Asm. Pilar Schiavo

Existing law requires the collection of specified fees for certified copies of a birth certificate, marriage record, or marriage dissolution record. Existing law imposes fees upon the application for an original class C or M driver's license or a renewal of a driver's license or for a license to operate a different class of vehicle, as described. This bill would instead exempt persons who are recipients of specified assistance programs from payment of a fee for certified copies of a birth certificate, marriage record, or marriage dissolution record. The bill would, beginning July 1, 2027, also exempt a person who can verify their status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth from payment of a fee upon the application for an original or renewal of a driver's license. The bill would require the verification of homeless status to be subject to regulations adopted by the Department of Motor Vehicles and may be made by a homeless services provider, as defined. By establishing an exemption as to fees paid for receipt of certified copies of vital records, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would make all these provisions operative only to the extent that funding is provided by express reference for these purposes. 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, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act and the Ralph C. Dills Act, regulate the labor relations of employees and employers of local public agencies and the state, respectively. Those acts grant specified employees, including, among others, certain employees of fire departments, of local public agencies and the state the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their choosing and require public agency employers, among other things, to meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations and exclusive representatives on terms and conditions of employment. The acts grant the Public Employment Relations Board the power to hear specified disputes in relation to these provisions and to make determinations regarding them. With regard to certain employees of fire departments, existing law provides that those persons do not have the right to strike or recognize a picket line of a labor organization while in the course of the performance of their official duties. This bill would provide, except as specified, that it is not unlawful or a cause for discipline or other adverse action against a public employee for that public employee to refuse to enter property that is the site of a primary strike, perform work for a public employer involved in a primary strike, or go through or work behind a primary strike line. The bill would prohibit a public employer from directing a public employee to take those actions. The bill would authorize a recognized employee organization to inform employees of these rights and encourage them to exercise those rights. The bill would also state that a provision in a public employer policy or collective bargaining agreement that purports to limit or waive the rights set forth in this provision shall be void as against public policy, except that the bill would require the parties to negotiate over the bill's provisions if the bill is in conflict with a collective bargaining agreement entered into before January 1, 2024, as prescribed. The bill would exempt certain public employees of fire departments and certain peace officers from these provisions. The bill would include related legislative findings.

Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, certain types of payments received by recipients of aid under the CalWORKs program, including income from a college work-study program, as specified, are exempt from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility and aid amount. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2025, or on the date that the State Department of Social Services notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this change, additionally exempt income up to 200% of the federal poverty level that is received by an apprentice or preapprentice for performing work as part of a specified apprenticeship program or preapprenticeship program from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility or calculating grant amounts under the CalWORKs program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction until regulations are adopted. By expanding the scope of eligibility for CalWORKs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the above provisions. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 11157 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 274 to be operative only if this bill and AB 274 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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, the California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, establishes the California Workforce Development Board as the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. Existing law requires the board to assist the Governor in promoting the development of a well-educated and highly skilled 21st century workforce, and the development of a high road economy that offers an educated and skilled workforce with fair compensation and treatment in the workplace. Existing law also requires the board to assist in developing standards, procedures, and criteria for high road employers, high road jobs, high road workforce development, and high road training partners, as specified. Existing law defines "high road" for these purposes to mean a set of economic and workforce development strategies to achieve economic growth, economic equity, shared prosperity, and a clean environment. This bill would require the Department of Industrial Relations and the California Workforce Development Board, within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to collectively be responsible for among other duties, creating high road evaluation metrics, consulting with stakeholders, and providing for meaningful public input on the development and evaluation of high road evaluation metrics. The bill would require the board to also assist in developing standards, procedures, and criteria for high road contracting and high road procurement, as specified. The bill would require, upon request by a state agency, the board to establish memorandums of understanding to incorporate high road evaluation metrics in the state agency's procurement processes, contracts, and incentive programs. The bill would make these provisions effective only until January 1, 2030, and repeal them as of that date. This bill would also require specified state agencies, by January 1, 2025, to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the California Workforce Development Board to incorporate high road evaluation metrics in the state agency's procurement processes, contracts, and incentive programs. The bill would require these agreements to draw upon the experience of the California Workforce Development Board to ensure the state has the workforce and industry-based training partnerships necessary to meet its broadband, clean energy, and clean transportation goals, as specified. The bill would require these agreements to include advice and recommendations to ensure state agency policies and regulated programs create or support high-quality jobs in the broadband, energy, resources, and transportation sectors and expand access to those jobs for priority populations through high-quality education and training.

