Asm. Steve Bennett

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (not a law), not a bill with policy changes. It designates February 17, 2025, as "Enrolled Agents' Day" in California to honor the profession's history and contributions to tax administration. Enrolled agents, who help taxpayers with federal and state tax matters like filings and audits, are recognized for over 50 years of service to California taxpayers. The resolution has no legal effect beyond this ceremonial recognition.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 6 proclaims January 13, 2025, as Korean American Day in California. The resolution recognizes the historical significance of the first Korean immigrants arriving in the U.S. on January 13, 1903, and honors Korean Americans' contributions to California's cultural, economic, and social landscape. It does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic declaration by the state legislature. The resolution specifically highlights Korean American communities in Los Angeles and Orange County, which have the largest concentrations of Korean Americans in the U.S.

Maddy summarySCR 10 is a California state resolution recognizing January 2025 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic gesture to raise public awareness about human trafficking - a crime involving exploitation through force, fraud, or coercion. The resolution highlights the severity of trafficking through statistics on global and California victim numbers but does not directly affect any specific groups or alter legal frameworks. This non-binding measure aligns with broader efforts to combat trafficking through education and community engagement.

Maddy summaryACR 9 is a symbolic resolution recognizing January 2025 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in California. It does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges this observance through a legislative resolution. The resolution cites statistics about trafficking vulnerabilities (including racial disparities, LGBTQ+ youth, and immigrant populations) to highlight the issue's significance. As a procedural resolution, it has no direct impact on affected individuals or enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 10) symbolically recognizes February 2, 2025, as World Wetlands Day in California. It acknowledges the global importance of wetlands - highlighting their role in climate mitigation, biodiversity, and achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals - without creating new laws or affecting any individuals or entities. The resolution cites the UN's designation of February 2 as World Wetlands Day and references the Ramsar Convention, but it only serves to raise public awareness through official recognition. As a commemorative resolution, it has no regulatory or financial impact.

This measure would recognize the 2nd Saturday of January each year as World Desert Day in California, and would encourage local jurisdictions to partner with organizations, agencies, or community groups to host educational programs and community celebrations highlighting desert conservation.

Maddy summaryACR 10 designates January 13, 2025, as Korean American Day in California. The resolution commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. on January 13, 1903, and recognizes Korean Americans' historical contributions to California and the nation. It does not create new laws or policies, but serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment of this community's heritage and impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that formally recognizes the work of school board members across California by designating January 2025 as School Board Recognition Month. It directly affects local school districts and county offices of education by honoring the nearly 5,000 elected school board members who serve in these roles. The resolution expresses appreciation for their dedication to public education and encourages community members to support these local officials in their efforts to serve students. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change, as it does not alter laws or regulations but instead highlights the importance of school governance.

The California Constitution prohibits the total annual appropriations subject to limitation of the State and of each local government from exceeding the appropriations limit of the entity of government for the prior year adjusted for the change in the cost of living and the change in population. The California Constitution defines "appropriations subject to limitation" of the State for these purposes. The California Constitution establishes the Budget Stabilization Account and requires, for every fiscal year and based on the Budget Act for that fiscal year, the Controller to transfer from the General Fund to the Budget Stabilization Account, no later than October 1, a sum equal to 1.5% of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The California Constitution requires other transfers between the General Fund and the Budget Stabilization Account, as specified. The California Constitution prohibits the amount transferred pursuant to these provisions for any fiscal year from exceeding an amount that would result in a balance in the account that, when the transfer is made, exceeds 10% of the amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. This measure would change the 1.5% required transfer to an undetermined percentage of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The measure would change the 10% limit on the balance in the Budget Stabilization Account to 20% of the amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. The measure would specify that funds transferred under these provisions to the Budget Stabilization Account do not constitute appropriations subject to the above-described annual appropriations limit.

Existing law, beginning on June 26, 2023, establishes the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee within the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to advise the Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, as provided. Existing law prescribes the composition of the 8-member committee, including 6 specified members appointed by the Governor, one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Existing law requires one member appointed by the Governor to represent labor. Existing law prohibits a member of the committee from having been employed by, contracted with, or received direct compensation from, a company that produces, refines, distributes, trades in, markets, or sells any petroleum product in the preceding 12 months, except as provided. Existing law specifies that the schedule of meetings of the committee is to be prescribed by the Energy Commission. This bill would specify that the above prohibition does not exclude a representative of a labor organization whose membership consists of, in whole or in part, individuals employed by a company that produces, refines, distributes, trades in, markets, or sells any petroleum product. The bill would require the gubernatorial appointee who represents labor to instead represent a labor organization with experience in refinery operations. The bill would require the committee to meet no less than annually. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, in consultation with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and labor and industry stakeholders, to consider ways to manage necessary refinery turnarounds and maintenance that would protect the health and safety of employees and the public, and minimize the impacts of maintenance-related production losses on fuel prices. Existing law authorizes the Energy Commission, by regulation, to impose requirements governing the timing of turnaround and maintenance. This bill would expressly require those regulations to protect the health and safety of employees, local communities, and the public, and to include criteria that are required to be met before a refinery commences a turnaround or maintenance event, as provided. This bill would require the Energy Commission, in consultation with the committee, to consider the effects of refiners' inventories of fuel and feedstocks and blending components on the price of transportation fuels in California. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission, by regulation, to develop and impose requirements for refiners operating in the state to maintain minimum levels of inventories of refined transportation fuels meeting California specifications, including any feedstocks and blending components, as specified. The bill would prohibit the Energy Commission from applying a minimum inventory requirement to a refiner in a manner that would be met only by the construction of additional storage infrastructure, as determined by the Energy Commission. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033. This bill would impose an administrative civil penalty on a refiner or person who fails to comply with regulations adopted pursuant to the above-described authority and would authorize the Energy Commission to seek any form of injunctive or remedial relief to enforce compliance with those regulations, as provided. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, on or before January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, to submit an assessment to the Governor and the Legislature that, among other things, identifies methods to ensure a reliable supply of affordable and safe transportation fuels in California, as provided. This bill, beginning with the first assessment submitted after the effective date of the bill, would require that the assessment also include an evaluation of California's future petroleum product and crude oil import needs, identification of steps that can be taken to ensure that marine infrastructure and port facilities will be adequate to accommodate the efficient movement of petroleum products to meet those needs, an evaluation of ways to maximize use of existing infrastructure and minimize cumulative pollution burdens, and an evaluation of the effects on supplies of transportation fuels of state regulations that the Energy Commission identifies may be causing supply constraints, or for which the Energy Commission believes alternative compliance pathways should be considered by state agencies to mitigate potential impacts on supply.