Existing law authorizes the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to impose, in addition to any other tax that it is authorized to impose, a transactions and use tax at a rate of 0.5% for the funding of specified transportation-related projects and programs, subject to various requirements, including the adoption of an expenditure plan and voter approval. Existing law authorizes the MTA to seek voter approval to extend the transactions and use tax pursuant to an amended ordinance, subject to various requirements, including adoption of an amended expenditure plan that, among other things, updates certain cost estimates and identifies expected completion dates for projects and programs under the previous expenditure plan, and also requires the amended expenditure plan to be included in an updated long range transportation plan, as specified. This bill would delete the above-referenced provisions relative to extension of the transactions and use tax and an amended ordinance and expenditure plan, The bill would instead authorize the MTA to impose an additional transportation transactions and use tax at a maximum rate of 0.5% as long as a specified existing 0.5% transactions and use tax is in effect, and at a maximum rate of 1% thereafter, as specified, for a period of time determined by the MTA, if certain conditions exist and subject to various requirements, including the adoption of an expenditure plan and voter approval, as specified. The Transactions and Use Tax Law limits to 2% the combined rate of all transactions and use taxes imposed in any county, with certain exceptions. This bill would exempt the transactions and use tax authorized by the bill from this limitation.
Sponsored bills
Existing law requires a civil action brought by a victim of human trafficking, as defined, to be commenced within 5 years of the date on which the trafficking victim was freed from the trafficking situation or, if the victim was a minor when the act of human trafficking against the victim occurred, within 8 years after the date the plaintiff attains the age of majority. This bill would require a civil action for human trafficking, as defined, to be commenced within 7 years of the date on which the trafficking victim was freed from the trafficking situation or, if the victim was a minor when the act of human trafficking against the victim occurred, within 10 years after the date the plaintiff attains the age of majority. Existing law requires a civil action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another to be commenced with 2 years. This bill would require (1) a civil action for assault, battery, or wrongful death, when the conduct would also constitute torture, genocide, a war crime, an attempted extrajudicial killing, or a crime against humanity, as defined, (2) a civil action for the taking of property in violation of international law, as defined, or (3) a civil action seeking benefits under an insurance policy, where the insurance claim arises out of any of the conduct specified above, to be commenced within 10 years. The bill would authorize a prevailing plaintiff to recover reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs. The bill would provide that the provisions are severable, as specified.
The Alarm Company Act provides for the licensure and regulation of alarm company operators and the certification and registration of employees of alarm companies, including alarm agents, by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services within the Department of Consumer Affairs. That act requires that specified installation agreements entered into by an alarm company pertaining to alarm systems, including, among others, lease agreements, monitoring agreements, and service agreements relating to those installation agreements, be in writing. The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) generally allows parties to contract to conduct transactions by electronic means, imposes specified requirements on electronic transactions in order to comply with the act, and provides specified protections for electronic transactions conducted pursuant to the act. UETA does not apply to certain transactions, including, among others, "home solicitation contracts," as defined. Existing law provides specified time periods for consumers to cancel a home solicitation contract, and requires specified disclosures and statements, and separately executed cancellation documents in connection with the execution of those contracts. This bill would provide that contracts for services or other activities relating to installation agreements for alarm systems may be conducted by electronic means. The bill would provide that the provisions of UETA would apply to transactions conducted by persons licensed, certified, or registered pursuant to the Alarm Company Act, for purposes of those installation agreements, as specified. The bill would require those electronic contracts for services or other activities relating to installation agreements to comply with specified cancellation periods, statements, and disclosures that apply to home solicitation contracts, and would authorize signatures, disclosures, and documents required by those provisions to be provided and transmitted electronically. This bill would incorporate changes to Section 1633.3 of the Civil Code proposed by both this bill and AB 1131, which would become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last.
This measure would proclaim April 12 through April 19, 2015, as California Holocaust Memorial Week and would urge Californians to observe these days of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.
This measure would designate November 2015 as Court Adoption and Permanency Month and would encourage the courts and their local communities to join in activities to expedite permanency for children.
This measure would establish the California Task Force on Family Caregiving, to meet, if a nonstate organization agrees to provide administrative support to the task force, to examine issues relative to the challenges faced by family caregivers and opportunities to improve caregiver support, review the current network and the services and supports available to caregivers, and make policy recommendations to the Legislature. The task force would be required to submit an interim report to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2017, and a final report no later than July 1, 2018.
This measure would recognize the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers for helping veterans secure their federal and state benefits over the past 70 years.
The Community Redevelopment Law authorizes the establishment of redevelopment agencies in communities to address the effects of blight, as defined by means of redevelopment projects financed by the issuance of bonds serviced by tax increment revenues derived from the project area. Existing law dissolved redevelopment agencies and community development agencies, as of February 1, 2012, and provides for the designation of successor agencies to wind down the affairs of the dissolved agencies and to fulfill the enforceable obligations of those agencies. Existing law also provides for various economic development programs that foster community sustainability and community and economic development initiatives throughout the state. This bill would authorize certain local agencies to form a community revitalization authority (authority) within a community revitalization and investment area, as defined, to carry out provisions of the Community Redevelopment Law in that area for purposes related to, among other things, infrastructure, affordable housing, and economic revitalization. The bill would provide for the financing of these activities by, among other things, the issuance of bonds serviced by tax increment revenues, and would require the authority to adopt a community revitalization and investment plan for the community revitalization and investment area that includes elements describing and governing revitalization activities. The bill would also provide for periodic audits by the Controller. The bill would also require the Department of Housing and Community Development, advised by an advisory committee appointed by the Director of Housing and Community Development, to periodically review the calculation of surplus housing under these provisions. The bill would require certain funds allocated to the authority to be deposited into a separate Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund and used by the authority for the purposes of increasing, improving, and preserving the community's supply, as specified. The bill would, if an authority failed to expend or encumber surplus funds in the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund, require those funds to be disbursed towards housing needs. The bill would require an authority to make relocation provisions for persons displaced by a plan and replace certain dwelling units that are destroyed or removed as part of a plan. The bill would authorize an authority to acquire interests in real property and exercise the power of eminent domain, as specified.
This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund in order to maintain and preserve land and water resources.
This measure would encourage citizens, businesses, groups, organizations, and public institutions to observe and participate in coastal protection activities, and proclaim September 19, 2015, as the 31st annual Coastal Cleanup Day.