(1) Existing law provides that a person with a class C license may operate a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles of 26,000 pounds or less when it is operated by a farmer, an employee of a farmer, or an instructor credentialed in agriculture as part of a specified instructional program, it is used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations, and it is not used in the capacity of a for-hire carrier or for compensation. This bill would additionally authorize a class C licenseholder to operate, until January 1, 2018, a combination of vehicles with a specified gross combination weight rating and gross vehicle weight rating that meets specified operating conditions, including being operated by a farmer or an employee of a farmer and being operated within 150 miles of a farm. (2) Existing law excludes certain vehicles from the definition of a commercial motor vehicle for purposes of the Motor Carriers of Property Permit Act. This bill would exclude, from that act, until January 1, 2018, a pickup truck, as defined, or a vehicle that has a flatbed of less than 9 feet and meets certain conditions regarding its weight rating and operation. The bill would also exclude until January 1, 2018, a combination of vehicles with a specified weight rating that meets certain conditions regarding the weight rating and operation of those vehicles. (3) The bill would require the Department of the California Highway Patrol to submit a report, by January 1, 2017, to the Legislature, that evaluates the exemptions provided by the bill and recommends as to whether those exemptions should be continued. The bill would repeal the report requirement on January 1, 2021.
Sponsored bills
Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board (state board) and the California regional water quality control boards prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of stormwater in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program. Existing law requires the state board or the regional boards to issue waste discharge requirements which apply and ensure compliance with all applicable provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any more stringent effluent standards or limitations necessary to implement water quality control plans, or for the protection of beneficial uses, or to prevent nuisance. This bill would require the state board, in consultation with affected stakeholders, to prepare a comprehensive statewide stormwater plan, as prescribed, and submit the plan to the Legislature, by January 1, 2015, subject to agreement by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide grant money to cover the costs of preparing the plan.
Existing law establishes the public elementary and secondary schools and the system of public community colleges in this state, and provides for a system for their funding. Provisions of the California Constitution require that a minimum amount of aggregate funding, calculated as specified, be allocated to school districts and community college districts. Pursuant to existing statutes, school district, community college districts, and other local educational agencies receive a portion of their funding through apportionments of state funds made in accordance with payment schedules. This measure would require that the total amount due for allocation to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and community college districts pursuant to the constitutional minimum funding requirement described above for a fiscal year, as estimated at the time of enactment of the annual Budget Act for that fiscal year, be apportioned pursuant to statute during that fiscal year, unless that minimum funding requirement is suspended for that fiscal year pursuant to an existing constitutional provision authorizing that suspension. The measure would require this estimate to be set forth in the Budget Bill passed by the Legislature. By requiring payment of the full amount of this estimate unless the minimum funding obligation is suspended as referenced above, this measure could increase the amount of the constitutional minimum funding obligation in any year that estimate exceeds the otherwise applicable obligation. The measure would require apportionments of state aid to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and community college districts to be made no later than the times specified by the statutory payment schedule that was in effect during the 2000–01 fiscal year, except that the Legislature may require by statute that these apportionments be made earlier in the fiscal year.
This measure would designate May 2012 as Foster Care Month in California.
This measure would designate the second full week in April as California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
This measure would proclaim May 6, 2012, to May 12, 2012, inclusive, to be California Charter Schools Week, and would state that the Legislature joins the California Charter Schools Association in congratulating charter schools for the accomplishments and contributions they have made to public education.
This measure would designate April 18, 2012, as DMV/Donate Life California Day in the State of California, and April 2012 as DMV/Donate Life California Month in the State of California, and would encourage all Californians to be organ, tissue, and blood donors.
This measure would designate February 2012 as No Place for Hate (registered trademark) Month.
This measure would honor and recognize the service and sacrifice made by members of the Armed Forces and their families on the occasion of Armed Forces Day on May 19, 2012.
This measure would designate April 24, 2012, as "California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1923." It would memorialize the Congress and the President of the United States to act likewise to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.