Asm. Eduardo Garcia

This measure would recognize the history and significance of the Eagle Staff to Native American tribes. The measure would express the Legislature's commitment to inclusiveness for all Native Americans and respect for the traditions and symbolism of the Eagle Staff and would urge state government departments to incorporate these principles into their policies and practices.

This measure would proclaim June 2018 as California Grown Flower Month to recognize and honor the people of the California grown flower industry for their dedication and productivity.

Existing law provides that a child whose parent has been incarcerated or institutionalized and cannot arrange for the care of the child is within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court which may adjudge that person to be a dependent child of the court. Existing law requires, if the parent or guardian of a dependent child is incarcerated, institutionalized, or detained by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the court to order reasonable family reunification services, unless the court determines, by clear and convincing evidence, those services would be detrimental to the child. Existing law also requires social workers to make reasonable efforts to collect and update necessary data regarding a child's incarcerated parent or parents. This bill would authorize the County of Riverside to establish a program that would provide comprehensive social services to children who reside in the county and whose parents are currently or were formerly incarcerated at the local, state, or federal level. The bill would require the County of Riverside, if the state provides any financial support for the implementation of, and the county opts to establish, that program, to prepare and submit an interim report regarding the program to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on or before December 31, 2024, as specified, and a final report to that committee on December 31, 2028. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Riverside.

This measure would, among other things, mark June 25, 2018, as the 68th anniversary of the Korean War and encourage participants in specified discussions regarding North and South Korea to have a sincere intention of achieving peace in the region.

Existing law provides for the State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (SSP) , which requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments to SSP recipients to supplement Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments made available pursuant to the federal Social Security Act. Under existing law, benefit payments under SSP are calculated by establishing the maximum level of nonexempt income and federal SSI and state SSP benefits for each category of eligible recipient, with an annual cost-of-living adjustment, effective January 1 of each year. Existing law prohibits, for each calendar year, commencing with the 2011 calendar year, any cost-of-living adjustment from being made to the maximum benefit payment unless otherwise specified by statute, except for the pass along of any cost-of-living increase in the federal SSI benefits. Existing law continuously appropriates funds for the implementation of SSP. This bill would reinstate the cost-of-living adjustment beginning January 1 of the 2019 calendar year, subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.

Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim certain days each year for specified reasons. Existing law also designates particular days each year as having special significance and encourages all public schools and educational institutions to observe those days and to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on those days. This bill would require the Governor to annually proclaim April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day, would designate and set apart that date each year as having special significance, and would encourage all public schools and educational institutions to observe that date by conducting exercises remembering the life of Dolores Huerta and recognizing her accomplishments and the contributions she made to the state.

Existing law provides for the procedures by which a voter may apply for and receive a vote by mail ballot. Existing law requires the elections official to deliver to each qualified applicant the ballot for the precinct in which the applicant resides and all supplies necessary for the use and return of the ballot. Existing law prescribes the contents of an identification envelope and requires a voter to return his or her vote by mail ballot in the identification envelope, as specified. This bill would clarify that the elections official is required to deliver to each qualified applicant an identification envelope for the return of the vote by mail ballot and would require the identification envelope to have prepaid postage. By imposing additional duties on local elections officials, 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, 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 contains provisions governing the operation and financing of community mental health services for the mentally disordered in every county through locally administered and locally controlled community mental health programs. Existing law further provides that, to the extent resources are available, the primary goal of the use of funds deposited in the mental health account of the local health and welfare trust fund should be to serve specified target populations, including, among others, California veterans in need of mental health services who meet specified eligibility requirements. Existing law prohibits a county from denying county mental health services to an eligible veteran based solely on his or her status as a veteran. Existing law requires a county to refer a veteran to the county veterans service officer, if any, to determine the veteran's eligibility for, and the availability of, mental health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any other federal health care provider. This bill would prevent a county from denying an eligible veteran county mental or behavioral health services while the veteran is waiting for a determination of eligibility for, and availability of, mental or behavioral health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would make specific findings and declarations about the county's duty to provide mental and behavioral health services to veterans.