Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, defines and prohibits an act of shoplifting and prohibits prosecution for an act of shoplifting under any other law. Existing law defines shoplifting as entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit larceny while the establishment is open during regular business hours. This bill would revise the definition of shoplifting to require an intent to steal retail property or merchandise. Existing law provides that a person with a prior conviction for specified sex offenses may be charged with a felony for shoplifting or for theft of property not exceeding $950 in value. This bill would require a person convicted of petty theft or shoplifting, if the person has 2 or more prior convictions for specified theft-related offenses, to be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year, or for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years, and would make conforming changes. This bill would provide that its provisions would become effective only upon approval of the voters, and would provide for the submission of its provisions to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.
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The Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act provides for regulation of charter-party carriers of passengers by the Public Utilities Commission, subject to specific exclusions, including the transportation of school pupils conducted by or under contract with the governing board of any school district, as provided. Under existing law, a violation of the act is a crime. Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to regulate transportation network companies, as provided. This bill would explicitly state that the Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act applies to transportation network companies that serve unaccompanied minors due to or based on a contract with a local educational agency, and would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to regulate transportation network companies that serve unaccompanied minors due to or based on a contract with a local educational agency. By expanding the application of the Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act, the bill would expand a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2025, imposes various requirements upon a driver who provides school-related pupil transportation for compensation and is employed by a local educational agency, contracted by a local educational agency, or contracted by any entity with funding from a local educational agency, including, among others, requirements related to criminal background checks, possession of a satisfactory driving record, compliance with drug and alcohol testing, training, and maintenance of a daily log sheet, as provided. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2025, requires a local educational agency contracting with a private entity to provide pupil transportation to obtain from the private entity a written attestation that, among other things, only drivers who meet those requirements work, or will work, under the contract between the private entity and local educational agency, as provided. This bill would exempt from the above-described requirements, until July 1, 2027, a contract to provide transportation services for pupils between (1) a local educational agency and (2) a transportation network company that complies with specified safety standards for transportation network companies that serve unaccompanied minors adopted by the Public Utilities Commission, as provided. The bill would also exempt from the above-described requirements, until July 1, 2027, a driver who provides transportation services for pupils pursuant to that contract, as provided. The bill would require, as a condition of that exemption, the transportation network company to be able to fulfill requests for transportation services for pupils within as few as 24 hours of receiving notification from the local educational agency pursuant to that contract, as provided. 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 establishes the Franchise Tax Board in the Government Operations Agency to, among other things, administer state personal income taxes and corporation franchise and income taxes. Existing law, the Better for Families Act, required the Franchise Tax Board, no later than September 30, 2023, to make a one-time Better for Families Tax Refund payment to each qualified recipient, as defined, of an applicable amount, as specified, in the form and manner determined by the Franchise Tax Board, in order to provide relief to Californians. This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board, by no later than July 1, 2025, to enter into master agreements with debit card vendors to render services related to statewide financial relief payments. The bill would require each agreement to include certain terms, including definitions for key performance indicators, specified payment provisions, and options for fee-free services.
This measure would proclaim March 2024 as American Red Cross Month and would dedicate it to all those who continue to advance the noble legacy of the organization's founder. The measure would encourage all Californians to reach out, support the organization's humanitarian mission, and join in their commitment to care for people in need.
This measure would proclaim March 4, 2024, to March 8, 2024, inclusive, as School Breakfast Week.
This measure would declare 2024 as the year to Coexist with Wildlife, California.
This measure would proclaim February 22, 2024, as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.