Rep. Paul Krekorian

This measure would establish, until January 1, 2014, the California Task Force on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education for the purpose of promoting the improvement of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education across the state. The task force would consist of Members of the Legislature and experts appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules. The task force would conduct its business on a volunteer basis, be able to accept private funds, and would submit an annual report on its work to the Legislature.

This measure would encourage public education institutions to designate each campus as a "Discrimination-Free Zone" to provide a safe haven from intolerance or discrimination, to enact appropriate procedures that meaningfully address acts of discrimination that occur on campus, to notify parents and the campus community of existing policies and procedures that encourage tolerance of others, and to use existing resources to identify themselves as "Discrimination-Free Zones" to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and supports the tolerance of others.

(1) The Subdivision Map Act establishes a statewide regulatory framework for controlling the subdividing of land. The act generally requires a subdivider to submit, and have approved by the city, county, or city and county in which the land is situated, a tentative map. The act requires the legislative body of a city or county or the advisory agency, to the extent that it is authorized by local ordinance to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the tentative map, to include as a condition in any tentative map that includes a subdivision a requirement that a sufficient water supply be available. The act authorizes the legislative body to request written verification of sufficient water supply, and, when the written verification relies on projected water supplies that are not currently available to the public water system to provide a sufficient water supply to the subdivision, requires that the written verification as to those projected water supplies be based on prescribed elements. This bill would, instead, require the legislative body of a city or county or the advisory agency, to the extent that it is authorized by local ordinance to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the tentative map, to include as a condition in any tentative map that includes a subdivision a requirement that the subdivision have a sufficient water supply available or that sufficient water supplies will be made available through a Water Demand Mitigation Fund, as defined, held by the public water system. The bill would require the amount of funding needed for voluntary participation by the subdivision applicant in the Water Demand Mitigation Fund to be based on offsetting at least 100 percent of the projected water demand associated with the subdivision, as determined by the public water system. The bill would authorize the public water supplier to collect fees necessary to provide additional analysis of extraordinary water conservation measures. The bill also would require the public water system to expend all funds in the Water Demand Mitigation Fund on water conservation measures that will offset at least 100 percent of the projected demand associated with the subdivision, as specified. By adding to the duties of public water system officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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.

The Public Employees' Retirement Law requires that, upon the death of any state or school member after retirement and while receiving a retirement allowance, the sum of $2,000 be paid to the member's designated beneficiary, as specified. Existing law provides that the additional employer contributions required to fund this benefit be computed as a level percentage of member compensation, and these are deposited in the Public Employees' Retirement Fund, a continuously appropriated fund. This bill would increase the amount of that payment to $6,163 with respect to those school members. By providing for funds in the Public Employees' Retirement Fund to be spent for a new purpose, and by increasing contributions to that fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law authorize various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that will create a tax incentive program that promotes a robust economic environment for television and film production.

The Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act regulates debt collectors and debt collection practices, and states that the purpose of the act is to prohibit debt collectors from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices and to require debtors to act fairly in entering into and honoring these debts. This bill would make nonsubstantive, technical changes to these provisions.

(1) Existing law establishes the School Facilities Needs Assessment Grant Program under which grants are awarded to school districts on behalf of schoolsites ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, on the Academic Performance Index, as specified. A school district that receives a grant is required to use the funds to develop a comprehensive needs assessment of all schoolsites eligible for grants. Among the information the assessment is required to contain is the useful life remaining on all major building systems, including the water system, for each structure housing instructional space. This bill would require a school district by January 1, 2012, to conduct a one-time analysis of the level of lead in water in schools that were constructed before January 1, 1993, except schools with plumbing that has been completely replaced since January 1, 1993. The State Department of Public Health would be required to establish testing protocols. Water samples would be required to be analyzed by a laboratory that is certified by the State Department of Public Health or the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A school district would be required to report the results of the analysis to the State Department of Education, which would be required to make the information available to the public. The bill would authorize a school district, if the analysis reveals the presence of lead in water that is available, as specified, for human consumption on a schoolsite, to compete for funding from the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006. The State Department of Public Health would be required to establish a deadline for the submittal of applications for funding and prioritize applications in order to achieve the greatest protection from lead exposure among pupils attending public schools. By requiring school districts to conduct the analysis and report the results to the department, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 permits a local authority to decrease or increase a prima facie speed limit on any street, other than a state highway, based on an engineering and traffic survey, and for enforcement purposes requires that survey to be redone after a certain number of years. This bill would allow a local authority retain a prima facie speed limit on any street, other than a state highway, if the local authority makes a finding, after a public hearing, that a higher speed limit is not the most appropriate for the orderly movement of traffic upon the street and does not promote a safe environment for the neighborhood or pedestrians.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of all state highways. Existing law requires the department to prepare an annual report to the Legislature describing the status of the department's progress in locating, assessing, and remediating barriers to fish passage, as defined. Existing law requires the department to complete assessments of potential barriers to the passage of anadromous fish prior to commencing project design for any project using state or federal transportation funds that affects certain stream crossings. Existing law requires the department to submit the assessment to the Department of Fish and Game and to add it to the CALFISH database. Existing law requires new projects to be constructed without presenting barriers to fish passage. Existing law also requires the department to complete an assessment for any repair or construction project using those funds that affects those stream crossings. This bill would define the terms "barrier" and "project" for purposes of these provisions and would require the annual report submitted to the Legislature by the department to include the precise location of past, current, or future remediation projects and a schedule for the remediation of existing barriers to anadromous fish passage. The bill would repeal the provisions requiring the department to perform an assessment for repair or construction projects using state or federal transportation funds that affect those stream crossings. The bill would recast provisions that require the department to complete an assessment of potential barriers to the passage of anadromous fish prior to commencing the project design for any project, as defined, that affects a stream crossing and would require the assessment to include the status of barriers, as specified. The bill would require this assessment to be presented to the Department of Fish and Game and added to the California Fish Passage Assessment Database. The bill would require the department to remediate any barriers to fish passage associated with any project using state or federal transportation funds if the project affects a stream crossing on a stream where anadromous fish are, or historically were, found. The bill would require remediation costs for these projects to be programmed into the state transportation improvement program or the state highway operation and protection program. The bill wold require the department to provide notice to the Department of Fish and Game at least 6 month prior to initiating project design of any project and to post the notice in a conspicuous location on its Internet Web site. The bill would require the department to prioritize transportation projects that complement planned or active streambed remediation or restoration efforts. The bill would require the department and the Department of Fish and Game, by July 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, to jointly identify high-priority barriers in each district, as specified, and post a list of high-priority barriers in a conspicuous location on its Internet Web site. The bill would require the department to remediate barriers to fish passage using any federal funds received pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to the extent permitted by federal law.

Existing law requires sex offenders to register in accordance with the procedures of the Sex Offender Registration Act. Existing law authorizes the Department of Justice to disclose sex offender information to government entities under specified circumstances. This bill would require the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to coordinate with one another to develop an approach that allows these departments to generate information identifying all sex offenders living in licensed residential, child care, or foster care facilities.