations, and would provide that the costs of the annual review or audit be the responsibility of each fair. (3) Existing law requires the Legislature, from the total revenue received from the Department of Food and Agriculture, to annually appropriate moneys to the department as it deems necessary for the oversight of the network of California fairs and to perform audits. Existing law continuously appropriates any of those funds that are unallocated to the Secretary of Food and Agriculture for specified purposes. This bill would delete those provisions and instead would appropriate any unallocated balance in the Fair and Exposition Fund without regard to fiscal years for allocation by the secretary for capital outlay to California fairs for specified purposes. The bill would also specify that a reasonable amount of those funds, as determined by the secretary, may be used during any year by the Division of Fairs and Expositions to provide oversight and administration of the network of fairs. (4) Existing law divides the state into agricultural districts and provides for the management of these districts by district agricultural associations. Existing law provides for a board of directors for each district agricultural association, and provides for the appointment of each director by the Governor. This bill would authorize the Governor to remove a director for cause within one year of the director's appointment. (5) Existing law specifies the duties and responsibilities of district agricultural associations, and requires a district agricultural association to obtain the approval of the Department of Food and Agriculture prior to exercising certain powers, including, among others, the power to sue. Existing law also requires a district agricultural association to obtain the approval of both the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services in order to exercise certain other powers, including the power to conduct activities upon the district agricultural association's property, contract, purchase, or convey an interest in either real or personal property, or to use or manage its real estate or personal property. This bill would revise the duties and responsibilities of the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services with respect to district agricultural associations, and, among other things, would delete the requirement that a district agricultural association obtain the Department of Food and Agriculture's approval prior to suing. The bill would also delete the requirement that a district agricultural association obtain prior approval from both the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services prior to conducting activities upon the district agricultural association's own property, or entering into a contract or exercising powers over its own real or personal property. The bill would require a district agricultural association to comply with specified contracting procedures, including, among others, soliciting bids in writing if the estimated total cost of a project exceeds $25,000. The bill would require a district agricultural association to adopt a fiscal review policy to conduct audits at regular intervals, as specified, and would authorize the Department of Food and Agriculture to require an audit to be conducted at an earlier time if the department deems it necessary to protect the interests of the district agricultural association. The bill would specify that the title, control, and possession of all personal property acquired, held, managed, or operated by a district agricultural association vests with the district agricultural association. The bill would delete a provision requiring the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to expend up to $100,000 each fiscal year for an exhibit or exhibits at a fair that demonstrates the process of production and use of food and fiber, and would also delete a requirement that the secretary provide for a conference of fair judges to aid the Department of Food and Agriculture in prescribing regulations, and to expend up to $15,000 for that purpose. The bill would make other conforming and related changes. (6) Under existing law, the Department of General Services exercises oversight of the acquisition and replacement of motor vehicles, and the acquisition of certain mobile equipment, by state agencies, and defines "state agency" for those purposes. This bill would exclude a district agricultural association from that definition. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

The California Clean Energy Jobs Act, an initiative approved by the voters at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election as Proposition 39, made changes to corporate income taxes and, except as specified, provides for the transfer of $550,000,000 annually from the General Fund to the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund for 5 fiscal years beginning with the 2013–14 fiscal year. Moneys in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of funding eligible projects that create jobs in California, improving energy efficiency and expanding clean energy generation. Existing law, among other things, provides for allocation of available funds to job training and workforce development. Existing law appropriates $3,000,000 from the fund to the California Workforce Investment Board to develop and implement a competitive grant program for eligible community-based and other training workforce organizations preparing disadvantaged youth or veterans for employment. This bill would additionally require the California Workforce Investment Board to require a grant recipient to report to the board specified information. The bill would require the board, after the first year of implementation of the program, to review and assess the program in achieving the job training and workforce development goals, identify problems and barriers, and provide solutions to improve program performance.

Existing law authorizes certain internship and fellowship programs, as specified. This bill would establish the California Law Fellowship Program for the purpose of offering licensed attorneys limited-term placement opportunities in public sector legal positions within the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government and encouraging each participating attorney to seek permanent employment in the public sector at the conclusion of his or her fellowship, as specified. Existing law, commonly known as the Code of Ethics, prohibits a Member of the Legislature or an employee of either house of the Legislature from receiving or agreeing to receive, directly or indirectly, any compensation, reward, or gift from any source except the State of California for any service, advice, assistance, or other matter related to the legislative process, except for specified circumstances. This bill would provide that the services of an attorney participating in the California Law Fellowship Program are not compensation, a reward, or a gift to a Member of the Legislature for purposes of the so-called Code of Ethics. The bill would also provide that an attorney participating in the program is not an employee of either house of the Legislature for purposes of the Code of Ethics.

Existing law imposes an annual minimum franchise tax, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state, or doing business in this state. Existing law exempts a corporation that incorporates or qualifies to do business in this state from the payment of the minimum franchise tax in its first taxable year. Existing law imposes an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax on every limited partnership, limited liability company, and limited liability partnership doing business in this state. In addition, existing law requires every limited partnership that has filed a certificate with the Secretary of State and every foreign limited partnership that has registered with the Secretary of State, every limited liability company if the articles of organization have been accepted by, or a certificate of registration has been issued by, the Secretary of State, and every registered limited liability partnership and every foreign limited liability partnership that has registered with the Secretary of State, to pay an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax. This bill would additionally exempt a corporation that incorporates or qualifies to do business in this state on or after January 1, 2015, from paying the minimum franchise tax for its second taxable year. The bill would, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2015, exempt those limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and limited liability partnerships from paying the annual tax for its first and second taxable year. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.