Asm. Steve Bennett

This measure would recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag as the cultural and heritage flag of the Vietnamese American community and as a symbol of the community's continued struggle for freedom and liberty for the people of Vietnam, commemorate the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, and acknowledge and recognize the Vietnamese American community's commitment to the principles of democracy, justice, and the protection and advancement of human rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially designates June 2024 as Immigrant Heritage Month in California to recognize the contributions of immigrants to the state's economy and society. The measure does not change laws or create new programs but serves as a symbolic proclamation to highlight the cultural and economic impact of immigrant communities. It is a non-binding resolution that affects the public by encouraging acknowledgment of immigrant heritage rather than imposing specific obligations on individuals or businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 3, 2024, as Family Justice Center Day in California to recognize the work of organizations supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. It directly affects the California Family Justice Network and its 27 affiliated centers, which provide coordinated services such as legal aid, mental health support, and police assistance under one roof. The measure highlights the importance of these centers by noting they serve over 70,000 trauma victims annually, including more than 20 percent who are children. By officially acknowledging this date, the legislation aims to raise awareness about the critical role these centers play in helping survivors access necessary resources.

This measure would declare the month of June 2024 as Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Awareness Month, would recognize Thursday, June 20, 2024, as The Longest Day, and would urge all Californians to commemorate the month of June 2024 as Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Awareness Month.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 2024 as California Mountain Biking Month to recognize the sport's history, economic impact, and health benefits within the state. The measure directly affects mountain biking enthusiasts, trail users, and related organizations by officially acknowledging the activity's role in recreation and tourism. The resolution highlights how the industry contributes billions to the economy and supports over 17,000 jobs while promoting outdoor fitness and community building. By proclaiming this specific month, the legislation aims to encourage public participation in off-road cycling and celebrate California's status as a global hub for the sport.

