Asm. Vince Fong

This measure would proclaim March 11, 2024, as Special Olympics Day in California.

This measure would proclaim the month of September 2024 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

This measure would, among other things, designate March 2024 as Irish American Heritage Month in honor of the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Ireland and would commemorate the multitude of contributions that Irish Americans have made to this country and state.

This measure would proclaim February 16, 2024, as California Almond Day.

This measure would declare 2024 as the year to Coexist with Wildlife, California.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. This bill would exempt from CEQA a project for wildfire prevention within 50 feet of either side of a roadway. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for this exemption, 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 provides deadlines for candidates at a primary election to deliver or file their nomination documents. Existing law generally requires a candidate to deliver their nomination documents to the county elections official no later than 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the primary election. Existing law provides an exception for specified state offices and for the offices of Member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator, whereby if the incumbent of one of those offices does not deliver nomination documents by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the primary election, a person other than the incumbent may file nomination documents for that office until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before the primary election. Existing law prohibits a candidate whose declaration of candidacy has been filed for a primary election to withdraw as a candidate at that primary election. This bill would permit a candidate whose declaration of candidacy has been filed for a primary election to withdraw their candidacy until 5 p.m. on the final day that nomination documents may be delivered or filed for that office at the primary election. The bill would also make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of local elections officials regarding the nomination of candidates for the primary election, the bill would 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, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.

This measure would recognize February 2024 as Black History Month, urge all citizens to join in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents of African Americans and the achievements and contributions they make to their communities to create equity and equality for education, economics, and social justice. The measure would also recognize the significance in protecting citizens' right to vote and remedying racial discrimination in voting.