Asm. Mike Feuer

In honor of the service of Ronald M. George as the Chief Justice of California, this measure designates the Civic Center Complex, comprised of the Earl Warren Building and the Hiram W. Johnson State Office Building, located at the Civic Center Plaza in the City and County of San Francisco, as the Ronald M. George Justice Center.

This measure would designate that January 18, 2010, be observed as the official memorial of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth, commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement in changing public policy in California and in the United States of America.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States and the federal administration to work with the Governor and the Legislature of the State of California to, among other things, provide federal loan guarantees, flexibility with respect to certain programs, and certain funding levels for vital programs, as specified.

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 or a health insurance policy covering prescription drug benefits to provide specified coverage to subscribers, enrollees, and insureds. This bill would require health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies that cover outpatient prescription drug benefits to provide coverage for a drug that has been prescribed for the treatment of pain and would prohibit those contracts and policies from requiring the subscriber, enrollee, or insured to first use another drug or product as specified. The bill would specify that these provisions do not apply to a health care service plan or health insurance policy purchased by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements with respect to health care service plans would be a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

(1) Existing law charges the Controller with various duties, including, among others, superintending the fiscal concerns of the state. Existing law authorizes a city council to enact an ordinance providing each member of the city council a salary based on the population of the city, and to provide for other forms of compensation, as specified. This bill would require the Controller to determine, based on a review of public records or reported salary information, whether a city is an excess compensation city, as defined. The bill would authorize a city to request a hearing, as specified, to contest the Controller's determination. The bill would require the Controller, if the city does not request a hearing or if the Attorney General concurs with the Controller's determination after a hearing, to notify the city and the redevelopment agency in the city of the city's status as an excess compensation city, as prescribed. (2) The Community Redevelopment Law authorizes the establishment of redevelopment agencies in communities to address the effects of blight, as defined, in blighted areas in those communities known as project areas, and authorizes the agency to issue bonds. This bill would prohibit the agency, once the agency has received written notice from the Controller that the city is an excess compensation city, from adopting a redevelopment plan for a new project area or amending an existing redevelopment plan for existing project areas; from issuing new bonds, notes, interim certificates, debentures, or other obligations, as specified; and from encumbering any funds or expending any moneys derived from any source except as specified. (3) Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend unless a closed session is authorized. The act authorizes a legislative body to hold a closed session with the local agency's designated representatives regarding various issues, including compensation, regarding its represented and unrepresented employees, but the legislative body is prohibited from taking final action on the proposed compensation of one or more unrepresented employees. Existing law also requires that all contracts of employment with a local agency, as defined, for certain positions be ratified in an open session of the governing body and be reflected in the governing body's minutes. This bill would require that any individual contract of employment or amendment to a contract of employment with an employee who is or will be employed by, and report directly to, the legislative body of the local agency be ratified in an open session of the legislative body after prescribed information regarding the contract or amendment to the contract is made available in a conspicuous location on the local agency's Internet Web site, if it maintains one, and in a location that is freely accessible to the public, no later than 5 days prior to the meeting to ratify the contract or amend the contract. By expanding the duties of local officials, these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would also specify that final action on the proposed compensation of one or more unrepresented employees who are to be employed by, and report directly to, the legislative body of the local agency only be taken in open session, consistent with the prescribed disclosure requirements. By expanding the duties of local officials, these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The bill would express a legislative finding and declaration that, to ensure the statewide integrity of local government, disclosure of compensation paid to officers and designated employees is an issue of statewide concern and not a municipal affair and that, therefore, all cities, including charter cities, would be subject to the provisions of the bill. (5) 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. (6) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would memorialize the Congress and the President of the United States to uphold protections of women's equality and to encourage all Americans to participate in the celebration of Women's Equality Day on August 26, 2010, the 90th anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.

This measure would declare April 2010 as Financial Aid and Literacy Month to raise public awareness about the need for increased financial literacy.

This measure would support federal legislative efforts to reduce or eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples in social security benefits.

Existing law permits the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to appoint a Legislative Analyst and such other clerical and technical employees as necessary. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to this provision.

This measure would commend the Girl Scouts for 98 years of service and for inspiring millions of girls with the highest ideals of confidence, courage, and character.