Existing law, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) , authorizes an aggrieved employee, as defined, to bring a civil action, on behalf of that employee and other current or former employees, to enforce a violation of any provision of the Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or any of its departments, divisions, commissions, boards, agencies, or employees pursuant to certain notice and cure provisions, as prescribed. This bill would, among other things, authorize, on or after October 1, 2024, an employer that employed fewer than 100 employees in total during the period covered by the required notice to, within 33 days of receipt of the notice submit to the agency a confidential proposal to cure one or more of the alleged violations and, upon completing the cure, provide a sworn notification to the employee and agency that the cure is completed, as prescribed. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the agency to verify whether the cure is complete within 20 days of receiving the employer's notification, as specified. This bill would also authorize an employer who employed at least 100 employees in total during the period covered by the required notice to, upon being served with a summons and complaint asserting a claim under PAGA, file a request and participate in, as prescribed, an early evaluation conference in the proceedings of the claim and a request for a stay of court proceedings before, or simultaneous with, that defendant's responsive pleading or other initial appearance in the action that includes the claim. This bill would apply its provisions to a civil action brought on or after June 19, 2024, except as specified. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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. This bill would become operative only if AB 2288 of the 2023–24 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2025. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) , authorizes an aggrieved employee, as defined, to bring a civil action, on behalf of that employee and other current or former employees, to enforce a violation of any provision of the Labor Code that provides for a civil penalty to be assessed and collected by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or any of its departments, divisions, commissions, boards, agencies, or employees pursuant to certain notice and cure provisions, as prescribed. This bill would, among other things, instead authorize an aggrieved employee to bring a civil action as described above on behalf of the employee and other current or former employees against whom a violation of the same provision was committed. With respect to a violation by a person of a provision that does not provide for a civil penalty, PAGA makes that person liable for a civil penalty of $500 if, at the time of the alleged violation, the person does not employ one or more employees. If, at the time of the alleged violation, the person employed one or more employees, PAGA makes that person liable for a civil penalty of $100 for each aggrieved employee per pay period for the initial violation and $200 for each aggrieved employee per pay period for each subsequent violation. PAGA requires 75% of civil penalties recovered by aggrieved employees to be distributed to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency for enforcement of labor laws, including the administration of PAGA, and for education of employers and employees about their rights and responsibilities under the Labor Code, as specified, and requires 25% of civil penalties recovered by aggrieved employees to be distributed to the aggrieved employees, except as prescribed. This bill would instead, if, at the time of the alleged violation, the person employed one or more employees, make that person liable for a civil penalty of $100 for each aggrieved employee per pay period, except if certain mitigating factors apply, including that the alleged violation resulted from an isolated, nonrecurring event that did not extend beyond the lesser of 30 consecutive days or 4 consecutive pay periods, in which case the bill would make the civil penalty $25 or $50, except as provided. The bill would, subject to an exception, also reduce the civil penalties prescribed by PAGA by 15% or 30%, as specified, if a person accused of a violation has taken all reasonable steps to comply with the provisions alleged to have been violated in the required notice provided by the aggrieved employee, as prescribed. This bill would apply its provisions to a civil action brought on or after June 19, 2024, except as specified. This bill would become operative only if SB 92 of the 2023–24 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2025. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution aims to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid abuse and promote the use of non-opioid treatments for pain. It directly addresses the California Health and Human Services Agency, the State Department of Health Care Services, and other state entities by requesting they prioritize education on these issues. The bill encourages healthcare providers to consider non-opioid alternatives that are as effective as prescription drugs but carry lower risks of addiction and overdose. By focusing on public and provider awareness, the resolution seeks to support safer pain management practices across the state.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 1 of the 2023–24 Regular Session (ACA 1) would, if adopted by the people, amend Section 4 of Article XIIIA, Section 2 of Article XIIIC, and Section 3 of Article XIIID of, and would add Section 2.5 of Article XIIIC to, the California Constitution, relative to local finance. Under these provisions, ACA 1 would condition the imposition, extension, or increase of a sales and use tax or transactions and use tax imposed in accordance with specified law or a parcel tax by a local government for the purposes of funding the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, including downpayment assistance, or permanent supportive housing, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, on the proposition proposing that tax being approved by a majority vote of the membership of the governing board of the local government and by 55% of its voters voting on the proposition and the proposition includes specified accountability requirements. ACA 1 would also make conforming changes. This measure would remove the above-described provisions of ACA 1 relating to special taxes and make conforming changes in other provisions of ACA 1. The measure would direct the Secretary of State to make those amendments in ACA 1. ACA 1 would create an additional exception to the 1% ad valorem property tax rate limit for an ad valorem tax or special assessment to pay the interest and redemption charges on bonded indebtedness incurred by a city, county, or special district, as defined, to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, including downpayment assistance, or permanent supportive housing, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters of the city, county, city and county, or special district, as applicable, voting on the proposition on or after the effective date of ACA 1 and on the proposition including specified accountability requirements. ACA 1 would provide that this exception applies to an ad valorem tax for these purposes that is submitted at the same election as ACA 1. This measure would specify that the proposition proposing bonded indebtedness for which an ad valorem tax may be imposed under ACA 1, and any measure imposing an ad valorem tax for these purposes, may be voted on at the same election as ACA 1 or at a later election held after the effective date of ACA 1. The measure would also modify the definition of affordable housing for these purposes to include housing developments, or portions of housing developments, that are affordable to individuals, families, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, or first-time homebuyers, who are lower income households or middle-income households earning up to 150% of countywide median income, capitalized operating reserves, downpayment assistance programs, first-time homebuyer programs, permanent supportive housing, as defined, and associated facilities, if used to serve residents of affordable housing. The measure would also modify the definition of public infrastructure for these purposes to include, among other things, facilities or infrastructure for the delivery of public services, including education, police, fire protection, parks, recreation, open space, emergency medical, public health, libraries, flood protection, streets or highways, public transit, railroad, airports, and seaports. The measure would make conforming changes and direct the Secretary of State to make those amendments in ACA 1. ACA 1 would authorize the Legislature, subject to a23 vote, to enact laws establishing additional accountability measures consistent with the purposes and intent of the bonded indebtedness provisions of ACA 1. This measure would additionally authorize the Legislature, subject to a23 vote, to enact laws imposing additional conditions or restrictions on the acquisition or lease of real property for purposes described in the bonded indebtedness provisions of ACA 1. The measure would also require that any repeal of those conditions or restrictions be subject to a 23 vote. ACA 1 would require the approval of 55% of the voters of the city, county, city and county, or special district, as applicable, to incur bonded indebtedness, exceeding in any year the income and revenue provided in that year, that is in the form of general obligation bonds issued to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, or permanent supportive housing projects, if the proposition proposing that bond includes specified accountability requirements. ACA 1 would specify that this 55% threshold applies to any proposition for the incurrence of indebtedness by a city, county, city and county, or special district for these purposes that is submitted at the same election as ACA 1. This measure would specify that this 55% threshold applies to any proposition for the incurrence of indebtedness by a city, county, city and county, or special district for these purposes that is submitted at the same election as ACA 1 or at a later election held after the effective date of ACA 1. The measure would direct the Secretary of State to make those amendments in ACA 1.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates October 2024 as Rett Syndrome Awareness Month in California to highlight the condition and promote public understanding. Rett syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects females, causing significant neurological challenges such as loss of motor skills, speech, and walking ability. The resolution aims to increase awareness among medical professionals, researchers, educators, and the general public to support ongoing efforts to find a cure. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to draw attention to the disease and the need for continued research.