Existing law requires the city council for a charter city that elects its city council using district-based elections to adopt new city council district boundaries following each federal decennial census. Existing law requires the city council to adopt the new boundaries using specified criteria, and by a specified deadline, unless the charter city has adopted different redistricting criteria or a different deadline by ordinance or in its city charter. This bill would require a charter city with a population of at least 2,500,000 people to establish an independent redistricting commission to adjust the district boundaries for the city council if the city's charter does not establish an independent redistricting commission that meets specified criteria. The bill would require the commission to adjust the boundaries of the city council districts in accordance with specified criteria and deadlines. By increasing the duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for charter cities with a population of at least 2,500,000 people. 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, the Knox–Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law authorizes health care service plans and health insurers that cover prescription drugs to utilize reasonable medical management practices, including prior authorization and step therapy, consistent with applicable law. This bill would prohibit a medical service plan and a health insurer from subjecting a naloxone product, or another opioid antagonist approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, a buprenorphine product, methadone, or long-acting injectable naltrexone for detoxification or maintenance treatment of a substance use disorder to prior authorization or step therapy. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to administer various public social services programs, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, the CalFresh program, and the State Emergency Food Assistance Program (CalFood) . The department has administratively created the Diaper Bank Program, through funding from the Budget Act of 2021, to allocate grants to specified food banks and other regional entities, with the aim of providing diapers to low-income families with infants or toddlers. This bill would require the department to establish and administer the Diaper and Wipe Distribution Program for low-income families with infants or toddlers. The bill would authorize the department to determine the method of distributing program funds, and would require the department to conduct outreach to, and consider, eligible entities for participation in the program, as specified. The bill would require the department to require all participating entities to report on a quarterly basis to the department, at a minimum, specified quantitative information, including the numbers of diapers and wipes distributed and the total dollars expended. The bill would require the department to post on the department's internet website a list of the participating entities. The bill would condition implementation of these provisions on an appropriation, and would require that the funding be spent within 36 months after receipt of those moneys. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 10% of any appropriated program funds for purposes of administrative costs to implement the program. The bill would exempt allocations made to any entity under this bill from certain contracting requirements, and would exempt implementation of these provisions from the Administrative Procedure Act.

Existing law establishes within the Department of Industrial Relations the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, with duties and powers, as prescribed. Existing law, the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, requires employers to comply with certain standards ensuring healthy and safe working conditions, as specified. The act charges the Division of Occupational Safety and Health with enforcement of the act, subject to oversight by the Chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The act excludes household domestic service from the definition of "employment." The act requires the chief, or a representative of the chief, to convene an advisory committee for the purposes of creating voluntary guidance and making recommendations to the department and the Legislature on policies the state may adopt to protect the health and safety of privately funded household domestic service employees, except publicly funded household domestic service and family daycare homes, as specified. The act requires the advisory committee to develop voluntary industry-specific occupational health and safety guidance relating to workplace hazards and the prevention or minimization of work-related injuries and illnesses. The act requires the advisory committee to make recommendations, as specified, on additional policies to protect the health and safety of household domestic service employees. Under specified circumstances, a violation of the act is a crime. Existing law requires the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, upon appropriation of funding for this purpose, to establish and maintain an outreach and education program for the purpose of promoting awareness of, and compliance with, labor protections that affect the domestic work industry and fair and dignified labor standards in this industry and other low-wage industries. Existing law requires the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to issue a competitive request to community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide education and outreach services in this connection and prescribes requirements for these organizations. Existing law makes CBOs responsible for developing and consulting with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement regarding the core education and outreach materials, as specified. Existing law requires the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and CBOs to meet at least biannually to coordinate efforts around outreach, education, and enforcement, including sharing information, in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality laws, that will shape and inform the overall enforcement strategy of the division regarding low-wage industries, including the domestic work industry. Existing law prohibits the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement from expending more than 5% of the budget allocation on the administration of the program. This bill would make CBOs responsible for developing and consulting with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health regarding the core education and outreach materials regarding health and safety standards, retaliation, and the division's workplace safety complaint and retaliation process, including specific issues that affect the domestic work industry differently. The bill would make CBOs responsible for all costs related to the development, printing, advertising, or distribution of the education and outreach materials. The bill would require the chief, representatives of the consultation services and enforcement branches of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, and CBOs to meet periodically, as specified, to coordinate efforts around outreach, education, and enforcement. The bill would prohibit the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health from expending more than 5% of the budget allocation on the administration of the program. This bill, for purposes of the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, commencing January 1, 2025, would narrow the exclusion of household domestic service from the definition of "employment" to exclude only publicly funded household domestic service and family daycare homes, as specified. The bill would require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, by January 1, 2025, to adopt industry guidance to assist household domestic service employers on their legal obligations under existing occupational safety and health laws and regulations that apply to the work activity of household domestic service employees. The bill would require the guidance to be consistent with the voluntary industry guidelines established by the advisory committee. The bill would require a household domestic services employer, by January 1, 2025, to comply with, and adhere to, all applicable occupational safety and health regulations. The bill would require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, if the division determines that additional industry-specific regulations are necessary, to propose those regulations to the standards board for its review, and would require the standards board to adopt regulations by January 1, 2026. By expanding the application of criminal penalties under the act to household domestic service employers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations. 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, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000, or an individual or group policy of disability insurance or self-insured employee welfare benefit plan to provide coverage for mammography for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral by specified professionals. Under existing law, mammography performed pursuant to those requirements or that meets the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force is provided to an enrollee or an insured without cost sharing. This bill would require a health care service plan contract, a policy of health insurance that provides hospital, medical, or surgical coverage, or a self-insured employee welfare benefit plan issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, to provide coverage without imposing cost sharing for, among other things, screening mammography and medically necessary diagnostic breast imaging, including diagnostic breast imaging following an abnormal mammography result and for an enrollee or insured indicated to have a risk factor associated with breast cancer, except as specified. 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.