The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board as a part of the market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This bill would require the state board to develop and implement a program to provide grants to a rural county with a total population of less than 250,000 or a public transit operator located in such a rural county for the purchase, operation, and maintenance of near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicles to provide seniors and disabled populations located in that rural county with nonemergency medical transportation services. The bill would authorize the state board to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for the implementation of the program.
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Existing law authorizes a Purple Heart recipient to apply for special license plates inscribed with the Purple Heart insignia to be issued for a vehicle that is owned or coowned by the Purple Heart recipient. The law authorizes an applicant for the Purple Heart license plate who qualifies as a disabled veteran to apply also for a distinguishing placard to be used in conjunction with the Purple Heart license plate for specified special parking privileges. This bill would require a state agency with a parking facility that is available to private persons who conduct business with the agency to reserve a parking space free of charge for the exclusive use of any vehicle that displays a Purple Heart special license plate.
Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Lanterman Act) , establishes the State Department of Developmental Services, which is responsible for providing various services and supports to persons with developmental disabilities, and for ensuring the appropriateness and quality of those services and supports. The Lanterman Act requires the department to enter into contracts with private nonprofit corporations to operate regional centers, which are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities. Under existing law, the state is responsible for developing and implementing a statewide program encouraging the establishment of sufficient numbers and types of living arrangements, both in communities and state hospitals, as necessary, to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. The DHCD is responsible for administering various housing and home loan programs throughout the state. This bill would establish the California Integrated Community Living Program in the State Department of Developmental Services. The program would provide deferred payment loans to finance capital and other specified costs for permanent, supportive housing for individuals who are regional center clients in order to maximize affordable integrated community living opportunities within communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The bill would require the department and the DHCD to enter into an interagency agreement to administer the Integrated Community Living Program Fund, which would be created by, and continuously appropriated to the department for, the purposes described in the bill. The bill would prescribe the moneys to be deposited into the fund, including all moneys received by the department through the sale, lease, or other revenue-generating agreement for any state developmental center property, with specified exclusions. The bill would specify that moneys in the fund would not be used to supplant or backfill any existing program budget within either department. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require the department to convene an advisory committee to advise and assist in establishing funding priorities, with an emphasis on funding priorities for this program, as specified. This bill would require the DHCD to set forth minimum criteria for developing and administering a competitive application process to award funding for loans under the bill, as specified. The bill would require the DHCD to distribute funds in a manner that maximizes access to low-income housing tax credit program projects for the target population, and that also incentivizes development of creative permanent supportive housing projects outside of that program, as specified. The bill also would require the DHCD to adopt guidelines establishing income and rent standards for potential residents of properties funded under the program, including standards based solely on federal Supplemental Security Income. The bill would require the department and the DHCD to develop community integration criteria to set the maximum percentage of apartment units reserved for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities within specified program projects, and to stipulate community integration standards for small projects.
The Personal Income Tax Law excludes from the gross income of an employee amounts paid or incurred by an employer for educational assistance to the employee, as specified, up to $5,250 during a calendar year. This bill would exclude from the gross income of an employee amounts, not exceeding an aggregate amount of $5,250 per year, that are paid or incurred by an employer on and after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2023, for the payment of principal or interest on a qualified education loan, as defined, incurred by the employee. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing property tax law, pursuant to the authorization of the California Constitution, provides a disabled veteran's property tax exemption for the principal place of residence of a veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the veteran and veteran's spouse jointly, and the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran, as provided, if the veteran, is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of 2 or more limbs, or is totally disabled as a result of injury or disease incurred in military, or if the veteran has, as a result of a service-connected injury or disease, died while on active duty in military service. Existing law exempts that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed $100,000, or $150,000, if the household income of the veteran or the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran does not exceed $40,000, adjusted for inflation, as specified. This bill, beginning with the 2019–20 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, would instead exempt the full value of the principal place of residence of a veteran or veteran's spouse and the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran. Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to establish a security department under the supervision of a chief of security as designated by, and under the direction of, the superintendent of the school district. Existing law also authorizes the governing board of a school district to establish a school police department under the supervision of a school chief of police and to employ peace officers. This bill would require a school district or a charter school to hire or contract with at least one armed school resource officer, as defined, authorized to carry a loaded firearm, to be present at each school of the school district or charter school during regular school hours and any other time when pupils are present on campus. By imposing an additional requirement on school districts and charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that a school district's or charter school's costs of implementing this requirement shall be reimbursed as a state mandate and shall not be funded with the funding provided to school districts and charter schools pursuant to the local control funding formula. 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.
Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of the state highway system, including associated property. Existing law authorizes the department to lease certain property, including the area above or below a state highway, and certain property held for future highway purposes, to public agencies under specified terms and conditions, including specific provisions governing leases of airspace and other property in the City and County of San Francisco for purposes of an emergency shelter or feeding program, and at a lease cost of $1 per month and payment of an administrative fee not to exceed $500 per year. Existing law also requires that a lease be offered on a right of first refusal by the department to the city and county or a political subdivision of the city and county and authorizes leases of property for park, recreational, or open-space purposes, subject to certain additional terms and conditions, including a requirement for the department to lease property located within a priority development area to the city and county for up to 10 parcels, at a specified below market value lease amount, and a requirement, applicable to all leases, for the lessee to be responsible for all associated maintenance costs. Existing law also requires that a lease authorize the lessee to subsidize its maintenance costs through a limited revenue generation model, with any revenues generated above the maintenance costs to be shared with the state and requires the City and County of San Francisco or a political subdivision of the city and county, in consultation with the department, to follow all applicable health, environmental, safety, design, and engineering standards. This bill would similarly authorize the department to offer a lease on a right of first refusal basis of any airspace under a freeway, or real property acquired for highway purposes, located in a disadvantaged community, that is not excess property to the city or county in which the disadvantaged community is located for purposes of an emergency shelter or feeding program, or for park, recreational, or open-space purposes for a rental amount of $1 per month, subject to certain conditions. The bill would also authorize the department to lease up to 10 parcels in any city, or in the unincorporated area of any county, in which the disadvantaged community is located for park, recreational, or open-space purposes at an amount equal to 30% of the fair market lease value of the applicable parcel.
The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 provides the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations with the power, jurisdiction, and supervision over all employment and places of employment necessary to enforce and administer all occupational health and safety laws,and standards and to protect employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, an independent entity within the department, has the exclusive authority to adopt occupational safety and health standards within the state. Existing law requires every employer to comply with those standards. A violation of these standards and regulations under specific circumstances is a crime. This bill would require the board to adopt occupational safety and health standards for state public works projects to prevent and control coccidioidomycosis, more commonly known as Valley Fever. By expanding the definition of an existing 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.
(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the Natural Resources Agency. Existing law provides that a thriving in-state forest products sector provides public benefits, including employment opportunities in both rural and urban areas, and economic development for rural communities. This bill would require the department to develop the California Wood Innovations Small Grants Program to provide grants and low-interest loans or loan guarantees, upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, to entities that expand the use of wood products and increase in-state wood product processing and manufacturing for projects to improve forest health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as provided. (2) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Existing law establishes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as "GO-Biz," in state government within the Governor's office. Existing law requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. This bill would provide that up to $20,000,000 may be available, upon appropriation, to GO-Biz for purposes of providing grants, loans, and loan guarantees for projects, approved by the department and the State Air Resources Board, that add capacity for the in-state processing and production of wood products from forest and vegetation management activities that are intended to reduce the risk and intensity of wildfires.
Existing law requires the State Public Health Officer to establish rules and regulations establishing minimum standards for organized camps, and regulations governing the operation of organized camps that he or she determines are necessary to protect the health and safety of the campers. Existing law establishes minimum standards for the operation, regulation, and enforcement of organized camps, as defined. This bill would require organized day camps to either be accredited by the American Camp Association or have a written description of operating procedures that describes the program of organized and supervised activities of the organized day camp and meets other specified requirements. The bill would define an "organized day camp," to be a program that provides group experiences for children under 18 years of age during the day, on days during school breaks, for a minimum of four hours per day on three or more consecutive days. The bill would exclude various programs and facilities from the definition of "organized day camp" for these purposes. The bill would require a local enforcement agency to issue an organized day camp a health and sanitation permit upon receipt of the written operating procedures or written verification that the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association, and, in the case of a tier 1 camp, as defined, verification that an initial inspection of the premises was conducted. The bill would also require those camps to, among other things, have adequate staff to carry out the program and keep a health history of every camper and staff member entering the organized day camp, as specified. The bill would authorize the local enforcement agency to inspect the camp and charge fees for camp oversight activities. The bill would also authorize a person alleging health and sanitation violations to file a complaint with the local enforcement agency and require the local enforcement agency to investigate. The bill would also require the State Public Health Officer to adopt regulations pertaining to organized day camps, and to make reasonable efforts to obtain the input and advice of prescribed organizations. Because this bill would impose additional duties upon local enforcement agencies regarding the oversight of organized day camps, it 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.