Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The California State University comprises 23 institutions of higher education located throughout the state. The California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 requires all agencies and museums, which is defined to include higher education institutions, that receive state funding and have possession or control over collections of California Native American human remains and associated funerary objects to inventory those remains and objects for repatriation to the appropriate California Indian tribes, as specified. This bill would require the California State University to comply with various requirements regarding the handling, maintenance, and repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural items under the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001, including adopting and implementing systemwide policies that, among other things, prohibit the use of any Native American human remains or cultural items for purposes of teaching or research at the California State University while in the possession of a California State University campus or museum. The bill would make its provisions severable.
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Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law provides for the missions and functions of these segments, and states that the University of California has the sole authority in public higher education to award doctoral degrees in all fields of learning, except that it may agree with the California State University to award joint doctoral degrees in selected fields. However, existing law authorizes the California State University to offer doctoral programs in education, audiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and public health without that agreement. This bill would authorize the California State University to award professional or applied doctoral degrees statewide that do not duplicate University of California doctoral degrees and satisfy certain requirements. The bill would require a California State University campus seeking authorization to offer a professional or applied doctoral degree program pursuant to the bill to submit specified information on the proposed doctoral degree for review by the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and approval by the trustees, as provided. The bill would authorize professional or applied doctoral degree programs that are approved for implementation by the trustees pursuant to the bill to be implemented at any California State University campus, but would limit the number of doctoral degree programs that may be offered at a California State University campus. The bill would prohibit the trustees from approving more than 10 new doctoral degree disciplines pursuant to the bill per academic year. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct a systemwide evaluation of doctoral degree programs established pursuant to the bill and report the results of the evaluation to the Legislature and the Governor on or before December 31, 2028.
Existing law creates the Riverside County Transportation Commission with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning and programming in the County of Riverside. Existing law authorizes the commission to impose a transactions and use tax for transportation purposes subject to approval of the voters, which, pursuant to the California Constitution, requires approval of 23 of the voters. Existing law limits the commission to a 1% maximum tax rate, and requires the commission's tax or taxes to be levied at a rate divisible by 14%, unless a different rate is specifically authorized by statute. This bill would raise the maximum tax rate the commission may impose from 1% to 1.5%. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Riverside.
Existing law, the Lithium Extraction Tax Law, imposes a lithium extraction excise tax upon each metric ton of lithium carbonate equivalent extracted from geothermal fluid, spodumene ore, rock, minerals, clay, or any other naturally occurring substance in this state, as specified. Existing law requires the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to administer and collect the tax and requires all collected revenues, less refunds and reimbursement to the department for administrative expenses, to be deposited into the Lithium Extraction Excise Tax Fund and disbursed in the manner prescribed. This bill would establish the Lithium Extraction Tax Citizens Oversight Committee within the department for the purposes of ensuring that certain revenues from the lithium extraction excise tax are appropriately distributed or allocated, as specified, and making recommendations on how to improve community engagement and maximize community benefits from the revenues. The bill would prescribe the composition of the committee, the appointment of committee members, meeting provisions, and specified department duties related to the committee. The bill would also require the committee to report its findings and recommendations on April 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations.
Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services to use the progressive design-build procurement process for the construction of up to 3 capital outlay projects, as jointly determined by the Department of General Services and the Department of Finance, and prescribes that process. Existing law defines "progressive design-build" as a project delivery process in which both the design and construction of a project are procured from a single entity that is selected through a qualifications-based selection at the earliest feasible stage of the project. Existing law, until January 1, 2029, authorizes local agencies, defined as any city, county, city and county, or special district authorized by law to provide for the production, storage, supply, treatment, or distribution of any water from any source, to use the progressive design-build process for up to 15 public works projects in excess of $5,000,000 for each project, similar to the progressive design-build process authorized for use by the Director of General Services. Existing law requires a local agency that uses the progressive design-build process to submit, no later than January 1, 2028, to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a report on the use of the progressive design-build process containing specified information, including a description of the projects awarded using the progressive design-build process. Existing law requires the design-build entity and its general partners or joint venture members to verify specified information under penalty of perjury. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, provide additional authority for cities, counties, cities and counties, or special districts to use the progressive design-build process for up to 10 public works in excess of $5,000,000, not limited to water-related projects, excluding projects on state-owned or state-operated facilities. The bill would require information to be provided under penalty of perjury and would require similar reports due no later than December 31, 2028. By expanding the crime of perjury, 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 allocates additional judgeships to various counties in accordance with uniform standards for factually determining additional need in each county, as approved by the Judicial Council. This bill would authorize 26 additional judgeships, subject to appropriation. This bill would require the Judicial Council to determine the allocation of those positions, pursuant to that uniform criteria.
