Asm. Patty López

This measure would recognize April 17, 2016, as World Hemophilia Day.

Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal, state, and county funds. Under existing law, a recipient of CalWORKs is required to participate in welfare-to-work activities for a specified number of hours each week as a condition of eligibility for aid. Existing law authorizes certain welfare-to-work participants to engage in adult basic education in satisfaction of these work requirements. Existing law establishes the Cal‑Learn Program, under which a recipient of CalWORKs aid who is under 19 years of age and who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent is required to participate in the program as a student attending school on a full‑time basis. Existing law provides for a supplement to, or a reduction in, a Cal‑Learn participant's aid grant based on his or her performance in school. This bill would create the CalED Program for the purpose of assisting CalWORKs recipients to obtain high school diplomas or equivalency certificates, if they are at least 19 years of age and satisfy specified eligibility criteria. The bill would provide a one-time $500 aid supplement if a participant in the program successfully completes high school or a general educational development test approved by the State Board of Education and administered by a testing center approved by the State Department of Education. The bill would provide that participation in the program is optional and would authorize recipients of CalWORKs to opt out in writing. The bill would require the department to develop a comprehensive form that explains the benefits of the program and would require the county, at the time it conducts a welfare-to-work appraisal, to provide the form to the recipient. The bill would also require counties to arrange for the provision of education and supportive services that an individual needs to successfully participate in the CalED Program. By imposing these duties on counties, 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, 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 these statutory provisions.

Existing law imposes an annual minimum franchise tax, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state or doing business in this state. Existing law exempts a corporation that incorporates or qualifies to do business in this state from the payment of the minimum franchise tax in its first taxable year. Existing law imposes an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax on every limited partnership, limited liability company, and limited liability partnership that is doing business in this state or that has filed or registered with the Secretary of State. The minimum franchise tax imposed on a corporation, and the annual tax imposed on a limited liability company, must be paid by the 15th day of the 4th month of the taxable year. The annual tax imposed on a limited partnership or on a limited liability partnership must be paid by the original due date of the partnership return. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, and on or before January 1, 2020, would reduce that minimum franchise tax of a new microbusiness, as defined, to specified amounts for the taxable years immediately following its first taxable year that begin on or before January 1, 2020, or that annual tax, for each of the initial taxable years of its existence that begin on or before January 1, 2020, as specified. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

The Personal Income Tax Law provides various exclusions from gross income in determining tax liability, including an exclusion for combat-related special compensation and death benefit payments received by a surviving spouse or other beneficiary designated by a military veteran, as prescribed, who dies or is killed in the performance of duty, as provided. This bill, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2016, and before January 1, 2019, would exclude from gross income retirement pay received by a taxpayer from the federal government for military service performed in the Armed Forces of the United States, the reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, or the National Guard, and survivor benefits received by a taxpayer from the federal government, as specified. The bill would make these provisions operative on the effective date of any budget measure specifically appropriating funds to the Franchise Tax Board for its costs of administering these provisions. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

This measure would commend Muslim Americans for their economic, political, and cultural impact on California and the United States. This measure would call upon Members of the United States Congress to respect the First Amendment, and to speak out against and reject efforts to monitor mosques, efforts to police and profile Muslim Americans, and efforts to prohibit Muslims from immigrating to the United States, and to speak out against and reject any efforts to pursue an immigration policy based on religion.

This measure would declare the month of April 2016 as Financial Aid and Literacy Month, with the theme of "Prosperity Through Education," to raise public awareness about the continuing need for increased financial literacy.

This measure would recognize May 2016 as National Mental Health Awareness Month in California to enhance public awareness of mental illness.

The measure would urge the Members of Congress to work to recognize Mexican American families' needs to visit family members in Mexico and increase commerce between our nations by reducing border delays through a more open border and to speak out against and to reject efforts to build a wall along the United States-Mexico border.