The California Internet Consumer Protection and Net Neutrality Act of 2018 prohibits fixed and mobile internet service providers, as defined, that provide broadband internet access service, as defined, from engaging in specified actions concerning the treatment of internet traffic. The act also prohibits fixed and mobile internet service providers from offering or providing services other than broadband internet access service that are delivered over the same last-mile connection as the broadband internet access service, if those services have the purpose or effect of evading the above-described prohibitions or negatively affect the performance of broadband internet access service. This bill, the Digital Equity Bill of Rights, would state that it is the principle of the state, to ensure digital equity for all residents of the state, that residents shall have access to broadband that meets specific requirements, and that it is the policy of the state that, to the extent technically feasible, broadband internet subscribers benefit from equal access to broadband internet service within the service area of a broadband provider, as those terms are defined. The bill would also state that it does not create an obligation for the state to enforce that principle or policy and does not create a private right of action against the state to enforce the bill. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.
Existing law establishes the Bureau of Gambling Control within the Department of Justice. Existing law also establishes the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund for the receipt and deposit of moneys received by the state from Indian tribes pursuant to the terms of tribal-state gaming compacts, to be available for appropriation by the Legislature for, among other things, regulatory costs incurred by the state in connection with the implementation and administration of tribal gaming. This bill would require the Department of Justice, by no later than June 1, 2025, to develop and implement a formal time tracking policy and procedure for employees assigned to the Bureau of Gambling Control to track those hours and other expenses that can be charged to the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, require quarterly audits of timekeeping to ensure that only those hours and expenses directly related to tribal gaming are charged to the fund.
Existing law, the Local Health Care District Law, authorizes the organization and incorporation of local health care districts and specifies the powers of those districts, including, among other things, the power to establish, maintain, and operate, or provide assistance in the operation of, one or more health facilities or health services, including, but not limited to, outpatient programs, services, and facilities; retirement programs, services, and facilities; chemical dependency programs, services, and facilities; or other health care programs, services, and facilities and activities at any location within or without the district for the benefit of the district and the people served by the district. This bill would form a local health care district in the County of Imperial, designated as the Imperial Valley Healthcare District, that includes all of the County of Imperial. The bill would require the initial board of directors of the Imperial Valley Healthcare District to be appointed from and by specified bodies, including among others, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District Board of Directors, and the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District Board of Directors. The bill would require the initial board of directors to recommend a permanent funding source mechanism to be presented to and approved by voters via ballot measure. The bill would require the initial board of directors to enter negotiations with El Centro Regional Medical Center to decide the terms of the acquisition of the hospital. The bill would require the initial board of directors to finalize the terms of the acquisition by November 5, 2024. The bill would require the City of El Centro to negotiate in good faith with the Imperial Valley Healthcare District. The bill would require the board of directors to hold a minimum of 3 public meetings between the effective date of the bill and January 1, 2025, as specified. The bill would require the board of directors to recommend to the Imperial County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) dates for the dissolutions of the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District and Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District and would authorize the board to recommend separate dates for each district's dissolution. The bill would require, by January 1, 2025, the Imperial County LAFCO to dissolve the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District and the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District and would transfer the assets, rights, and responsibilities of the dissolved districts to the Imperial Valley Healthcare District. The bill would require, until the dissolution of both of those districts, the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District to hold a temporary clerical role for the Board of Directors of the Imperial Valley Healthcare District, as specified. The bill would extend the terms of the board members of the districts being dissolved until their respective dissolution date or January 1, 2025, whichever occurs first. Following the appointment of the board of directors, the bill would require the board of directors to adopt a resolution to divide the Imperial Valley Healthcare District into voting districts for the purpose of electing members of the board of directors from and by the electors of those voting districts beginning with the next district election occurring after January 1, 2024. The bill would require the Imperial Valley Healthcare District to annually report to the Imperial County LAFCO regarding health care service provision in the district in 2024 and 2025, as specified. The bill would require the Imperial County LAFCO to conduct a municipal service review regarding health care service provision in the district by December 31, 2026, and by December 31 every 5 years thereafter. By imposing new duties on the City of El Centro and the County of Imperial, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the Imperial Valley Healthcare District maximize the use of its assets to provide direct health care services to individuals within the district, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the purpose of the bill and the necessity of a special statute for the County of Imperial. 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 bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing federal law, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, designates the 3-digit telephone number "988" as the universal number within the United States for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system operating through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, maintained by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, and the Veterans Crisis Line, which is maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Existing law creates a separate surcharge, beginning January 1, 2023, on each access line for each month, or part thereof, for which a service user subscribes with a service supplier. Existing law sets the 988 surcharge for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years at $0.08 per access line per month and beginning January 1, 2025, at an amount based on a specified formula not to exceed $0.30 per access line per month. Existing law authorizes the 911 and 988 surcharges to be combined into a single-line item, as described. Existing law provides for specified costs to be paid by the fees prior to distribution to the Office of Emergency Services. Existing law, the Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act, creates the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund and requires the fees to be deposited along with other specified moneys into the fund. Existing law provides that, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the funds be used for specified purposes and in accordance with specified priorities. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to require an entity seeking moneys available through the fund to annually file an expenditure and outcomes report containing specified information, including, among other things, the number of individuals served and the outcomes for individuals served, if known. This bill would require an entity seeking moneys from the fund to also include the number of individuals who used the service and self-identified as veterans or active military personnel in its annual expenditure and outcomes report.